SHAH ALAM: A ceremony was held to mark the 20th anniversary of the Fulcrum service in RMAF at the Kuantan air base on Friday. As usual the ceremony was by invitation only.
The 20th year anniversary was not only a milestone but as the question remains over the plane’s retirement, this year’s event was somewhat poignant.
Whatever your opinion about the Fulcrums, it was a career booster for anyone who had ever flown it, especially for those who rose to command the two squadrons, the 17th and 19th (now dormant). Tan Sri Rodzali Daud, the Fuclrum project leader, was the previous air force chief, while two members of the four man team, Lt Jen Datuk Seri Affandi Bujang and Lt Jen Datuk Seri Ackbal Samad are the deputy chief of RMAF and Air Operations chief (respectively).
Both generals were present at the 20th anniversary ceremony. Apart from the get-together of former pilots and ground crew, a dinner was also held to mark the anniversary.
Affandi was the leader of the Smokey Bandits, the Fulcrum air display team, while Ackbal who was the first 17th Sqdn CO is credited with developing the Mig-29N simulator which is still operational in Kuantan.
There is two version of the simulator, a cockpit procedural trainer (picture below) and the full mission simulator which is used to train complex air-to-air scenario.
Watch the MIG-29 QRA demonstration at Kuantan Air base.
— Malaysian Defence
If you like this post, buy me an espresso. Paypal Payment
View Comments (36)
Happy 20th anniversary tudm mig-29's
If their service in tudm is ending, I really hope that they would find a new home in another airforce. Given its needed periodic overhauls, it is perfectly serviceable for maybe 10-15 more years.
Through out 20 yrs of service how many were lost and what were the circumstances ?
Reply
I believed two were lost in crashes. RMAF never issued official statement on the reasons for both crashes but both pilots survived.
Full Mission Simulator (FMS).
Mission not Motion.
Happy 20th anniversary! Wish u will fly another 20th years like those legacy jet havin by others country..a-4 skyhawk, mig-21 fishbed,f-5 tiger, f-4 phantom n so on
@ mofaz
AFAIK 2 were lost, 1 caused by engine failure.
total received:
16 single seater N (2 lost)
2 twin seat NUB
2 airframes for maintenance training
By the way,
did they paint a mig-29 with a special livery for this 20th aniversary?
Reply
From the pictures I saw , no.
So I would presume that the Procedural Motion Trainer and the Full Mission Trainer have replaced the ones supplied by CAE?
......,
From what I read many years ago, we received one airframe for ground training/instruction.
Reply
It was probably supplied by CAE but developed locally...
This jet has served the country really well. I bet first time when we received this beast, it sent shivers through their spines whoever they were who have ill intentions toward this beloved country. Really would love to see our Mig29 fly beyond 2015. During its glorious 20 years protecting our sovereignty, have our Migs got involved in any incidents with any hostiles?
Congrats for the 20 years of service. If we cant afford to buy new mrca, cant hope for donations of dome sort, then its better to upgrade the planes. Most important being airframe upgrades, engine replacement eith newer versions of the current engines, new radar n the humb back to carry more fuel.
If I were a multi-billionaire, then I would donate 2 or 3 billion dollars to TUDM and TLDM. They could then buy whatever "toys" they need for this country's defence.
I know, I know. It is only a pipe dream. But I really wish that our boys in uniform could have the necessary equipment to do their jobs efficiently and to the best of their ability.
Actually, when it was announced that we were buying both the Fulcrum and Hornet nobody could understand why we were not standardising on a single type. Added to the fact that the purchase was for a relatively small number of airframes, I really doubt it would have send shivers to anybody's spine. Interestingly, we never announced that the Fulcrums we were receiving were actually examples built for but never delivered to the Soviet/Russian airforce.
What made people uncomfortable was not the Fulcrum but reports that we would order the Adder and the wiring of our Fulcrums, as part of an upgrade, to enable the carrying of Adder. During that period nobody in the immediate neighbourhood had a BVR missile and the Adder was touted as super canggih. The Thais publicly announced that they would arm their 8 Hornets (later cancelled) with AMRAAM to counter the Adder.