SHAH ALAM: Back in June, last year, Malaysian Defence wrote two posts – here here– on the possibility of the Army buying a new assault rifles to replace/augment the Colt M4A1, the standard assault rifle of the Armed Forces.
At DSA 2024, I was told that the deal to procure Abu Dhabi-made the Caracal CAR 816 assault has been firmed up though the contract has not been signed yet.
The number of the CAR 816 A1 assault rifle – with 14.5 inch barrel – is apparently the sticking point. Asked whether the initial number for purchase was for 30,000 rifles, a high-ranking Army officer said it was still subject to change.
The contract for the assault rifles will involve local company, Ketech Asia Sdn Bhd which signed an MOU with Abu Dhabi Edge Group for the production and resale of Caracal assault rifle in Malaysia.
The company scored its first defence contract as it was awarded the RM44.5 million Letter of Acceptance for the supply and delivery of the Karaok ATGW-MR for the Malaysian Army.
The ammunition factory built by Ketech Asia at Kuala Lipis, Pahang, according to its official was on the verge of completion. Another facility to manufacture firearms will also be built next to the ammunition factory, the same official confirmed.
It is likely both facilities will satisfy the Industrial Collaboration Programme (ICP) mandated by the contract for the Caracals. The ICP is mandatory for all contracts above RM100 million for local companies and RM50 million for foreign companies.
That is the reason Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) opened its office and other facilities.
It is interesting to note that Mildef Technologies Sdn Bhd is also opening a new factory adjacent to the Ketech Asia ammo and rifle plant in Kuala Lipis. This is also likely to satisfy the ICP portion of the HMAV and HMLTV contracts.
— Malaysian Defence
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View Comments (31)
very good lets focus our defense industry now
There is not much battle advantage to be had in replacing the M4 with the Caracal 816.
It is just to give contracts to someone (.........)
At least if you want to spend money, at least make sure it will increase the capability of the army, like getting a capability the army does not have at the moment.
Also if SMEO has problems with getting constant contract from the government (with salary issues to workers etc.), how would this be any different?
I wonder, in the accounting sense would the award of this contract subtracts from the total funds available for other programs? If the answer is yes, the subsequent question would be would the purchase of new rifles really be a wise use of funds considering the army has more programs that could use the money like the 4x4/6x6, SPH etc?
More factories?
I i am the government, I will ask any new players that wants to enter the playing field, including Ketech Asia, to take over existing infrastructure first (like taking over SMEO), rather than building yet another rifle and ammo factory.
If Pahang is the place, then buy SMEO and relocate the infrastructure to Pahang.
With current procurement problem involving local companies. My opinion is let them supply Karaok first with out any delay or problem. After that give them tender tu supply...let say 1 million round ammunition. If they can do that without any problem...then yes.
Marhalim, is the army not happy with the M4? I heard there are reliability issues with the Colt, hence the Caracal which is essentially a HK.
There is nothing wrong with the M4, though probably they could all be issued with optics.
Soon we will have men carrying Caracal rifles inside Caracal choppers (a bit of humour LOL)
Ketech is another crop of new players but this managed to scoop a big orders from the start. But looking at complex the Karaoke missile, its likely the Caracal will see service beforehand even if it gotten the order later. And whats the deal with neighbouring Mildef, are they related perhaps?
@Jack
"not much battle advantage to be had in replacing the M4 with the Caracal 816"
Significant difference? Nope. But 816 has modern features that puts it functionally ahead of M4; better reliability via shortstroke piston, free float barrel, inside a full length modular handguard that can mount a variety of addons. I just wish the finishing is electroplated rather than painted, the M4s I seen in use some looks shabby & worn.
"how would this be any different?"
If previously its losing money in right pocket, well this time it will likely be losing money from left pocket. What do you expect from a not-so-big army with limited purchasing budget, and even consumable things like ammo is not in high demand?
@hulu
"to take over existing infrastructure first (like taking over SMEO)"
Getting a company to privatise the public sector and hoping to make it profitable... hmm where did I heard that from again?
Let the private company setup as they see fit if they want to be in this business. Defence jobs are usually vote buyers, there are reasons why such setups are in marginalised constituents or else in the area of the decisionmakers.
Anon - ''very good lets focus our defense industry now''
Indeed. Soon we'll be the envy of the world and will have major bragging rights.
... - ''to take over existing infrastructure first (like taking over SMEO),''
To actually ask the pertinent questions : given that we lack economics of scale and have to import all the stuff needed for the production of ammo and explosives; why even bother to talk about local production? Some hard apolitical questions need to be addressed. What we should never do is to pay more merely to support the local industry. We've reached the ludicrous stage where we have a company able to produce ammo but we find it cheaper and faster to order it from abroad.
it would cheaper to build from zero with many incentives offered by state and central government. The plant equipment itself is from Turkey and should be comparatively affordable i/o buying used equipment from current supplier. Furthermore in case of emergency (war economy), higher capacity of production can be achieved locally.
Nothing wrong with the M-4 at all. We can make the Guinness Book of Records. In a span of several decades a small under resourced army belonging to a small country with a small economy has changed its service rifle more times [SLR, HK33, M-16A1, Steyr, M-4, etc]
than the likes of the U.S, British and Soviet/Russian armies.
As you know we bought the HK33 as an interim measure as we were not allowed to buy the M-16s, not even the ones manufactured in SG. The SLR was a bug bear in the jungle.