PETALING JAYA: Finally. After the deal to upgrade the Hornet finally came through earlier this year, it appears that RMAF is looking towards its ordnance.
US DSCA on Nov 8 announced that Malaysia has requested for 20 AIM-9X with associated equipment, parts and training in a deal worth US$52 million (around RM160 million). The notification does not mean the sale will go through. Hopefully they will follow through this request with those for the Amraams, Harpoons and PGMs including laser JDAMs.
From DSCA website:
WASHINGTON | The Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) notified U.S. Congress Nov. 8 of a possible Foreign Military Sale (FMS) to the Government of Malaysia for 20 AIM-9X-2 SIDEWINDER Block II All-Up-Round Missiles and associated equipment, parts, training and logistical support for an estimated cost of $52 million.
The Government of Malaysia has requested a possible sale of 20 AIM-9X-2 SIDEWINDER Block II All-Up-Round Missiles, 8 CATM-9X-2 Captive Air Training Missiles, 4 CATM-9X-2 Block II Missile Guidance Units, 2 AIM-9X-2 Block II Tactical Guidance Units, 2 Dummy Air Training Missiles, containers, missile support and test equipment, provisioning, spare and repair parts, personnel training and training equipment, publications and technical data, U.S. Government and contractor technical assistance and other related logistics support. The estimated cost is $52 million.
This proposed sale will contribute to the foreign policy and national security of the United States by helping to improve the security of a friendly country that has been, and continues to be, an important force for political stability and economic progress in East Asia.
The Royal Malaysian Air Force is modernizing its fighter aircraft to better support its own air defense needs. The proposed sale of AIM-9X-2 missiles will enhance Malaysia’s interoperability with the U.S. and among other South East Asian nations, making it a more valuable partner in an increasingly important area of the world.
The proposed sale of this weapon system will not alter the basic military balance in the region.
The prime contractor will be Raytheon Missile Systems Company in Tucson, Arizona. There are no known offset agreements in connection with this potential sale.
Implementation of this proposed sale will require travel of U.S. Government or contractor representatives to Malaysia on a temporary basis for program technical support and management oversight.
There will be no adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness as a result of this proposed sale.
This notice of a potential sale is required by law and does not mean the sale has been concluded.
–Malaysian Defence
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View Comments (56)
The purchase of more capable and more accurate weapons should have been done even earlier.Generally upgrading the weapons and the weapon systems is the most effective way to get the most out of an existing aircraft. So equipping our fighters with the latest that it can handle will increase both its lethality and also its effectiveness.Thus the same platform can now be so much more a deterrent.We dont need to spend on new planes-just merely upgrading the weapon system and the weapons can already achieve the desired effects
This means money well spent
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Mass is also very important....
Do we have JHMCS? IMHO, it would be a waste if we're not acquiring the HMD altogether with the snakes. They're meant for each other to maximize the true potential of the sidewinder. We're better off with more Amraams or JDAMS.
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Most probably not as it is jointly manufactured by Elbit, an Israeli company...
Given that bilateral relations have improved and other Hornet upgrades have been approved, plus Boeing is pushing the SH, it is very unlikely that the deal will not get through Congress.
Haredim,
Of course we don;t have JHMCS. But as a helmet mounted sight is essential for off bore sight quieng and not having one will defeat the purpose of having 9X, it will be interesting to see what HMS the RMAF gets for its Hornets.
How about the French HMS on Su30MKM? Wouldn't it be suitable?
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There are many HMS available on the market. Do we have the money to integrate it on eight Hornets? Of course if we did purchase Super Hornets it will be more economical to do so although technically the same system could be integrated into any other MRCA they decide to procure in the future
I don't like to be negative, but while we debate, 'the powers that be' sit on their hands. The RMAF, like the other branches of the military, are in dire need of 'mass' as Marhalim puts it. A handful of F-5s, a dozen or so Hawks, 8 legacy Hornets and 18 Su-30MKMs with questionable capabilities in some areas (maritime strike, for example), all outfitted with limited ordinance, targeting pods, sensors, etc., are quite simply an inadequate assortment of aircraft incapable of effectively defending Malaysia. Add to that a complete lack of C4ISR, AWACS and so on. And we have now stooped to the level of talking about legacy Vipers and 20 AIM-9Xs?!
Our neighbor's to the south are outfitted with squadrons of some of the finest aircraft in service today, all outfitted with the latest in sensors, targeting pods, data links, etc. Add to that an inventory received since 1990 that includes (according to SIPRI), at minimum: 600 Python 4 BVRAAMs, 70 AIM-70M Sparrow BVRAAMs, 250 AIM-120C AMRAAMs, 96 AIM-9L/M Sidewinder SRAAMs, 200 AIM-9X Sidewinder SRAAMs, 60 AGM-154 JSOW ASMs, 50 JDAMs and 84 Paveway. They would crush the RMAF in a matter of hours. What would the government and the opposition say then?!
I don't mean to so strongly criticize Malaysia, but it is pretty pathetic that a tiny island city-state with only 4 million citizens (plus 1 million expatriates) can so dominate a state of 28 million. I know it all boils down to economics, but even in that battle, it is still pretty pathetic. It is unfair to the men and women who wear the uniform that they are so inadequately equipped and prepared should conflict in the region ever arise.
Lastly, let it be noted that we need to motivate the people. They are aloof to the importance of national defence. While I do believe that spending must be within reason, taken the complexity of financing for the needs of all areas of government, defence expenditures must rise considerably, if we are to be able to provide a credible defence in the face of our potential enemies.
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Its difficult to motivate people in peace time especially when there is no need for one to be involved in it, plus with the leakages, its a hard sell.
If anyone has read the morning news paper today(Monday, November 14, 2011),the PM had met with the Russian Premier in the sidelines of the APT meeting in Hawaii and the possibilities or more Sukhois has been branded around in the mutual talk.
I am afraid "stooping" to describe acquiring refurbished Vipers is overstating it a little. They are, after all, not in the league of, say, refurbished MiG-21s (even the "bis" or Bisons)or even new F-7s. They are, I daresay, earlier blocks C/Ds.
With the government,opposition and the people themselves (we seem to want a school and a hospital,etc,around every corner) not motivated to spend more on defence, the chance to obtain "mass" by buying less expensive yet still effective equipment is attractive to me.
Good news for RMAF. Finally US government pay attention for RMAF request for one of the latest/advance SRAAM - AIM-9X-2 Block II. It will complement F/A-18 latest weapon / missiles AIM-120-C AMRAAM BVR. It will become one of the latest / advance weapon in South East Asia.
Apart from the need to educate the population on the importance of national defence, I think the practice of corruption and kickbacks from defence purchases must be eradicated. It is bad enough that MAF receives less funding than SAF, it makes it even worse that 1m USD can buy more (identical) equipment for the SAF than MAF. The only thing left is then the political will to eradicate corruption? Would that be possible given that even the PM is accused of corruption? Setting of example must come from the top echelons of government.....
Though mass is important, at this juncture who are we really fighting? No matter how rough things get, there is very little chance that we will be headbutting with the neighbour from the south. A sizeable number of our export goes to them, plus they dont need to use their superior firepower and numbers to conquer us, they just waived their SGD and things will be "obtained"....
The only potential conflict i see is border south white elephant country and conflict with the nusantara cousin. Granted in 10-15 years as the nusantara cousin economy double, they can boast better weaponry than us and in larger number. At this juncture, until we have the monetary might to support the military might, i believe a deterrent strategy is sufficient. Though we may have only 20 Amraams and 20 Aim9X, we do have a size able number of R77 (according to sipri) so not that bad compared to the other example only have the flankers but no missiles