New Coastal Surveillance Radars for Eastern Sabah, 2023

A typical fixed site of a coastal surveillance system. Image used for illustration only.

SHAH ALAM: IN an earlier article, Malaysian Defence wrote about how an earlier donated surveillance radar system – 1206 radar – has out live another system which we boughtSpexer in the eastern coast of Sabah which is part of the ESSCOM AOR.

The Spexer Coastal Surveillance System (CSS) was retired from service just seven years after it was introduced. The retirement of the Spexer CSS is likely the reason that the Armed Forces are preparing for the procurement of a new coastal radar surveillance system for the area.

The plan was revealed during a recent visit to the area by the Armed Forces Defence Planning Division director-general Brig Jen Omar Dawai to eastern Sabah late last month. The release said Omar visited the proposed sites for the new surveillance radar system which included ones under the control of the General Operation Force (GOF).

It is unclear when the tender for the new radar surveillance system will be published though. The release by the Joint Force Command.

𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐉𝐀𝐔𝐀𝐍 𝐓𝐀𝐏𝐀𝐊 𝐁𝐀𝐆𝐈 𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐉𝐄𝐊 𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐎𝐋𝐄𝐇𝐀𝐍 𝐑𝐀𝐃𝐀𝐑 𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐈𝐒𝐈𝐑 𝐏𝐀𝐍𝐓𝐀𝐈 𝐓𝐈𝐌𝐔𝐑 𝐒𝐀𝐁𝐀𝐇
TAWAU, 29 Sep 23 – Ketua Pengarah Bahagian Perancang Pertahanan, Brig Jen Omar bin Hj. Dawami TUDM dari Bahagian Perancangan Pertahanan, Markas Angkatan Tentera Malaysia (Mk ATM) telah melaksanakan Tinjauan Tapak Projek Perolehan Radar Persisir di Kawasan Pantai Timur Sabah bermula 25 hingga 29 Sep 23.
Tinjauan tapak tersebut dilaksanakan adalah bertujuan untuk meninjau tapak-tapak cadangan bagi projek perolehan radar persisir sekitar timur Sabah di samping mengenalpasti keperluan infra bagi keperluan mewujudkan tapak bagi radar baharu kelak.
Selain itu, delegasi turut beramah mesra bersama pegawai dan anggota di kawasan operasi termasuk pos-pos PGA yang terlibat dengan cadangan tapak baharu tersebut.
Turut hadir dalam tinjauan adalah Ketua Staf ATB 2, Kol Wan Amir Zaki bin Wan Hassan TUDM.

It must be noted that a stop gap surveillance (with radar, AIS and medium range camera) system was installed on Pulau Mataking prior to the withdrawal of the Spexer radars though it is unclear whether the new ones being sought will replace it as well.

It must also be noted that the RMN procured three maritime surveillance radars from AMP Corporation Sdn Bhd under the UOR for Ops Benteng in July, 2020. The LOA for the three X-band radar was listed at RM555,075. The radars were installed at Pangkalan Laut Tun Sharifah Rodziah, Sabah, KD Sri Tawau, Sabah and Abu Bakar maritime base, Johor. These radars have a maximum range of 90km.

Pengkalan Laut Tun Sharifah Rodziah. Joint Force picture.

AMP Corporation has been providing the maintenance for the MMEA coastal surveillance (SWASLA) system which was commissioned into service in 1998. There are eleven sites in the peninsula and three on the west coast of Sabah for the SWASLA. As part of the maintenance contract of SWASLA, the company has also produced mobile radar systems to be used a stop-gap measure whenever the fixed radars break down or undergo maintenance.
AMP Corporation mobile radar vehicle unveiled at LIMA 2023. The radar can be lowered and raised from the cabin unlike the previous version which needed to be raised up and down manually. Malaysian Defence picture.

STRIDE – the Defence Ministry research division – has also purchased a single vehicle mounted coastal surveillance system from D’Amante Sdn Bhd for RM198,419.95 from a tender published in March 2022.

— Malaysian Defence

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2 Comments

  1. The Pengkalan Laut Tun Sharifah Rodziah sea based is the former oil rig donated and refurbished by PETRONAS right?

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