SHAH ALAM: Dash 8 400 P-4 For RMAF MPA Tender. PAL Aerospace has confirmed they have offered the De Havilland Dash 8 400 for the MPA tender that closed on December 3, 2020. The confirmation was made in a press release announcing the recent MOU signed by PAL Aerospace and the manufacturer of the Dash 8 400, De Havilland Canada.
PAL Aerospace is the only company competing in the RMAF MPA tender that owns and operates MPA’s. In Canada the company operates a combination of two King Air’s and two Dash 8’s in the Pacific, Atlantic and Arctic oceans while in the Caribbean the company operates two Dash 8 MPA’s. In 2008, the UAE Air Force selected PAL to design and supply its MPA fleet that fly in the Indian Ocean and the Arabian Gulf. Late last year the company was selected by the Dutch Coast Guard to supply and operate two Dash 8 MPA’s in support of that country’s surveillance requirements in the North Sea as well as periodic deployments in support of the European Coast Guard and Border Agency (FRONTEX).
I recently contacted Keith Stoodley, regional CEO for PAL Aerospace based in Abu Dhabi, UAE. According to Stoodley, “While PAL may be lesser known in Malaysia than integrators like Leonardo and aircraft OEM Airbus, PAL has been designing, modifying, integrating and operating MPA’s for 35 years. PAL has been a frequent visitor to Malaysia since 2005. In 2008, we were awarded the contract to convert the MMEA’s two CL415 to MPA and in 2020 our subsidiary, CarteNav was awarded a contract to replace the mission management systems in the RMAF’s C235’s with the AIMS-ISR mission management system”.
Stoodley noted that PAL was aircraft agnostic and that as such, has experience across a broad range of platforms manufactured by various OEM’s including the ATR-72 and C295. “Being aircraft agnostic brings with it the advantage of choosing the best aircraft for the application. During the RFI stage of the RMAF MPA tender, our proposal was based on the ATR-72. Once the RFP was issued, we concluded that the RMAF required the higher speed and altitude that could only be attained by the more powerful Dash 8 400”.
The 400 is the largest and most powerful of the Dash 8 product line that includes the 100, 200, 300 and 400. The Dash 8 is a preferred platform for special mission aircraft including MPA for many countries including the USA, Australia, and Japan.
When I asked Stoodley about PAL’s competition for the RMAF tender he noted that “our most likely competitor is ATR but we remain confident as only the Dash 8 has the power that the RMAF require. That along with the commonality that the AIMS-ISR mission management system has with other Malaysian assets and our commitment to establish PAL’s South East Asian Headquarters including a Dash 8 MRO in Malaysia, is the best value proposition for the RMAF.”
— Malaysian Defence
View Comments (23)
So Mr M, when we can expect to know the tender's winner for MPA and Male Uav..Kinda Restless Now..and your preference for both tenders? Quick question does this dash 8 on par with ATR or does one better than the other?
Reply
No idea when the announcement for both will be made. Hopefully it will be before they decide to call for the general election
Interesting, perhaps if they can be the cheapest product, they may have a chance after all! Also, having read about the shenanigans at the US-China Talks in Alaska right at this minute, all indications are that tension will increase rather than decrease in our region. Certainly what happened at the Quad Summit recently won’t make the greedy dragon happy. All Malaysia can do is keep calm and carry on at our own pace, professionally.
Firdaus - “Quick question does this dash 8 on par with ATR or does one better than the other”
Each will have their respective advantages. The ability of the Dash to fly higher and faster will be useful at times. The question is which is more expensive to operate and maintain and which cones closest to what the RMAF seeks in an MPA?
Q: How is the RMAF going to organise all the new maritime surveillance assets?
I mean with 3 CN 235s from the MSI plus 2 further (possibly ATR or DASH 8 or 295) MSA from our own pocket plus maritime patrol UAS (possibly ANKA), will the RMAF form a Maritime Patrol Wing under a Group Captain or what? Will they put everything under a squadron?
How are these things organised? Will the HQ be in KK. etc. Any hints?
Reply
There is no Group Captain rank in MAF. The nearest equivalent is the Air Operations Division in ESSCOM headed by a RMAF one star.
The No 11 Squadron will fly the UAS, as announced last year. The 16 Squadron which currently fly the B200T will likely take over the new MPA while the converted CN-235 will likely remained with 1 Skuadron as they can also performed light transport role.
Marhalim,
You mentioned a while ago that that the mission suite on the CNs will not be roll on/roll off. This would mean the converted CNs will hardly have any internal space for transport.
Reply
I have been on board the Indonesian Navy CN-235 MPA, there is enough space to carry around 10 people even with the sensors on board. Not ideal of course but it can be done
"in 2020 our subsidiary... awarded a contract...RMAF’s C235’s with the AIMS-ISR mission management system"
Interesting info. Does it mean the MPA mission suit for the MSA convert CN235s is from PAL?
Reply
Yup
"in 2020 our subsidiary… awarded a contract…RMAF’s C235’s with the AIMS-ISR mission management system”
Interesting info. Does it mean the MPA mission suit for the MSA convert CN235s is from PAL?
Reply
Yup"
If this is true, then there's little need to think a deal will not take place between our government and Dash 8s' PAL.
'aircraft agnostic' what is that?
Reply
Means that the system could be easily adapted into any type of aircraft. As mentioned in the story, PAL Aerospace had wanted to fit the system into an ATR aircraft but since Leonardo is offering the same aircraft, ATR, which is partly owned by Leonardo, does not agree to do it. Since the requirement is for new build aircraft, PAL Aerospace worked with De Havilland to offer the Dash 8 400
"Does it mean the MPA mission suit for the MSA convert CN235s is from PAL?"
Again logically MY MoD have to buy AIMS-ISR too unless strange happenings whereby we got ourselves 2 types of MPA Mission Suit...
Actually, how many CN-235 convert become MSA? There are mixture of news, some written 2 some 3...
If I not mistaken, only 2 CN-235 had fly to Indonesia to do the conversion.
Reply
Its three. It may well be the third had gone there but RMAF had not announce it or delayed due to various reasons.