SHAH ALAM: RMAF-IAF Joint Exercise. RMAF and IAF ended its first ever bilateral exercise launching two Sukhoi Su-30MKM and Su-30MKI Flankers each from Subang airport this morning. Two Flankers – one each from both air forces – conducted a flypast over the Subang airbase to mark the end of the exercise – Elang Shakti called by IAF and Hop by RMAF – which started yesterday.
One pilot from each air force flew in one of each other Flanker in the flypast. The field training exercise was conducted on the occasion of the stop over by the IAF contingent – four Flankers and two airlifters – C-17 and C-130J – from participating in Exercise Pitch Black in Australia, from Aug. 20 to 23.
Being the first bilateral interaction between two air forces, one cannot simply dismissed what had happened during the last few days. Hopefully this will be the start of a regular interaction which will culminate into a beneficial relationships to both air forces.
It is likely that future inbteraction between RMAF and IAF will be held either at Butterworth or Kuantan airbases which have the infrastructure to support sophisticated air exercises like Cope Taufan and Bersama Lima.
Meanwhile, the five F/A-18D Hornets which took part in Ex Pitch Black returned to Butterworth airbase on Aug. 20. The Hornets flew home via Bali, Indonesia. Apart from the Hornets, a single A400M also took part in the exercise
Lets hope funding will be made available in the near future for more of such exercises.
— Malaysian Defence
If you like this post, buy me an espresso. Paypal Payment
This is the first fly together of MKM and MKI, but IMO not the first bilateral exercise. IAF personel, pilots and technicians have been here from the earliest days to support TUDM MKM introduction.
I hope it means we will get India tech & know-how albeit in a roundabout way to maintain our MKMs. Both IAF & RMAF are learning the hard way in maintaining and servicing these planes.
“Lets hope funding will be made available in the near future for more of such exercises.”
but new govt want these kind of thing on down low. would it be another since our new policy is diam diam??
one thing for sure is this is a good thing and need to be done more not just to improved relationship but also in technical issue. hope someone do say we want to know more about their MKI maintenance or they even ask to help with our MKM 10th maintenance.
Reply
It’s in the government interest to promote ties with India so I am guessing we will be seeing more of this interaction.
zack,
I think it is enough to spread lies like this. In fact under the new gov, discussion of budget is much more straight forward than before.
RMAF might want to think twice before going down the path to work with or allow HAL to do maintenance/overhaul of its current TOTL assets, the MKMs, given HAL ‘glorious’ history of crappy maintenance and failure to deliver on promises as well as IAF unmatched records of non-combat, post-HAL ‘repair’ crashes… Not to berate the India, but I personally do not think the Indian way of planning for and developing its military capability is the shining example to follow, quite the contrary, the Indian example is exactly what any sensible nations must never follow… Unfortunately, there are many indications, past and present, to suggest that the MAF is doing exactly what the disastrous Indian recipe is prescribing…
m-“I think it is enough to spread lies like this.”
what lies bro??please explain.
i’m just gonna reserve my judgement until i see things get in stone. we see the past admin get plan on a lot of things like MRCA,MPA and other things said in budget but its the will that get it done. the new govt said much but its too soon to see they worth the thing they said. lets us all wait and see how things gonna turn out.
p.s. the economy is slowing down plus the trade war so dont expect much.