SHAH ALAM: Holding Pattern. It appears that every planned procurement programme under RMAF – and likely the other services as well – has been put off for the time being as the new Pakatan Harapan government seeks to stabilize and improved country’s financial position.
RMAF chief Gen Affendi Buang in a press conference to mark the 60th anniversary of the service, pretty much acknowledged that everything under consideration for the service had been placed on hold. This includes MRCA, MPA as well as the upgrades for the Hawks, Hercules and Nuri. The LCA rumoured to be part of a future buy will remained that way.
Nuri M23-29 flying over the Kota Belud air to ground firing range.
For the MPA, funding could be revived within the next few years, Affendi said. The previous government had approved the funding for the MPA in the 2018 budget with a seed allocation of RM10 million.
Apart from the freeze on new contracts, current operations are also under review with adjustments to be made based on funding availability.
Fulcrum M43-03 at its hangar at Kuantan airbase on June 1, 2016.
The fleet of Mig-29 Fulcrums remained under storage with no further development on its future. If the fighter jets are not upgraded, the RMAF will have to consider selling them to third parties.
RMAF Hawk and Sukhoi at Labuan airbase for Ek Paradise 2015.
Contracts that had been signed are continuing like the maintenance and upgrading of RMAF air defense and air traffic control radars signed with Zetro Services Sdn Bhd.
Hercules M30-08 landing at Labuan airport.
Freezing defence procurements were among the things we had expected when the new government said it had to deal with country’s RM1 trillion debt incurred by the previous administration. The cancellation of several infrastructure projects as well as the review of others was a signal for defence and national security sector, which had seen funding slashed whenever the economy goes south.
Two Hawk Mk 208s outside their dispersal shed. These are the two aircraft which took part in the firepower demonstration at Kota Belud air to ground firing range in 2017
So whats next for RMAF then? Based on the statements by the chief, the service has some options to turn to in due course. The first are the Kuwaiti Hornets, available from 2021 onwards as a cover for the MRCA programme. Additional Hawks from Oman (and others if the numbers from Oman are not enough) to cover the LIFT as well as adding more airframes for the 208 fleet.
A Nuri, CN235 and Hornet, among the aircraft that took part in Eks Paradise.
As for the MPA, the best option is to sign off the option to add surveillance equipment to the three CN-235s as with the contract with Indonesian Aerospace. I believed the above as well as upgrades to the Hercules will not cost more than RM1 billion a palatable solution to funding crunch for the within the next three years and subsequent RMK.
— Malaysian Defence
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View Comments (64)
It happened here and everywhere......when economy situation is hard then defence budget is the first to be cut. Usually the air force is the first among the3 services. Land force is the last.
The million dollar question is how far it will go?
Pinoy and indon are two close examples.
Building it back will not easy.
The near future outlook is bleak, and we could see Malaysia spending less than the Philippines on defence. Spending absolutely minimum now and the next RMK will permanently damage TUDM future operational capability as even restoring normal spending in RMK13 would not able to replace all the current capabilities.
We cannot afford to have our airspace defence among others
i) not able to detect unresponsive aircraft and launch QRA over malaysian airspace.
ii) not being able to find a small boat in malaysian waters from the air within 24 hours.
The worse case would be having nothing new at all and to modify existing aircrafts and buy used ones.
- Modify CN-235 to MPA aircrafts.
- Buy used Omani hawks to beef up the light combat capability. To be used up to 2030-2035. No replacement later.
- Buy used Kuwaiti Hornets to replace the MiG capability and increase the current squadron strength. Total fleet of around 32 aircraft in 2 squadrons. To be used up to 2030-2035. Probably only replaced by only 8-18 MRCA
- No AEW&C
- Used EC225LP civil helicopters as a cheap solution to upgrading the Nuri. Pass all nuris to PUTD.
- Additional used PC-7 MkII from South Africa (8-12 aircraft).
- US EDA MQ-1 predator UAVs
Getting everything used this will see most malaysian fighter aircraft age in 2030 to be around 35 years old, with only the MKM at about 23 years old. TUDM will not find the budget in 2030 to replace 50-60 fighters at the same time.
That would be the worst case scenario, with surely most of malaysian defence contractors closing shop as all of them would be used buys. And TUDM capability would be down next to the Philippines past 2030 when malaysian neighbors are steadily investing in the defence of their airspace.
To me, below is still the best plan for TUDM, not too expensive, not too damaging to TUDM post 2030.
https://www.malaysiandefence.com/rmaf-2020-part-2/
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The Army don't want the Nuri
If we wanna sell our Fulcrums to "third parties", why not just sell them to India? They've been wanting our Fulcrums since last year.
https://www.nst.com.my/news/2017/04/227487/india-keen-buy-mig-29-malaysia
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No such thing lah
"Based on the statements by the chief, the service has some options to turn to in due course. The first are the Kuwaiti Hornets, available from 2021 onwards as a cover for the MRCA programme. Additional Hawks from Oman (and others if the numbers from Oman are not enough) to cover the LIFT as well as adding more airframes for the 208 fleet."
please let this happen...please let this happen...hope the new govt will approve it and we can ask the country for the aircraft.
upgrades for the Hawks, Hercules and Nuri is postpone again???is that wise?i thought the Hawks and Hercules need upgrade fast.
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They have been talking about upgrading the Hercules/Hawks for the last four years now I don't know when it will be done
At least base maintenance is continued, but that hardly solves anything. As I have mentioned before, I tremble with what the new administration will bring and this news further reinforces my fears. Perhaps arming our men with keris and tombaks isn't so farfetched after all.
Suddenly most chatter on the net supports the used hornet plan...
I still don't agree on the hawk plan. Yes it is good, but we don't really know what is the economy like in 2030. Hedging your bet on 2030 we have the money to replace hawk and hornets at the same time is foolish. We might end up not able to replace both, a scenario I don't want to happen. So i still avocate on buying something new now, and the most affordable is to replace the hawks first, and the more expesive MRCA later.
BTW no likes for the used EC-225LP plan?
Another thing is that mahathir is going to Japan next month. Would the used P-3 Orion plan resurface?
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Unless the Japanese give us a huge discount on the P1s.
Is the MRCA program cancelled?
Q&A from RMAF Chief interview:
"Apakah perkembangan terbaru TUDM untuk mendapatkan pesawat pejuang pelbagai peranan (MRCA) dan pesawat rondaan maritim (MPA)? Adakah mempunyai senarai pendek terhadap beberapa jenis pesawat?
Kemungkinan besar TUDM tidak akan membeli MRCA baharu. Pesawat MRCA TUDM sekarang iaitu Su30MKM dan F/A-18D akan digunakan dengan sepenuhnya. Mungkin TUDM akan mengintai untuk mendapat lebih banyak bilangan pesawat F/A-18D dari negara sahabat."
Reply
KIVed
@joe
Hutang RM1 trillion
Joe: Krisis air selangor lebih kritikal
People. Defence n security is important. However, buying medicine n equipment to safe the rakyats life is even more important. Lets get the money to buy medicine n equipment first
Reply
I guess most people here realized that other things are important but this is a defence blog, of course the conversation will be slanted to defence matters
The fact of the matter is that the govt just didnt have the money tu buy anything new now. Need to fasten our belt and make the best of the situation. Buying used might be the only logical choice now.
We can also give time for new platforms like FA-50, F-35 or F18 Block 3 to mature and come into the market. Avionics and arms integration is still an issue with even with the established Rafale and Typhoon.
As for the MPA, should also study for MALE UAVs platform as a cheaper option. We shall bought more new CN325s for conversion to MPA.
As for the Nuri, maybe replace it altogether with EC725s? Seluk sampai jadi perkasam. Or maybe hi-lo end mix with Mi-171. The thais used to say one Blackhawk can buy 3 Mi-171. The Chinese copycat helos is also an option.