SHAH ALAM: Firepower Exercise. The Army conducted its annual firepower exercise at Kem Sirajuddin, Gemas today (May 22, 2017). The exercise is the main live firing exercise for the Army, where its heavy hitters worked together with the RMAF fighters to demonstrate its capabilities and firepower.
In the past, the exercise was called a demonstration but this was changed last year to better reflect the main goal of the training exercise.
This year’s exercise saw the first public firing of the Gempita AFV30 and Adnan Thales 120mm mortar. Unfortunately, the Armoured Command Variant (ACV) of the Gempita, the one with the RWS, did not take part in the exercise.
Both the AFV30 and the ACV were supposed to conduct a live firing demonstration late last year but it was cancelled for various reasons.
Apart from the AFV30 and the IFV25, none of the other variants of the Gempita took part in the exercise.
Anyhow the Thales 2R2M 120mm mortar are fitted on the ACV-S variant of the Adnan, which eight units were procured back in 2010. The ACV-S variant is, of course, the stretch variant of the Adnan, distinguishable by it’s six road wheels compared to the normal ones with five wheels.
The 2R2m mortar features a semi-auto loading, the loader loads the round and charge on the trunion which in turn place the projectile into the mortar breech. The mortar swivels downwards during travel and the top cover is opened for firing.
The Army Air Wing also demonstrated the AW109 fitted with the minigun, with two examples firing the guns just above the viewing gallery. Last year, only one AW109 took part in the exercise. Two Nuris from the PUTD also took part in exercise hoisting an Oto Melara 105mm pack howitzers in the exercise, compared to one last year.
Like in previous years, the Pendekars, Astros MRLS and G5 155mm howitzers took part in the exercise, with a company from the 19th RMR (Mechanised) demonstrating the firing of infantry weapons from M4s to RPG-7s after they exited from their Adnans from the 25mm Bushmaster, 81 mortar and 40mm AGL variants. These vehicles also added to the din firing their weapons as part of the exercise.
As for the anti-tank contingent, the Metis M – fitted on G-wagens and Bakhtar Shiktan on Adnans also took part in the exercise.
The Metis-M scored direct hits on their targets from four missiles while the Bakhtar Shiktan missed theirs, a reversal of fortunes from 2014, the last time I went to see the firepower exercise.
For the indirect firing portion of the exercise, three F/A-18D Hornets and two BAe Systems Hawk 108s were involved together with the Army’s heavy hitters firing in their more traditional fire support role. Because of this the guns, the G5 155mm, 81mm mortars and 105 hotwizers, were firing away from the gallery.
The Hornets, two of them were fitted with four Mk82 500-pound bombs each, while the Hawks were fitted with two launchers for FZ rockets each.
The fighter boys apparently had a much enjoyable time at the exercise with one of the Hawks flying just over the tree-tops as they exited the range for the finale. Both Hawks performed aileron rolls as they past the view gallery.
— Malaysian Defence
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View Comments (21)
Beautiful photography, especially the Hawk.
I believe thats a hawk 109.
Reply
109 is the Indonesian AF variant. Our is the 108. Yes, you are correct it's the twin seater, the 108.
Will our troops be kitted with Body Armour in future? Or will it only be issued during peacekeeping missions overseas?
Reply
It will depend on the mission requirements. Soldiers from 10th Para Brigade who were tasked as a close protection force for the VIPs at the Firepower Exercise wore body armour.
Any chance we will be seeing the M109 SPH next year or after?
Reply
Its still up in the air.
If I am not mistaken we have 16 of the 2R2M mortar, 8 on Adnan and 8 on Gempita. I guess we should introduce at least another 16 of the same type, to partially complement the 105mm 50 years old howitzer, if budget allowed.
Reply
AFAIK the mortar variant of the Gempita has not been build yet.
Any reason why the Baktar Shikans miss their targets?!
Reply
No idea, there are plenty of reasons for missing targets
I've read that the GOF stationed at ESSZone will be equipped with bulgarian made RPG-7, and that both the army and police is stockpiling thousands upon thousands of warheads of various types for the launcher
I think we should get thermobaric warhead and we should also be able to produce small arms like these. Not necessarily for export but it would save millions of dollars of foreign exchange if we source basic stuff domestically
@ alex
Rpg-7 is not considered a "small arms" by any means. It is a serious piece of firepower that could penetrate every single piece of malaysian armored vehicle except the erawa bits of the pt-91m. It really does not make any sense for a police force to have that kind of firepower for patrolling in the esszone.
Alex,
Whether or not para-military units should be equipped with shoulder fired weapons really depends on the type of missions they're likely to perform and the threat level. The Police Field Force had 81mm [a few years ago these were offered for sale] and 60 mm mortars and Cockerill equipped V-150s during the 2nd Emergency but these were almost never used. The Thai Thahan Phran [a non army unit] had RPGs [Chinese supplied] but then they faced an enemy who also had them. It really depends.
As for saving '' millions of dollars of foreign exchange if we source basic stuff domestically'' - we can can license produce/assemble stuff here but the raw components [the chemicals, etc] will still have to be imported.
kamal - ''to partially complement the 105mm 50 years old howitzer, if budget allowed.''
The Model 56s were bought in several batches. The youngest were delivered in 1982/83.