SHAH ALAM: Lockheed Martin has been awarded a firm contract from the US government to supply a long range air surveillance radar including support and training for the RMAF. The radar is likely the one to be gifted to Malaysia by the US as reported previously. Although the announcement did not mentioned the type, it did say it cost some US$25 million (RM104 million) and expected to be completed by Sept. 30, 2025.
The announcement:
Source: US Department of Defense; issued Sept. 24, 2021)
Lockheed Martin, Liverpool, New York, has been awarded a $25,111,798 firm-fixed-price contract for the Malaysia Ground Based Radar System.This contract provides a standalone radar system, ancillary equipment, spares, training, and an interim contract support option.
This contract includes options which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value to $25,718,050.The location of performance is Liverpool, New York, and is expected to be completed by Sept. 30, 2025.
This contract involves Foreign Military Sales to Malaysia. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition in which two proposals were received.
Fiscal 2021 building partner capacity funds in the amount of $25,111,798 are being obligated at the time of award.
Air Force Life Cycle Management, Hanscom Air Force Base, Massachusetts, is the contracting activity (FA8730-21-C-0024).
In a previous post, we were told that the RMAF will be getting the export version of the TPS-77 or the TPS-78. As the TPS-77 is a Lockheed Martin product, the contract announcement above was the confirmation that we are getting that long range air surveillance radar.
The second last paragraph Fiscal 2021 building partner capacity funds in the amount of $25,111,798 is the confirmation that the Lockheed Martin radar is being gifted to us. So we will have to wait for the result of the long range radar tender to find which radar we will be paying for.
It is likely also the gifted radar will be sited in a location in Sarawak as that is the only place RMAF is preparing to have a new radar installed.
— Malaysian Defence
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Makes sense for commonality reasons and to show the Yanks we’re willing to buy stuff and not just to accept stuff courtesy of the American taxpayer.
3 years is a long wait for the boys trained in US. I hope they don’t forget their training or worse, resigned, before we receive that radar.
Unless we’re getting the stationary AN/FPS-117 radar set, I can’t fathom why we need to setup a permanent radar base for the TPS-77 since this is a mobile transportable radar that can go anywhere.
I think these Oshkosh Defence trucks got something to do with the radar
https://www.armyrecognition.com/defense_news_september_2021_global_security_army_industry/oshkosh_to_supply_hemtt_trucks_to_iraq_lebanon_and_malaysia.html
Yes its mobile but we tend to fix it at one place as its cheaper to operate it that way. Other users do it the same way, really
@Hasnan
Might not be related. The trucks were funded via Fiscal Y2019 to be completed Jan 2022 while the radars are by Fiscal Y2021 to be ready Sept 2025. A huge time gap if these trucks were intended for the radar, if you ask me.
Most of TUDM radars are mobile versions, even the GM403 and RAT31 but we build a dome over them to protect it from the harsh malaysian tropical sunshine and rain.
With the exception of the Hughes HADR all the primary radars we have bought – from the S-600s to the Alenias – were/are mobile but unless there is an actual need, it’s more practical to operate them from fixed positions. When moving them around the primary cobsideration is adequate power supply even if the radars are accompanied by lorry mounted generator.