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SHAH ALAM: Back in October 2023, PMX when announcing the budget stated that the Army was getting hovercraft fast interceptors, among other things. In July last year, we know that six hovercraft fast interceptors were being sought in a tender.
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The tender:
MEMBEKAL, MENGHANTAR, MENGUJI DAN MENTAULIAH 6 BUAH HOVERCRAFT FAST INTERCEPTOR UNTUK TENTERA DARAT MALAYSIA (TDM) BAGI TEMPOH 3 TAHUN
There is a requirement for Malaysian Army to be equipped with hovercraft. The hovercraft shall have good endurance to operate in all type of surface either shallow water, coastal area, sandy area,
swampy area or metalled road. It shall be able to accommodate at least ten (10) personnel complete with combat gear during all type of the operations. It also shall be able to conduct land, amphibious and Military Operations Other Than War (MOOTW) such as Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) operations. It shall have good mobility to lift military personnel and logistics during the operations
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Check on the tender page of the Finance Ministry on January 29, the contract for the tender was awarded to IDC Technologies Sdn Bhd with an LOA of RM20.37 million. The website of the company revealed that it is based in Ampang.
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I had thought in July when reporting on the tender that the hovercraft will be leased due to the phrasing of the document. It will be a direct procurement, I was told. With no indicative cost posted in the public specifications of the tender also led me to believe that the hovercraft being sought might be the Griffon 2000TD. It will not though as checks with industry sources indicated that hovercraft is being sourced from Airlift Hovercraft Pty Ltd based in Queensland, Australia.
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The model being procured is the Kaiman which according to Airlift:
The Kaiman was designed to fulfil a role as a practical ‘work style hovercraft’, fully capable in SAR, Military or Industrial Roles. Good payload, easily transported, simple to operate, tough, reliable.
The Kaiman is transported on a road-legal 2.5m wide trailer and with a simple tilting deck arrangement the Kaiman can be quickly launched as the first responder in emergency situations. Thin or broken ice, mudflats, tidal estuaries, tropical swamps and other areas normally inaccessible to wheeled vehicles pose no problem for the Kaiman.
Moving your crew and equipment quickly and safely to the rescue scene can be crucial to saving lives.
The Caiman Crocodile is a tough, amphibious creature which is strongly territorial and can deliver a nasty bite. The Kaiman Hovercraft is an amphibious machine which can deliver troops and equipment over territories previously difficult to control or defend.
With the highest standard of design and construction the Kaiman may be classified by most classification societies.
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Airlift also produced a twin fan hovercraft called Pioneer Mk 3.1 but I was told that the budget allocated was not enough for anything more than the Kaiman. If we cannot afford the Pioneer, I do not think we could afford the Griffon, which is also armoured and armed.
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— Malaysian Defence
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I can see that these will just become hangar queens like those PDRM Humdingas and sealegs.
Also with the Kaiman normal payload of just 700kg, i cannot see how it could transport 10 fully equipped soldiers as per tender requirements.
I sangka baik that these hovercraft will be useful during floods
There is another hovercraft also called kaiman, made in russia. Is that related to the aussie version? Seems to use the same engines, similar dimensions too.
https://kaimanhovercraft.com/eng
No idea.
I believe these will go to ESSCOM.
Aren’t there amphibious boats that can also be driven on land that are more suitable for SAR and tactical deployment? My initial thought was for these hovercrafts be used as amphibious landing vehicles and logistical supply line like the American LCAC that can carry up to 6 armored vehicles along with dozens of troops. The RMN is in dire need for amphibious assault ships that can transport troops and armored vehicles since our territories are divided into East and West Malaysia.
I can see that these will just become hangar queens like those PDRM Humdingas and sealegs.(Hulubalang)
Got beaten to make above comment!
It’s going to be some general’s toy given it’s incapable of seating more personnel.
But hey! It looks good on the annual Merdeka Parade! Am not surprised since we still have dypdheads in MinDef!
Nope these hovercraft are meant for troops in ESSCOM.
Let me guess, these too will be leased ??
No, it is a direct procurement as I stated in the story.
Direct procurement is good but for RM20 mil budget really the options are limited. Perhaps the Parma 11 would fit nicely as it can operate in flat solid surface, in extreme shallow water and swampy surface.
this procurement is an example of the so called “wahyu dari langit” as the army didn’t ask for them
An open top hovercraft? I thought they go for an enclosed hovercraft which is much better for the crew against the weather.
It was really but got skewered.
@dundun, I like the phrase ‘wahyu dari langit’. It is apt for weird defense purchases that’s coming from the left of field.
Why is it these purchases are given approval whilst more urgent purchases are frequently put on hold by the powers that be?
Are we going to purchase an aircraft carrier next, or a strategic bomber like a SU34 or B-2?
After all, we have superpowers like the US that can’t seem to disengage from electing megalomaniacs like Biden and Trump as Presidents.
So, its Malaysia Boleh!
That is why I said the procurement was skewered.
Thinking positive. Hovercraft good for use during our annual East Coast flood rescues. Just saw a pic of a hovercraft been used for flood rescue in France due to storm surge.