KUALA LUMPUR: An update on the Flanker story. It is not coming to Kuantan air base, which shared the runway with the local airport.

The Flanker squadrons would instead be based at the newly constructed Gong Kedak air base, located about 150 nm north from Kuantan. The airbase, previously equipped with grass runway and mostly used for parachute training, have undergone massive transformation in the last two years.

Two years back I managed to get some facts from Defence Minister Najib Razak about the airbase. Some RM200 million had been allocated to the upgrade the facilities there.

These facilities apparently include the first hardened aircraft shelters built purposely for the Flankers, type clasified as M52.

The two examples would be flown in by an Antonov 124 on June 17. The era of the Flankers is coming soon.