SHAH ALAM: Exercise with Indian Air Force. Malaysian and Indian military will be holding air exercises and extending cooperation in counter-terrorism as part of plans to strengthen defence ties between both countries, PM DS Najib said today.
The air exercise will involve Indian Air Force (IAF) Sukhoi Su-30MKI and RMAF Su-30MKM fighters.
Najib made the announcement after a bilateral meeting with Indian PM Narendra Modi in New Delhi. He said PM Modi suggested that the IAF contingent bound for Australia later this year should conduct exercises with our air force while on the way there or conduct joint missions there.
Five of the six Flankers taking part in Eks Paradise 2017 at the dispersal site at Labuan airbase.
“I agreed to the suggestion as the IAF is very experience with the Sukhoi fighters and we could also learn how they maintain their aircraft,” he says as reported by Bernama. The IAF Su-30MKI will be joining the Australian organised Ex Pitch Black in August.
A Flanker dropping its load of bombs at the Kota Belud air to ground range.
Najib and other Asean leaders were in New Delhi by invitation of the Indian government for the 2018 Republic Day, being celebrated today.
RMAF Sukhoi Su-30MKM M52-18 during its display at LIMA 17
As you aware RMAF had been working with IAF for sometime now though surprisingly both have not conducted air exercises before. RMAF send its pilots and technicians to India in the 1990s to train on the Mig-29 Fulcrums.
RMAF Sukhoi Su-30MKM M54-16 returning to its parking spot after the display at LIMA 2015.
When the Flankers were acquired a similar arrangement was conducted and a number of IAF Flanker crews were seconded to the 11 Squadron to help put the Russian made jet into service.
TThe Bernama story:
NEW DELHI, 26 Jan (Bernama) — Malaysia dan India berhasrat meningkatkan kerjasama dalam bidang pertahanan termasuk mengadakan eksesais ketenteraan udara bersama dan menangani isu keganasan, kata Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, di sini hari ini.
Perdana Menteri berkata, pada pertemuan bilateral dengan rakan sejawatannya. Narendra Modi, kedua-dua negara bersetuju mengadakan latihan ketenteraan udara bersama, khususnya dalam penugasan taktikal pesawat Sukhoi.
— Malaysian Defence
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View Comments (24)
A great news for our MKM community. BTW during the meeting, does the PM know that TUDM is also going to australian Ex Pitch Black this year? The best thing is for TUDM su-30mkm to have exercise together with IAF su-30mki, then together go to australia for Ex Pitch Black.
BTW IAF su-30mki's have been flown to red flag, red flag alaska, france, uk before. This would be the 1st time the su-30mki joining an exercise in australia. Malaysia has not been going to Ex Pitch Black for quite sometime. Last was with the hornets in 2008. Indonesia was there in 2012 (sukhoi) and 2016 (f-16). Thailand and Singapore is a regular entrant, joining virtually every ex pitch black in the last 20 years.
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I am guessing the PM was informed of the plan but I am guessing as well that he was also aware that its not 100 per cent yet. There have been in the past of plans to go to PB, after 2008, but were cancelled for various reasons.
Is the MIG already retired?They have been quiet lately. If not hope they will do a minimum upgrade so the balance 10 can still fly and do at least air patrol task for the next 5 years. Atleast TUDM will not be facing huge assets deficit while awaiting the replacements
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They are not flying not retired. As I reported recently RMAF has only 3 upgrade programs on record, the Hercules, Hawk and Nuri
Upgrade for just air patrol?
See here for the ballpark figure
https://www.malaysiandefence.com/eagles-typhoons-rafale/#comment-292090
It is basically a bit more than the price of 1 FA-50. IMO it is still okay but it would wholely depends on the current threat perceptions of TUDM.
In any case, if you can accept the MiGs as mainly an air policing/QRA tool, IMO we don't really need typhoon/rafale as a replacement for such task.
@.....
" BTW IAF su-30mki’s have been flown to red flag, red flag alaska, france, uk before. This would be the 1st time the su-30mki joining an exercise in australia. Malaysia has not been going to Ex Pitch Black for quite sometime. Last was with the hornets in 2008. Indonesia was there in 2012 (sukhoi) and 2016 (f-16). Thailand and Singapore is a regular entrant, joining virtually every ex pitch black in the last 20 years."
In every international ex there are terms and conditions how the ex will be performed.
Especially when east fighter meet west fighter. It is very lucky for MAS and IDN to have both tech so they can exploit the diff to the max.
Off topic
Indian navy's 3rd scorpene launched
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DU2n8FvVwAEBlAE.jpg
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Just asking if we got money to add to our Scorpenes, should we order them from India (granted if France will allow it of course)?
My take?
Contract india or brazil to build the modules. Assemble them in sepanggar hangar after the overhaul of our current scorpenes have funished.
At least another 1. And brought forward to RMK13, 2026-2030. Unlike the current tldm plan for a new sub only in RMK14 2031-2035.
I would prefer another 1 scorpene, to make the fleet to 3, and 6 more CSIC S600 submarines in RMK14 and RMK15. To take the name of FAC(G)s. This could be paid for by reducing the scorpene buy from 2 to 1, and Kedah class from total of 18 to 12 (just 6 more new kedahs)
http://military.cnr.cn/wqzb/zcwq/20171121/W020171121370265899314.jpg
As for the LMS, i would prefer they take over the name of FAC(G), and if they take the idea for LMS-B, this to take the name of vospers with the name of weapons.
As for the LMS, i would prefer they take over the name of FAC(M), and if they take the idea for LMS-B, this to take the name of vospers with the name of weapons.
On the CSIC S600
S600 Specification
Displacememt: 600 tons surfaced
Length: 50 m
Width: 4.6 m hull diameter
Height: 5.6 m
Crew: 15
Range: 2,000nm, with 400 nm on AIP
Endurance: 20 days
Speed: 15 kt max submerged, 9 kt surfaced
Operating depth: 200 m
Armament: 4 x 533mm torpedoes
Price? I am targeting a price of less than usd150 million each. This is based on the Croatian Drakon 220 which was promoted for euro50 million each, which displaces 220 tonnes. The Drakon 220 has been promoted to Egypt and Indonesia before.
http://i62.tinypic.com/2yo280g.jpg
The harsh reality is that on top of Cope Taufan, CARAT, Bersama Lima, Helang Malindo, Air Thamal and others [some annually and some not]; adding another exercise means aircraft have to be allocated. There will also be times when aircraft have to be available for one off or non regular exercises like the ones we've done with USN carrier groups transiting the Straits of Melaka and others. With only so many air frames available already doing various things [training, QRA, etc] and not all operational at any given time; sparing air frames for yet another exercise will be challenging..
Adding another exercise; whether one off, annually or bi-annually is great but it requires a lot of planning and the allocation of assets; not to mention funding and the extra hours of maintenance aircraft will need when they have to generate 'x' number of sorties per day over a given period; even a short one.
Romeo - ''In every international ex there are terms and conditions how the ex will be performed.''
This is for safety reasons and involves all exercises, not just 'international ex'. At times certain handicaps [the use of AEW or data links, etc] will be imposed in order for one side not to have too great an advantage. At the end of the day; the whole purpose of most exercises involving non NATO or non allied countries is not to see who chalks up more air to air kills or see which aircraft has a better instantaneous turn rate or trust to weigh ratio when loaded down with ordnance but to enhance cooperation and interoperability.
In the case of non NATO countries participating in NATO exercises or ones involving Tier 1 air arms like Pitch Black and others; the use of EW and radars will be strictly regulated, as will ACMI pods [for different reasons]. Also, radar and radio frequencies employed will not be the same as that used for operational taskings.
... - ''IMO we don’t really need typhoon/rafale as a replacement for such task.''
It depends. On paper even a Hawk 200 can be used for QRA as not all QRAs will require a supersonic aircraft - depends entirely on the type of aircraft to be intercepted, its speed, distance, etc. On paper, although a QRA aircraft should have a radar it doesn't necessarily have to have one [assuming it's a peacetime QRA and the country is not in a state of tensions] as QRAs are essentially GCI with the aircraft in question only employing radar at a later stage.
kamal - ''If not hope they will do a minimum upgrade''
If they're going to fly for a few more years, the 'minimum' or essential will be overhauling the RD-33s and the Alamos and Archers time expiring. Over time, as they age; some avionics or systems might also break down and require replacing.
On SSKs. Even if there was cash, the fact is that for the foreseeable future we'll only have enough crews to man 4 boats.
Apart from procurement costs another issue is SSKs tend to be very expensive to operate and support; thus its not just how much we need to buy more boats but how much the operational budget will be increased to cater for additional boats. On Indian production, given the various delays technical issues and bureaucratic delays that have affected various ships/subs, going down the Indian route may not be a good move.
The TUDM pitch black 2018 contingent will consist of a400m and F/A-18D hornets.
https://scontent-sea1-1.cdninstagram.com/vp/64c3d3ef64bee51da60e7af609435580/5B077067/t51.2885-15/s480x480/e35/26305801_170522886897819_6792182503051362304_n.jpg?ig_cache_key=MTcwMDUyNTE3NDM3MTQwMjc0Mg%3D%3D.2
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Hahaha...😀