KUALA LUMPUR: This will be the last post on Lima as the event had ended almost two weeks ago. Listed below are some nuggets from the show.
1) MRSS: I have no idea when the project will start, again the lack of money is a big factor, but when it happens the new MRSS will be a mini-Dokdo. Since it will be much smaller than the real Dokdo, perhaps around 8,000 tonnes. Efforts is underway to ensure a Malaysian company will be involved in the project although the ship will be built in South Korea. It will be much cheaper than the Dokdo perhaps around RM200 million to RM500 million per hull with another RM500 million needed for helicopters and other stuff. Three are expected to be ordered.
2) Amraam: Pictured below is the first public display of the CATM Amraam on the F/A-18D Hornet. The CATM is the training missiles which clearly indicates that our Hornets are Amraam-capable. On the other hand, I had un-official confirmation that the R-77 is not available for our Flankers, yet.
3) PDRM Super King Air 350.
During Lima 09, PDRM for the first time displayed it Super King Air 350, of which three had been delivered. The three are currently used to train pilots and crews and a secondary air-mobility role, with two more examples coming next year. The two new aircraft will be fitted with mission systems, a SLAR and FLIR, which will enable the planes to conduct surveillance and border protection roles. The King Airs, which can fly up to 35,000 feet, can fly direct to Tawau from KL, are much better suited for the surveillance role than the CL-415MPs purchased by MMEA for similar duties.
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Italy has a mini Dokto type LPD which is the San Giorgio LPD. They have it for years but no other countries have bought it or adopted the design for this size.
Marhalim: You are right, I have forgotten about these ships....
Marhalim, I'm very confused about the King Airs and PDRM. Shouldn't such assets used for surveillance and border patrol be operated either by the MAF or MMEA? [unless of course the King Airs will also be fitted with radio direction finding and phone tapping gear for internal security....]
Marhalim: Yes the two King Airs to be fitted with mission equipment will also be used for Internal Security role such CT and yes what you say. And one must remember around our borders there are some nasty people who like do bads things, no, I am not talking about bombs but also guns and drugs......
Pray that 2011 budget will be like 2007 era. At least some of the wishlist could be met. 2010 and 2011 i doubt can do much. May be in 2011 the Nuri Replacement, even that a pretty big if.
Could not recall there was an international tender issued by the Home Ministry on the Super King Air 350.Heard the PDRM was instructed to purchase them on a direct negotiation basis when Pak Lah was the Prime Minister.This could be the reason why the aircraft is overspec beyond PDRM's internal security role.Perhaps Tan Sri Aziz the Chairman of Election Commission could throw some light as he was the Secretary General of the Home Ministry when the purchase was made.
Marhalim: Yes, there was no open tender. The order was made probably at the same time, PDRM was supposed to get between 10 to 20 helicopters to replace its Squirrel and Bells, but it was cancelled due to the economic crisis but no one told us the King Airs were ordered. I dont think the two missionised King Airs will be overspec even for PDRM standards, its simply moving with the times.....I think we should stop thinking ISR is some one holding a bino and a paper map...
Ok,so the Super King has no open tender, open for abuse and corrupt practice. But on one side it has SLAR and FLIR, damn its good potent stuff. Moral:- if possible get the culprits behind the corruption but keep the machines. All of us know wee need it
Marhalim: There was no corruption, Kamal, it was done according to all the rules and regulations.........
Off topic but I notice about a year back how troops have developed their face camm into an art form. For some some strange reason even G-5 gunners and PT-91M commanders wear face camm! The whole rationale behind face camm is to prevent light from reflectng off the surface of ones face, hence it is supposed to be applied roughly with no thought given to making it look nice or artlike. I wonder which senior officer in the army came with up the idea.
Marhalim: Look in the gallery, yes its me, its not rough, Lan, its an art form......
So Marhalim, I finally get to put a face to the man behind Malaysian Defence. It looks good at on you. But seriously I think it makes our troops look a bit silly, plus I dont see any point whatsoever in artillery and tank crews wearing face cam.
With 1 engine already in South America, I hope that none of the 4 F-5Es and 2 RF-5s are without an engine [hopefully it was a spare].
Strangely enough, the NST report on the missing engine mentioned the F-5Es and RF-5s operated by 12 SQ but left out the 2 F-5Fs. Till today no reports have mentioned who upgraded the
F-5Fs.
Marhalim: The F5s were uograded, albeit a limited one, after the earlier upgrade project died...
Marhalim, any news on the AWACS and the 8x8 APC? Read that they were in the priority list of the MINDEF in Tempur's interview of the Defence Minister.
And one more things, how about the replacement MRCA for MiG-29N? they said they gonna retired the MiGs at the end of next year. Are they gonna just retired the aircraft without waiting for the replacements coming in first? with the limited budget i don't think they gonna be any MRCAs purchase for the next two years......
Marhalim: The three main priorities for RMK10 as I mentioned in an earlier posting are NGPV second bacth, Nuri replacement programme and Army 8x8.
As for the MRCA, due to the limited budget, I cannot foresee any procurement until the 2015-2020 period.....
IMHO,MMEA bought the CL415MP because of its amphibious design.It is more suitable for them than the Super King Air because of is flexibility. MMEA is required to do wide range of mission including SAR, surveilance and ZEE protection so thats why they opted for the CL415MP. I stand corrected..
Yes, but do you want to land on water with all the mission systems installed......
Would the theft of the two engines have adverse impact in relation to future military sales from US? Some of the eports tends to suggest the engines going to a country sanctioned by the US in Middle East, if its true, how can uncle SAM trust us with any of their new weapons then?
Marhalim: Its supposed to be Iran. The keyword here is stolen but yes it would have some future repercussions, what we dont know yet....