SHAH ALAM: A dozen Scaneagle drones for Malaysia. It appears that Malaysia is getting more Insitu Scaneagle drones for ISR missions. Late last year it was announced that RMN is getting two ScanEagle drone system from the US under Pentagon Maritime Security Initiative. A typical ScanEagle drone system usually has a command launcher unit and three drone airframes, so a two system meant six air frames.
On May 31, the Pentagon announced that Malaysia is getting 12 Scaneagles (four systems). I was told that Malaysia was originally offered six drones with an option for another six. I was told that we had exercised the option so we are getting 12 drones. It is likely the extra ScanEagles were bought for Malaysia under Pentagon’s other security cooperation funds instead of just from the MSI.
Apart from Malaysia, three other SEA countries are also getting the same drones, namely Indonesia, Vietnam and the Philippines.
The Unmanned Aerial Vehicle ScanEagle is launched from the flight deck of the Afloat Forward Staging Base (Interim) USS Ponce . US Navy
Insitu Inc., Bingen, Washington, is awarded $47,930,791 for firm-fixed-price delivery order N0001919F2602 against a previously issued basic ordering agreement (N00019-17-G-0001) for 34 ScanEagle unmanned air vehicles for the governments of Malaysia (12); Indonesia (8); Philippines (8); and Vietnam (6).
In addition, this order provides for spare payloads, spare and repair parts, support equipment, tools, training, technical services, and field service representatives. Work will be performed in Bingen, Washington (77 percent); and multiple shore and at sea locations in Malaysia (9 percent); Philippines (5 percent); Vietnam (5 percent); and Indonesia (4 percent), and is expected to be completed in March 2022.Foreign Military Sales funds in the amount of $47,930,791 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the fiscal year.
This order combines purchases for the governments of Malaysia ($19,329,334; 40 percent); Philippines ($9,633,665; 20 percent); Vietnam ($9,770,120; 20 percent); and Indonesia ($9,197,672; 20 percent) under the Foreign Military Sales program. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity.
Based on the above, the drones meant for Malaysia cost some RM80.76 million. It must be noted also the number of ScanEagles meant for the Philippines and Indonesia had also increase to eight each, from six each previously. The Vietnam order is new, however.
The release also does not reflect the order came from the MSI program and that the drones will be gifted by the US.
The RMN recently said the new drone squadron will be operated by the Eastern Fleet Command and deliveries was expected next month.
The extra ScanEagles, will also likely meant that the Defence Ministry will not have to pay for new drones for the Joint Force 2 headquarters 2 – Angkatan Tugas Bersama 2 headquarters based in Tawau, Sabah.
The ATB2 controls the military unit deployed in the ESSCOM AOR and had previously make use of the the contractor operated ScanEagle and Aludra for its operations. Both contracts had since lapsed and there were talk of a new contracts for such service though it has not been a new tender for it since.
Anyhow, Selamat Hari Raya Aidil Fitri, Eid Mubarak and Maaf Zahir Batin.
–Malaysian Defence
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View Comments (24)
So means we will be getting the lion's share of the ScanEagles vis a vis our neighbours? I can already see the benefits of our new government aligned with the US hegemony. We should ask for more like retired E-2Cs for AEW, retired P-3s for MPA, retired legacy Hornets or even F-15s.
At least there are tangible benefits from our ties with Uncle Sam. In addition to stuff funded by the American taxpayer, like the Scaneagles and radar (in Sabah) we also benefit from joint exercises and educational grants,
The silly irony of course is that some will continue to insist we shouldn’t buy American because we’ll be vulnerable to an embargo and won’t get the source and objects codes. The reality is that anyone country can place an embargo if the circumstances demand it and is not just the Americans who don’t readily hand over source and object codes.
Let’s hope the arrival of the Scaneagles won’t lead to further delays on the part of the politicians and bureaucrats to delay funding for a medium range UAS. Let’s also hope that the RMN will look into operating UAS’s from the LCS; to complements its onboard sensors and helo.
Selamat hari raya marhalim
Selamat Hari Raya to everyone!!
Why are we so special to get more than everyone else?
Selamat Hari Raya to all readers, may you celebrate the holiday in happiness and health.
@joe
Actually if you ask me, it's quite obvious that we are leaning away from co-operation with the US-Western bloc.
Joe -“ I can already see the benefits of our new government aligned with the US hegemony”
We are not “aligned” with anyone and you only may be starting to notice but we have been reaping benefits for decades already. It boils down to mutual interests; nothing to do with “U.S. hegemony”.
“Our new government” is merely continuing what we have been doing for decades. Nothing new. The close defence relationship started in 1983/4 when during a visit to the Pentagon, Mahathir signed an agreement allowing USN ships to dock here for repairs and for increased joint training.
There are lots of things we can request for under EDA or as a direct commercial sale; the question is are we willing to pay for upgrades, will the addition of stuff never previously operated cause any logistical/support issues, do they meet our requirements, is there the political appetite on the part of the new government; etc?
Chua - “Actually if you ask me, it’s quite obvious that we are leaning away from co-operation with the US-Western bloc”?
In what way is it obvious?
We exercise with the Americans and Australians (bilaterally and multilaterally) with more regularity than with anyone else; we play host to the only permanent military base Australia has abroad, we receive more visits from the USN than from any other navy, the RMN’s sub rescue/support ship is certified to operate with USN subs, we may not be a NATO country but
a lot of the procedures/SOPs we have in place are NATO compliant, we sent officers to America and Australia for training more than we do anywhere else, we receive training grants and are offered gear from America and Australia and if asked and given the choice; most people in uniform would rather operate American gear rather than Russian or Chinese ones.
Do you see anyone else taking the place of America and Australia in the coming years? Do we see any political will or enthusiasm to take military ties with China or with anyone else to a new level?
Salam eid al mubarak to all, yes indeed chua, it certainly seems that way. Btw off topic, any comment regards to Mat Sabu speech, thank you marhalim for thi plafrom, it show, Malaysians are well verse in defence matters .
@ azlan
" Do we see any political will or enthusiasm to take military ties with China or with anyone else to a new level? "
If we left our menhan to his own devices, probably Iran LoL!
As for china, until china drops its absurd claim of the whole of south china sea as its territory, which is high seas in international law, I don't see ties with china will raise to a new level.
Selamat hari raya to you azlan. Maaf zahir batin.
we take what we can....its a good things..
selamat hari raya to all here...maaf zahir batin