KUALA LUMPUR: DPM and Defence Minister Dtk Seri Najib Tun Razak will be in Seville, Spain, in the next few days reportedly to take a closer look at the A400M transport aircraft at EADS-CASA facility.
Speculation is rife that he is not just there to look and touch the A400M but may well be there to close the deal on the purchase of Cougars for the Nuri Replacement Programme.
Since Eurocopter is part of EADS this may well might be the end of the long search for the air force. As there will be not much industrial offset for the Cougar, they might get something in return with the A400M, of which we are already committed to buy at least four examples, at least.
I could be wrong of course, they might just opt for the other helicopters in contention. Those who are willing to bet against me of course, should offer a small financial incentive to back their claim. Any takers?
If you like this post, buy me an espresso. Paypal Payment
RM20 on the AW101, just cause it’s such a lovely bird and has a stern ramp that makes life soo much easier for so many things.
Simon
We are on then…my Maybank acct no….
Umm, someone should let the ACA/LHDN know that they should start an audit on somebody’s account (and their family folks too!).. as a base for comparison of the said accounts a few months from now. 😉
But alas…
Heh….I’m betting on impropriety in this procurement exercise and a complaint filed to the European Commission on the propagation of corrupt practices against EADS and victory by default as they run like hell.
If you win and the procurement is above board, it’s RM20 well spent….. Otherwise I can have a nice meal and the satisfaction of seeing Eurocorrupters (pardon the pun) going to jail!
Simon
There was a report on Strait Times, 26th July that Eurocopter will invest RM250mil if the armed forces decide to replace the Nuri with the Cougar.
Maybe in the package include at least 6 Tigers for a start… I know this is wishful thinking.
Relax guys. The Cougar is the only other serious contender for the programme so if its really the one that we bought, it is certianly better than the S92 or the Mi-17. Dont get me wrong, here, I still believe that the Blackhawk is the cheaper option…
S-92 Vaporhawk…….
Blackhawk doesn’t haul like a Merlin…….
The Nuri deal is being run through PM’s Dept. as part of the wider policy to starve MINDEF of funds for obvious reasons.
Simon
The Spain visit may well be postponed I am told most probably due to the upcoming by election…
Why? A visit to P.Pauh by DPM would not help the cause.
Marhalim: His absence could also be viewed and exploited as a lack of confidence.
I also think that it is going to be the Cougar.
EH-101: Too expensive
S-92: Too unproven. Additionally, its FMS. The French is likely to be more “accomodating”.
Mi-17: Too “utilitish”. Air Force wants a CSAR capable bird.
As I have said before, we have only two choice really, its either the Cougar or the AW101 based on the specifications written by RMAF. Personally, I still prefer the Blackhawk for the reasons I have stated before.
Ree….you meant to say ‘too agricultural’. Mi-17 can do CSAR quite well, especially with the stern ramp and the ability to haul a lot of troops. With the uprated engines, they can also go hot and high like the Indian PEAK-17s. The external pylons allow them to be ‘self-escorting’.
Simon
Marhalim: If we continue with our current procurement set-up, the Mi-17 is expected to be the ,main-stay of the Army Air Wing.
Yet more piecemeal shopping to spread the joy around the various cronies and flunkies at the expense of both the taxpayer and the armed services. Less frames = higher unit cost & maintenance. Same basic frame in multiple configurations is OK, multiple frames in the same configuration……is dumb.
And you wonder why the fellas south of the Selat Tebrau are laughing their asses off.
If Anwar is ultimately successful in forming the next government and becoming the PM, I do predict a significant swing towards US equipment with the likelihood of military development assistance under the auspices of ‘counter-terrorism’.
Simon
One of my concern on the EC-725 Cougar is that there is only 1 military user, which is France with a fleet of only 14 helicopters. Europe militaries are going for either the NH-90 or AW-101.
NH-90 would make us both Oz and Sing compatible. not that it matters so much these days….
Simon
Marhalim: Singapore did not choose the NH90. They instead chose the Seahawks. They made the choice well ahead of the Aussies though…I believe the NH90 is too expensive for its size, its around US$30 million, I believe.
Saudi has some Cougars too in the CSAr config
Has anyone heard of this bird M-55, any clues how many are flying in the world.. some say one costs about a quarter million USD to produce … good price?
Earth to Mike…come in bolehland. Quarter million bucks won’t buy you a turbine in the real world, let alone a whole helicopter.
What is this M-55? Who makes it and where?
Wait…its this some cool time travel thing where we get to go back to 1961?
Simon
Just discovered your site. All I can say is Wow, I hope you have ISA insurance! The powers that be are not too kind with critics especially with regards to the cash cow of defence procurements!
Coming back to Cougar, are we not (please pardon the paraphrasing of the expression) getting out of the Nuri and into the Cougar? Besides being a very dated design, countries the world over have serious issues with its safety, the last being Bolivia. Even the RSAF is thinking of phasing it out, which is not an easy decision for them to make as it is their mainstay.
Speaking of the RSAF, whatever happened to not buying anything they bought? Won’t buying the Cougar comlicate IFF matters?
RSAF got the Super Puma, and not the latest Cougar. The deal is not set in stone yet but when other manufacturers are scrambling to get back into the race meant that they have been left behind. I admit the AW101 met the specifications of the tender to the T but its shifting avionic goals, do not get contracts, I am told….
Najib is going to Spain in September to accompany the King who will be launching the second Scorpene sub, KD Tun Razak,
Ah…scoping out the retirement digs in Marbella with the missus. Nice…..
Everybody, including that dude should scope out the final retirement spot… 6 feet under! might not be that cosy even with all the world’s riches in hand… now, that thought would set people straight while still up here.
Marhalim: I dont think so, acai, thats why so many people are so forgetful…..