SHAH ALAM: The RMAF project team for the MPA project will be based in Turin, Italy, a quotation notice (QN) published on Eperolehan on July 12 has revealed. The seven-day QN is the for the door to door, packaging, transportation, and delivery service for MPA project team to Turin, Italy.

The service is for six RMAF personnel of the MPA project team. The specifications revealed the team is led by Lt. Colonel together with five other officers all with the rank of Major.

Interestingly one of the project team personnel was a former weapon systems officer with the No 18 Skuadron which flies the F/A-18D Hornets.

According to Leonardo website, the Turin (Torino) plant is also the location of the final assembly line of full aircraft destined to the Italian Air Force and export customers.

The project team will be overseeing the Leonardo ATR 72 MPA which has been contracted by RMAF. It is normal for such teams to be send overseas to oversee such projects especially when it is something completely new.

A RMAF project team was also sent to Komsomolsk-on-Amur in the Russian far east to oversee the manufacture of Sukhoi Su-30MKM Flanker. The team was based there until the aircraft was delivered to RMAF starting in 2007.

A project team from RMN was also sent to France and Spain to oversee the delivery and training on the Scorpene submarines.

There was also RMAF project teams for the Airbus A400M air lifters and Airbus EC725 helicopters as well.

— Malaysian Defence