SHAH ALAM: MBDA (Hall B, Stand B17) is showcasing the latest missile technologies at the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace (LIMA) 2023 Exhibition. Particular highlights of the company’s presence are options to equip the new FA-50 combat aircraft recently chosen by the Royal Malaysian Air Force.
Together MBDA’s ASRAAM air combat missile and Brimstone precision strike missile give unprecedented combat performance for a light fighter. They enable an aircraft to dominate the close air combat fight and easily engage all ground targets from the best protected tanks to moving vehicles and
attack vessels – all with a very-high loadout.
MBDA has been a long-standing partner to the Malaysian Armed Forces for ground-based air-defence with the Jernas system. Today the company is proposing its next generation GBAD system based on the CAMM family of missiles to provide cutting-edge layered air defence for the Malaysian Army and Royal Malaysian Air Force. These provide significantly enhanced range and performance compared with Jernas, 360° all-weather coverage, and minimised support requirements.
In the naval domain, the Royal Malaysia Navy have already selected MBDA’s VL MICA naval air defence system for one class of vessels, with the same system also offering great potential for other Malaysian naval vessels. MBDA will be exhibiting the latest version of this
potent system, the VL MICA NG that provides the highest levels of performance to protect
naval vessels thanks to its new dual-pulse rocket motor and dual seeker options – AESA RF
or Imaging IR.
Meanwhile, MBDA is also exhibiting its capabilities in the battlefield space, with its latest
generation Akeron MP man-portable anti-tank missile that meets the needs of infantry and
special forces.
— Malaysian Defence
If you like this post, buy me an espresso. Paypal Payment
View Comments (18)
I would prefer both our main naval air defence missile and our ground MERAD system (as the JERNAS replacement) to be based on the VL MICA NG missiles.
We can consolidate the missile stock and share between naval and ground air defence systems.
Previously MBDA has offered MICA for our SU-30MKM requirements, but we declined due to cost. So far MBDA does not want to integrate the Meteor with any russian platforms. Would this change in the future? I think it is time to have western BVR AAM and stand-off naval/land-attack missiles for the SU-30MKM.
... - "So far MBDA does not want to integrate the Meteor with any russian platforms"
Has there been any serious interest by anyone for such an integration? Also, MBDA can be willing but the Russians have to share the source/object codes.
... - "I think it is time to have western BVR AAM and stand-off naval/land-attack missiles for the SU-30MKM."
The pertinent question is whether the RMAF or the government has any such intent or is it the aim to just spend the bare minimum to keep them flying for a few more years before retiring the fleet? On paper many things can re be done to upgrade the fleet but in reality is there an intent and would the cash be better spent on a new platform? Note that despite all the hype by fanboys it is the Hornet that the RMAF has the most faith in and is happy with.
Unless one doesn't remember, the cost of integrating amraam & phantomstrike on the FA50 is stupidly high and that with 2 countries paying for it with a sizeable numbers of commited purchased.
The MKM is a special low numbers one of a kind jet without any other available country to help foot the bills nor we ourselves bought plenty of it nor a national interest project like the KFX or TFX for self sufficiency nor industrial benefits. Infact the jet itself while makes sense geopolitically 2 decades ago it's currently rather than an asset is a liabilities to our geopolitical, geo economical interest.
With the MKM flying half the 'necessary' normal Hours which allows for what supposedly 10 years retrofit being extended to 20 years. There's a huge probability that the MKM would soon be retired. We could keep it flying as it is, but with worse radar, missiles, parts & access to missiles stockpile then a FA50 and inability to works in a network environment. It does seem even that seem like a huge waste of taxpayer money.
IMO RMAF is really in need of not just new planes but also missiles. Whether RMAF will buy new missiles for the FA-50 is remain to be seen but stoking up on aim9x might the the safer and cheaper options.
Also given that the su30 MKMs is gonna be flying until 2040, there are still possibilities that we need to buy new missiles, last time we bought R-73 was 15 years ago and we are approaching the 20 year limit (assuming if same as aim9, our aim9ms also might be expire this year or next), I dont foresee we buying anything from Russia in the next 10 years so ASRAAM could be a choice if we can 'ride' with the Indians MKIs (might as well add MICA) and then do the integration for FA50 and might as well the Hornets as Australian legacy Hornets already using asraams
Or we can go with the iris-t route, wait for Koreans to integrate it on FA-50 and then we can do it on MKMs, also it might be possible to integrate all the Hornets with iris-t as been done by Spain
Well i am dreaming i guess....
Just wondering, would there be any plan to have a nee basic jet trsiner in the next RMK? I believe FA50 is more of an advance jet trainer/ lightweight combat role and i imagine it may not be cost effective to use it to train greenhorn pilot graduatrd from PC7?
Nope
Luqman - Seriously, what's with the obsession of arming the Flankers and Hornets when both will be retired in the not too distant future. *Psst* We will not be using the Flankers till 2040.
@Melayu Ketinggalan
Commonality among the fleet especially with the Flankers. Is 10+ years not too distant future?
Also where is does this "Flankers not reaching 2040" did come from? What will be the immediate MRCA replacement for the Flankers then when even the Hornets are also retiring?
@Melayu Ketinggalan
Commonality among the fleet especially with the Flankers. Is 10+ years not too distant future?
Also where is does this "Flankers not reaching 2040" did come from? What will be the immediate MRCA replacement for the Flankers then when even the Hornets are also retiring?
@MK
"We will not be using the Flankers till 2040."
Like many things in our arsenal, we tend to use them way past their effective due dates. Other times it is just operational in name only until it is "officially" retired.