SHAH ALAM: RMAF has retire the Falcon 900 VIP jet on February 18 after some 35 years of service. The retirement ceremony was performed by RMAF Air Operations Commander Lt Jeneral Shahada Ismail at hangar A of No 2 Skuadron at the Subang air base.
Tail number M37-01 joined RMAF on May 23 1989 and since then has flown various VIPs including PMX and other dignitaries. Throughout the years, the jet was mostly used by the then deputy prime ministers for local and overseas trips. The last overseas flight was flown in February 17 2024 for a trip by DPM DS Fadillah Yusof.
No 2 Skuadron commander Lt Kol Hafizuddin Rashid said the decision to retire the Falcon 900 was made on November 29, last year. He said the decision to retire the aircraft was made as part of the service strategic planning, economic and safety factors. It is likely that the aircraft will need to undergo a major maintenance programme to stay in service. The aircraft underwent an extensive maintenance programme some 12 years ago.
The release from RUAG which conducted the main
Ruag Aviation has renovated a Dassault Falcon 900 for the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF), under contract with Airod of Malaysia. The project included a major 4C check, the update and overhaul of avionics, and a full renovation of the cabin. New equipment on board includes Honeywell’s Ovation CMS, electronic dimming window shades from Vision Systems, Airshow 4000 and Satcom 7000 systems, new seating and LED lighting. Suppliers included ACH, AIP and Emteq.
The work was performed at Ruag Aviation’s maintenance facility in Geneva, Switzerland. It was completed in November 2014.
Ruag Aviation’s remit included total project management. “This meant that the check package, maintenance work and the extensive modification work could simultaneously be carried out, offering a single solution for the customer,” said David Jones, general manager for Ruag Aviation in Malaysia.
𝐏𝐄𝐒𝐀𝐖𝐀𝐓 𝐅𝐀𝐋𝐂𝐎𝐍 𝟗𝟎𝟎 𝐓𝐔𝐃𝐌 𝐃𝐈𝐓𝐀𝐌𝐀𝐓𝐊𝐀𝐍 𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐊𝐇𝐈𝐃𝐌𝐀𝐓𝐀𝐍 𝐒𝐄𝐓𝐄𝐋𝐀𝐇 𝟑𝟓 𝐓𝐀𝐇𝐔𝐍 𝐁𝐄𝐑𝐁𝐀𝐊𝐓𝐈
SUBANG, 18 Februari 2025 – Tentera Udara Diraja Malaysia (TUDM) secara rasmi menamatkan perkhidmatan pesawat Falcon 900, sebuah pesawat khas yang digunakan bagi penerbangan VVIP kenamaan negara, dalam satu majlis penuh istiadat di Hangar A, No. 2 Skuadron, Pangkalan Udara Subang, hari ini.
Majlis tersebut disempurnakan oleh Panglima Operasi Udara, Leftenan Jeneral Datuk Mohd Shahada bin Ismail TUDM, dan turut dihadiri oleh Panglima Bantuan Udara, Mejar Jeneral Dato’ Masro bin Kaliwon TUDM; Panglima Wilayah Udara 1, Mejar Jeneral Dato’ Mahadzer bin Amin TUDM; serta Komander Pangkalan Udara Subang, Brigedier Jeneral Yusri bin Jamari TUDM. Turut hadir dalam majlis bersejarah ini ialah wakil daripada AIROD Sdn. Bhd., Kolonel Muhammad Suhaimi bin Ashari TUDM (Bersara).
Sebagai simbolik penghormatan terakhir, pesawat Falcon 900 melakukan pendaratan ‘Taxi-In’ terakhirnya sebelum disambut dengan upacara ‘Water Salute’ oleh kenderaan Perkhidmatan Menyelamat Kebakaran Lapangan Terbang (AFRS), Lapangan Terbang Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah, Subang.
Pesawat Falcon 900 mula berkhidmat dengan TUDM pada 23 Mei 1989 dan menjadi sebahagian daripada armada penerbangan rasmi bagi pemimpin negara. Dalam tempoh 35 tahun, pesawat ini telah menerbangkan ramai pemimpin utama negara termasuk Perdana Menteri ke-10, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim; Timbalan Perdana Menteri; Sultan-sultan; serta pemimpin negara lain.
“Walaupun sudah mencapai usia 35 tahun, Falcon 900 masih menunjukkan prestasi cemerlang. Malah, pada 17 Februari 2024, pesawat ini berjaya melaksanakan misi penting membawa Timbalan Perdana Menteri 1 ke Jepun,” kata Pegawai Memerintah No. 2 Skuadron, Leftenan Kolonel Hafizuddin bin Rashid TUDM, dalam ucapannya.
Bagaimanapun, beliau mengakui bahawa keputusan menamatkan perkhidmatan pesawat ini yang diumumkan pada 29 November 2024 mengejutkan banyak pihak. Namun, keputusan ini diterima sebagai sebahagian daripada perancangan strategik, ekonomi, dan keselamatan yang telah ditetapkan oleh TUDM.
Panglima Operasi Udara, Leftenan Jeneral Datuk Mohd Shahada bin Ismail TUDM, dalam ucapannya, menyifatkan majlis ini bukan sekadar simbolik kepada penamatan perkhidmatan Falcon 900, tetapi juga sebagai permulaan kepada era baharu dalam pengoperasian pesawat VVIP TUDM.
“Hari ini, kita bukan sahaja mengenang sejarah pesawat ini tetapi juga menghargai setiap individu yang terlibat dalam operasinya. Falcon 900 telah berkhidmat dengan cemerlang dalam setiap misi penerbangan VVIP, memberikan sumbangan besar kepada imej negara dan TUDM,” katanya.
Beliau turut menegaskan bahawa penamatan awal pesawat ini merupakan satu keputusan yang sukar tetapi perlu dilakukan bagi memastikan TUDM terus maju dengan perancangan aset yang lebih moden dan berdaya saing.
Sebagai tanda penghormatan, majlis turut menyaksikan penyerahan cenderamata kepada pegawai kanan TUDM sebelum kemuncak acara, iaitu upacara simbolik penyerahan pesawat Falcon 900 kepada AIROD Sdn. Bhd., yang diwakili oleh Kolonel Muhammad Suhaimi bin Ashari TUDM (Bersara).
Majlis Sundown ini bukan sahaja memperingati jasa pesawat Falcon 900, tetapi juga menandakan peralihan kepada fasa baharu dalam operasi penerbangan VVIP TUDM.
Penamatan perkhidmatan Falcon 900 menjadi satu lagi langkah dalam usaha pemodenan aset penerbangan bagi memastikan keperluan strategik negara terus terpelihara dan diperkasakan.
RMAF did not say what will happen to the aircraft nor its replacement. One of the former pilots of M37-01 was former RMAF chief TS Roslan Saad.
— Malaysian Defence
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can look into G650 family as replacement lmao
that said do the AF have any dedicated ISR or SIGINT aircraft? We should look into getting these as well
What are they gonna do with that Squadron? Will there be replacement biz jet?
Up to PMO to decide as the taskings come from them.
there still another bombardier for VIP transport. But i wont be surprised another lease deal idea might come out
@ dundun
G650 has already ended production, it got a lot of components made by IAI
TUDM does not have dedicated ISR/SIGINT/ELINT/EW aircraft, but IMO we should.
IMO we should go for Global 6000/6500 platform. We have experience with this as we are currently flying the Global Express, a predecessor to the Global 6000/6500.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Fq7IfTAaIAI-ZA7.jpg
Things we could use the Global 6000/6500 platform for
– VIP/Liaison (trade-in global express)
– AEW&C with ERIEYE-ER radar (Globaleye-lite) https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DoBO327XsAA3n28.jpg
– EW attack (ASELSAN HAVASOJ) https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GCvYsd3bAAA54Mp.jpg
– ELINT/SIGINT/ISR https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DV1RmnNXcAEBkPX.jpg
Again its up to the PMO to decide on the replacement.
2 Skn days are probably heading for sundown. Now they are left with the Global Express, VIP CN235 & Whitehawks (in one of the photo from the same ceremony shows 1 whitehawk undergoing repairs).
YDPA have his own fleet & gov ministers are chartering commercial. Only tasking for 2Skn seems to be carrying ATM higher ups
Its actually good for RMAF as it will free up precious resources – pilots and maintainers – for more important operational duties.
Since that unit is versed in light commercial/biz jets, imho better to reassign them for the new MPA which is also based on light commercial plane (ATR72).
It does not work that way, going from jet to turboprop or via versa does not mean you can just hop on and start flying. It would required brand new training, flying hours and certifications be conducted for the pilots. Same goes for the consoles operators
It would be more efficient to train younger pilots to conduct or take from existing squadron that have similar experience with turboprops
Yes the existing resources could be free up but depend on RMAF if they want reassign them or desk duty. I remember the mig squadron for a long moment did have anything to do as if in hibernation
ATR72 MPA Squadron?
Yes there is not much news on which squadron will fly the ATR-72
2 Skuadron has been historically the VIP transport squadron
1 Skuadron, the first with Twin Pioneers, now flying the CN-235s, including the MSA versions.
Our 1st MPA squadron was actually the 4 Skuadron, flying the C-130H-MP Camar. Previously 4 Skuadron was also a transport squadron with the Dart Herald. It was disbanded (early 90s?) to this day, and its Camars redistributed to 14 Skuadron & 20 Skuadron.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FopnD5VacAUWPHh.jpg
16 Skuadron was created in 1994 specifically to fly the B-200T MPAs. Why TUDM did not just resurrect 4 Skuadron, nobody knows. Now 16 Skuadron to be transferred to Kuantan as twin engine trainer squadron.
So ATR-72 MPA? To 1 Skuadron along with CN-235 MSA? Resurrect 4 Skuadron? Change 2 Skuadron from VIP to MPA? Something else entirely?
word of mouth is staff from 1 skuadron in being ropped in for MPA training based on their experience on MSA
Since it already confirmed that the MPA would be based at kuantan due to Leornado news on upgrading the facility comm there. It make sense but it can also be former staff join new division
Do we really need a replacement of the VIP jet? Why can’t those elected official use AirAsia or MAS? Do they need to use VIP jet?
for domestic/regional flight it would be cheaper to use business jet than to charter whole ass airliner be it from AA or MAB.
Also these VIP jets are used regularly enough and not just used by the ministers and their regular posse but also military top brass
That said these VIP jets are one of the few “military” assets where leasing makes perfect sense
Alex – “It would be more efficient to train younger pilots to conduct or take from existing squadron that have similar experience with turboprop”
The Ukrainians discovered that it was easier training new pilots on Western aircraft rather than pilots who spent all their hours on Soviet era ones. Quite a few pilots who were extremely competent and experienced on Soviet era types just didn’t do well when converting to Western types.
… “TUDM does not have dedicated ISR/SIGINT/ELINT/EW aircraft, but IMO we should”
We should have lots of things we lack but resources and the need to address other areas which we feel are more pressing issue. ELINT is a very niche game, requiring heavy resources to not only acquire but to ensure that skill sets and capabilities don’t atrophy. Rather than spending to acquire a limited capability which we’d probably never expabd, more logical and prudent to spend on other things which are in need of attention, things with a wider utility.