KUALA LUMPUR: DSA 2016 closed its doors this evening and immediately it was announced that the next installment will be held in 2018. “I am pleased to announce that DSA 2018 will be held from 16 to 18 April 2018 in Kuala Lumpur” Defence Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein said at the closing ceremony for DSA 2016.
Despite all the talk about an event to be held within 24 months, the Defence Ministry however have yet to confirm the dates for LIMA 2017, slated for March next year. Its status is still in doubt.
Many exhibitors at DSA 2016 were hoping that they will find out the status of LIMA 2017 but no one was able to say anything about it to them. Checks with industry sources however revealed that the Defence Ministry has shortlisted two local event organisers to manage LIMA 2017. One is familiar event organiser while the other is less well known.
The two companies are not same ones as reported by Malaysian Defence earlier. However as no official decision has been made, the issue had been postponed after DSA 2016, although the show was the probably best venue to promote the Langkawi one.
IN the meantime, industry sources told Malaysian Defence that the Blackhawks to be procured from Brunei will be armed with the General Dynamics Ordnance GAU-19/B 50 caliber Gatling gun instead of the Dillon Aero M134 mini-gun.
From General Dynamics:
“With a rate of fire of 1,300 shots per minute, the .50 caliber GAU-19/B provides superior firepower in a lightweight system. The total system weight of the three barrel GAU-19/B is neutral to that of a single barrel machine gun.
“The GAU-19/B is effective in both air-to-air and air-to-ground missions. The weapon provides highly effective firepower against area suppression and point targets, as well as being ideally suited for utility, scout and attack helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft.”
Unlike the Dillon Aero M134 mini-gun which is chambered for 7.62mm ammunition with an effective range of 1000 metres, the .50 caliber GAU-19B effective range is 1,800 metres. Apart from being door-mounted the GAU-19B could also be used in the forward firing position.
Meanwhile, checks with Qiblatin Synergy Sdn Bhd revealed that they are sourcing 57mm and 40mm HE rounds from Yugoimport of Serbia for the RMN. Malaysian Defence had previously reported that checks on the Defence Ministry’s tender website revealed that Qiblatin Synergy had won the tenders to supply of 57mm and 40mm HE rounds for the navy. The amount acquired was not revealed but it must be significant as both cannons remained the mainstay of RMN ships.
Yugoimport is one of the mainstay of DSA series of exhibitions although their presence has always been very muted though the Army had been using their 81mm and 60mm mortars for sometime now.
On the Chess Dynamics Sea Eagle FCEO meant for the Lekiu class frigates, Malaysian Defence was told that the contract is expected to be executed by the third quarter of this year. Qiblatin Synergy also won the tender for the contract.
— Malaysian Defence
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Is it confirm for VL MICA on SGPV?
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Yes
Interesting that we’re sourcing ammo from the former Yugoslavia. Back in the late 1990’s I remember a company from Montenegro exhibiting at DSA. Apart from mortars, we also got several thousand mines from the former Yugoslavia; which we destroyed after we ratified the Mine Ban Treaty.
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Binas, the Bosnian company which supplied the 125mm ammo for the Pendekar was also around.
We have bought alot of arms from yugoslavia and its successor countries before, so it is not a surprise if we continue buying from them.
So the blackhawks will be armed with the gau-19b. Hopefully it would be with the external ammo box and pintle mount system like the usaf pave hawks (giving more interior space for passengers)
http://farm8.static.flickr.com/7003/13821338545_64772f2c81.jpg
Btw this is the Chinese version of the gau-19b.
http://img.kongzhong.com/mil/news/2014/11/11/4483b9f5fe1415695050.jpg
(non-related) Is it true that RMN had enforced naval blockade in east Sabah to curb kidnapping? Azlan, can you comment on this?
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I will answer first: with what ships?
@Marhalim
“I will answer first: with what ships?”
That’s why asked, because it sounds very improbable. So just to be clear, there’s no naval blockade whatsoever? none?
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Most likely the newspapers in Philippines are confused about the “naval blockade”. Its actually we have suspended barter trading in areas in ESSCOM for security reasons following the recent spate of kidnappings in the area.
@Marhalim
Actually the newsclip was from aljazeera, it specifically said “naval blockade” which is quite absurd. So how do we actually enforce the suspension of barter trading? as far as I know, the activity was unregulated at both ends
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There are jetties where legal barter trading do take place and you need licence from the Marine Department to conduct the business. So they stopped the activities by announcing a ban at this jetties. Yes they could still barter trade at sea or illegal jetties which the law defined as smuggling especially controlled items.
Thanks for the clarification Marhalim.
My mistake. The company from the ex-Yugoslavia that exhibited at DSA [the one I mentioned in an earlier post] was from Macedonia; not Montenegro.
We’ve had various, unexpected, exhibitors at LIMA and DSA over the years and unexpected offers. At LIMA 1997 [or was in 1999?]; the OEM of the Backfire publicly offered us Backfires! this was covered in the STAR.
…… – ”We have bought alot of arms from yugoslavia and its successor countries before,”
Apart from recent orders for 57mm ammo and 125mm ammo from PRENTIS [M86 HE and M88 KE]; what other stuff have we sourced from the ex-Yugoslavia?