SHAH ALAM: This is the second installment of the Things We Are Not Getting for RMK11. If you did not read the first part go Here.
Again I am not saying that is the official list, far from it. However it is unlikely we will see the items below procured in the next five years or so. Lets hope I am wrong though…
5) Attack Helicopters
Attack helicopters have been in the Army’s procurement sights since the early 90s. Infact back in 1997 we signed on for six Denel Rooivalk attack helicopters. But the deal was scuttled less than a year later due to regional economic crisis.
Since then the AH requirement stayed in the wings even as the Army’s Air Wing, the PUTD, started sending pilots to France for hands-on training on the Airbus Helicopter Tiger. Following the Lahad Datu incursion, the AH requirement were dusted off and it was generally believed it was just a matter of time before the helicopters are procured.
Unfortunately, although it was announced in Parliament that the Army had requested funding for six AH in RMK11, no allocation was approved. Instead a light scout attack helicopter in the class of the Little Birds was approved.
6) AEW
Like many of the items listed, the AEW requirement has been in the books for sometime now. However it had failed to be listed or funded during successive RMKs. For RMK11, I was informed that the AEW programme had not been approved.
It was expected as I had reported industry sources before as saying that the AEW programme will be funded ahead of the MRCA. With the MRCA’s KIVed so did the AEW.
7) SPH
It was supposed to be the high-noon whether wheeled or tracked will prevail in the Army’s long standing requirement for a SPH battalion. In the end neither won as yet again the requirement remained unfunded.
The wheel SPH is of course the Nexter Caesar which is already in service with the Indonesian and Thai armies and the tracked SPH is the Samsung Techwin K9 Thunder.
Both have their merits of course, the wheeled Caesar is more mobile of the two. However, the Thunder is better suited to be part of the Army’s Armour brigade which is probably the reason for the SPH requirement in the first place. Personally I prefer the BAE Systems Archer SPH. I am not sure whether the system was offered for the Army’s requirement though.
8) more Cougars
Since entry into service, RMAF Airbus Helicopters H225M Cougars have seen sterling service from flood relief operations to special forces support. Although more Cougars were expected to be procured in RMK11, it was left of the RMAF wish list.
According to RMAF Jen Tan Sri Roslan Saad that due to the tight budget situation the request for more Cougars had been dropped from its RMK11 list (From Malaysian Defence RMAF 57th anniversary). For RMK11, Cougars based in Labuan will be armed with FN MAG machine guns.
However as reported previously, industry sources told Malaysian Defence that for RMK11 funding for a number of heavy lift helicopters had been approved. According to them it will either be the Sikorsky MH-53E or the Boeing CH-47 Chinook. Both are expected to be second hand birds from the US.
In the meantime enjoy a video of a A400M which made Tom Cruise Mission Impposible
— Malaysian Defence
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View Comments (28)
Perhaps some of these may come later in RM 11, so they can be dragged into RM 12.
The whole idea of having a tracked SPH is so it can keep up with armoured formations is supposed to support. In our context, given that MBTs will operate in places such as urban areas, estates and cleared land; a wheeled SPH would be a better bet. It is not as if our MBT regiments will be conducting flanking operations over long distances in open unrestricted terrain like in the Sinai or the Mongolian steppes. Sure, the crew will have zero protection but operating a wheel based platform will be cheaper than a tracked one and in restrictive terrain such as estates where the roads are narrow and vehicles can't deploy in formation; Caeser makes more sense.
SAAB never seriously pushed Archer as it knew our requirement calls for a platform that can fit in a Charlie. Now the question is whether Archer can fit in an A400M? If the answer is yes, then the next question is how rapidly can we move a battery of Archers and it's ammo given the limited number of A400Ms we have? We also have to assume that all the A400Ms are available for the tasking at that given time. However, the ultimate question is whether - given the threat environment - we actually need more arty when the cash can be used for other stuff that is actually needed?
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The Archer is under Bae Systems
sad, our Gov not buy anythink for army next 5 year, even can't bug proper Attack helicopter，shame to Gov, not buy so many weapon very needed.
Better mindef save money no need buy Ah-6i, just use 30% of Ah-6i budget to equips out Aw109LUH which weapon (gun, rocket) than much better than Ah-6i.
SPH also very cheap also can't afford, we no need alot, just 12-24 unit should be enough for first phase.
Those heavylift rotary wings are approved under the army or the airforce budget? It would be a great add to the nuri and the cougar for the country's rotary wing capability.
Just wondering, what happen to the mmea ngpc project?
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An update coming up soon
Main battle tabks canbot be operatwd effectively n in fact would be suicidal to operate in urban combat. All recent n second world war conflicts shows the vulnerabilty of tanks to ambush n be destroyed by barrages of rpg or molotov cocktails. Maybe only exception is the uk main battle tank that was hit 17 times without so much as a scratch.
we do need both tracked n wheelwd spg's. Wheeled guns can be used to support infantry breaking through n the tracked to support the tanks. Artillery is important in any armwd forces. Its the queen of the battle field. There is no doubt about this. Proven over n over again both in attaxk n in defence. An accurate artillery barrage can basically be used to prevent troops from gatherung for an attack or break up an attack too. So numbers are important too
Lee,
Do we still need wheeled SPH considering we already have the Astros?
Won't it do?
Azlan ....
Acher can transport via A400M. altough we only have 4 unit A400M, is no issue on that, peninsular to Sarawak with in 1-3 hrs, no problem to fly 2/3 trip, also got C130 can carry 20 tons ammo too.
24-32 unit Archer SPH should be enough,
12-16 unit for Peninsular, Kluang regiment get 6-8 unit, north regiment 6-8 unit, other 6-8 for sabah, 6-8 for sarawak.
Basically we still need transportation ship LPD. which speed 18 knot, we can send from kuantan navy base to Kuching with in 30 hours, 60 hours reach KK sepanggar base. so we no need charted cargo ship
Reply
There is always a need to charter civil ships...
..... heavylift sure under Army budget, bcos they use for troop transportation.
Lee,
You are mistaken. Sadly, it is a common misconception that MBTs can't be used effectively in urban areas. MBTs can and have been operated very effectively in an urban environment and have been since WW2. The key is to have adequate infantry and engineering support. There have been numerous instances of MBTs operating successfully in an urban environment since 1945, e.g. Iran/Iraq war, Beirut in 1982, the Thunder Runs, etc. The Russian experience in Grozny was a prime example of how not to do it and was a result of poor planning and poor quality troops.
No one's dismissing the value of arty. If you read again what I wrote; I said that in the present threat environment; we need other gear more urgently than we do arty - I did not say we do not need arty. The problem is we need a lot of things, the trick is to ensure we get what we need to meet current requirements. At present, we need helicopters and surveillance assets more than we need arty wouldn't you agree?
SavvyKL,
Not sure what your definition of cheap is but bear in mind that apart from buying SPHs; we also need to raise or convert an artillery regiment and to train it. The unit will also have to train alongside units it has to support. All this will also cost ringgit.