KUALA LUMPUR: The contract signing for the M109 A5 SPH howitzers will be signed on Apr 18, the contract signing day for DSA 2018.
US Ambassador to Malaysia Kamala Lakhdir will represent the US for the Excess Defense Articles (EDA) program. Deftech, the company likely to be awarded the support contract, will be working with Loring Industries to refurbish the SPHs. The SPHs ordered by Malaysia are already stored at the company’s massive facility in Maine.
Taiwan Army M109A5 SPH. Wikipedia.
The scope of refurbishment has not been finalized but the 155mm guns of the SPHs will be replaced as the barrels are all worn out after service with the US Army.The company says it has refurbished over 500 M109A5 Howitzers for Foreign Military Sales (FMS) customers from all over the globe.
The refurbishment for the guns are expected to take up to 48 months.
–Malaysian Defence
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After they decided not to Upgrade Into Paladin version. I heard that Saudi is buying 177 M109A6+ Paladin. Which it the first Export Operator of A6s. Good Thing army just Refurbished only. But if army could buy Another 30 M109A7+ can be Stationed in East Malaysia.
Additional question.
I know this is a foolish question.
Are we buying refurbished stuff from the US to Make America Great Again?
Reply
No lah every one else is doing it also. We are not like the Saudis who are MAGA all the time
Ahmad Zaki,
We benefit more than the Yanks with this deal. A mere 29 vehicles isn’t a big deal. If we had cancelled the deal, they wouldn’t have lost any sleep over it. Sure, on top of the Little Bird buy, they’re hoping the M109 deal will eventually lead to other contracts but thus remains to be seen.
The problem now is if we buy another gun. Then the army will be in the silly position of having to stock parts for 3 different guns and to train people to operate 3 different guns. Of course this won’t stop Nexter and ADS from trying to convince the army that it needs Caesar.