KD Laksamana Muhammad Amin (F136) is the third ship of Laksamana-class corvette currently in service with the Royal Malaysian Navy. She built by Fincantieri based on the Type 550 corvette design and currently serving in the 24th corvette Squadron of the Royal Malaysian Navy.[1]
See main article: Laksamana-class corvette.
The Laksamana-class corvettes of the Royal Malaysian Navy are modified s built by Fincantieri, Italy. They were originally ordered by Iraqi Navy in February 1981.[2] The corvettes were never delivered to Iraq and instead refitted and sold to Malaysia in mid 1990s.[3]
Laksamana Muhammad Amin were originally ordered by the Iraqi Navy as Abdullah Ibn Abi Serh (F214). Her keel was laid down on 22 March 1982, launched on 5 July 1983 and she was completed in 1987.[2] Upon her completion, Abdullah Ibn Abi Serh was laid up at Muggiano due to trade embargo during Iran–Iraq War that prevented her from being delivered to Iraq.[2] She was finally released for delivery in 1990, but as Iraq was again embargoed following its invasion of Kuwait, the ship was kept laid up by Fincantieri. It was proposed that she would be requisitioned by Italian Navy or sold to either Morocco or Colombia.[4]
Royal Malaysian Navy signed a contract with Fincantieri for Abdullah Ibn Abi Serh and her sister Salah Ad Din Alayoobi on 20 February 1997. She and her sister were refitted at Muggiano and later arrived in Malaysia in September 1999.[3] The ship was commissioned as KD Laksamana Muhammad Amin on 31 July 1999.[3] Due to their obsoleted after served for a long time in RMN, she together with the other sister ships will be upgrade to extend their service life.[5] [6]