KUALA LUMPUR: KD Tunku Abdul Rahman is finally coming home. The story from Bernama stated that the country’s first submarine left Toulon on Thursday.
Bernama: Malaysia’s First Submarine Begins Journey Home from France
Based on previous reports the submarine is expected to arrive home within 30 days, insyallah, barring any last minute hiccups. It was previously reported that the sub was expected back in June and then postpone to July and now it is expected to have its grand home coming ceremony at Port Klang by August. RMN has never stated the reasons for the delay.
Lets hope the arrival meant that the Government will add extra allocation to the upcoming defence budget to ensure that the submarine could be operated optimally and not left tied to its moorings at the new base in Teluk Sepanggar, Sabah. Hopefully, extra allocation will also be reserved for the crews so most of them would stay in service at least for another 10 years.
Submarine service is a tough life. It is as tough as any specialist job in the Armed Forces. If you don’t believe me, check with the Aussies. Even with annual wage amounting to almost AUSD70,000 for a junior submariner, the Royal Australian Navy is finding it hard to retain qualified crews.
Further reading
–Malaysian Defence
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View Comments (5)
pray the eonomy will get back to firmer ground and the "wastage" in public spending be curb, then maybe our Armed forces will get a better deal
the problem will start when she reaches...
i don't think 2 submarine would be sufficient enough to protect our maritime area, maybe 5 or 6 more submarine in our service with at least 8 destroyer and 12 frigate would sufficient enough to protect our maritime area.
I'm really looking forward for any procurement of Landing Helicopter Dock in the navy.
marhalim: MeesterT will have you for lunch!!! Anyhow, we cannot afford all those shiny new ships and submarines, money is so tight, they cant even get the funds for the digipat camo! There is no need for a new shining LHD since they got Bunga Mas Lima!
syameer, where do you propose the RMN get the manpower from for all the vessels you mentioned?
Even if the Nakhoda Ragems entered service by the end of 2009, as Marhalim would prefer, I really doubt the RMN has the manpower to spare at the moment.
Marhalim: They may have the manpower, if they retire other vessels of course. I prefer the Nakhoda Ragams only for the fact that it is the only vessels that could be available quickly, nothing else....
Yeah man, while you're at it, I'd like a 25-30 HALE UAVS, 25 medium-lift multi-role choppers and a partridge in a pear tree.
Of the three services, the Navy understands maintenance best. A ship ain't worth squat if it's tied up alongside inoperative. We need a Navy we can sustain and afford, not the caffeine fueled fantasies that seem so damned prevalent.
Hello..you lot do know that after the Class F contractors have their slice of the pie, there isn't any left for the truly deserving....