SHAH ALAM: Six RAF Typhoons have landed at Butterworth airbase yesterday ahead of the Exercise Bersama Lima 2016, which starts tomorrow. Bersama Lima 16 is the annual Five Powers Defence Arrangement (FPDA) Exercise, which involves the UK, Malaysia, Singapore, Australia and New Zealand.
The Exercise provides an opportunity for the five countries to improve integration and interoperability, whilst showing their collective commitment to the FPDA. Apart from the RAF, the New Zealand Defence Force contingent will also be based at Butterworth for the exercise.
NZDF is sending a P-3K2 Orion surveillance aircraft for the exercise which is being organised by Singapore this year.
The RAF release.
Royal Air Force Typhoon Aircraft flown by 1(Fighter) Squadron from RAF Lossiemouth have landed at Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) Butterworth in Malaysia for Exercise Bersama Lima 16, the first leg of Eastern Venture.
The Typhoon aircraft arrived as two trails (4 in each), both support by RAF Voyager Tanker aircraft which provided air to air refuelling for the Typhoons. Multiple re-fuelling brackets were conducted, with the Voyager and Typhoons linking up at 300 mph.
Wing Commander Mike Sutton, Commanding Officer 1(Fighter) Squadron, RAF Lossiemouth, said:
“ We are really looking forward to Exercise Bersama Lima and we are really grateful to Malaysia for hosting this exercise. Every day we will be conducting large training missions with all of the air forces. This exercise provides us with a fantastic opportunity to train and improve our integration and effectiveness with all the participating countries”.
The Exercise runs from 4-21 October 2016 and is the first part of Eastern Venture. After Bersama Lima, the RAF Typhoons will then deploy for exercises in Japan and The Republic of Korea.
The RAF Typhoon is a battle-proven, multi-role combat aircraft, capable of being deployed in the full spectrum of air operations, from air policing, to peace support, through to high intensity conflict.
— Malaysian Defence
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Don’t want to sound like a cynic but ”battle proven”? No doubt Typhoon is a very capable aircraft with great potential but to date, it has operated in scenarios where opponents operated degraded and outmoded air defence systems, a largely antiquated AD network and had a fighter fleet that was not only grounded but also largely obsolete. Another point to remember is that Typhoon operated as part of integrated network alongside AEW and other assets [it was not only the aircraft but the systems that produced the result]. I guess we’ll only really know how Typhoon and the likes of Rafale will really perform when they go against a peer opponent or one that has a functioning and modern AD network and air defence systems and one that is able and chooses to contest any attempts to dominate its skies.
In the past British Aerospace supported Tornado deployments to Malaysia as part marketing efforts to sell Tornados. Lets see whether BAE Systems has more success with Typhoon.
Out of topic.
It seems that a Nuri has just crashed into a school in Tawau (04/10/2016)
From tv footage, Nuri Tawau crash 04102016 shown its detached tail stuck on a badly damaged rooftop and a rotor blade out in an open space but no sight of fuselage. Looks like a write off. For 2016 up to 04102016 I count 1 transport, 1 trainer and 1 heli out due to crash.
Although not apple to apple comparison, below listed some of the concluded multirole fighters deals thus far:
a) India buying 36 Rafale: per unit around USD242 million
b) Kuwait buying 28 Typhoon: Per unit around USD322 million
c) Australia buying 24 SH E/F: Per Unit around USD167 million
One look, would deemed The Super Hornet would be the best value for money for RMAF. However again, i do not know what is included in the per unit cost (different training, maintenance and service packages). The above may not include weapons package.
kamal,
From a training and logistical viewpoint yes. From another viewpoint one can ask whether buying a fighter which is originally based on a platform first designed in the 1970’s makes sense and whether it would make more sense to buy a newer generation fighter [even if we’re buying a mere 18] with more growth potential than the Super Hornet. With regards to quoted prices, one shouldn’t really use it as a yardstick to gauge how much we would pay for a similar aircraft as there are varying factors involved. Australia is making a follow on order for a type it already operates; it does not have to pay for a training package and already has some of the needed ground support equipment needed. Notifications to Congress on potential FMS sales normally include the overall price including the aircraft, spare engines, etc, but it can vary on the circumstances.
The indian have the rafale at a discount price if i not mistaken.so ours maybe gonna be more expensive
Anyway when is the Fulcrum’s last day?
Reply
No idea.