KUALA LUMPUR: Based on the story below, it appears that we may end up paying up to RM700 million for each of our 4 A400M despite assurances to the contrary previously. Not a very good start to the upcoming RMK10, which according to most observers will only give around RM5 billion for defence….
PARIS – An agreement by customer nations to provide 3.5 billion euros ($4.8 billion) of financial support for the A400M represents a 10 percent cost overrun on the airlifter program, with Britain expected to cancel two or three aircraft, French Defense Minister Hervé Morin said March 8.
–Malaysian Defence
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Please get our butts off this programe ASAP! Put this money into more urgent stuff like the medium helo replacement and LPD/LST/MPCCS (inderapura) replacement.
Terminate Malaysian participation in the A400M programme!!!! Unlike the U.S. and EU, Malaysia does not have global military commitments and unlike the U.K.’s and France’s transport fleet the RMAF’s transport fleet does not consist of 35 year old overworked C-130’s and C-160’s. All the country’s existing and future airlift requirements are easily met by the C-130J.
To hell with CTRM’s offset agreement……….
IMO, we still need a medium transport plane replacement as the older C130 H is about 30 years old. Only the C130 h-30 is about 15-17 years old. Either we go and buy the C130 j or upgrade the older version so it could last at least till 2020.
come to think of, C130 j with a tag price of USD100 million at least, is very much cheaper eh compared to A400 M?
Worst nightmare ever.
Actually, our country does have a global military commitment under UN peacekeeping operations. We need this A400M to provide us a greater range and payload carrying capability compared with C-130. Plus, several of our C-130s have been used too intensively due to high military operation/exercise demands from all our three armed branches of our country. So, in my opinion, against all odds, we need to acquire A400M. Purchasing C-17 Globemaster (which is in same class with A400M) may be to costly for our country to purchase it.
Our global UN comittments pale in comparison with the air lift comittments the Yanks, French and Brits have. Our C-130s have less hours, are newer and are not as overworked than those operated by the Brits and Yanks. The RAF C-130s and French C-160s are close to 30 odd years old. The A400M is not in the same class the the C-17 which is a much bigger aircraft.
come to think of, C130 j with a tag price of USD100 million at least, is very much cheaper eh compared to A400 M?