Former Smokey Bandits Leader is RMAF Deputy Chief

RMAF Mig-29 Fulcrums in a diamond formation over Butterworth airbase on Nov 30, 2011. Three of the Fulcrums are carrying a single ACMI pods on their left wing

SHAH ALAM: Former Smokey Bandits team leader, LT Jen Datuk Seri Affendi Buang, has assumed the post of Deputy Chief of the Royal Malaysian Air Force. He took over from Datuk Seri Che Akmar Mohd Nor who is retiring.

Affendi served as the Smokey Bandits team leader from LIMA 1997 to at least LIMA 2003.

RMAF official website listed Affendi, 53, who was until recently the RMAF Air Operations commander, as the service’s Deputy Chief as of Friday. (August 21, 2015).

Lt Jen Datuk Seri Affendi Buang.
Lt Jen Datuk Seri Affendi Buang.

However, RMAF have yet to announce Affendi’s replacement as the Operations Chief. Affendi joined the RMAF in 1981 and completed his flight training in 1983. Apart from the Mig-29 Fulcrums, Affendi callsign Apai initially flew the Aermacchi MB-339A and the Douglas A4TPM Skyhawk.

On March 25, 1988, Affendi who was then a Lieutenant ejected from his A-4 Skyhawk jet fighter over the jungle in Kuala Lipis, Pahang

Affendi were among the four pilots who were part of the Fulcrum project team which include former RMAF chief Tan Sri Rodzali Daud and Joint Force commander Lt Jen Datuk Seri Ackbal Abdul Samad.

Lt Jen Affendi receving a flight helmet as a memento from current 19th Sqn CO Lt Kol Sebastian William (right) in May, 2015. Picture from Kelab Penyokong TUDM Facebook.
Lt Jen Affendi receving a flight helmet as a memento from current 17th Sqn CO Lt Kol Sebastian William (right) in May, 2015. Picture from Kelab Penyokong TUDM Facebook.

Both Fulcrum pilots are featured in this video below taken in 2014.

Like Affendi, the current CO of 17th Squadron Lt Kol Sebastian A. William, had also ejected from his aircraft. Unlike the general, William was flying an Aermacchi in the 1996 incident.

–Malaysian Defence

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Shah Alam

3 Comments

  1. *Off-Topic*

    Old soldier fades away.

    I received news yesterday from CSM (Cawangan Sumber Manusia) Army HQ — run by his elder son — that Jen Tan Sri Dato’ Haji Mohd Sany bin Haji Abdul Ghaffar, has passed away peacefully and will be buried with full honours at the RMR Cemetery in PD today.

    The late general was old school and although this is anecdotal, he apparently disagreed, while CPS (Chief, Personnel Staff) with the proposal that PDRM should take turns with RMR in mounting the guard of honour during State occasions, and offered to resign his commission should that be so. Tun Razak backed down. He was that sort of general.

    Al-Fatihah.

    Reply
    He was buried last night.

  2. Off topic.

    The August issue of Combat and Survival has an article on PASKAL. The author took all the pics at LIMA and mentions that the Minimi is being replaced by the MG4 (he was probably told this by someone at LIMA). There are pics of the XM-8 and G-36 (I’ve been told that these are mainly show as only small batches were acquired) and UMP-45 (not sure if a small batch was acquired for evaluation or indeed it’s being used as standard issue). There’s a nice pic of a 416 fitted with an AG-36.

    The magazine had previously ran articles on PASKAL and PASKAU a few years ago. The writer was Yves Debay who was the first foreign writer to be granted access to these units. A veteran correspondent, he was killed in Syria.

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