SHAH ALAM: RMAF has deployed a detachment from the No. 3 Squadron to the Kuching airbase to operate the AW139 helicopter there. Thirty-six personnel from squadron – 18 officers and 18 other ranks – led by Mejar M. Khairul Azwan Ismail were selected as the first group to operate the AW 139 helicopter in East Malaysia, according to a posting by RMAF on its Facebook page on November 26.

The posting said the detachment personnel left Butterworth onboard a Hercules transporter from the No. 14 Squadron after a farewell ceremony. RMAF did not say however how many AW139 helicopters will be based in Kuching nor the length of the deployment. It is also unclear whether the helicopter will be flown there or be airlifted there.

Malaysian Defence was previously told that two AW139s will be based at Butterworth and Kuching airbases. Pictures from the farewell ceremony showed three AW139s at Butterworth.

No 3 Squadron operates four AW139 helicopters under a leasing contract with Weststar Aviation Services Sdn Bhd. The squadron started operating the helicopters in December 2022.

It is likely that the group will be rotated out from Kuching back to Butterworth airbase after the deployment with another batch replacing them.

As RMAF is getting 12 AW149s under another leasing programme, it is likely the deployment to Kuching will be the forerunner to maintaining a permanent rotary wing presence there. No. 7 Squadron used to operate the Nuri helicopter at the airbase when the aircraft were still in service. The second EC-725 squadron – No. 5 Squadron is stationed at the Labuan air base.

RMAF release:

𝐏𝐄𝐍𝐆𝐇𝐀𝐍𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐀𝐍 𝐊𝐔𝐌𝐏𝐔𝐋𝐀𝐍 𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐓𝐀𝐌𝐀 𝐃𝐄𝐓𝐀𝐒𝐌𝐄𝐍 𝐍𝐎 𝟑 𝐒𝐊𝐍 𝐊𝐄 𝐏𝐔 𝐊𝐔𝐂𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐆
BUTTERWORTH, 25 November 2024 – Komander Pangkalan Udara Butterworth, Brig Jen Khairol Muzambi bin Salehin TUDM telah menyempurnakan Majlis Penghantaran Kumpulan Pertama Detasmen No 3 Skuadron ke Pangkalan Udara Kuching.
Seramai 18 pegawai dan 18 anggota Lain-Lain Pangkat (LLP) diketuai oleh Mej M.Khairul Azwan Ismail TUDM telah terpilih bagi menjadi kumpulan pertama menggalas tanggungjawab untuk pengoperasian pesawat AW139 di Malaysia Timur.
Atur gerak untuk kumpulan pertama ini dilaksanakan secara berperingkat. Pada hari ini telah melibatkan seramai 8 pegawai dan 11 anggota LLP dengan menaiki pesawat C130H daripada No 14 Skuadron.
Majlis yang bersejarah ini turut dihadiri oleh Pegawai Eksekutif No 3 Skn, Mej Mohd Izzat Zakaria TUDM, warga No 3 Skn serta ahli keluarga pegawai dan anggota terlibat.

— Malaysian Defence

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