RMN’s Compact Tactical Light Secures Breakthrough Commercial Deal at LIMA ‘25

Langkawi: The Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) showcased its award-winning Compact Tactical Light (CTL), a pioneering technology created by the RMN Naval Air Wing, during the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition (LIMA ’25). The event marked a key milestone in Malaysian defense innovation.

The MV Bunga Laurel hijacking in the Gulf of Aden inspired the original idea for CTL, which aimed to fill a potentially fatal void in combat operations conducted at night. There needs to be a better and more dependable identification mechanism since RMN Special Forces and the AS555 SN Fennec helicopter detachment had trouble visually distinguishing friend from foe during the high-stakes rescue mission in the darkness.

The eventual product was CTL, a small coded light system that’s undetectable to the human eye but can be detected by specialist gear. The system allows friendly forces to be securely identified during low-light missions without sacrificing tactical advantage.

Since then, the innovation has won a slew of awards on a global scale, including

Recognized as the Champion of National Intellectual Property
Winner of the Perak Innovation Competition
Grand Prize Winner at the Royal Malaysian Navy Innovation Awards

Choppertech Services Sdn Bhd received the Award for Best Innovation at the Seoul International Inventors’ Fair.

At the MINDEF Pavilion, CTL is now poised for commercial success as part of the Ministry of Defense’s Innovation Segment. Choppertech Services Sdn Bhd is now RMN’s official marketing representative for the defense industry. Choppertech Services and Lorenco Defence Private Limited signed a procurement agreement today at LIMA ’25, making it the first commercial acquisition of the CTL system.

First Admiral Ruzman bin Mat, Commander of the RMN Naval Air Wing, was present during the ceremony, which serves to emphasize the collaboration’s strategic importance even more.

In his remarks, Admiral Ruzman expressed pride on behalf of the Navy people. “The CTL project showcases our never-ending commitment to enhancing our defense capabilities through innovation, all thanks to the hard work and creativity of our personnel.”

Commercializing CTL is a giant step forward for RMN-led innovation and further establishes Malaysia as a leading provider of cutting-edge defense systems.