KUALA LUMPUR: DSA 2008 starts tomorrow and heres the heads-up on the contracts scheduled to be signed during the show.
More Adnans I am told, in several variants from Turkey to augment the 300-odd purchased about 10 years ago and started arriving within the last five years. Since the number is small, I am not sure whether they will be built in Pekan though Deftech also secured a contract for more trucks for the armed forces.
Apart from this contracts, SME is also signing a deal for hand grenades and other munitions while a few contracts for radar and maintenance contracts for the air force and navy are also expected to be inked during the show.
One big surprise is the winner of the new 4X4 vehicle tender. It is not the Land Rover Defender or Humvee but its the Spanish-licensed variant of the Humvee.
This will augment the G-Wagens used as weapons carriers. This tender, I cannot remember the exact details, was offered last year. Another lost opportunity for Land Rover, which has not come up with a totally new vehicle, it must be argued. But losing to your licensee will hurt although I have got no details on the local assembler, perhaps Deftech again?
MINDEF is also expected to sign a deal to replace/augment its fleet of utility Isuzu NPRs, Pajeros and Ford Everest with a fleet of Ssangyong Rextons.
More on this later especially the amount of funds for DSA 2008. If I remember correctly, for the 2006, it was about RM1.6 billion, most of it for maintenance contract.
–Malaysian Defence
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Marhalim, do you think this year finally there will be announced which of the three 8×8 APC’s they tested two years ago will be purchased. Just for clarification (I’m sure you know the facts, but maybe not every other reader): Right after DSA ’06, the MAF conducted a 6-week trial for three 8×8 APC’s. Contenders were the Turkish FNSS PARS, the Polish KTO Rosomak and the Swiss Mowag Piranha IIIC. They wanted to purchase a number of 98 vehicles, with some of them being armed with a 25 – 30mm gun turret. After the test they never ever announced anything on this matter again. Have you maybe heard something?