Vice Admiral Dato’ Ts. Shamsuddin bin Hj Ludin was appointed as the 27th Commander Western Fleet Command within the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) on 18 October 2023. Vice Admiral Dato’ Ts Shamsuddin bin Hj Ludin now commands Malaysia's oldest and largest naval command that includes vital assets categorised under Attack, Support and Patrol Flotilla. As the 27th Commander Western Fleet, he also oversees the HQ Naval Region 1, HQ Naval Region 3, HQ Naval Air, HQ Diving & Mine Warfare, HQ Western Logistics, HQ Lumut Naval Base and also the Maritime Tactical Centre. Vice Admiral Sam is in charge of overseeing the entire naval forces in Peninsular Malaysia. This includes a wide range of responsibilities, such as deploying sea and air assets, personnel, naval operations, and ensuring overall maritime security in the region. Hailing from Baling, Kedah, Vice Admiral Sam began his career in the RMN as a Sub Lieutenant in January 1989, following his training at the Royal Malaysia Naval College. Over the course of his remarkable 36-year military career, he has held a wide range of positions, spanning from tactical and operational roles to strategic leadership positions. In operational roles, he has held several noteworthy positions at sea. He served as the Senior Squadron Officer of 26th MCMV during his tenure as the Commanding Officer of KD MAHAMIRU. Additionally, he held the role of Senior Squadron Officer of the 23rd Frigate while serving as the Commanding Officer of KD JEBAT. Ashore, he has gained valuable experience in higher-level assignments. Notably, he served in Naval Planning Development at Naval HQ where he played a pivotal role in making significant contributions to the RMN Transformation Programme for the modernisation of the navy. He has also led the Maritime Segment of International Defence Exhibitions the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace (LIMA) and possesses extensive experience in participating in and managing multilateral engagements. Other notable assignment at the Tri-Service level was as the Director General of Defence Cyber and Electromagnetic Division. Vice Admiral Sam steered Malaysian Armed Forces former Communication and Electronic Division to the new relevant brand with its core business in a wider spectrum of cyber and Electromagnetic domains In terms of his military and academic background, he earned a Master's degree in Management and Defence Studies from the University of Canberra, Australia. He also holds a Graduate Certificate in Maritime Studies from the University of Wollongong, Australia, and a Diploma in Human Resources Management from Open University Malaysia. Additionally, he graduated from the Australian Command and Staff College and the U.S. Naval War College in Rhode Island. Military academic background includes training as a Maritime Principal Warfare Officer in the United Kingdom, Defence Resource Management at the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School, and participation in courses such as the Alumni of Strategic Courses at Cranfield University UK, the USA Combined Force Maritime Component Commander Course, and a Counter-Terrorism Course. He also completed a course on Armament and Defence Economy for the Asia-Pacific Region in collaboration with the French Institute for Higher Defence Studies. In 2021, he was honoured as the Cyber Security Professional of the Year by Cyber Security Malaysia, acknowledging his remarkable contributions to cybersecurity initiatives. Additionally, he has been bestowed with the title of Adjunct Professor by the Malaysia MARA University of Technology and recognized as a Professional Technologist by the Malaysian Board of Technology. Vice Admiral Sam is married to Datin Nor Balkhissham and blessed with three sons and one daughter.