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• Finally the KD Tun Abdul Razak was successfully commissioned. From what I heard, only after year 2020 or 2025 our navy will get the next batch of the submarine. The 2nd batch of lekiu-class frigate is officially scrapped off as reported in the uk newspaper and now what is the next govt plan on the frigate and the NGPVs to your opinion Marhalim?

  Marhalim: I am guessing that they will have to concentrate on the NGPVs now....

• Finally, guess they realized it after all Marhalim..(ehem!)..the right decision based on our uncertain financial situation....27 NGPV is good!!

  Marhalim: Actually, personally I dont agree the idea of having so many corvettes unless they are willing to make up the budget crunch, its no use having so many ships unless we can actually afford to have them operating instead of being laid up at the docks. Furthermore if you read the RMK10 Wish List, they have not realised their financial limitations...

• Leth them familiarise with the scorpene first and let them fully fund its maintenance and operations. I would rather have a small but fully equipped and funded force rather than a big force but limited funding

• A look at the MAF's procurement history the past 40 odd years, show that when it comes to big ticket items, rarely are repeat orders made.
  one of the few exceptions was the Nuri and Aloutte. With only 2 subs, meeting its operational requirements will be very
  challenging. Another major headache will be personnel retention. A much cheaper option than a tie up between BAE Systems and a Labuan shipyard will be South Korea. Integration won't be a problem as BAE Systems or whoever is selected to provide the CMS and VLS will have to work with the shipyard.

  Marhalim: You forgot the about Hercules....

• We would need a radical change in politics, mindset and culture for us to have a good defence force. The way i see, current model may not be able to be sustain for long, even without the middle mafia menace.

  reason being cost escalation plus we lack our own credible and affordable defence industry. Even without the 3M("Middle Man Mafia"), a good sub would cost around USD 200million a piece, same goes for FFG, a good MRCA at least USD50 a piece. With our economy, even in good times those are pretty big numbers to churn out.

  Marhalim: I think a new SSK would probably cost around US300 million +++ just because there are so few of them.

• Youre right Marhalim, forgot about the 'Charlies', and the PC-7s, albeit a newer version. Smaller ticket items I can think of that got repeat orders were the Oerlikon 35mms, Eryx and M16s. A lot of repeat orders for smaller items never get reported in the press.
  Marhalim, pls bear with me, I've got 4 questions for you...

  I've been trying to find out what year and in what quantities the Carl Gustav and Yugoslav 81mm's [some were given to PDRM] were ordered, any idea?

  Sometime ago, you mentioned that a pair of Mil-17s, intended for PDRM, fail to be certified and ended up with BOMBA. Where these Kazan or Ulan Ude built?

  Also, have you ever seen photos of the Paveway, operated by 18SQ?

  You've refered to the MMEA Bombardier as a 'white elephant'. Is this because of any flaws in the aircraft or anything else? In Europe, especially Greece, its become a very popular platform for fire fighting. Thank you.

  Marhalim: 415 is a good fire fighting aircraft but MMEA bought it for MP and SAR with fire-fighting as a secondary mission. I have never seen the paveways not even photos and I have not seen any report on the actual delivery. The Mi-17s, the first two came from Kazan while the current pair are from Ulan Ade.

  No idea when they actually bought the Carl Gustavs or the numbers but I have personally seen them since the late 80s.

• Marhalim, is it true that the submarine maintenance contract would be given to Boustead Naval Dockyard tie-up with DCNS?Do you know the value of the ceiling contract?

  Marhalim: Yes its one of the contract to be signed at LIMA 09. However, as of the last two months they are still haggling over the price. I am told it was supposed to be around RM700 million for five years but as the Deputy Defence Minister told parliament last month that the annual maintainance cost for the both submarines was RM270 million per year, I am not too sure anymore although the good minister did not specify whether this include the annual operational cost...

• During early 90's i have seen the paveways during an open day at kuantan, parked under a skyhawk of all things! And the view of the camouflaged and sharkmouthed PC-7 was amazing!

• The Greek Bombardiers main role is fire fighting, but it also has a secondary SAR role, fitted with a SLAR. According to reports, the MMEA ones are fitted with a surveillance system. You're right,despite many reports saying the Hornets have Paveways, But then I'm curious as to what PASKAU's laser designators and the Nitehawk pods are used to lase for? Last DSA, Pakistan also received an order for portable laser targeting/rangefinders.

  Marhalim: The lone 415 was not fitted with any radar so they use it for fire-fighting and surveillance. For fire fighting it was used to douse the flames on Inderapura and the Chinese tanker which caught fire after colliding with another vessel near PD last month. The second 415, due to arrive in Nov, is said to be equipped with an Ericsson SLAR and a FLIR turret. Once the aircraft arrives, the first 415 was to be sent back to Canada to be fitted with the mission equipment. It would have been better if they had just modify one of the CN-235 with the same system since the air force boys are flying the 415s for at least the next five years and at the same time purchase new CN-235 specifically for that purpose as I had mentioned in my earlier postings. But I guess having more planes make more suppliers merrier.....

• Talking about the Inderapura, it was sad seeing the photo of it after the fire was extinguished. In my opinion, someone should take the fall for it. But I suppose that would be asking too much. One third of the RMN's sea lift capability is now gone and the only consolation is no lives were lost. From the photo, the burnt out Phalanx is vlearly visible.