SHAH ALAM: Five days of flying. The crews of the Airbus EC 725 AP helicopters from the No. 5 Squadron has completed their operations to transport essential food items to rural areas in Sarawak within the last five days. In total 13 sorties were conducted during the operations which were flown from the Miri airport to various parts of the interior of Sarawak.
A total of the 63, 723 lbs of essential food items were flown to 13 settlements namely Bario, Long Sait, Long Lellang, Long Sobeng, Long Aton, Long Loyang, Long Akah, Long Anap, Apau Nyaring, Long Palai, Long Apu, Patik dan Bai Lai. The food items were supplied by the Sarawak government for the residents in the settlements to ensure that they do not run out of food and ensuring they complied with the Movement Control Order enforced by the government to fight the Covid 19 pandemic.
Loading the food items at the Miri airport. TUDM
Two crews from No. 5 Squadron based in Labuan were involved in the flight operations. The first crew is led by Lt Kol Vachiral Ratanaphan a/l Ban Teang, co-pilot Kapt Mohd Firdaus Anual, and air quartermaster Flight Sgt Jacy Wharton Astillero. The second crew is led by Mej Frezal Raynol @ Zainal, co-pilot Kapt Syahir Jaafar and air quartermaster PW U II Sunerie Sugang
The cabin of an EC 725 AP after it is loaded with the food items. TUDM
Walaupun terpaksa mengharungi cabaran cuaca yang tidak menentu serta kawasan yang bergunung, namun kecekapan dan kecekalan juruterbang serta anak kapal Helikopter EC 725AP TUDM telah berjaya melaksanakan penghantaran ke 13 kawasan pedalaman Negeri Sarawak yang memerlukan bantuan bekalan makanan asas dalam masa lima (5) hari.
Bagi misi terakhir hari ini, tiga (3) sortie penerbangan dilaksanakan oleh TUDM yang membawa bekalan makanan asas dari Lapangan Terbang Miri untuk dihantar tiga (3) kawasan pedalaman iaitu di Long Akah, Long Sobeng dan Long Aton.
Secara keseluruhannya, sebanyak 19 sortie penerbangan dengan muatan 63, 723 lbs telah dilaksanakan oleh TUDM dalam menjayakan misi penghantaran bekalan makanan asas ke 13 kawasan terlibat iaitu Bario, Long Sait, Long Lellang, Long Sobeng, Long Aton, Long Loyang, Long Akah, Long Anap, Apau Nyaring, Long Palai, Long Apu, Patik dan Bai Lai.
Program penghantaran bekalan makanan ini merupakan program kerjasama antara Angkatan Tentera Malaysia (ATM) dan Kerajaan Negeri Sarawak dalam memastikan agar masyarakat di kawasan pedalaman Sarawak terus terbela di samping mematuhi arahan PKP yang telah ditetapkan.
Tahniah dan syabas diucapkan kepada set kru anak kapal Helikopter EC 725 AP dari No 5 Skn, Pangkalan Udara Labuan yang terlibat menjayakan misi berterusan sepanjang 5 hari bermula 5 April lalu. Set kru pertama telah diketuai oleh Lt Kol Vachiral Ratanaphan a/l Ban Teang TUDM, dibantu oleh pembantu juruterbang, Kapt Mohd Firdaus bin Anual TUDM dan Kuartermaster Udara, Sjn U Jacy Wharton Astillero.
Manakala set kru kedua telah diketuai oleh Mej Frezal bin Raynol @ Zainal TUDM serta dibantu oleh pembantu juruterbang, Kapt Syahir bin Jaafar TUDM dan Kuartermaster Udara, PW U II Sunerie bin Sugang.
Khidmat TUDM diperlukan di dalam mendepani cabaran krisis kesihatan dunia akibat COVID-19 khususnya penghantaran melalui jalan udara akibat kesukaran untuk melalui jalan darat agar bantuan dapat disalurkan dengan segera. Semoga usaha ini dapat dimanfaatkan oleh rakyat dengan terus mematuhi PKP dan tidak keluar dari rumah agar wabak ini dapat diatasi dengan segera.
Getting the food items out from the helicopter. TUDM
Yes the Squadron only has a pair of Cougars on strength now that itβs Nuris are retired.
Sustaining such a level as has been undertaken; with just a pair of platforms is sustainable but over a prolonged period it will be βproblematicβ to put it mildly ...
From a technical perspective a lot of the places flown to are challenging; involving flying over high terrain, mist, small/cramp landing spots and poor ATC in certain areas.
Bomba's Mi-17 is much better suited for this kinda tasks.
Reply
Yes but those places that RMAF went are those areas those with unpredictable weather. Also perhaps Bomba Mi-17s were not available
Very2 off topic.
In a few days time, indonesia could become the new covid 19 epicentre in asia. This could affect the situation in neighbouring countries too such as malaysia as we have a big indonesian community here.
Currently our government has been managing the covid 19 spread in malaysia. We have also have preparation in place in case of any sudden increase like hundreds of quarentine areas and temporary hospitals like in serdang but for now thankfully our MCO has flattened the curve significantly.
To help our neighbour indonesia, IMO our military medics can get together with say Brunei to set up a HADR covid 19 field hospital in indonesia, probably in kalimantan or sulawesi which has border or maritime crossings with sabah and sarawak. This could be set up in indoor stadiums for example.
Any help for indonesia is better than nothing. Indonesia has just four doctors and 12 hospital beds per 10,000 people, and less than three intensive care beds per 100,000. These levels are way below World Health Organisation or Asia-Pacific standards. Unlike disasters like earthquake or tsunami, we have time to pre-emptively deploy before the covis 19 situation in indonesia goes bad.
Really felt that we have missed one of our biggest opportunity...
Air USA's acquisition of all of the Royal Australian Air Force's remaining F/A-18A/B Hornets. Canada had bought 25 prior to this deal going through. The jets Air USA is slated to receive, 46 in total, of which 36 are flying today, will be replaced by the F-35A Joint Strike Fighter within the RAAF's ranks and thus will be totally retired from service by the end of 2021.
Although the terms of the deal have not been disclosed, the purchase does include all of the RAAF's F/A-18 spare parts inventory and test equipment, valued at over a billion dollars alone, according to Kirlin. Those parts will be incredibly valuable as Air USA is planning on putting every single airframe it receives back into serviceβnot just the 36 aircraft that are flyable today, but the other 10 that are not, as well.
Those jets just need inspections and are not parted out or grounded for any other reasons. This will allow Air USA to operate at least three fully outfitted squadrons of the 4th generation fighters at all times, which Kirlin hopes will be forward deployed to key bases around the United States where they will primarily help give fleet pilots, testers, and tactics developers, a run for their money in the air-to-air combat arena.
Overall, Kirlin informs us that that the Aussie Hornets are being imported in exactly the same configuration as they are flying operationally today the RAAF. Nothing is being removed, even the jet's Link 16 data-link system and its internal M61 20mm Vulcan cannon are staying put.
As for the condition of the surplus Hornet fleet, Kirlin says they are in incredible shape and show little signs of corrosionβlikely a result of their often hot and dry operating environment down under as opposed to the salty conditions aboard aircraft carriers that U.S. Navy Hornets have had to endure.
Alex - β Mi-17 is much better suited for this kinda tasksβ
In what way are they better for such tasks?
They are not fitted for all weather IFR flights; essential for such tasks. Do they even have an auto hover system? Such tasks might not call for the heli to hover for long or even at all but maintaining a hover manually for a period is not easy and strains the gear box.
PKP3 / MCO3 is to be extended to 28 april
more police/military/MMEA personnel to be deployed to secure malaysian borders to prevent illegal immigrants from entering the country.
.... - βAny help for indonesia is better than nothingββ
Depends ....
Will they be willing to accept the help and will that help actually lead to any tangible benefits for both countries or will it be more of a PR exercise?
No doubt they need outside assistance in various areas but I have no idea if deployed MAF medical teams is actually something they need; notwithstanding any inadequacies in the Indonesian health system.
For me a major worry is infected individuals managing to cross the extremely long and porous East Malaysian/Kalimantan border without being detected.
I guess all available government service helicopter already deploy for this. Hope everyone stay healthy while giving their best services. After this disaster, NURI might end without replacement, no more new MPA (hope remaining 4 cn can convert become MPA), LCA might further delay... even our economy will be unforseen
"No doubt they need outside assistance in various areas but I have no idea if deployed MAF medical teams is actually something they need"
I have my doubts. To begin with, military surgeons and field hospitals are specialised in battlefield medicine and not infectious diseases. A deployable hospital has nowhere near the level of safety required for such a disease, so you will have to build or equip facilities from scratch rather than deploy what we have. You will need ventilators, which no country can spare unless and until the surge in production arrives.
We have to reserve capacity for local needs (among civilians and troops exposed to such civilians on PKP duties). While deployed doctors can be recalled if the need arises, expending large amounts of single-use personal protective equipment while running a field hospital abroad is another matter.
Azlan
Why would a helicopter whose tasked to drop essential supply to hover above ground in the first place? Mi-17 is much more suitable than a cougar for the same reason as a pickup truck is a much more suitable to haul cargo than a sedan. They are meant to bring supply from point A to point B
I know that hindsight is always 20/20 but the decision to retire nuri right before coronavirus strike is a poor one. Is there any chance of activating at least several of them for minimum duty?
View Comments (13)
Yes the Squadron only has a pair of Cougars on strength now that itβs Nuris are retired.
Sustaining such a level as has been undertaken; with just a pair of platforms is sustainable but over a prolonged period it will be βproblematicβ to put it mildly ...
From a technical perspective a lot of the places flown to are challenging; involving flying over high terrain, mist, small/cramp landing spots and poor ATC in certain areas.
Bomba's Mi-17 is much better suited for this kinda tasks.
Reply
Yes but those places that RMAF went are those areas those with unpredictable weather. Also perhaps Bomba Mi-17s were not available
Very2 off topic.
In a few days time, indonesia could become the new covid 19 epicentre in asia. This could affect the situation in neighbouring countries too such as malaysia as we have a big indonesian community here.
Currently our government has been managing the covid 19 spread in malaysia. We have also have preparation in place in case of any sudden increase like hundreds of quarentine areas and temporary hospitals like in serdang but for now thankfully our MCO has flattened the curve significantly.
To help our neighbour indonesia, IMO our military medics can get together with say Brunei to set up a HADR covid 19 field hospital in indonesia, probably in kalimantan or sulawesi which has border or maritime crossings with sabah and sarawak. This could be set up in indoor stadiums for example.
Any help for indonesia is better than nothing. Indonesia has just four doctors and 12 hospital beds per 10,000 people, and less than three intensive care beds per 100,000. These levels are way below World Health Organisation or Asia-Pacific standards. Unlike disasters like earthquake or tsunami, we have time to pre-emptively deploy before the covis 19 situation in indonesia goes bad.
Sorry another off topic.
Just read about this.
http://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/32869/this-man-owns-the-worlds-most-advanced-private-air-force-after-buying-46-f-a-18-hornets
Really felt that we have missed one of our biggest opportunity...
Air USA's acquisition of all of the Royal Australian Air Force's remaining F/A-18A/B Hornets. Canada had bought 25 prior to this deal going through. The jets Air USA is slated to receive, 46 in total, of which 36 are flying today, will be replaced by the F-35A Joint Strike Fighter within the RAAF's ranks and thus will be totally retired from service by the end of 2021.
Although the terms of the deal have not been disclosed, the purchase does include all of the RAAF's F/A-18 spare parts inventory and test equipment, valued at over a billion dollars alone, according to Kirlin. Those parts will be incredibly valuable as Air USA is planning on putting every single airframe it receives back into serviceβnot just the 36 aircraft that are flyable today, but the other 10 that are not, as well.
Those jets just need inspections and are not parted out or grounded for any other reasons. This will allow Air USA to operate at least three fully outfitted squadrons of the 4th generation fighters at all times, which Kirlin hopes will be forward deployed to key bases around the United States where they will primarily help give fleet pilots, testers, and tactics developers, a run for their money in the air-to-air combat arena.
Overall, Kirlin informs us that that the Aussie Hornets are being imported in exactly the same configuration as they are flying operationally today the RAAF. Nothing is being removed, even the jet's Link 16 data-link system and its internal M61 20mm Vulcan cannon are staying put.
As for the condition of the surplus Hornet fleet, Kirlin says they are in incredible shape and show little signs of corrosionβlikely a result of their often hot and dry operating environment down under as opposed to the salty conditions aboard aircraft carriers that U.S. Navy Hornets have had to endure.
Alex - β Mi-17 is much better suited for this kinda tasksβ
In what way are they better for such tasks?
They are not fitted for all weather IFR flights; essential for such tasks. Do they even have an auto hover system? Such tasks might not call for the heli to hover for long or even at all but maintaining a hover manually for a period is not easy and strains the gear box.
PKP3 / MCO3 is to be extended to 28 april
more police/military/MMEA personnel to be deployed to secure malaysian borders to prevent illegal immigrants from entering the country.
.... - βAny help for indonesia is better than nothingββ
Depends ....
Will they be willing to accept the help and will that help actually lead to any tangible benefits for both countries or will it be more of a PR exercise?
No doubt they need outside assistance in various areas but I have no idea if deployed MAF medical teams is actually something they need; notwithstanding any inadequacies in the Indonesian health system.
For me a major worry is infected individuals managing to cross the extremely long and porous East Malaysian/Kalimantan border without being detected.
I guess all available government service helicopter already deploy for this. Hope everyone stay healthy while giving their best services. After this disaster, NURI might end without replacement, no more new MPA (hope remaining 4 cn can convert become MPA), LCA might further delay... even our economy will be unforseen
"No doubt they need outside assistance in various areas but I have no idea if deployed MAF medical teams is actually something they need"
I have my doubts. To begin with, military surgeons and field hospitals are specialised in battlefield medicine and not infectious diseases. A deployable hospital has nowhere near the level of safety required for such a disease, so you will have to build or equip facilities from scratch rather than deploy what we have. You will need ventilators, which no country can spare unless and until the surge in production arrives.
We have to reserve capacity for local needs (among civilians and troops exposed to such civilians on PKP duties). While deployed doctors can be recalled if the need arises, expending large amounts of single-use personal protective equipment while running a field hospital abroad is another matter.
Azlan
Why would a helicopter whose tasked to drop essential supply to hover above ground in the first place? Mi-17 is much more suitable than a cougar for the same reason as a pickup truck is a much more suitable to haul cargo than a sedan. They are meant to bring supply from point A to point B
I know that hindsight is always 20/20 but the decision to retire nuri right before coronavirus strike is a poor one. Is there any chance of activating at least several of them for minimum duty?
Reply
AFAIK, no