SHAH ALAM: The government has decided that RMAF will operate at least twelve Leonardo AW149 utility helicopters under a leasing programme mooted by the Prime Minister’s Department and the National Security Council, Armed Forces chief General TS Mohammad Ab Rahman said today.

He said the leasing programme would go ahead of the procurement of the twelve units of combat search and rescue helicopters announced in the 2024 budget presentation. It is unclear whether the AW149 selected for the leasing programme is the militarised or civilian version – the AW189. Bomba operate currently operates a single AW189 following the crash of another example, last year. The government also procured four AW189 helicopters for the MMEA last year.

“The government has ordered the RMAF to follow a leasing programme for helicopters for ministries or government agencies co-ordinated by the Public-Private Sector Unit of the the Prime Minister’s Department (JKAS) and National Security Council,” he told reporters after the Armed Forces Day demonstration held at Port Dickson, Negri Sembilan.

He said JKAS has decided that the Leonardo AW149 helicopter was the solution for the leasing programme. The helicopter he added was capable of conducting search and rescue and utility operations.

“The Cabinet will make the final the decision on the concession agreement for the leasing programe soon,” he added. The talk of the government leasing helicopters made its rounds earlier this year when a picture of the proposal letter was published on social media. The number of helicopters to be leased was supposed to be around 20 to 30 for at least eight years.

It is unclear whether the budget allocated for the 12 CSAR helicopters – some RM2.8 billion as revealed by Defence Minister DS Khaled Nordin earlier this year – has instead been shifted to other projects. As you are aware, the payment for leasing will come under the operational budget instead of the development budget (which the 12 CSAR helicopters were supposed to come under).

Meanwhile, Mohammad said the Army is still waiting for the four Black Hawk to be leased from Aerotree Defence and Services Sdn Bhd. He said if the company failed to deliver by the end of the month, the contract may be terminated.

— Malaysian Defence

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