SHAH ALAM: The Defence Ministry has proposed more funds for the Science & Technology Research Institute For Defence (STRIDE) for the next Malaysian Plan, RMK12 which starts next year. Defence Minister DS Ismail Sabri said STRIDE had received RM96.18 million in RMK11 for research and development work for the defence industry.
“The Defence Ministry has proposed an allocation of RM607.5 million for STRIDE for RMK12, for consideration by the Prime Ministers Department for the period between 2021 to 2025. “The Ministry is looking funding proposed R&D into the threat of biological weapons and collaboration with the other agencies,” he told Parliament today in his winding up speech for the 2021 budget today.
Firing the METIS-M ATGM during a demonstration at PULADA on Nov. 21, 2020. BTDM
Unfortunately that was the only part of the RMK12 which Ismail touched in his prepared speech. I had not expected much really as rumours swirl that 2021 budget may well be used by politicians hell bent on unseating the current administration. Anyhow, the extra funding proposes, according to Ismail was an initiative to develop self reliance of the local defence industry.
Army chief Gen Zamrose Mohd Zain (right) inside a Gempita CBRNE of the 12 Skn Rejimen Jurutera Di Raja during a demonstration at Gemas on Nov. 23.
For more information on the demonstration, go here.
What about the elephant in the room then? Ismail said the LCS project as off Nov. 1 was at 57.1 percent completed compared to 90.11 per cent as envisaged in the original schedule, a delay of 33.10 %.
As for the individual ships, LCS1 is at 60.60 per cent; LCS2 48.09 %; LCS3 43.75 %; LCS4 36.49%; LCS5 22.09% and LCS6 0 %. See my story LCS stories for context.
Maharaja Lela at the BNS facility in October, 2018. She is still missing her mast and other items. She is likely rusty after undergoing limited harbour trials.
Ismail also said the ministry has also decided to off-set RM80.64 million claimed by Boustead Naval Shipyard (BNS) as liquidated damages (LAD) for its failure to deliver the first ship on time. The Auditor General in its latest report stated that the Defence Ministry had failed to seek LAD from the shipbuilder for not delivering the ship on time.
The LCS major equipment detailed. RMN graphic
As for the direction of the project, Ismail said the matter had been referred to the Cabinet for further action and decision. Another item answered by Ismail was on the National Service programme. He said the ministry was of the opinion that it should be reinstated but they were waiting for the Cabinet to make the call.
— Malaysian Defence
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View Comments (43)
Hopefully they continue low priority funding for Malaysia's own light tank programme
STRIDE do nothing so far....it needs to be disbanded...what ever project they did was just reverse engineeeing work....even ATM workshop can do it..The best thing MINDEF can do is give all peoject to University for them to improve and create any desired project by ATM..
“The Ministry is looking funding proposed R&D into the threat of biological weapons and collaboration with the other agencies"
I think that R&D should be expanded to include both chemical and nuclear as well - especially those of the dirty bomb variety.
The emphasis on bio-weapons is a bit peculiar, IMO, seems that someone in the Ministry sees the current pandemic as a possible bio attack scenario - pathogen that doesn't cause massive destruction but potent enough to cripple the country economically.
Off Topic,
Is the KAI T-50 and Yaklov Yak-130 are on the Final List for LCA Program Marhalim ?.
Reply
The ministry has yet to fund the project so AFAIK there is no list at the moment apart from the manufacturers that had responded to RMAF RFI in early 2019
I didn’t know STRIDE was actually pursuing it looking at a “light tank programme” but I do know that at present the army has no such requirement.
There is nothing wrong with working on reverse engineered stuff (everybody has to start somewhere); the trick is to produce stuff wanted by the end user; stuff that meets requirements; stuff which can achieve some level of economics of scale; be bought cheaper than from abroad (we simply don’t have the luxury of buying more expensive stuff merely to keep local companies afloat - in the long run it’s unsustainable) and for the end user to be granted the funds to buy in the numbers needed.
It’s also worth keeping in mind that STRIDE exists not merely to produce stuff for the local market but also for other purposes; related to weapons testing: ballistics and issues related to the overall suitability and operational use of things in a local context.
@ dundun
that is a waste of time. buying secondhand PT-91 is cheaper and better than developing a light tank.
@ redsot
they should study simple but meaningful stuffs. i have listed down things that we can R&D here before
https://www.malaysiandefence.com/locally-developed-weapons/
@ asm
no need for expensive bio weapon. just pour 1 barrel of diesel into our water processing facilities will wreck havoc to us.
Maybe Stride can conduct design studies of Gempita Tank Destroyer version with 105mm turet or Handalan Lorry with 105mm Oto Melara arty as SPH or a new corvette design based on NGPV MEKO 100 sounds good also.
Maintaining an existing in seevice platform but for new duties can be a good way to stretch what we do have.
My take,STRIDE are a waste of money organization.STRIDE need not design or reverse engineer anything at all, but IF they can IMPROVE the ATM equipments that will be good enough.
Inorder to do improvements these guys must be on the field with the military boys,feel their dissatisfaction on certain equipments or method of doing things then only things can be upgraded to the next level.Dont expect them sitting in rhe lab and trying to improve or redesign things.
STRIDE team dont even need a building at all they will be attached to the most lousy camp and let them crack their head on how to IMPROVE things...
Reply
By definition - improving an already fielded equipment - is reverse engineering...
More interesting, how is this:
"As for the individual ships, LCS1 is at 60.60 per cent; LCS2 48.09 %; LCS3 43.75 %; LCS4 36.49%; LCS5 22.09% and LCS6 0 %"
Equal to overall project status of 57.1%?
I'm assuming 57.1% includes tasks not related to construction (e.g. purchasing and installation of weapons and equipment).
But LCS4 = 36%, LCS5 =22% and LCS6 = 0%.
Don't see how the project is half completed.
Reply
Even though work on LCS 6 hasn't started, all the steel for it has been cut and likely at BNS already.