SHAH ALAM: MD Helicopters MD-530G Light Scout Attack Helicopter (LSAH) will be based in Kuantan once it is delivered, Army chief Gen Zamrose Mohd Zain said yesterday. The helicopters will be based at a facility which currently is expected to be completed in June, 2021, just ahead of the helicopters delivery.
He did not say where the new base will be but it is likely that it will be located inside the Kuantan airbase which itself is adjacent to the various army camps next to Jalan Gambang. If this is the case, the helicopters could easily be sent to other parts of the country using RMAF’s fleet of C-130s and the Airbus A400Ms transporters.
Zamrose also said three Agusta A109 light observation helicopters will be based at another new facility at Sandakan airport, when it is completed in April, 2021. This was the same facility announced by the Defence Minister a few months back.
From Air Times.
KLUANG, 8 Dis – Pasukan Udara Tentera Darat (PUTD) akan menerima helikopter MD-530G buatan Amerika Syarikat pada bulan Jun tahun hadapan. Panglima Tentera Darat (PTD), Jeneral Tan Sri Zamrose Mohd Zain berkata, Tentera Darat Malaysia (TDM) juga telah mewujudkan Tim Nukleus bagi penubuhan Rejimen 882 PUTD bagi memastikan PUTD dapat terus melaksanakan peranannya dalam menangani ancaman keselamatan dengan berkesan.Katanya, pembinaan kem baru untuk rejimen ini sedang giat dilaksanakan di Kuantan, Pahang sejak 2 Februari 2018 dan dijangka siap pada 16 Jun 2021.
Pada masa yang sama, beliau berkata, pembinaan shelter untuk 3 buah pesawat Agusta A109 LOH di kem Sandakan juga telah dimulakan pada 21 Februari 2020 lalu dan dijangka siap pada 30 April 2021.
Zamrose berkata demikian dalam ucapannya semasa lawatan ulung beliau ke Rejimen 881 PUTD sempena Sambutan Jubli Perak PUTD di kem Mahkota Kluang, hari ini.
Beliau turut berkata, bagi meningkatkan keupayaan operasi serta kemahiran juruterbang, TDM kini sedang mengusahakan penyewaan pesawat bagi menggantikan pesawat Nuri yang telah ditamatkan perkhidmatannya.
As for the setting up of a new base in Kuantan for the Army Air Wing has been an open secret for awhile now. It was planned that the Nuri squadron will move there once it had received the full complement of 12 helicopters but that is moot now.
It is likely when the PUTD received their leased helicopters, these will also be based in Kuantan as well once the facility is up and running. Anyhow the statement by Zamrose also seemed to confirm that the Army will take delivery of the LSAH despite the rather confusing statement by the minister on the issue recently.
— Malaysian Defence
View Comments (21)
Meaning not used for ESSCOM? Kinda wasted the reason they were bought for.
Reply
Yup
i know that they did it to have a higher ranking CO for the unit, but calling each squadron as a "regiment" is simply cringeworthy.
Anyway
881 is the AW109 unit
882 is the Nuri unit
so what would be the MD530G unit?
Also clearly the MD530G would not be in sabah. So what is the new PUTD unit in sabah that is always talked about?
https://www.malaysiandefence.com/army-getting-more-units/
Reply
Its the Agustas of course
Unexpected; given that the Little Birds were intended to be used as a scout, fast reaction and fire support asset in ESSCOM.
The lack of space in Kluang has always been an obstacle towards expanding the Aviation Corps; along with the limited manpower.
Safe to assume that quite a few of the people who flew and operated the Nuris will be assigned to the Little Birds.
Sorry ya if this question is stupid. Is it cheaper to lease military aircrafts -- vs outright procurement? If the one-off payment is the issue, why can't the government raise loans locally and pay in stagger basis
Reply
Its cheap but it will depend on the mission ie if its for law enforcement mission it will be ok. But for combat mission it will be dicey so the lessor might charge higher for it
Should have upgrade two Of CN-235 coverent into Gunship.
But for Esszone. Im sure drones will take care at ones
Maybe we will use it to join force with Pt-91m as a team since we do not have budget for high-end attack helicopter.
Reply
More likely it will be use with the 4 Mekanise Briged which is headquartered just over the fence of the Kuantan airbase
Is it true that these little birds were bought using esscom budget? If is true then w*f
Reply
No, it was bought for use in ESSCOM AOR under the Defence Ministry DE budget.
... - “ calling each squadron as a “regiment” is simply cringeworthy.”
An administrative/bureaucratic exercise which is pointless.
Some air arms have “wings” which have administrative and operational control of squadron size units as opposed to several squadrons. Others have their own - peculiar to outsiders - set ups. At one point the Argentines had squadrons which were under the operational control of “grupos’; which were in turn under the administrative control of “brigades”.
@ marhalim
" Its the Agustas of course "
So are you implying that there will be a new squadron of AW109 in Sabah?
Reply
Not a new squadron, just the permanent deployment of three A109s to Sabah
Rather than lease, better ask nicely to get free blackhawks from Australian army.
Still also no need to use any allocation from DE (like leasing). At least getting used Blackhawks at the end of the day those birds are yours.
Also if possible, need to think of a way to divest from those little birds. If we really need them, that number is too small and we should get more (but we dont even have the money for the really important nuri replacement). If we dont, might as well not use them at all and get rid of them.