SHAH ALAM: Police getting new AW139. As reported previously, the police’s Air Wing AW139 fleet is getting bigger. The Home Ministry in its post on its official Twitter handle on Sept. 21 2018 reported of a pre-delivery inspection ceremony for an AW139 helicopter in Italy.
It is a little bit puzzling though as the Twitter post stated that the PDI ceremony was for the second AW139 for the police. The air wing already has two AW139 – 9M-PMB and 9M-PMC – in service which Malaysian Defence had reported on previously. The latest AW139 should be the Air Wing third AW139.
IGP Fuzi Harun was quoted as saying last March that the force was getting four more AW139s to add to the two already in service.
The police is getting four more AW139s, adding to the two already in service, says IGP Puzi Harun today. One of the four will be delivered this May with the other three to be delivered, in batches, before 2020.
Puzi announced the new addition to the force at the inauguration of the Air Wing’s new airbase at the at Subang airport today (Mar.19, 2018).
This was not the first time we are left puzzled by the AW139 procurement. This had happened when the police announced the PDI for PMB and PMC back in 2016.
Anyhow it appears that the air wing is getting six AW139s as reported by Malaysian Defence. It is interesting to note that even KDN and the police are not on the same page when it comes to the assets though I admit this could be the fault of an over-worked social media coordinator.
— Malaysian Defence
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View Comments (38)
Color scheme for PGA use may be a bit odd if usage for infiltration by air
Can anyone enlighten me on why the PDRM needs 6 helicopters the size of the AW139s? What are the specific tasks that others doesn't do that PDRM needs to use the helicopter of this size
So now the malaysian government will have 11 AW139 in their books (APMM 3, Bomba 2 and PDRM 6).
Puzzling...overworked...these are a good cause for frowning all the time.
It's a Good thing Police order more AW139. Plus, I think Army should Concidered to buy AW149 or NH-90 for better future Army and Replace The Nuris and AW109.
Agreed with safran. Bit far-fetched but if the air force sold their ec725 to either thailand, singapore or indonesian (which are users or future users of ec725) and buy aw149 together with army is a great option in my opinion.
The commonality between civil and military in terms of training, maintenance and logistic looks like a good plan.
Well they can continue to do ground run weekly, now with the lonely 3 later with a happy family of 6. Wonder how long until this going to be the next big probe?
The EC 725 gearbox issue are still not resolved. Its a bad buy for the RMAF. Had it gone for Sikorsky or EH 101 would be better
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Actually it has otherwise RSAF would not have signed the contract.
Off topic - Just saw the PASKAL trailer. If the navy can assist them with everything from submarines to Tun Sharifah Rodziah, they could have provided some blank rounds. The recoilless, animated rifle fire is a real spoiler.
Add to that both Thai and Indon will have a matching fleet size in 3 years time if we continue to do nothing.
@ marhalim
There is actually no permanent solutions yet for the gearbox issue, and the latest is casualty of the gearbox design is the recent crash of korean MUH-1 marineon version of the surion, which is basically a korean built version of the puma. As of now there is only the reduced TBO of the planetary gears, that is why oil and gas operators are abandoning the super puma, as they have no trust in that temporary solution.
This can both be a curse or a blessing for the super puma/cougar/caracal. Actually I was surprised that RSAF bought the EC225M, but in a way the Cougar is probably a better bet than the more troublesome NH90, as RSAF is already a current super puma user.
@m
IMO the easiest and most cost effective way is to just skip the nuri upgrade and sweep up all those unwanted civilian EC225LPs.