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• From my database, we bought 25 Harpoons together with the F/A-18D Hornets in 1997, with additional 4 units bought in 2006. We have expanded quite a few during exercises.

  Our R-27 missile manufacturer is based in Ukraine (artem), so it is natural that it was sent back to Ukraine to be recertified.

  I am looking forward to see what kind of weapons we will buy for the FA-50. There are quite a few interesting missiles that is being developed for the FA-50, including the Cheonryong.

  TUDM needs more longer ranged precision strike missiles for all of its fighters, to be able to strike a target beyond the enemy air defence envelope. Options :
  - Cheonryong
  - air launched NSM?
  - Tubitak SAGE SOM / SOM-J
  - Storm shadow
  - brahmos mini / brahmos-NG

• I didnt realise(or perhaps forgotten) we had Harpoons. Makes me wonder why we didnt get them for LCS in liew of previous preference for Exocet instead of NSM. Of course the NSM is newer and better performing but in circumstances where the extra performance doesnt really matter when the costing & commonality between services should take a higher priority (if both TUDM & TLDM actually considers each other).

  As for KH-29 and KH-31, India operates both and its likely they do their own SLEPS as well.

  • As I had mentioned previously, the loadout for the LCS was done by Boustead, of course, it was a French design ship, the designers wanted to put a French missile on it. The navy wanted the NSM by that time and in the end they got it though they lost the SAM to MICA. RMN wanted ESSM.

• Additional AGM-84 harpoons

  How can we get some additioanl harpoons for our Hornets and in the near future extended fleet with the Kuwaiti Hornets?

  Australia (RAAF) has recently retired its AGM-84 Harpoon stock, replacing it with the advanced AGM-158C LRASM
  https://psnews.com.au/royal-australian-air-force-successfully-tests-new-anti-ship-missile/156608/

  We could request the approval of both Australia and USA for the transfer of some of these stocks of the retired AGM-84 Harpoon to be used by TUDM Hornets.

• is there a chance where they'll install a kill switch to our harpoon during recertification process?

  • no lah

• In the late 1990's I bumped into the 2 USMC pilots who brought the Hornets back with their crews. One of them, a Major, told me that he would have to brush up on the Harpoon as he had to teach our crews how to use it but hadn't done it for quite a while.

  The ex USN pilot who was here and has the YouTube channel said the same thing. Because we only have 8 Hornets we use then to them for everything. This is contrast with the Americans whose Hornet squadrons; although multi tasked on paper; focus on specific things.

• Belarus use to be able to re-work some missiles.

• Something else on missiles. On the ex USN pilot's channel he mentioned training us to do HARM attack profiles. I later asked him if we had it and he gave a vague answer.

  In the early 2000's I was indirectly involved with the now defunct Asian Defence & Diplomacy. In their year book they listed us a HARM operator. I asked the owner [long deceased] who was the former MINDEF MAF spokesman but he had no idea. As we all know the
  RMAF is not listed as a HARM operator.
  Neither is the RAAF whose F-18Ds have a, SEAD/DEAD tasking.

  Anyways I'd be surprised if we did get it. Very useful although it provides us with a basic DEAD\DEAD capability and not a Wild Weasel one whivh only the Americans have. There is also the pertinent fact that due to various factors the RMAF can only devote very little time to SEAD\DEAD due to the fact that the few platforms have a lot to do and we lack the whole ecosystem which SEAD\DEAD requires.

  Same with the Kh-31. Provides us with a minimal or basic capability. It's long range and speed have memorised many but like many Russian missile it has been shown to have poor PK rate in Ukraine and is inferior to HARM in various aspects.

• Certified for fit to use? If not, we cannot use it.

  • No lah they need to recertify that it can work as advertised.

• Looking at happenings in Ukraine, even old supposedly "expired" HARM missiles has been extremely useful in eliminating russian GBAD radars.

  I do hope that we can get some HARM missiles for our Hornets, even if it is the old versions like given to Ukraine.

  Kuwait is one of a few countries that do have AGM-88 HARM missiles in their inventory. Hopefully some of it it will be passed to TUDM together with the legacy hornets.

• "Belarus use to be able to re-work some missiles."
  Belarus is also in the 'risk of getting sanction if dealing with them', as their steadfast Russia ally in the Ukraine war.

  @Hulu
  "retired AGM-84 Harpoon to be used by TUDM Hornets."
  Its likely their retired Harpoons are also time expired and we will have to pay extras if need to relife them as were doing above. Not really a good idea if going to pay to buy and pay to refurb.

  "designers wanted to put a French missile on it. The navy wanted the NSM"
  Yes fully aware that, the OEM does have prerogative to prefer what works with their product. But then TUDM did select NSM and won out, so what I mean is why NSM and not Harpoon since we could have commonise with TUDM ones. Of course that is the greater common good perspective and TLDM might have their own preference instead.