SHAH ALAM: Back on the saddle again, Hornet edition. RMAF has taken full acceptance of the first F/A-18D Hornet – tail number M45-01 – which had undergone the “Local Planned Maintenance 12 Years” (LPM-12Y). The acceptance ceremony was conducted at the Butterworth air base on January 5.
RMAF chief General Mohd Asghar Goriman Khan witnessed the acceptance of M45-01 between No. 18 Squadron commanding officer Leftenant Colonel Khamizan Morsidi and Rosebank Engineering senior manager Paul Pingnam. Tail number M45-01 was recently introduced with a new 25th year anniversary scheme.
As previously reported RMAF had planned to conduct the depot level maintenance of the Hornet in Australia but it was cancelled due to the pandemic. In the release below, RMAF said rising costs was also one of the reasons for the decision to conduct the maintenance locally in 2021. It is interesting to note that RMAF itself publicly revealed that M45-01 was still flying in March 2021 so it is likely the work on her started after that.
According to RMAF, the Butterworth airbase engineering branch and No 18 Squadron worked with Rosebank Engineering and local company, G7 Global Aerospace to conduct the depot level maintenance. It must be noted that RMAF stated that Rosebank Engineering was previously known as RUAG. A Google search showed that RUAG sold the whole stake of its Australian unit, to Rosebank in September 2022. RUAG had purchased the stake from Rosebank in 2012. At DSA 2021, it was made known that G7 was awarded a RM71.1 million for its industrial collaboration programme with Rosebank for relating to the procurement of spares, maintenance, repair and overhaul, training and technical for RMAF aircraft components for the Hornets, S-70 Black Hawk, S-61 Nuri and C-130 Hercules.
Malaysian Defence was told that some of the aircraft components including those off the Hornets were also repaired in Australia likely at one of the Rosebank Engineering facilities.
Release from RMAF:
TUDM TERIMA PESAWAT F/A-18D M45-01 SETELAH MENJALANI PENYELENGGARAAN PENUH DI BAWAH PROGRAM LPM-12Y
BUTTERWORTH, 5 Januari 2023 – Tentera Udara Diraja Malaysia (TUDM) telah mengadakan Majlis Penerimaan Pesawat F/A-18D, yang sebelum ini menjalani proses penyelenggaraan (depot level) bertempat di Hangar Hornet Readiness Center (HRC), Pangkalan Udara Butterworth hari ini. Majlis penerimaan ini telah disempurnakan oleh Panglima Tentera Udara, Jeneral Tan Sri Dato’ Sri Mohd Asghar Khan bin Goriman Khan TUDM yang menyaksikan serahan dan penerimaan melibatkan senggaraan pesawat F/A-18 D daripada pihak Syarikat Rosebank Engineering yang diwakili oleh Senior Manager, Mr Paul Pingnam kepada Leftenan Kolonel Khamizan bin Morsidi TUDM, Pegawai Memerintah No 18 Skuadron.
Setelah 24 tahun pengoperasian pesawat F/A-18 D pada tahun 2021, pihak Markas Pemerintahan Bantuan Udara (MPBU) telah merancang bagi melaksanakan penyelengaraan ‘depot level’ ke atas pesawat ini. Penyelengaraan ini melibatkan pemeriksaan menyeluruh terhadap struktur pesawat, penilaian kerosakan dan baik pulih kerosakan struktur yang disebabkan haus dan lusuh atau kemerosotan material ke atas pesawat akibat persekitaran operasi.
Secara amnya pesawat F/A-18D ini perlu menjalani penyelenggaraan di luar negara. Walau bagaimanapun, penyelenggaraan ini tidak dapat dilaksanakan berikutan situasi Covid-19 yang melanda negara mengakibatkan peningkatan kos serta limitasi lain. Bagi memastikan kesiapsiagaan TUDM pada tahap yang tinggi, TUDM telah mengambil pendekatan dengan melaksanakan penyelenggaraan ‘depot level’ yang dikenali sebagai “Local Planned Maintenance 12 Years” (LPM-12Y). Ini merupakan kali pertama dilaksanakan di Malaysia yang melibatkan kerjasama TUDM dan industri tempatan. Penyelenggaraan ini melibatkan Cawangan Kejuruteraan Pangkalan Udara Butterworth, No 18 Skuadron, Syarikat Rosebank Engineering (dikenali sebelum ini sebagai RUAG) dan G7 Global Aerospace.
Mengimbau semula pelaksanaan LPM-12Y, penyelenggaraan ini mengambil masa selama hampir setahun enam bulan mulai 26 Julai 2021 sehingga 5 Januari 2023. Selain penyelenggaraan ‘depot level’, pelaksanaan LPM-12Y ini memberikan manfaat khususnya juruteknik pesawat untuk mengambil pengalaman serta menimba pengetahuan dalam penyelenggaraan pesawat secara lebih menyeluruh di samping memenuhi keperluan juruteknik bagi program senggaraan pada masa akan datang. Dalam majlis ini juga, turut disampaikan Sijil Penghargaan kepada lima (5) anggota TUDM yang terpilih dalam “Integrated Programmed Team” (IPT) yang bekerja bersama selama setahun setengah daripada Managing Director G7 Global Aerospace, Datuk Rosdi bin Mahmud. Usaha bersepadu ini juga bertepatan dengan Tonggak Ke-5 Perintah Ulung PTU Ke-20 iaitu Peningkatan Keupayaan TUDM Melalui Kolaborasi Bersama Industri Pertahanan Tempatan dalam membangun dan mempertingkatkan kemampuan angkatan udara. Di dalam jangka masa panjang, akan menjimatkan kos-kos pembangunan angkatan atau penyelenggaraan aset-aset TUDM serta mewujudkan sinergi baharu secara berterusan dengan industri pertahanan tempatan
— Malaysian Defence
View Comments (21)
so does that mean if we get additional F/A-18 from kuwait we can upgrade them in house? From looking at the spec kuwaiti hornets are ancient
hopefully the menhan can convince both the FM and PM to expedite these additional hornets and use pmx goodwill to acquire them as cheap as possible
Their Hornets are likely better shape than us as theirs are maintained by Boeing. This allowed them to adhere to the proper maintenance and timely upgrade schedules
Alex - " to acquire them as cheap as possible".
And to obtain the funding to adequately sustain them [will get more maintenance extensive as they further age] and to get ordnance and ground support equipment. Also hope that the tight fisted pencil pushers don't use this as an excuse to further delay the MRCAs.
Better shape ≠ higher overall specifications.
They are maintained by Boeing staff, but did not have the 25x upgrades like RMAF Hornets do. It has a different lower spec radar and different lower spec engines. RAAF A/B units got all the modification similar to RMAF hornets.
Never about specification with the Kuwait Hornets. Always about getting more planes to bridge the gap created by Mig-29 retirement and delays in the MRCA program. Perhaps the RMAF will find some money in the operating budget for upgrades. There are other F-18 operated by other countries that make for better targets. But presumably the only one that is currently available and available as charitable donations are the Kuwait F-18s? For example, Australia was selling their upgraded F-18A/Bs when they first took delivery of their F35s. Of course the Australians were selling, not donating.
Never about specification with the Kuwait Hornets. Always about getting more planes to bridge the gap created by Mig-29 retirement and delays in the MRCA program. Perhaps the RMAF will find some money in the operating budget for upgrades. There are other F-18 operated by other countries that make for better targets. But presumably the only one that is currently available and available as charitable donations are the Kuwait F-18s? For example, Australia was selling their upgraded F-18A/Bs when they first took delivery of their F35s. Of course the Australians were selling, not donating.
Never mind if the Kuwaiti Hornets are not 25x. They can do the more mundane duties and the original 8 don’t have to be worked so hard. It’s a no brainer IMHO.
Hulubalang - They are maintained by Boeing staff, but did not have the 25x upgrades like RMAF"
Great but so? Unlike our Hornets the Kuwaiti ones did not miss scheduled overhauls or depot level checks.
That was the point made by Marhalim.
Hulubalang - "RAAF A/B units got all the modification similar to RMAF hornets"
Also a few other things sadly missing on ours.
Kel - "Always about getting more planes to bridge the gap created by Mig-29 retirement and delays in the MRCA program"
Not really. It is part of a longstanding plan to increase the number of Hornets rather than to make up for the loss of the Fulcrums. It is also not directly related to delays in the MRCA programme. As it stands there never was a replacement for the F-5s [Gripen was the main contender] per see and neither as it stands for the Fulcrums.
Kel - "5s. Of course the Australians were selling, not donating"
The Kuwaitis will as it stands will also be selling and not transferring without cost.
Better to get new LCA with lower operating cost per flying hours rather old hornet for mundane duties.
Can we know what is the current flying hours of the M45-01?
Also the average flying hours of the fleet?
A few years ago it is said that all of TUDM Hornets has flown less than 3,000 hours each.