SHAH ALAM: Coming soon or next change. In a previous post, Malaysian Defence wrote that the PM10 administration will have to deal with the legacy issues like the LCS and things like the SPH/4X4s LOIs and the tenders for MPA/MALE UAS and FLIT/LCA.
Yes, there are other issues which needs the attention of PM10 but since this is a site concentrating on national security issues, of course it will be the main ones being discussed here. Anyhow, another issue that will crop up in the next year or so, will be the Kuwaiti Hornets.
Malaysian Defence has been told that when the Kuwaiti government wants to sell its classic Hornets, Malaysia will be the priority customer. When, is tricky to answer as it depends on when Kuwait is taking delivery of the 28 Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet fighter jets ordered in 2016.
Boeing has completed the delivery of the 28 Super Hornets to US Navy in September 2021 though there is no word when the aircraft will make it to Kuwait. Six Eurofighter Typhoons has already been delivered to Kuwait as off September 2022, out of 28 aircraft ordered in 2016.
And when the delivery of Super Hornets to Kuwait takes place, we will then have to get permission from the US to start the procurement process. It is this part that requires the movement from PM10. Defence Minister DS Mohamad Hasan will have to ask permission from the Cabinet to get the US approval. And if the Cabinet says no, that is the end of it even if we have first dibs on the Kuwaiti Hornets.
In December 2021, the Defence Ministry stated it was interested in the Kuwaiti Hornets.
The-then Deputy Defence Minister DS Ikmal Hisham Abdul Aziz told Parliament on December 22 that the ministry was interested in purchasing the Kuwaiti Hornets. He said it would be a “lock, stock and barrel” procurement of 33 Kuwaiti Air Force F/A-18C/D aircraft which were still in good condition and with low operating hours.
Unfortunately, the reports on the interest had taken the deputy minister’s statement out of context leading to a denial by the Kuwaitis.
It is likely that the Kuwaiti Hornets procurement was the reason a large allocation was provided for the maintenance and upgrades of the RMAF Hornets in the proposed 2023 budget. Hopefully, the new budget to be tabled next year will give an indication of the intention.
— Malaysian Defence
View Comments (73)
As I said before, if the MRCA buy is going to be pushed back to 2040 or later, and the MKM fleet will sooner than later need to go into deep SLEP within the same time, we need those Kuwaiti Hornets tho not at the 33units as said by the then DMenHan. What we need to get at all the D models to augment our fleet and some C models as backup and as for spares.
Is anyone in government buddies with the Kuwaits 😁? Maybe they will be sold for USD$1.00 each or some token amount.
At least Kuwait official know our intention to get those Hornet..now it depend on us.
They knew for a long time already
We should tie the F/A-18 acquisition with FA-50. Upgrade them with similar radar, do joint weapon acquisition for both types, et cetera
Tom Tom - ''Maybe they will be sold for USD$1.00 each or some token amount.''
The hard part comes later. We'll have to allocate sufficient funding for sustainment [as they get older the airframes will get more maintenance extensive]; for ordnance; for ground support equipment [can't assume the Kuwaitis will throw that in] and for other things.
Alex - ''We should tie the F/A-18 acquisition with FA-50. Upgrade them with similar''
We should do a lot of things and the armed services do plan accordingly but you reckon the politicians and bureaucrats actually plan that far with the needed sense of urgency based on logic and practicality? Also lets not forget that once we actually make a request for the Kuwaiti Hornets; it involves the Pentagon, State Department and other entities having to approve it. Approval is not the concern but the fact that it's a long tedious process.
17 skuadron (previously were using the migs) can be reactivated with these FA-18 and at least one permanent squadron should be tasked in S&S. Ideally there should be at least 6 FA-50 to be tasked in S&S as well on rotational basis
With FA-50 selling like fried banana nowadays it's hard to expect them to be delivered within 36 month after contract. Even then it would take another few years to achieve FOC. With F/A-18, sans some SLEP works it could be used from the get go
No 17 Skuadron already reactivated, though likely just a small staff only
Joe "if the MRCA buy is going to be pushed back to 2040 or later, the MKM fleet will sooner than later need to go into deep SLEP within the same time"
SLEP programme could cost as much or more than a new purchase. So rather than a postponement of MRCA, money wise we could go for early retirement of MKM and acceleration of MRCA program instead.
"What we need to get at all the D models to augment our fleet and some C models as backup and as for spares"
Another option is to use the C model to raise another squadron rather than just using it just for spares.
It would provide a useful Stopgap till the FA-50 with aesa reach IOC & the acquisition of MRCA.
zaft - ''SLEP programme could cost as much or more than a new purchase.''
Depends entirely on hoe extensive the upgrade is... In the case of the MKMs if it entails a new radar; new targeting/nav pod; work on the cockpit; rewiring, etc, it will not ''cost as much or more than a new purchase''...
Is it possible/viable to invite turkey to upgrade our Sukhois? They already developed their own targeting pods (already used in their F-16s and pakistani JF-17) as well as unlock turkish made bombs and missiles. With Anwar being buddies with erdogan and there's rumor about erdogan visit to malaysia we should take advantage of Turkey-Malaysia relation on top of participating on TFX project