More Support Vehicles and Firearms for Army

A soldier firing his Minimi during a recent exercise with Singapore. BTDM.

SHAH ALAM: As mentioned in previous posts, the Army is expected to purchase more support vehicles and firearms. And the latest support vehicles being sought are air-defence command trucks and howitzer towers. I am assuming the five three-tonne air defence command trucks being sought are additions to the ones already in service.

The divisional level Command and Control Platform – the Scania prime mover and the demountable command centre cabin. BTDM

The public specifications for the supply and delivery of five air-defence command trucks:

There is a requirement for the Malaysian Army to have 3 Tan Pos Perintah with good mobility and communication in the channelling of information to command and control the Air Defence Artillery (ADA) weapon system. It shall be a modern and in line with the evolution of
technology and capable to cope with future demand of professionalism in
order to integrate command post from Field Command Headquarters to
Division and Brigade Headquarters level. The platform shall be capable of
providing and integrate reliable voice, video and data communication to get
the information in near to real time and enable Commanders to receive the
Recognize Air Picture (RAP) to give directives and orders to all element
under command effectively

Note the door on the cabin of the Command Centre Platform for the Special Operations Division of the Armed Forces.

Based on the specifications, the truck is just the transporter and what is most important is the systems offered for the platform.
A GK-M1 gun tower with an Oto Melara 105mm pack howitzer at Merdeka Day parade rehearsal in August 2019.

As for the gun towers, fourty-five is the number being sought. The specifications:

PEROLEHAN MEMBEKAL DAN MENGHANTAR KENDERAAN PENARIK MERIAM – KENDERAAN SOKONGAN TENTERA DARAT

Uro Vamtacs and their 105mm Oto Melara mod 56 pack howitzers 1 KAD from the 10th Para Royal Artillery Regiment seen here in a picture taken in 2019. The unit has replaced the pack howitzers with the KNDS 105mm Mark LG1 howitzers. BTDM

The current gun towers are the Global Komited GK-M1 and the Vamtac, specifically for the 1 RAD (Para). The Army is also looking for bids for fifteen fibre boats, with 15hp out-board motor each.

There is a requirement to equip Boat Fibre with OBM for the station
store at formation which are Tactical Control (TACON) and
Operation Control (OPCON) for border operation and also
Humanitarian Aids Disaster Relief (HADR). The boat shall be able to
transport the Infantry Section with a crew for administrative, logistic
purposes and HADR. The boat shall be a fibre type and suitable for
operation with performance, easy manoeuvrability and stability
characteristics

As for the firearms the Army wants more 9mm pistols, light machine guns and automatic grenade launchers. The number of 40mm AGL being sought is seventy-five. The specifications:

An automatic grenade launcher fitted on the Cendana Auto Special Operations Vehicle pictured at the 2024 Merdeka parade. Tentera Darat.

There is a requirement to equip Malaysian Infantry Battalions with
Automatic Grenade Launcher (AGL) 40 mm. In modern Infantry equipment
there is an absolute necessity to have an efficient weapon system
available, capable of rapidly delivering area fire in order to effectively
defeat hostile infantry and lightly protected ground targets up to range
2000 m. This task cannot be fulfilled by the light mortar or the medium
machine gun because of lack of effectiveness at these ranges. The widely
employed Heavy Machine Gun (HMG) revealed not to be the appropriate
choice, as its bullet features totally insufficient fragmentation capabilities.
These tactical deficiencies have been recognized and with the right
employment of AGL 40 mm that could be employed in a similar way as the
HMG, but whose grenade provides much superior target defeating
performances

The estimated price for the AGL is RM13.875 million. The current 40mm AGL is the Mk 19 though it is unclear from where they were purchased.

A soldier with the Pathfinder company of the 10th Para Brigade firing his FN Minimi LMG at an exercise in late 2021. Note the 5.56mm belted ammo not placed in an ammo box. BTDM

Two hundred and ten 5.56mm light machine guns are being sought with an estimated price of RM21 million. The Army currently operates various versions of the FN Minimi 5.56mm LMG.

There is a requirement for the Malaysian Armed Forces with
5.56 mm Infantry Light Machine Gun (LMG) which are
intended for operations and training usage. The rifle shall be
used in normal combat engagement, urban operations, special
operations and any other operations carried by infantry units

One thousand and five hundred 9mm pistols are being sought.

There is requirement for Combat Pistol 9 mm to be equipped as
side arms for Malaysian Army to counter engagement from enemy
threats in offensive and defensive phases of war during operations
and training. This requirement is to enhance personal handgun
capabilities for the troop in conducting operation within land, sea
and air

Army officers in the digital pattern BDUs shooting Glock pistols during a handgun shooting match in late 2020. Tentera Darat

The estimated price for the pistols is RM8 million. There is also a tender for the supply and delivery of fourty-five integrated fire control system (IFCS) with an estimated price of RM40.2 million. The specifications:

MEMBEKAL, MENGHANTAR, MENGUJI DAN MENTAULIAH INTEGRATED FIRE CONTROL SYSTEM (IFCS) UNTUK TENTERA DARAT

Nexter LG1 105mm howitzers of 1 RAD at Eks Para Predator 1/2021. BTDM

The IFCS, I was told, are meant for the artillery units operating the Denel G5 155mm and the 105mm Pack howitzers. The Nexter (now KNDS) 105mm howitzers came with its own FCS as with the 81mm mortars procured last year.

— Malaysian Defence

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Shah Alam

16 Comments

  1. I dont really fancy the minimis.

    The weight of at least 7kg unloaded is a lot to carry by hand. The reliability issues causing it to need frequent lubrication and armory level maintenance. Its reported accuracy of between 10-12 MOA.

    IMO, as a base of fire, the LMG needs to be able to sustain fire accurately since it will be fired from a distance and light enough to be use in cqb situation.

    I believe something like the turkish mfr 56 is the right choice. Weight around 4.25kg unloaded & accuracy of 3 moa. Same features as minimi which are fire from open bolt, belt-fed, quick change barrel, can receive ar15 magazine.

    The only downside is its not combat proven. So its reliability & performance is only on paper. The only known user is our neighbour PH marines.

    Just my 2 cents.

  2. It is interesting to note that the Singapor Army has ditched its own LMG – Ultimax 100 – and bought the Colt IAR, a magazine fed weapon as its new LMG. The US Marines is also using the M27 IAR another magazine fed rifle to supplement the M249, the US version of the Minimi.

  3. Im going to assume the Caracal pistol will be frontrunner to win this tender.

    The LMG have been Minimi for so long so unless theres a Caracal LMG version, likely will going back for more Minimis.

    As for AGL the tender make it sounds like their replacing (or at least supplementing) the HMGs on board vehicles. Or am I mistaken?

  4. Probably for the RS to replace HK11E though I thought the army have also bought more Minimi quite recently

    >all these talks about automatic rifle

    unless we’re doing expeditionary force or the army is going regular jungle patrol for weeks ends like the good old days, Minimi is going to be fine.

  5. They still got around 12 or 16 35mm AA cannons. There are talk about upgrading them with new radars and fire control systems but still talks only. GAPU got the lot of them as RMAF handed them over as the support and maintenance costs were too high.

  6. Supplementing the AGL as there are not enough around. Glock is likely the main choice but at DSA I was told that it was difficult them nowadays as most of the production are going to other European countries. Even the police has to buy CZ pistols for this reason.

  7. I believe the AGL tender is due to equip more infantry regiments (especially those new RS battalions) with the BIS concept.

    On 35mm AA Guns

    We actually have 28 Oerlikon GDF-005 AAG. Every 2 guns is paired with a Skyguard FC radar.

    If go for upgrades by Rheinmetall itself it is hyper expensive. Aselsan upgrades is said to be much more cheaper
    https://wwwcdn.aselsan.com/api/file/FIRE_CONTROL_SYSTEM_ENG-1.jpg

    On the possibility of getting used GDFs

    Not sure if Turkiye is retiring any. Canada has 20 in storage. Both South Korea and Japan used the Oerlikon too, no ieas of they are operational or not.

  8. Can somebody review the army 4nextg plan and the progress

    TD seems to be beefing up for threats from non state actors only

  9. I don\\\’t understand why can\\\’t TD just buy more M4 and M203s to fully replace the M16 in the regular army. A question also comes to mind isn\\\’t there any local companies capable enough to design and manufacture firearms other than SMEO

  10. They have enough M4s just not enough grenade launchers. Simple really our market is too small for any private company to survive. Even SMEO is just barely hanging on

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