KUALA LUMPUR: The story below (click link) is self explainatory. Yes, I know some remained rooted to the A400M deal, mostly due to the offset for CTRM but remember guys, our Hercules fleet is getting old. Unless they fund a SLEP soon or decide to lease or buy new or second hand Hercules. we may need to use Malaysia Airlines and Air Asia for our transport needs…..
With A400M Delayed, France Eyes C-130J
Unlikely To Pursue C-17
–Malaysian Defence
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View Comments (18)
I think it really depends on how heavily tasked the C-130 fleet is. Of the 14 or so in RMAF service, 5 were delivered in 1995. The French and NATO have a more pressing need to replace their C-130s and C-160s as their fleets are much more overworked, having a much higher tasking than the RMAFs. Any more delays and costs overuns in the A400M programme and we should pull out. And that would leave us with only the C-130J.
The upgrade our C-130 need is not airframe but newer avionics.
Marhalim: You could be correct on this but I clearly remember that the Dear PM when he was the Defence Minister during the signing for the A400M cited the reason that they need to replace most of the Hercules by 2011/2013 as they would be un-serviceable by that period. The A400M was supposed to be in service during that time
They would be unserviceable without a major SLEP that the government doesn't want to shell out money for....
What the airforce need to do now is to replace the aging C-130 fleet with newer aircraft to their need such as the C-17 globemaster 3.
But then, the airforce now should concentrate more one buying more fighter aircraft as the sukhoi is the only current modern fleet. I don't think that 18 aircraft of the sukhoi is sufficient enough to defense our country as the smaller country like singapore are heavily armed by more than 100++ f-16 and 24 strike eagle.
I don't think Malaysia will become a regional airforce power if the ministry didn't looking forward for the requirement of the stealth aircraft even with their purchase of several VERA E Passive Sensor is not sufficient enough to defense our country and a fleet of AWACS is what we need.
Marhalim: It appears that EADS has got some breathing space as both France and Germany has agreed to delay by six months the decision on the future of the A400M.
Libya still have 8 examples of 0hours C-130H still at lockheed since early 70's. Maybe we can get 4 of them in exchange of refurbishing all 8 of the hercules at airod.
Marhalim: I believe the five Hercules we bought some time in mid 90s were those Libyan white tails...
Nope, we bought the 5(officially but last i counted there were actually 6!) Hercules from Lockheed were really white tails which has not been booked by anyone. The 8 Libyan c-130's is still at Marietta. Lookup google earth for them.
The 5 stretched C-130H delivered in 1995 were newly built. From what I've been told by an
ex-RMAF chap, the whole fleet, at one time or another, have been overhauled at AIROD. I dont see why they cant operate for at least 15 more years as they have a much lower tasking than C-130s operated by the USAF or NATO countries. I'm assuming of course that the RMAF C-130s are well maintained.The question is whether these overhauls are as intensive as the C-130 overhauls done by Marshall Aerospace and whether AIROD is qualified to overhaul the Allison engines. Some of the RAF C-130Ks are just as old or older than the first batch of RMAF C-130s that were delivered in the mid to late 70's. Apart from toying with the idea of a glass cockpit, the RMAF initially wanted to install an traffic management system on some of its C-130s. The 2 C-130s that were formerly used as MPAs were the ones configured to carry roll on/off fuel tanks.
Marhalim: I believe the Hercules that will be needing a major SLEP would be the six Hercules purchased in 1974 and 1976 and not the five purchased in 1995. Based on records, RMAF has another 3 Hercules originally configured for maritime patrol and one H-30 purchased in 1991. One of the five new Hercules was overhauled at Airod several years back after a hard landing in Kuantan while another (I do not know which one) also suffered damages during another hard landing.
The five newest Hercules are being maintained by Lockheed Martin under a five year contract signed during DSA 2008
Dear Sir,
The first 6 x C130H purchased during the Tun Razak time arrived in 1976 and where the No 14 Skn was formed and operate out of Simpang. Later 3 x PC130 was bought and the former No 4 Skn was activated for the Maritime role. When the new TUDM Subang base was completed with better maintenance and hangar facilities, the two Skn was moved to Subang. In the early 90's 4 x Beechcraft was purchased and better equipped to carry out maritime role and the No 16 Skn was formed, No 4 Skn was disbanded and the aircrafts was transferred to No 14 Skn. Later when the 5 stretched version was purchased, the No 20 Skn was formed based in Subang and No 14 Skn moved to TUDM Labuan.
AIROD converted 2 of the PC 130H into tanker role, and a few of the early 6 x C130 was stretched by AIROD. AIROD does have the capabilities to do C 130 structural upgrades where kits and design changes are purchased from Lockheed Martin Marietta. In some avionic upgrades the changes was done with capable MRO such as SPAR of Canada. Most of the avionics upgrades are due to ICAO requirements for the aircraft to operate in Europe and USA else these aircraft will be restricted to fly in the Europe and USA airspace. AIROD made major business in the maintenance of RMAF C 130.
The formation of AIROD Turbopower was supposed to undertake the overhaul capabilities of T56 Allison engines but......
Marhalim: Again thanks for the info, I do not wish to add anything especially on Airod...
RMAF Hercules Fleet:
M30-01 (lockheed no 4656) now KC-130H
M30-02 (4661) now KC-130H
M30-03 (4674) writeoff 08-1990
M30-04 (4685) Now C-130H-30
M30-05 (4690) Now C-130H-30
M30-06 (4697) Now C-130H-30
M30-07 (4847) ex C-130H-MP, now KC-130H
M30-08 (4849) ex C-130H-MP, now KC-130H
M30-09 (4866) ex C-130H-MP
M30-10 (5288) C-130H-30
M30-11 (5309) C-130H-30
M30-12 (5277) C-130H-30
M30-13 not allocated because of superstition??
M30-14 (5311) C-130H-30
M30-15 (5316) C-130H-30
M30-16 (5319) C-130H-30
Check with airliners.net there are all pictures of each aircraft serial number accounted for.
Marhalim: Thanks for the info. Was the one written off the same example that made the hard landing in Kuching?
Dear Sir,
I almost forgot, the one that was written off was the C 130 crash landed at Sibu, The Captain on final shut down two of the engine due to engine fire warning came on two of the engines. The immediate shut down caused the aircraft one side over torque, veered to its side out of the runaway. One of the passenger a Nurse on-board, I believed as part of the King entourage was killed. A very sad incident.
Marhalim: Oh, it was Sibu. Do you have access to the crash report?