KUALA LUMPUR: Defence Minister Datuk Seri Hishammudin today – more or less – confirmed that the Blackhawks we are getting from Brunei will be procured instead of a donation. Its more or less as the defence minister did not say it himself but he left it to the ministry’s deputy secretary-general (development) Datuk Dr Rothiah Omar.

Hishammudin was asked about the Blackhawks after the contracts signing ceremony at the DSA 2016 show at PWTC here. The four Blackhawks according to him would be delivered in September instead.

Asked further whether the Blackhawks were donated or need to be paid, Hishammudin deferred the answer to Dr Rothiah. When met shortly later, Rothiah confirmed that the Blackhawks were to be paid ‘for a nominal sum”.

“Reports suggesting that the helicopter will be given to us free of charge is not correct. We need to pay for the helicopters and also the spares,” she told Malaysian Defence. Asked how much, she said it will be “a nominal sum”.

Asked whether the amount was for USD15 million (RM58.3 million) Rothiah said the amount was correct but it had not been finalised yet. On whether or not Airod Sdn Bhd will be providing maintenance and support for the Blackhawks, Rothiah again said the matter was not finalised.

Meanwhile, earlier in the ceremony, the ministry signed ten contracts, four Letters of Acceptance (LOA); two Letters of Intent and a Letter of Instruction. The emcees announced that the contracts and others were worth some RM2.9 billion. The two biggest deals are for the Scorpene refit (Boustead DCNS Sdn Bhd) for RM1.173 billion and the Starstreak missiles (RM897 million).

Both of these have been announced previously. Here and Here. Also signed was the deal for the six MD Helicopters MD530G light scout armed helicopters, RM321 milion. Malaysian Defence was told that the contract includes the weapon systems and training. The weapons package include the Dillon Aero M134 mini-gun, rocket pods and the FN Herstal RMP Rocket Machine gun pod.

Note the contracts amount listed here are based on the announcement made by the emcees during the ceremony.

The contracts:
– DRB Hicom Defence Technologies Sdn Bhd (Deftech) signed contracts for 222 units of 3 tonnes Handalan trucks (RM73.7 million) and spare parts and services for the PT-91M MBT and its variants (RM33 million)
– Global Komited Sdn Bhd (Weststar subsidiary) for the Starstreak missile system (RM897 million).
– Gading Kasturi Sdn Bhd for the rental services of Airbus Helicopters EC120B helicopters for basic flight training (RM134 million)
– Puncak Teknologi Sdn Bhd for the supply of harbour surveillance and underwater detection system for the RMN.
(RM24.9 milion)
– GPB Corporation for the rental of school buses for the Armed Forces (RM14.6 million)
– Flumen Technologies for the Army’s Virtual Immersive Training Simulator (RM33.8 million)
– Halaman Optima Sdn Bhd for the purchase of six MD Helicopters MD530G (RM321 million).
– Kulitkraf Sdn Bhd for combat boots for the Malaysian Army (RM77.9 million)
– Boustead DCNS Naval Corporation Sdn Bhd for the Scorpene submarines refit (RM1.173 billion)

LOAs
– AVP Engineering Sdn Bhd for 22 units of 5 tonnes 4X4 MAN GS cargo trucks (RM15.4 million)
– Usahawan PSE Sdn Bhd for the supply FAST ballistic helmets (RM45.9 million)
– Astra Permai for the barter trade of Otomat missiles and components with eight Electro-Optical Fire Control System (EOFCS) for the 24th Corvette Squadron (RM34.5 million)

The four ships of the Laksamana class will have two EOFCS each, aft and forward to control the two guns. The EOFCS selected is the Gem Elettronica EOFCS115A
– Zigmar Sdn Bhd for the RMAF C130 Ageing Aircraft Technical Training Management (RM18.7 million)

LOIs
– US Government for the supply of M109A5 Self-Propelled Howitzer
– Global Turbine Asia Sdn Bhd for the supply of parts and services for the Arrius 1A engines of the RMN Fennec helicopters.

Letter of Instruction
– National Defence Aerospace Industries Sdn Bhd (NADI) for proof of concept for the avionics upgrades programme for the Nuri Helicopter.

I do not have more details about the contracts for the combat boots and ballistic helmets but hopefully I will get them tomorrow. The LOI for the M109s is not confirmation that we are actually buying them but its just a formality to ensure that the howitzers are not offered to other countries.

— Malaysian Defence

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