KUALA LUMPUR: Despite his reservations, it appears that the Defence Minister has approved the serial manufacture of the made-in Malaysia UAV, the Aludra. The UAV manufactured by CTRM subsidiary company, Unmanned Systems Technology Sdn Bhd, is already being tested under operational conditions in Sabah (see Bernama story below).
But it appears that even a Malaysian made UAV doesnt like our climate based on the observations of the Dear Minister. One wonder how much improvement Unmanned Systems Technology can do to the UAV as the decision to launch the aircraft has already been made.
From CTRM website, we learned that the Aludra has a range of 150km (the maximum limit of its data link) and an endurance of 6 hours. With a coastline that is 1,700km long one wonder whether we need at least 50 Aludra to cover all the blind spots and 24-hour coverage….
It is interesting to note that Aludra’s range and endurance are mostly found in mini-UAVs already in service around the world.
Bernama story
Aludra UAV Will Be Launched Early Next Year – Zahid
SEMPORNA, Aug 3 (Bernama) — The ALUDRA UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) deployed by the Malaysian Joint Forces in Ops Pasir at Pandanan and Sipadan Resorts will be launched early next year.
Defence Minister Datuk Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the UAV was capable of sending data and photographs to the operation centre for analysis so that quick follow-up action could be taken.
“Although I am happy with the UAV, I hope that it can be improved particularly the area of coverage and length of flying time during operations.
“We have to make some improvements so that the UAV is suited to the local climate, wind circulation and topography,” he said after visiting Kem Sri Wangsa and witnessing a test drive of the ALUDRA UAV here Monday.
—Malaysian Defence
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Well, at least there are some wisdom in the decision to use UAVs. We should have started long ago. SAF are a good example to study, which places proirity technology and automation. We should also consider MALE or HALE or perhaps UCAV in the future.
Marhalim: I hate to see it but its not wise to do so when its a clear contradiction to the specifications made by the armed forces. The armed forces wanted a high endurance UAV but with ALUDRA what they got was a mini UAV which needed a runway some 300 metres long for take-off and landings unlike its foreign competitors which do not need runways for take-offs and landings. The time needed to get this project at this point had left the armed forces behind the loop for almost a decade.
Yes I know its cheaper and somehow or rather we helped the local defence industry to move further down the road but to what cost?
i found that,if we going to upgrade and make more research,we can switch this UAV to UCAV mode.furthermore the cost to make research for the 1st aludra is not so high until RM10m.
Marhalim: Yes we can certainly turned the Aludra into a UCAV but we need weapon experts and such to develop the weapon into a UCAV. Yes they may spent Rm10 mil on Aludra which is cheap compared to buying from outside but we do not have much money on R&D..
Gentlemen,
Concept of Operation tak ada lagi. Kalau nak operate define clearly,
army untuk apa,air force untuk apa, navy untuk apa, Command and Control pun belum betul between the three services. Jangan cerita nak transfer word file pakai existing P4, lease line. percaya tak department sendiri bayar streamyx privately…..
Agree with BigFoot, at least we have some thing to work on with rather than nothing. But Marhalim is also right with regards to ALUDRA critical impair as a TUAV. Interestingly, since the UAV is a development from Eagle SR-2, such shortcomings maybe inherited from its predecessor.
I’ve seen pictures of Eagle SR-2 prototype being launched through catapult and supposed to land with parachute. Unfortunately the parachutes failed and the craft crashed upon impact. Nevertheless, it shows that we have the idea and basic fundamentals of developing a sound unmanned system but yet, it seems that we can’t let loose our long going spirit of “Hangat-hangat tahi ayam”. We are lacking the enthusiastic will to innovate.
But still ALUDRA sure does have potentials which can be further develop and expand once they’ve solved all of its shortcomings.
Therefore, this is where STRIDE should play its role as the main brain and forefront of defence related research and development activitiy. Sadly enough,when comparing to DSTO, DARE or any other of its contemporaries, STRIDE is merely just a name with no significant achievement that can be proud of apart from its Taming Sari and Digital Camo program.Yet, no updates have been heard about these two programs for some years now.
Marhalim: Stride is just a division in MINDEF not like DSTO or any of its companies, which are organisations with the same clout as the services themselves. Furthermore, STRIDE R/D funding is peanuts to compare to similar organisations. Basically its just a glorified entity to fool ourselves that we also have R/D aspirations…..
So basically we get the equivalent of an 80s vintage Israeli UAV. Great.
Marhalim: Yep thats what happened when you are so afraid to spend money on what you aspire: Made in Malaysia products…
Slow and steady is better than nothing at all.
I think gov should do it in two paralel ways:
1-commit to this programme, say RM10 per year, while at the same time provide grant to new design from other companies or educational institutions, say RM 1 million a year for research. Conduct competition, the winner will get grant for development of RM2 million.
2-buy latest UAV from oversea, get used to it. But set a budget of only around RM100mill initial, RM 12mill yearly operation and RM 10 mill yearly for modification/upgrading. I suggest look for China as source, as they got quite an advanced technology for UAV/UCAV by copying US.
Marhalim: We need more money for R/D. If we only commit RM3 million for a future product like robot planes, we need to commit at least RM20 million a year at least. Remember that robot planes need not only airframes but engines and other hardwares such as FLIR and satellite link etc. Furthermore we need to go further into extending the endurance well into 24+ hours period or more. This means we have to go into finding ways to tap to solar as fuel for these planes. Furthermore an advance artificial intelligence CPU will also lead us into greater heights.
Nix, the China idea, they are behind the US/Israelis by at least five years, if we need to clone/copy we need the best technologies, there is no shame in learning from our enemies…..