SHAH ALAM: New RHIBs for VAT 69. PDRM tier one special forces unit – VAT 69 – is getting four RHIBs imported from Canada. We know that they are getting the RHIBs, courtesy of another quotation notice for a multi-modal operator to ship back the boats, published on Dec. 4.
The four RHIBs are being shipped back from Vancouver, Canada though as usual their manufacturer are not named. The tender for the RHIBs were issued in 2019 and the contract was awarded to a company called Benua Tronic Sdn Bhd though the contract price was not published.
It must be noted that the four RHIBs will be the first imported fast interceptor craft within the last few years or so. As for the VAT 69 operating RHIBs, yes, they have been known to do so even though the Marine Police also have SF-type unit as well, the Ungerin – Unit Gerak Khas Marin.
I don’t know enough about VAT 69 to say anything about why they are also operating at sea when Ungerin is also around. I am pretty sure someone who knows more or even less about this, will do so in the comments section. The new boats will be based at the Marine police base at Kampung Acheh, Lumut.
Anyhow, the specifications for the tender revealed that the RHIBs that VAT 69 specified should be 11 meters long. It was for this reason most of the pictures are 11 meter RHIBs manufactured by Zodiac, a French company though they also operate in Canada.
The new RHIBs for VAT 69 could carry 15 personnel, have a range of 130 miles at full load and have a single gun mounting for a machine gun.
— Malaysian Defence
View Comments (11)
Again for me, it is waste of money unless they sent it to Sabah to enhance the security. Other than that really waste of money.
Tomorrow 9 /12 /21 for mindef 100 days aspiration will have a static display of new rhib by zodiac for ggk it seems and the new FFR vehicle
"Other than that really waste of money."
Find out what it's for before coming to that conclusion. VAT 69 is a SOF unit and obviously has a need for RHIBs whhich have a utiliy in many places apart from Sabah.
IIRC, RMP's UTK was (or still) a prominent user of the Zodiac RHIB in Malaysia.
I would think that any SOF unit; with the exception of air force ones; would have a riverine or coastal capability; thus would have a need for RHIBs. In the case of VAT 69 it was originally form to perform recce and various other tasks. It was modeled and set up by the SAS and the role of mentoring it was taken over by the Kiwi SAS. It find it unsurprising that it has a operational need for RHIBs.
Even Paskau needs RHIBs as it is how it conducts its jobs moving from the landing sites to its landing beaches. Perhaps that's the role for the RHIBS in VAT 69. That said at 11 meters with four outboard motors, it is likely more for patrol work
UNGERIN is a small unit in the Polis Marin. The Police need more boats with their VAT69 to complement the Polis Marin boats. They won't be a waste. I remember the floods of 2014. We actually took over (commandeered) the boats of the kampung folks in my kampung...at least in Sarawak.
Why everything has to go to Sabah? There's more than enough military and police presence there already. Sarawak has a lot of riverine areas and these boats are suitable for operating in these kind of places.
@ Marhalim, do we apply a tier classification on our SF units? I mean there's only VAT69 in the police (other than UTK which is more like SWAT? Dunno whether that counts as SF or not), unlike the Yanks with Rangers, Green Berets and Deltas.
No, it's just my way of saying that VAT69 as the top tier of SF unit.I was told last time most of the initial UTK cadres were VAT69 operators. UTK is dual hatted really, one is CT while the other close protection unit or bodyguards.
ASM,
VAT is indeed classified as a SOF unit. I don't see UTK as a SF unit per see. In the army only the GK Special Services Regiment and not the pair of Commando Regiments are SF. The MMEEA has its SF unit, STAR.
There was talk about our version of SOCOM being raised but in the U.S, operational taskings of tri service SF units are under JSOC. Given the different ways of doing things, the competition for funding, parochialism and other things, achieving jointness is a major obstacle.
VAT69 is not the same SF level as Malaysian Armed Forces. NOT hard-core soldier as they sre still police means they are law enforcement element. Not SF. Waste and redundancy of in the case of marine police.