SHAH ALAM: The government and Galaxy Aerospace Sdn Bhd has finalised the contract for the procurement of four AW189 super medium helicopters for the air wing of the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency. The LOA for the helicopters were inked earlier this year. MMEA will be the second Malaysian government agency to use the AW189 after the Fire and Rescue Department, which had two but one crashed last year.
The finalised deal was sign at the Leonardo helicopter division plant in Vergiante, Milan, Italy, March 5 – the same day when the MMEA Leonardo AW139 M72-01 – crashed off Pulau Angsa near Kuala Selangor.
The contract signing was conducted by the Home Ministry deputy secretary-general (management) Abdul Gapar Abu Bakar and Galaxy Aerospace managing director Galaxy Shamsul Kamar Samsuddin (see above).
It is likely the crash had dampened somewhat the proceedings. The Home Ministry in a social media post stated that its officials and Galaxy Aerospace personnel were in Milan for a meeting to review the AW189 procurement and to finalise the (equipment) critical design for the procurement of the AW189s.
Among the issues finalised at the meeting were the electro-optical turrets; fast roping kit; the cockpit digital map; delivery and payment schedule.
SESI CRITICAL DESIGN REVIEW DAN PROJECT MANAGEMENT REVIEW PEROLEHAN EMPAT BUAH HELIKOPTER MEDIUM LIFT APMM
Milan, 5 Mac 2024 – YBrs. Dr Abdul Gapar bin Haji Abu Bakar, TKSU (P) KDN telah mempengerusikan Mesyuarat Project Management Review dan sesi pemuktamadan Critical Design Review bagi Perolehan 4 buah Helikopter Medium Lift APMM ( No kontrak: KDN/PL/T/APMM/1/2024) pada 5 Mac 2024 (Selasa) bertempat di Leonardo Helicopters Division, Vergiante Plant, Milan. Antara perkara yang telah dimuktamadkan sepanjang sesi tersebut:
i) Flir System
ii) Fast Roping Kit
iii) Digital Map
iv) Tempoh Penghantaran
v) Jadual Pembayaran
Turut hadir YBhg. Dato Indera Ab. Rahim bin Ab. Rahman, SUB BPK Kementerian Kewangan, YBrs. En. Khairil Wari bin Abd. Rani, Timbalan Pengarah BKKA, Kementerian Ekonomi, YBrs. Laksamana Pertama (M) Syed Islam bin Shahajam, Pengarah BOU, APMM dan YBhg. Dato Shamsul Kamar bin Samsudin, MD Galaxy Aerospace (M) Sdn. Bhd.
Unfortunately, as usual the ministry did not announced the cost of the contract nor the equipment signed. I am still off the opinion that the contract will be north off RM400 million based on the two Bomba AW189s, which cost RM105 million each.
Anyhow, based on normal delivery schedule for helicopters, it is likely that the first AW189 will be delivered in 2026. Unless of course, Leonardo has a white-tail or two (built aircraft without any customer or a cancelled order) ready for a quick delivery.
— Malaysian Defence
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Is that crashed AW139 total lost?
Ouch
So that 9M-BOF is a RM105 million write-off. Anyway bomba now has 2 singletons, the AW109 and AW189. Would that be a burden to maintain different sets of pilots, maintenance etc.?
Would it be better, say bomba transfer the AW189 to APMM, while APMM transfer its AW139 to bomba for example?
It looks likely
“sign the same day when the MMEA Leonardo AW139 M72-01 – crashed”
Well that must have been real awkward.
“The contract signing was conducted by the Home Ministry and Galaxy Aerospace”
Contract signing between both Msian parties and it just has to be done in Milan, Italy. Oh yes totally NOT a taxpayer paid free holiday that I said before.
“What is left of Bomba AW189 9M-BOF helicopter after it crashed”
Will they repair it or scrap & maybe consider to replace?
Its still disheartening to see that while MMEA could outright buy 4 medium choppers, our premier frontline Army PUTD could only muster for 4 leased choppers and even that with some headwinds against it.
I really hope the new Army chief will lay out clear future directions for PUTD and give them the funds to buy their medium choppers, if not new Blackhawks at least the retired Lima Blackhawk stocks.
Looks like Leonardo borrowed a Vigili del Fuoco (Italian Fire and Rescue Corps) AW189 for the presentation
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GIHljTvakAANSlA.jpg
Tunggu bulan Puasa. I will have to check around on the crashed AW189 and AW139, though I believed both are total losses especially the latter.
Hulubalang,
From what I learned, they will get the 9M-BOF flying again. New parts have arrived and are currently being “refurbished”.
@ Ed Liew
That is a good news (for 9M-BOF)
Lets wait for the fate of APMM AW139. The PDRM AW139 is a total lost also?
There are also rumours that Police/PDRM AW139 that crashed in 2020 will be repair and will fly again but time will tell.
Why are helicopter crashes so common in Malaysia. If it’s not the Nuri, it’s the AW 139 or AW 189…
I may be wrong but mishap and crahes also happens elsewhere with other developed armies services but major difference between us and them, i would say they have more air frames compared to us, thus 1 crash would not severely affect the rest of the heli operation. Having a larger pool also make it more economical in terms of spares management and logistical support. Thus maybe we should start ordering helis by the dozen not say below 6 frames per order, subject off course resources availability of each ordering/flying agencies. Also as we seem to be ordering a lot of leonardo helis recently maybe it makes more sense for PUTD to follow suits by ordering the AW149 in decent numbers in the future
@ Hulubalang
If I’m not mistaken, they have repaired the PDRM AW139 and have been returned to service
I have checked FlightRadar and the aircraft has not taken a flight since the incident in 2017.
Tom Tom – ”Why are helicopter crashes so common in Malaysia. ”
There are a variety of reasons they occur. Why do similar crashes occur with other countries?
Tom Tom – ”If it’s not the Nuri, it’s the AW 139 or AW 189…”
The Nuris were doing a lot of flying in rough weather; over mountainous terrain; in areas with poor ATC and under IFR. Same reason why some of the PAF helicopter crashes occurred. This is in contrast with the RSAF which by and large mostly flies in benign environments.
One crash occurred because the Nuri was hovering for too long and lacked an auto hover system [only a few Nuris were so fitted]; a few crashed because of weather [only a few Nuris had radar] and a few because of human error. Like everywhere else crashes can and do occur for various reasons despite all the precautions.
kamal – ” maybe it makes more sense for PUTD to follow suits by ordering the AW149 in decent numbers in the future”
”Makes more sense” to get something that meets its requirements; something that it can afford to sustain and something we can afford to get. In the shorter term I’m more interested to see what the RMAF is getting. Commonality is great and something I’ve been harping on here for quite a number of years but for whatever reason the RMAF might not want more Cougars.