DSA 2016, Day 3

KUALA LUMPUR: DSA 2016. PDRM is set to join the Armed Forces by having the Colt M4 Carbine as its standard rifle with some 15,000 units expected to be procured. PDRM’s Pasukan Gerakan Am – which is mostly equipped with Colt M16A1 rifles – is expected to be the first unit to receive the carbines.

However unlike the Armed Forces, the police’s M4s will come equipped with additional accessories like weapon lights and optics. National Aerospace & Defence Industries Sdn Bhd (NADI) senior vice president of Defence Tan Sri Mohd Shahrom Nordin told Malaysian Defence that the deal has been approved by the Treasury and the Home Ministry.

He added however that the SME Ordnance Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of NADI have yet to get the confirmation from PDRM of the contract signing. Mohd Shahrom also said that SMEO had recently completed the delivery of some 200 Colt CM901 7.62mm rifles also to the police for its Special Forces unit, VAT69.

Colt CM901 and CM902 7.62mm rifles at the SMEO showcase at DSA 2016.
Colt CM901 and CM902 7.62mm rifles at the SMEO showcase at DSA 2016.

SMEO had also delivered the 2,000 Advanced Piston Carbine (APC) in 5.56mm to VAT69 and the Unit Tindakan Khas. The RM8.4 million contract for the APC was signed last October. Some of the APCs were also fitted with M203 grenade launchers.

Colt APC wth M203 grenade launcher
Colt APC wth M203 grenade launcher

Meanhwile, another NADI subsidiary, Airod Sdn Bhd signed an MOU with BAE Systems today at DSA 2016 for the upgrade of RMAF Hawk aircraft. The upgrade according to the press release will equip RMAF Hawks with the latest technology and ensures the aircraft meets all future operational requirements.

Sealed and delivered. The  Hawk MOU ceremony. H20 picture
Sealed and delivered. The Hawk MOU ceremony. H20 picture

BAE Systems will undertake the design, manufacture and certification of the aircraft systems and Airod will be responsible for the integration of the systems onto the the aircraft locally within three years.

According to industry sources, although the work on the upgrade will start soon, the contract for the programme is expected to be signed later.

Meanwhile at the same function, Airod signed a contract with Heli-one from Norway for the glass cockpit upgrade of the RMAF S-61 helicopters.

RMAF Nuri S61A4 M23-36 at the fly-past rehearsal on Feb 26, 2016. The 36 is the only Nuri which has undergone the digital cockpit upgrade.
RMAF Nuri S61A4 M23-36 at the fly-past rehearsal on Feb 26, 2016. The 36 is the only Nuri which has undergone the digital cockpit upgrade.

“Airod has accumulated over 35 years of engineering management and maintenance experience on the Nuri S-61 and to undertake this highly complex programme will further enhance Airod’s capabilities and develop its team of highly experienced engineers and technicians,” NADI executive director for Aerospace and Aviation Datuk EdronHayata Ahmad said.

NADI received the Letter of Instruction for the proof of concept for the avionics upgrades programme for the Nuri helicopter on the second day of DSA 2016.

As for the Hercules upgrade programme as reported in Malaysian Defence earlier, is not expected to be concluded soon.

Shortly before the Airod ceremonies, at the next booth, Weststar Group subsidiary Global Komited Sdn Bhd signed an agreement with Finmeccanica Helicopters Division to market the AW159 ASW helicopter in Malaysia to meet the requirements of the RMN.

Will history repeat itself? At DSA 2014, Global Komited signed a similar agreement with Thales for the Starstreak VSHORAD system. Some 18 months later Global Komited clinched the contract.

In the meantime, PT Palindo shipyard, the builder of the Clurit class fast missile boat of the Indonesian Navy is offering a 90 metre vessel to meet the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) requirement for Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV).

A graphic of the PT Palindo/Tenggara NASA OPV.
A graphic of the PT Palindo/Tenggara NASA OPV.

PT Palindo is collaborating with a Malaysian company, Tenggara Nasa Sdn Bhd for the OPV requirement. Tenggara Nasa chairman Datuk Dr Ayub Khan said a shipyard will be build in Tumpat, Kelantan if their proposal win the tender, which he expected to be issued by MMEA soon.

According to him, they will be able to build 3 OPVs for a much lower amount that the budget announced for the project under the 2016 Budget.

— Malaysian Defence

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9 Comments

  1. That pt palindo ship for the apmm is very2 interesting.

    A 90m OPV from the likes of dsme (which is already one of the cheapest arpund) would cost north of usd50 million a piece.

    Im really interested on the “much lower” part of the cost, what could it really be. If they could build the clurit class ships (40m in length) for less than usd 1 million each (without guns and missiles), if they could complete the 90m opv for the same cost as the destini NGPC, I would be astonished.

    Reply
    He told me the cost but since they are putting in a tender I will not published it.
    One of the PT Palindo guys says the Clurit class goes for USD8 million without the weapons

  2. Nice work. Thanks for the posts.

    Any news on the SGPV-LCS? Like the anti-air missile. Didn’t see any pictures from boustead booth.

    Reply
    Its VL MICA

  3. So, the cops are gonna get fully accessorized M4s and our boys in the Armed Forces are armed with M4A1s which are still lacking accessories. That is some big budget for them…

  4. Well the Home Minister is the DPM after all. There are not that many candidates for DPM.

  5. Good to know for once every armed agencies agreeing to1 type of standard rifle..SOF needs would be different..the polis needs all the acessories..thru my guess is their involvement in firefight with criminals usually involved in populated area….to have zero coleteral damage is best that they are equipped with scope etc etc..where as for the army the whole battle zone can be riddle with bullets n nobody cares….

  6. Good news for pga & vat69 boys, they still using commies era m16s
    Though the I think the vat69 have bought newer stuff recently

    Reply
    Yes they have been supplied with SCAR H but I was told mostly that the FN rifles are meant for ESSCOM duty while the rest is for use in Semenanjung.

  7. Hmm the 40m clurit is usd 8million? Export price maybe, and almost on par with the destini NGPC.

    Indonesia has built and exported bigger ships like the 11,000 tonne Tarlac LPD to Philippines for just usd 46 million per ship. I believe the 90m opv for the apmm, with armaments salvaged from vosper patrol boats (40mm bofors), could be built by tenggara nasa for around usd 25 million per ship. That would give a great value to apmm, and could double the ship quantity that apmm could buy compared to normal.

    Reply
    Yes that was the price quoted by the PT Palindo representative. I don’t think the 40mm Bofors on the APMM boats could be reused.

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