SHAH ALAM: Another day has just begun. Yes its the first day of the new year and it seemed just like yesterday I wrote that we will be muddling through the new year. So what is in store in 2018 then? I am not a soothsayer but listed below are somethings that might get mildly interesting in the coming days.
I am going to say it will be a bumper year for the maritime services, the RMN and MMEA. RMN will be getting two new ships this year, the Gagah and Teguh Samudera, the training ships. Contrary to what I wrote earlier, the commissioning of the two much delayed ships will be held not this month but on April 27, the 84th anniversary of the RMN.
Teguh, the second training ship, will be handed over to the RMN supposedly by January 18. As she is handed over by Grade One Marine Shipyard to the RMN, her sister ship, Gagah will undergo a minor refit at the same yard to prepare her for the commissioning ceremony later in April.
I was told that Gagah was to be commissioned during the 83rd anniversary celebrations but the legal troubles which had delayed their completion since 2013 caused the plan to be scrubbed.
Another silver lining for the RMN will be the launch of the second LCS and the harbour trials of the first, Maharaja Lela, planned later in the year.
As for the MMEA, the third NGPC is expected to be commissioned this month as posted by one of our commenters. I have not got any confirmation on this yet (everybody is on holidays) but it seemed likely. The rest of the NGPC fleet is also expected to be delivered this year so the junior service will have a leg up on its senior for once.
As for the Army, it is getting more Gempita 8X8 this year though its likely not more than 30 vehicles. Perhaps we will see a new variant this year though I am not sure which one. I believed it will either be the reconnaissance or engineering variant though it could be both. Perhaps we will also see the first public firing of the Ingwe missile from the ATGW variant at the firepower exercise later this year.
RMAF is not expected to take any delivery of new aircraft this year but it is likely that contracts for the upgrades of the Hawks, Hercules and Nuri will be signed at DSA 2018 later this April. This was stated in the 2018 budget announcement. The contracts for the Army including the Nexter 105mm LG1 howitzers and the M109 SPH are also likely be signed at the same show.
As for the MRCA and MPA contracts, your guess is as good mine.
Happy New Year!
— Malaysian Defence
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View Comments (93)
the best news is the upgrades of the Hawks, Hercules and Nuri. been waiting long for those. i hope we can see what the upgrade will be. doubt the MPA will be down this year although a miracle will help. lastly, Happy New Year to all!!!
How many av4 lipanbara delivered to the army to this date?
Reply
All 20 contracted for have been delivered
There has been quite a major change in direction for TUDM this past few months. Some things that are firmly denied previously are now being considered, so LOI for items in LIMA 2017 may proceed or even dropped. So for 2018 i am hoping to hear more from the TUDM leaderships on the LCA and MPA.
For the army, just waiting to see which regiment would be reequipped with the LG1. IMO probably be the 1RAD (para). Would also be interested to see if 10 Brigade (Para) would also be recapitalised with new equipment with the 2018 budget.
For the navy, we know well about SGPV LCS and the training ships. So for 2018 more info on the LMS and also the NGPV batch 2 would be great.
As for the MMEA, IMO great execution of equipment replacement and upgrades given the relatively small budget. for 2018 would be hoping to hear a 2nd batch of NGPC to be approved.
Though our armed forces can be in a better position, I am grateful that it has come to where it is now compared to the early 90's. Economic uncertainty has caused a lot of the military planners' thoughts to be put on hold or even shelved but so far things are still moving though not as fast as most of us here wanted.
The reality is, we are no longer the economic tiger we were 20 years ago and don't think we will ever be again. As such a paradigm shift in the way we approach our defense procurement must be initiated. Procurement assets must be affordable, less waste and must be in sufficient quantity to justify economies of scale and to provide a credible deterrent force. What lacks in quality would be able to be made up in sufficient quantity.
As the new world order are now ever increasingly shifted to the east, this also will affect our future procurement preference and standards.
Hope that Kuwaiti Hornet rumour comes true.
MMEA 44m NGPC vessel no 3 KM Kota Belud plan sailing back on 10 Jan 18 will base at Sandakan. Vessel no 4 start commissioning mid Jan 18
kamal - ''I am grateful that it has come to where it is now compared to the early 90’s.''
Are you sure about that? In capabilities no doubt but in many ways, we had better sustained long term planning in the 1990's compared to now. Of course economics plays a part but since Najib took over; he's been too distracted focusing on other areas.
kamal - ''and must be in sufficient quantity to justify economies of scale and to provide a credible deterrent force.''
Unless our threat perceptions undergo a sudden shift and we spend more; this will never happen.
... - ''IMO probably be the 1RAD (para).''
I tend to agree with you but can the LG1 be air dropped? Not that I see much utility in air dropping howitzers - not in our operational context - but the unit does air drop its Model 56s.
Discussion only, I doubt this will ever happen due to the cost.
Suppose the RMAF got two SAAB Global Eye and two Swordfish MPA.
There will be 4 platforms for maritime surveillance (although only 2 dedicated maritime patrol) and 2 for AEW!
Killing 2 birds with 1 stone??
Reply
Yes but again money gets in the way. That said two or three Globaleyes will do nicely
@ azlan
" Developed by Nexter, the 105 LG1 is the lightest 105 mm towed artillery gun worldwide. Air-transportable by helicopters, towable by light vehicles, reliable in harsh environment and easy to use and maintain, the 105 LG1 is an excellent assault artillery gun and is used as fire support for fast reaction forces.
The weight of the 105 LG1 gun is less than 1,600 kg, and it can be towed by any light off-road vehicle, without any speed limit on the road. It can be air transported (4 guns per C130) and can also be transported under a light helicopter.
It can be parachuted or air dropped on a pallet at low altitude."
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CwaVv7WVIAAEuFj.jpg:large
But i agree with you, i also don't see any utility in dropping the howitzer without having any means to move it as all the parachute force is on foot.
That is why i am an ardent supporter of a company-sized spearhead force on air-droppable vehicles (110men on 10 Polaris DAGOR + 4 ZBD-03 IFV deployed from 3 A400M) to support the rest of the parachute force that is by foot. That would be a better force enabler rather than immobile howitzers.
https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TsPSA8nfEkU/WfnXVz9oQ-I/AAAAAAABfL0/yV3Qink84o076wJ3EBmrVUnAz4sm0lteQCLcBGAs/s1600/tumblr_oyqsdjOZLf1rqpszmo3_1280.jpg
Turkmenistan Polaris DAGOR. The DAGOR is optimised for airborne operations and can carry 9 soldiers.
http://img01.imgcdc.com/mili/zh_cn/jctp/11172988/20160803/67931470211810.jpg
ZBD-03 IFV with parachute rack at the rear of the turret. This IFV is similar in size and weight to Scorpion, but optimised for paradrop, with 3 crew and 4 soldiers, armed with 30mm gun.
@ tomtom
IMO we can get AEWAC by 2025 if the will is there (no MRCA dreaming that is)
https://www.malaysiandefence.com/brimstone-and-typhoon/#comment-287985
But it would be an ERIEYE ER radar on the Bombardier Global 6000 airframe as per Globaleye, but without the complicated maritime patrol equipment and belly radar installed. IMO buying AEWAC and MPA separately is better value than combining them in 1 platform and paying exorbitant prices like the Globaleye.