SHAH ALAM: Goodbye Whirly Bird? At LIMA 19 although the government signed several LOIs with Airod Sdn Bhd for the MRO of RMAF aircraft including VIP ones, what was glaring was the absence of the contract or even LOIs for the upgrade of the Nuri, Hawks and Hercules. As the Hawk upgrade is inevitably linked to the LCA project proposed by RMAF, its absence was understandable. Simply said the government will have to decide which one to fund as there is not enough money for both. The previous Defence Minister had on various ocassions stated that Hawk upgrade programme had been funded but it is obvious that this was just empty talk.
Two Nuri helicopters peforming their displays at LIMA 19 opening ceremony. TUDM
As for the Hercules one, I was told that the upgrades has been put on the back burner as most of the capabilities sought for it has been superseded by the Airbus A400M Atlas, even though they are only four of them in service. It is likely that the MRO contract for the Hercules undertaken already by Airod will be continued, with limited upgrades done to ensure the fleet are able to continue flying until 2030, at least.
Nuri helicopters during LIMA 19. TUDM
As for the Nuri upgrade, it is the most vulnerable one, I have been told. The Army is no longer interested in taking more of the helicopters, four currently with PUTD, with at least another two in Butterworth used for pilot training.
Two at a time. Nuri at LIMA 19
It is difficult to get any official confirmation on this as even the Army chief did not want to answer media questions for this year’s Army Day. That said it is likely that RMAF and PUTD will continue flying them for the time being until the financing for the replacements are sorted out.
A PUTD Nuri helicopter carrying an Oto Melara 105mm pack howitzer at a firing exercise in 2016.
As for the replacements, RMAF wants more EC725, of course and the Army preferred, I am told, a medium-size solution, simply one big enough to lift a single 105mm gun.
— Malaysian Defence
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View Comments (22)
>the Army preferred, I am told, a medium-size solution, simply one big enough to lift a single 105mm gun
Mi-171 it is
@ marhalim
" As for the replacements, RMAF wants more EC725 of course and the Army preferred, I am told, a medium-size solution, simply one big enough to lift a single 105mm gun "
Solution:
For RMAF, get those used grounded civilian EC225LP before they are all snapped up by others. Ukraine has bought a few dozen, and countries like Iceland has gotten them for SAR missions. Currently there is even a few in Malaysia.
For PUTD, used refurbished Blackhawks is a good option. It can easily lift a 105mm howitzer if that is what the army wants.
https://media.defense.gov/2016/Aug/01/2001590381/-1/-1/0/160731-F-LX370-265C.JPG
Even if it's politically unpalatable to fund the MRCA, surely some political will can be found for a follow up order of ec725s? Helos can be justified for disaster or humanitarian relief.
more information on 105mm howitzers
the weight of :
Nexter LG-1 105mm - 1520kg
Oto Melara Mod 56 pack howitzer 105mm - 1290kg
Max underslung weight limit for UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter - 4100kg
What happen to the Brunei Black hawk.
Another empty talking by the then Defmin?
so no one want Nuri???i thought its a good heli for army and PUTD for until 2035....since i dont think new govt would want to spend on to buy new heli...
haih...i juts hope Nuri got the upgrade soon...new heli please put it behind LCA,MPA and LMS....
Reply
PUTD never want it in the first place.
Those Nuri’s are old. It should be retired the day RMAF bought those EC725.
@ hilmi
Those nuris with the right investment can be safely flown 20-30 years more.
The issue is, right now the prices of alternative options, like used EC225LP (which is the civilian version of EC725) and UH60 blackhawks can be acquired at a cost of a little bit more than the cost to upgrade the nuris to the same standard and capability as more modern helicopters.
Hilmi,
Being “old” does not mean they should have been retired. Age is secondary; more important is whether the air frame still has flying hours and can still be supported by the OEM. In both cases the answer is yes.
The RMAF anyhow in that time frame was in no hurry to retire the Nuri. The plan was to upgrade the Nuri whilst still getting Cougars.
Zack,
As it is - without an upgrade - the Nuri is maintenance intensive due to age (requiring more checks and maintenance) and can only fly VFR; that’s why the army is reluctant. Another reason is that the army worries that if it gets more Nuris; the government will use this as an excuse to further delaying funding for new platforms.
@ azlan
Nuri, by its 60s design is inherently maintenance intensive. You cannot do away with that. Its gearbox and rotor hub design for example, needs to be regularly relubricated. But that does not mean it is expensive to fly. Its operating costs, considering all the many maintenance items it needs, is around the same as the super puma.
But that is now the issue. The glut of cheap secondhand unwanted super pumas that is flooding the market. You can get a super puma for the same price a similar age but smaller AW139. So now for the same money, do you want to heavily upgrade a 50 year old helicopter? Or get a used 10 year old one that will reduce the fleet to just 1 type? Both can fulfil the same missions and task.
As for the blackhawks, refurbished to as new samples with upgraded digital cockpits can be bought for less than USD5 million each.
Yes nuris can be flown for much more longer, but for the cost of heavy upgrades needed younger helicopters can be bought instead. So which one do you choose?