Submarines: December 1, 2000

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Malaysia (stunned at Singapore's purchase of submarines) has decided that it must have its own, and is leasing two old Dutch boats (the Zvaardvis and Tijgerhaai) and has plans to buy two more Dutch submarines of the new Moray class. The two submarines are en route to Malaysia, which will spend two years overhauling them and bringing them up to modern standards. The subs were delivered to the Dutch navy in 1972, modernized in the 1980s, and have been stored since 1994. The Dutch government sold them to the RDM shipyard in 1995; RDM has been trying to use a lease on the subs to lock up customers for the new Moray and has apparently found a buyer at last.--Stephen V Cole