SHAH ALAM: Trawling through the tender page on the Defence Ministry website recently – the Hercules upgrade project – I found other interesting things as well. Two of them are tenders for infrastructure projects – the first is to upgrade facilities at the Kuantan airbase for the FLIT/LCA. The second one was for the development of the tropical testing centre (TTC) for Stride – the science and research division of the Defence Ministry.
While the TTC project had been publicized previously, the ministry and RMAF had never said anything publicly on the upgrade works needed at the airbase. The tender for the FLIT/LCA phase 1 upgrade work was published on August 19 and closed on September 18.
As usual limited details were provided in the public portion of the tender document. It does tell us that only contractors with CIDB registration grade G7, category B and sub-head B28; Puskon grade A, Category II and sub-head 2 (A) and UPKJ category A, category II and sub-head 5A; can take part in the tender.
Nine bidders took part in tender and their bids are posted below.
I am assuming based on the bids, that the budget for the project is RM22 million plus change. It is also interesting to note that most of the bids, stated that they expect the project to be completed within 52 or 53 weeks. If the contract is awarded next month, the upgraded infrastructure will be ready by 2026. Just in time for the deliveries of the first of 18 FLIT/LCA is expected.
Anyhow, as the tender specifications lacked any detail on the infrastructure to be upgraded, I have no idea what kind of improvements are expected. That said there are four hangars at the Kuantan airbase which are not used currently and may well need to be upgraded as they were built in the late 80s or early 90s. Two were used previously by the No. 17 and No 19 squadrons and another which was previously used by the No. 10 Squadron.
The No.10 Squadron now used a new hangar which was part of the infrastructure upgrades with the procurement of the EC725 helicopters. This hangar was completed several years after the EC725s were delivered. The fourth hangar is ripe for upgrading as it is the one previously used by the FLIT squadron which operated the retired MB-339CM training jets. Next to the hangar is the aircraft shelters used by the training jets
It is likely that the upgrading work will involve these hangars, together with the refurbishment or upgrading of the aircraft shelters previously used by the MB-339CMs. I believe the work on the FA-50M simulator facilities are covered by the contract for it.
It must also be noted that there is also the infrastructure upgrading work at the Kuantan airbase covered under the MPA procurement project. Both the ministry and the contractor, Leonardo SPA of Italy has not revealed anything though. I believed Leonardo’s local partner, Weststar Aviation Services Sdn Bhd or its subsidiary, Global Komited Sdn Bhd, will be involved in this project as part of the Industrial Cooperation Programme (off-set) segment of the MPA procurement.
As for the Stride facility, the tender was published on July 12 and closed on September 10. The tender title:
CADANGAN MEMBINA DAN MENYIAPKAN PROJEK PEMBANGUNAN TTC TEST SITE DAN PROVING GROUND (PG) PUSAT PENGUJIAN TROPIKA, INSTITUT PENYELIDIKAN SAINS DAN TEKNOLOGI PERTAHANAN (STRIDE) KEMENTERIAN PERTAHANAN MALAYSIA DI KUALA CHINI, MUKIM PENYOR, PEKAN, PAHANG
It must be noted that the proposal to be the TTC was mooted back in 2017 and 2018 – during Najib Razak tenure as PM – hence its location in Pekan, Pahang. As it is a Barisan Nasional strong hold, no one will say anything about it as it will not affect future elections there.
Based on the ten bids, I am assuming that the budget for the testing site – for equipment to be procured by the Armed Forces – is around RM22 million. The TTC site – likely to include a live firing range – as the deadline for completion as stated by the bidders is within 2027. If the contract is awarded next month, of course
*Updated, to fix the deadline for completion of the projects.
— Malaysian Defence
Sorry tuan,the duration stated is 50-52 weeks not months
Any idea on what’s the distribution of the LCA? Will all be based at Kuantan? I assume some will head over to Labuan since they’re replacing the BAE Hawks.
Sorry if it’s a silly question.
Yup thanks for noticing it, I was thinking of something else.
AFAIK the first 18 will be based in Kuantan. It is the second batch that is supposed to go to Labuan.
Which A/C will be station at Bintulu new FOB?
None actually as it is an FOB. Unless of course they turned it into a full time airbase.
Now that Sarawak Government have announced that they are planning to build a new International Airport, RMAF should make some investment in current Kuching Airport to expand into a full fledge RMAF base.
It has been a full-fledged base since the 70s. It is just RMAF does not have enough aircraft, personnel, and budget to make it like other bases. Moreover, even if the civilian airport is moved to another location, it is doubtful that RMAF can expand its operations there. If you look at the map of the airport, it is already surrounded by development, from houses to industrial estates.
The biggest issue is whether RMAF can expand its ordnance facilities. Based on what I see from Google Maps, there is no place to build worthwhile ordnance facilities there. The best bet for RMAF is to build such ordnance storage at Bintulu airport. There is enough space for them to do so.
The lack of reserved land to make new ordnance facilities is the reason RMAF do not want to move from Butterworth or Kuantan airbases. Even Labuan lacks the reserve space for bigger ordnance facilities. And this is because Labuan is an island. Yes, we can built underground ordnance storage like the Singaporeans but that will cost ton of money which we do not have.
Kuching AFB future is best to be passed on to PUTD, like the Kluang AB, together with the remaining transport-configured CN-235s. It would be a good base for future east-malaysian fleet of PUTD blackhawks (with west-malaysian blackhawk fleet based in Kuantan)
Limited ammo bunkers issue can be mitigated with the acquisition of more precision bombs, bomb kits and missiles. This is no longer vietnam or gulf war era where multiple bombs needed to destroy one target.
LGB is one thing but the fact that the lack of space for ammo bunkers remained an important issue.
Speaking of Google maps, why didnt the Govt request to censor the layout of our bases? At least French military installations inc their military college is censored from view, even Belgium had their royal palace censored.
Many new ones are censored, like the Bera camp. As for the area surrounding Sarawak airport, even if they blur out the RMAF airbase, the civilian parts will show up on the map.