LIMA 2015 2nd Preview

LANGKAWI: AS I did not found out anything significant today, I might as well have a picture update. Anyhow, the biggest news to come out of LIMA 2015 today was the withdrawal of TNI-AU Jupiter aerobatic display team.
The six surviving KT-1B aircraft flew off Langkawi around noon, a day after two of the planes crashed during practice.

TNI -AU Jupiter team leaving Langkawi for home.
TNI -AU Jupiter team leaving Langkawi for home.

As the mishap is under investigation, the team’s display routine had to be suspended leading to the decision to return home to Indonesia.

Meanwhile, images and videos of the Nuri in digital camo has spread on the social media. Talk is rife that the Nuri will be handed over to the Army at the opening day ceremony but Army chief Jen Tan Sri Raja Mohamed Affandi Raja Mohamed Nor declined to confirm nor deny the speculation.

A visitor posing with an Army AW109 LOH fitted with a mini gun at LIMA 2015
A visitor posing with an Army AW109 LOH fitted with a mini gun at LIMA 2015

Raja Affandi also declined to confirm nor deny whether the helicopter above is fitted with the mini gun.

The two Grob aircraft looked out of place at the LIMA tarmac among the fighter jets but their debut at Langkawi made them a worthy addition to the show. The 520T is a very long-shot to meet Malaysia’s UAV requirements while the 120 could be the ab-initio trainer RMAF is looking for.

Two examples of the Super Lynx, 03 and 06 are seen spotting a FLIR turret on their nose which were not seen previously. At DSA 14, Selex ES was awarded a contract for the supply of spares and support for the RMN Super Lynx fleet with sensors, specifically the Guardian 2500 electronic support measures, the Seaspray 3600 surveillance radar and the multi mission turret.

Kept Anuar Alias, PGB, RMN.
Kept Anuar Alias, PGB, RMN.

I had the pleasure of meeting Kept Anuar Alias, PGB, RMN’s sole PGB recipient when covering the opening ceremony of the Multi National Counter Terrorism Exercise. It was a short encounter, he was busy coordinating the event but I am indeed honoured by the chance meeting.

He was awarded the PGB for his actions while serving as UN peacekeeper. His award was largely kept under wraps until his exploits and picture was published in the recent Navy coffee table book (after he was promoted as Captain). His citation at the KD Panglima Hitam museum at Lumut only has a small picture of him.

— Malaysian Defence

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1 Comment

  1. Steelshot says:
    March 19, 2015 at 11:14 am

    Totally agreed with Azlan that we should be placing some order soooooon!

    Soon enough, they will not “woo wah” when we say we are gonna do this and buy tat.

    It will be, Show me the money Bro!
    Azlan says:
    March 18, 2015 at 9:21 pm

    We’ve been looking at MPAs for several years now. A few years ago Flightglobal reported that we were on the verge of signing for CN-295s 🙂 Nothing new, unless off course there is actually cash allocated for the programme in the near future; for which it would seem the prime candidates are either CN-235s or CN-295s from Bandung. There was even a report in Janes back in the late 1990’s that we were offered surplus Nimrods which thankfully we declined!

    We’re going to have to start placing some orders soon or we’ll find that various companies might not come to LIMA 2017 and Najib won’t be able to say that it’s the “best” LIMA.
    Steelshot says:
    March 18, 2015 at 7:07 pm

    Industry sources say that Kuala Lumpur is in the process of crystallising a requirement for six to eight long-range maritime patrol aircraft (MPA).

    The potential requirement attracted attention from a range of companies including Boeing, Saab, Dassault, and Indonesian Aerospace.

    Am I dreaming?
    Azlan says:
    March 18, 2015 at 7:07 pm

    The UN beancounters would say that we have no need for Merlin or Chinook for a MALBATT deployment and that if needed; they would provide use with helicopters leased from a private company or allocate us helicopters that are already deployed and owned by other contributers. If I’m not mistaken UNIFIL has several Mil-8s/17s and Bells that are leased to provide stuff like MEDEVAC and transport of UN people.
    AM says:
    March 18, 2015 at 3:33 pm

    Think strategically. If we need a helicopter for Malbatt, we should buy Chinooks or Merlins and send the bill to the UN.
    Azlan says:
    March 18, 2015 at 2:17 am

    One of the main priorities for Nuri crews has always been for the Nuri to be equipped with avionics to perform IFR sorties in adverse weather conditions. Everything else, although welcomed, is secondary. Contrary to the impression some may have, the Nuri (despite her age) remains a very popular and loved platform to the majority of crews that fly or use to fly her.
    fird says:
    March 17, 2015 at 4:31 pm

    Up to date, how many of our Nuri’s have completed refurbishment and fitted with digital cockpit? And what is with that color scheme.. are they going to be used in the Middle East peace mission?

    Reply
    AFAIK, one.
    stanman says:
    March 17, 2015 at 3:49 pm

    Is that Nuri with the Carson kit?

    Reply
    AFAIK no, they only change the cockpit to a Rockwell Collins Pro Line 21 digital cockpit. Old wirings are replaced but not the main rotor and tail blades. They cannot justify throwing tonnes of low houred OEM rotor blades to get the Carson composite blades despite its claim of better performance.
    Azlan says:
    March 17, 2015 at 2:07 pm

    Once there is change of ownership the Nuris will be reserialled. The ex-RMAF Alo 3s were M20-01, M20-02, M20-05, M20-08, M20-10, M-20-12, M20-18, M20-23, M20-026 and M20-27. Any one know their army serials?

    Marhalim,

    I was looking at my pic collection. There are pics of Super Lynx M501-3 taken over the years [including when it was at Fanborough]
    that show it with a FLIR. I suspect M501-5 and M501-6 [as you mentioned] were the ones delivered with no FLIR mounted. All the rest have pics showing them with FLIR.

    Reply
    Actually, I believed all of the Super Lynx are “wired or fitted for” the FLIR but only three turrets were purchased and it is rotated among the active aircraft. So you will have pictures of the aircraft with or without the turrets. If I remember correctly the original FLIR turrets on RMN Super Lynx were smaller, presumably, the turrets meant for export variants. The ones seen on 06 and 03 at Lima 15 are much bigger looking more like the ones fitted previously to the RN Lynxs. Of course the Wildcats got the latest FLIR turret.
    … says:
    March 17, 2015 at 9:36 am

    About the nuri…

    Is that the actual m23-01; or will the army reserial all the nuri that they will receive (I really hope not).

    Reply
    No idea yet!
    Azlan says:
    March 16, 2015 at 11:14 pm

    The Nuri’s camo scheme reminds me of the black/white winter scheme used on RN Sea Kings when operating in Norway.

    In his New Year’s address the RMN boss mentioned something about a FLIR related contract. We speculated it was for spares but it now appears it was actual contract for FLIR: only 3 of the 6 Super Lynx were fitted with FLIR

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