Its Sukhois over Subang

KUALA LUMPUR: The Bernama story below answered Malaysian Defence questions in my earlier post. Anway after the ceremony, one of the six Sukhois took off and performed a short fly past over the RMAF airbase

With its wing facing the ground, it looped down to fly past the Subang air base at very low level before going vertical. It was not supersonic but my 18 month baby ran to her mom when the plane flew over our house.

No pictures though I was driving when the Sukhoi flew past!

Bernama.com
Malaysian National News Agency

Najib: RMAF Must Fully Exploit Sukhoi Su-30MKM Capability
General
August 10, 2007 16:22 PM

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 10 (Bernama) — The Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) needs to utilise the state-of-the-art technology of the new multi-role combat aircraft, Sukhoi Su-30MKM, in enhancing its combat effectiveness and overcoming limited resources.

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said the addition of this modern aircraft, a highly agile multi-role air fighter which could be effective as a strike and offensive capable aircraft, “augments the frontline combat capability of RMAF towards a balanced force development to enhance the national defence capability”.

Najib, who is also Defence Minister, was speaking at the handing over of the Sukhoi Su-30MKM flight log book to him by Victor Komardin, the deputy director of Russia’s Rosoboronexport, the manufacturer of Sukhoi, at the RMAF base in Subang, near here, Friday.

He said the handing over of the flight book signified another milestone in RMAF’s modernisation programme to maintain combat capability.

“This is in line with the government’s efforts to strike a reasonable balance between maintaining and sustaining the country’s present capability and procuring new war fighting systems.

“What the RMAF lacks in size must be made up for with cutting-edge technological sophistication. Malaysia’s new acquisitions are specifically a commitment to sustain and improve a well-balanced conventional force,” he added.

Najib said the handing over of the Su-30MKM also marked continued good bilateral relations between Malaysia and Russia.

He said the cooperation that began with the MiG-29N deliveries in the 1990’s which had now been supplemented by the Sukhoi aircraft with their greater range and powerful armament, was evidence of Russia’s readiness to develop further cooperation with Malaysia, especially in the field of high technology.

In May 2003, Malaysia ordered 18 Sukhois at RM3.42 billion. Six of the aircraft had been received since June this year and are based at the RMAF base in Gong Kedak at the Kelantan-Terengganu border.

Meanwhile, RMAF chief Jen Tan Sri Azizan Ariffin said the Sukhoi squadron would be fully operational by the end of next year, and currently four pilots were undergoing training in Russia and more would be sent there after the first batch completed their course.

— BERNAMA