A Sukhoi Su-30MKM firing its flares as it climb out of the Kota Belud range at Eks Ababil 2021. Mohd Adam Hj Arinin
SHAH ALAM: It appears that the United States is continuing to provide funding for upgrades of facilities of the Armed Forces. The latest funding is for the upgrade of the Kota Belud firing range in Sabah. Army Eastern Field Commander Leftenant General Mohd Sofi Md Lepi said in Tawau on April 16 that they will work with the US Army Pacific (USARPAC) for the RM57.6 million upgrade of the shooting range. Sabah media personnel being shown how to fire the M4A1 carbine at the 600 meter firing range in 2020. Army.
Sopi said the the project is expected to begin this year. From the Daily Express.
“The implementation of this project is still under discussion, but the first phase is expected to be completed before the Eksesais Keris Strike in 2026,” he said.
Sofi said this while delivering his mandate in conjunction with the Malaysian Army Eastern Field Command (PMTTD) 11th Anniversary at the Parade Ground of the 26th Royal Malay Regiment (RAMD), Kukusan Camp, here.
A USMC F-35B flying over Kota Belud during live firing exercise in 2018. USAF picture.
It is unclear though whether the shooting range being upgraded is the Kem Paradise 600 meter shooting range or the air-to-ground range – called Lapang Sasar Udara (Lasarud ) – located some 10km away. The 600 meter is cleared for shooting of weapons up to 7.62mm rounds. That said since the general said it will be used for the next Keris Strike exercise it may well be the Kem Paradise shooting range. The shooting range was use extensively for the Keris Strike exercise held last year.
As for the Larasud, RMAF and even the US Marines had used the range to drop laser and free fall bombs and rockets as with the Army when they shot medium caliber guns and the 105mm pack howitzers. The Kem Paradise shooting range adjacent to the Kem Paradise which housed the Fifth Infantry Brigade headquarters and 5 Kor Armor DiRaja (5 KAD) camps. Soldiers firing a GPMG at the 600 meter firing range at Kem Paradise in 2020. Army picture.
It is interesting that work to upgrade the Kem Paradise shooting range started in early 2024 even before the Keris Strike exercises were held there. Anyhow, I am guessing that this will be one of the last projects to be funded by the US for the time being as the current administration has announced that it will cut such programmes recently. Hopefully, this project and the MMEA one will not be affected. The Welcoming Gambit for the Army Firepower Demonstration at the Kota Belud air to ground range in 2020. Army picture.
Malaysian Defence recently also asked whether the peacekeeping mission in Lebanon will continue next year. Today, the Reuters news agency reported that the Trump administration proposes to cut the UN Peacekeeping Operations (UNPKO) funding. Although the administration proposes the budget it is up the US Congress to fund or cut the budget.
WASHINGTON, April 15 (Reuters) – The White House budget office has proposed eliminating funding for United Nations peacekeeping missions, citing failures by operations in Mali, Lebanon and Democratic Republic of Congo, according to internal planning documents seen by Reuters. Bombs away. A Sukhoi dropping its dumb bomb at the Kota Belud range at Eks Ababil 2021. Mohd Adam Hj Arinin
Video of Eks Ababil at the Kota Belud shooting range.
Next we need a range which can handle live 155mm and MLRS fire; as well as a dedicated training ground in which at least a battalion’s worth of vehicles can deploy to train. The plan to have the same level of capability in East Malaysia as with the Peninsular depends also on the infrastructure.
This funding we receive is part of our hedging strategy. To be on good terms with everybody and not take sides. China will be increasingly important economicly but as far as defence ties go it will be the U.S. and A user kit which will remain the countries we have the most regular and extensive ties with. That is unlikely to change despite what ever changes the present occupant of the Oval Office comes up with next.
Obviously Malaysia stance in navigating between two superpowers are
-let china build railways & factories
-let US ship docks, joint patrols & joint exercises
But i am deeply concerned about the claim of 9 dash lines & Chinese expansionism in the SCS. I hope the current official state visit will resolve this issue once & for all. It is very difficult to deal with Chinese coast guard without confrontation. Sooner or later
No idea what to upgrade at a 600m firing range, maybe add another 600m firing range or do something so that can fire live HMG rounds.
Qanarul – “I hope the current official state visit will resolve this issue once & for all”
It was never intended to.
Qamarul – “It is very difficult to deal with Chinese coast guard without confrontation. Sooner or later”
Not necessarily. We make a distinction between day to day threats/challenges which are manageable and those we view more seriously. We have to draw a fine line between security and economics. When we have to we issue formal protests and other things. It’s telling that despite whatever happens we have not ceased exploration in areas claimred by China.
Even if we deployed on a regular basis or 25 OPVs the Chinese would still be there although the 25 OPVs would significantly improve things from an operational perspective. A lot of what they do is also aimed at a domestic audience and to other claimants. At tints despite what ever happens in the open; back channel diplomacy plays a major part in defusing things.
Probably instal equipment so the targets could be put or down automatically or the targets move around so it will not be a static firing only.
Economic wise
China maybe our largest trading partners but it’s largely in deficit. Meanwhile our largest export destination is uncle Sam.
Uncle Sam too offered more valuable FDI particularly in high tech sector and semiconductor which is important to edge us out of the middle income traps, something PRC can’t help because they too are in the middle income traps.
Unlike a lot of our close neighbors, we don’t lack engineering capabilities and the Chinese loan has higher interest rate then ours sovereign rates. Giving the ECRL to china was a political decision as the deal was quite horrible. The ECRL cost 70 mil per km for a single track while our local boys manage to build double track KTM for 30 mil per km.
In general US is a far more important partners not just in security but also in economy. The only thing we are doing is saying we aren’t taking side but in practice we do and the Chinese know it as their FM once called us “two face county who say something else but do another thing else”
So in general, rather then hedging it’s more akin to accommodating. Because A lot of what the Chinese do is also aimed at a domestic audience. As long as we don’t go out of our way to conteng arang to their face. They too are far more willing to turn the other cheek.
All those forest, turned into a dead zone full of UXOs
And somehow this is preferable than palm oil estates?
Hopefully the US will not ask us to pay back all the aid like what they are doing now with Ukraine under the proposed mineral resources agreement.
h – “Hopefully the US will not ask us to pay back all the aid like what they are doing now”
Entirely different situation. For one the aid we’ve received is miniscule comopared to what went to the Ukraine.
@h
“Ukraine under the proposed mineral resources agreement”
Works for them. Isnt getting closer to the West is what they wanted, and whats closer than being a fiefdom of USA for the next generations? Somemore once USA has sunken in their interest, they will fight tooth & nail to protect what they gotten. Just look at how well Iraq was safe & protected during occupation. Ukraine is practically telling Uncle Sam to please come & stay. As for us, dont we wish we had such close relationship to a rich uncle?
@h.
Obviously, they do not give us weapons, funding for *democratisation initiative, preferential import opportunity, silicone factory and data centre out of the kindness of their heart wouldn’t it?
We are going to pay for it one way or another, we just have to agree that the price being asked is worth paying for.
Next we need a range which can handle live 155mm and MLRS fire; as well as a dedicated training ground in which at least a battalion’s worth of vehicles can deploy to train. The plan to have the same level of capability in East Malaysia as with the Peninsular depends also on the infrastructure.
This funding we receive is part of our hedging strategy. To be on good terms with everybody and not take sides. China will be increasingly important economicly but as far as defence ties go it will be the U.S. and A user kit which will remain the countries we have the most regular and extensive ties with. That is unlikely to change despite what ever changes the present occupant of the Oval Office comes up with next.
Obviously Malaysia stance in navigating between two superpowers are
-let china build railways & factories
-let US ship docks, joint patrols & joint exercises
But i am deeply concerned about the claim of 9 dash lines & Chinese expansionism in the SCS. I hope the current official state visit will resolve this issue once & for all. It is very difficult to deal with Chinese coast guard without confrontation. Sooner or later
No idea what to upgrade at a 600m firing range, maybe add another 600m firing range or do something so that can fire live HMG rounds.
Qanarul – “I hope the current official state visit will resolve this issue once & for all”
It was never intended to.
Qamarul – “It is very difficult to deal with Chinese coast guard without confrontation. Sooner or later”
Not necessarily. We make a distinction between day to day threats/challenges which are manageable and those we view more seriously. We have to draw a fine line between security and economics. When we have to we issue formal protests and other things. It’s telling that despite whatever happens we have not ceased exploration in areas claimred by China.
Even if we deployed on a regular basis or 25 OPVs the Chinese would still be there although the 25 OPVs would significantly improve things from an operational perspective. A lot of what they do is also aimed at a domestic audience and to other claimants. At tints despite what ever happens in the open; back channel diplomacy plays a major part in defusing things.
Probably instal equipment so the targets could be put or down automatically or the targets move around so it will not be a static firing only.
Economic wise
China maybe our largest trading partners but it’s largely in deficit. Meanwhile our largest export destination is uncle Sam.
Uncle Sam too offered more valuable FDI particularly in high tech sector and semiconductor which is important to edge us out of the middle income traps, something PRC can’t help because they too are in the middle income traps.
Unlike a lot of our close neighbors, we don’t lack engineering capabilities and the Chinese loan has higher interest rate then ours sovereign rates. Giving the ECRL to china was a political decision as the deal was quite horrible. The ECRL cost 70 mil per km for a single track while our local boys manage to build double track KTM for 30 mil per km.
In general US is a far more important partners not just in security but also in economy. The only thing we are doing is saying we aren’t taking side but in practice we do and the Chinese know it as their FM once called us “two face county who say something else but do another thing else”
So in general, rather then hedging it’s more akin to accommodating. Because A lot of what the Chinese do is also aimed at a domestic audience. As long as we don’t go out of our way to conteng arang to their face. They too are far more willing to turn the other cheek.
All those forest, turned into a dead zone full of UXOs
And somehow this is preferable than palm oil estates?
Hopefully the US will not ask us to pay back all the aid like what they are doing now with Ukraine under the proposed mineral resources agreement.
h – “Hopefully the US will not ask us to pay back all the aid like what they are doing now”
Entirely different situation. For one the aid we’ve received is miniscule comopared to what went to the Ukraine.
@h
“Ukraine under the proposed mineral resources agreement”
Works for them. Isnt getting closer to the West is what they wanted, and whats closer than being a fiefdom of USA for the next generations? Somemore once USA has sunken in their interest, they will fight tooth & nail to protect what they gotten. Just look at how well Iraq was safe & protected during occupation. Ukraine is practically telling Uncle Sam to please come & stay. As for us, dont we wish we had such close relationship to a rich uncle?
@h.
Obviously, they do not give us weapons, funding for *democratisation initiative, preferential import opportunity, silicone factory and data centre out of the kindness of their heart wouldn’t it?
We are going to pay for it one way or another, we just have to agree that the price being asked is worth paying for.