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• can someone post a picture and writeup on Stride's produced 120mm mortar ?
  It was reported that it is lighter than its competitors.

  Reply
  Stride is not participating but will try to get in touch with them

• No decision yet, But in kuantan right now Mig-29N are going crazy with non stop testing its remain pattern low pass with all lights open and rapidly increasing its speed to full throttle and make 180 degree turn and back to slow over 30x.. what happening? maybe its being flight testing from the buyer that would like to refurbish the plane or the Russian testing it?

  The announcement of Replacement of Mig29n is just around corner , so be patient..EF2000/SU-35BM is the best choice

• And in east peninsular Malaysia, above UiTM machang,Kelantan.. The Sukhoi-30mkm are really nuts and crazy with its high speed low pass over my campus..lol.. tengah berkawad pun semua berhenti tengok atas..haha.. Bravo Malaysian pilots

• Ask our fly boys how 'manja' the EF Typhoon had to to be taken care off during RAF last visit at Butterworth. Can we afford the maintenance? The most viable options are more MKM or Super Hornet, that's it, adding another type of fighter is not parallel with RMAF Chief words to streamline the fighter squadron to only two types.

• Doubt very much if any Fulcrum testing is being done by a foreign buyer as no decision has been made yet for the replacement. Its still very early days.

• isn't Sukhoi-30mkm and F/A18E/F has the same capability ? if we bought SH , are we getting the Source code? and we will lack of Air superiority fighter jet soon to be compare with Indonesian with its Korean made 5gen fighter and Singapore with its F35 ? Do we have any air superiority fighter left if we bought Superhornet, I know SH E/F is crucial need to patrol the Conflict Island from the invasion of Chinese , Soon China will have their own Aircraft carrier and do we need more Russian state of art made or European? basically EF-2000 are made to against the Russian fighters type and China will import SU-33 and maybe will copy and develop more capable sea and air domination?

  Really , i think EF2000 and SU-35BM are the best choice.

  _sorry for bad language , im learning

• Re: the MRCA programme

  Here's an extract of what Jane's is reporting:

  DSA Malaysia 2012: Safran's Malaysian expansion strengthens Rafale's MRCA bid

  By Jon Grevatt

  4/18/2012

  Turbomeca and Snecma – subsidiaries of French group Safran – have expanded their presence in the Malaysian aerospace and defence market through investment and industrial collaboration deals with local firm Global Turbine Asia (GTA), it emerged at the Defence Services Asia (DSA) exhibition in Kuala Lumpur.

  Both deals have strengthened Dassault's hand in bidding for the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) Multi Role Combat Aircraft (MRCA) requirement.

  Under the terms of the collaboration agreement, GTA will service the Snecma M88 turbojet engine that powers the Dassault Rafale if the French fighter wins the USD1.5 billion MRCA contract, which is also being contested by Russia's Sukhoi Su-30MKM, the Eurofighter Typhoon, the Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and Saab's Gripen NG.

  GTA confirmed to IHS Jane's on 17 April that Turbomeca has recently completed the acquisition of a 30 per cent stake in the Malaysian company. Meanwhile, Snecma signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with GTA that is intended to provide maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) services to Snecma engines in service in civil and military sectors in Malaysia.

• Sharul,

  No, in all probability, we will not get the product/sources codes if we buy the SH, as we do not need to and we don't have the capability to do anything with it, even if we got it. even if we were to buy the Su-35, what makes you think we will get the product/sources codes? On paper, the MKM and the SH may have almost the same specs but we do not have data on the hourly operating costs of both types and as the Su-30 is only operated by the IAF and the RMAF, actual flight performance data is only known by these 2 air arms. The SH Block 2 has an EASA radar, unlike the MKM. There are also other factors, such as the lack of data links and AEW platforms that are more important than the actual platform itself - its not the platform by itself which makes the difference. Most of the ordnance on the SH has also been combat tested, unlike those offered with the MKM. Anyway, if the Chinese decided to take the Spratleys or enforce a maritime blockade, whether the RMAF gets the SH, MiG-35, Rafale or Typhoon is immaterial.

• What do you think is the best MRCA for Malaysia?
  Isn't Sukhoi-35BM has more superiority compared with Other fighters?

  Reply
  Brochure figures should never be used a yardstick. As for the Su- 35, although it had been reported widely that it is involved in the MRCA programme, I have never reported as such. My list has always include the Super Hornet, Rafale, Typhoon and Gripen. Of course there is an offer from Sukhoi for six 30MKMs or so to replace the 10-odd Fulcrums which remained in service with RMAF.

• The Su-35BM is a real heavyweight and has much room for growth here, since the Russians are so heavily invested in them and are even supplying them in good numbers for their own AF. The new 117S and IRBIS radar gives it a nasty bite. Its like a flying AEW easily networked together to data link with her other aircraft's. Maybe it can be used as a temporary AEW solution until more funds are available.

  I also do think the Gripen NG would be a terrific idea. Or maybe just follow India's lead and go with Rafale, spare parts and even training can be obtained from the good neighbor. Mica missiles is very lovely. Though I'm not so sure about the ability of the Typhoon it is smaller and the performance is too similar to the Fulcrum yet having a much bigger price tag.

  If it were my choice I would prefer 14 Gripen NG and 2x Saab AEW in similar package to what Thailand got due to it being the cheaper bird.

  Reply
  The Su-35 remain under development and as we do not want a fully Russian package we may need to develop it further, a route we took with the MKM. It will be easier if they just buy more of the MKM.