SHAH ALAM: RMAF upgrades are on track. Upgrade programs for three RMAF aircraft – the Bae Systems Hawk Mk 208 light jet, Hercules C-130H transporter and Nuri helicopters are on track and expected to commence as scheduled, Defence Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein said.
He said the upgrade programs will be conducted in stages to ensure the aircraft could fulfilled its operational requirements and ensure RMAF was ready and capable in protecting the country’s airspace.
A Hawk Mk 208, Hercules and Nuri helicopter on display at Subang to represent the aircraft to be upgraded.
“The full details of the programs will be announced when the project commences,” he said yesterday following a visit to the Subang airbase here for a briefing on the upgrade programs . He says the upgrade programs was also to ensure that the aircraft remained viable for operations pending their replacement in the future.
The Nuri and Hercules at Subang yesterday with two A400Ms in the background
Asked when the contract of the upgrade programs will be signed, Hishammuddin declined to give a specific date apart from assuring that the work will commenced.
Hawk Mk 208 M40-33 from 6 Squadron at Subang airbase yesterday. The aircraft has just completed its second line maintenance at the Airod facility at Subang. It is expected to return to Labuan airbase next week.
He earlier said the RMAF MPA project was going on well and the service was expected to receive the aircraft “soon”. Asked how soon, he said there was no need to specify such details apart from the fact that the aircraft will boost the capability of the RMAF to patrol the maritime areas of the country.
The altitude/decompression chamber at the RMAF Aviation Medicine Institute at the Subang airbase.
Earlier, Hishammuddin also visited the Aviation Medicine Institute also located in the airbase. The institute now has new facilities following its relocation to Subang from the Kuala Lumpur airbase.
An airman demonstrating the hypoxia training at the altitude/decompression chamber
The new facilities are an ejection seat simulator and an altitude/decompression chamber. The simulator offers a realistic ejection experience from a distressed aircraft for RMAF pilots and weapon systems office.
The ejection seat simulator.
The altitude/decompression chamber allows RMAF aircrew and other personnel undergo hypoxia (lack of oxygen) training, to understand the ill-effects of the silent but deadly hazard of in-flight hypoxia. The institute also offers high-G training with its High Performance Human Centrifuge and Spatial Disorientation training on a flight simulator.
— Malaysian Defence
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Just a normal politician talk with no specific details whatsoever. This is as good as no information at all.
MPA “soon”? Without even any contracts signed? That is really just an answer for the sake of answering reporters question.
Upgrades is 1 thing, what about additional hawks (if we really want to have a viable hawk force).
Btw some comments on the hawk. It sports inert aim-9m sidewinder training rounds on the wingtip (identified by the blue band the front of the missile).
Comments on the ejection seat simulator. The proper term of that system is Egress Procedure Trainer. Built by a Polish company ETC-PZL Aerospace Industries.
Just thinking what color/camo will be use by Nuri for RMAF after upgrade?still dark green or grey?
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Dark green. Otherwise 37 which had undergone the digital cockpit would have been painted in another colour
Just wondering if there is a date and time for the departure of the Hawk. Would love to catch it.
I’ve never seen a pic of a Hawk with a live Sidewinder. From the 1990’s Hawks have always been seen with blue training rounds.
The RMAF in the past had a need for 5 100s to serve as attritional replacements. Perhaps the idea at present is just to have the present number upgraded and replaced in the next decade without the need for additional air frames – given out present operational needs/tempo we probably can just – barely – make do with the current numbers of Hawks.To me what will really make the fleet ”viable” would be a full upgrade but guess even if sufficient funding were available the RMAF would rather spend the bare minimum.
Iwan – ”Just wondering if there is a date and time for the departure of the Hawk.”
If you mean ”retirement”. At minimum in 10-12 years time ……
I think Iwan is either a plane spotter or a photographer.Presumably he wants to take pictures of the Hawk on departure from Subang.
On C-130 upgrades
http://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/17465/usaf-eyeing-new-props-and-upgraded-engines-to-breathe-extra-life-into-old-c-130hs
Engine modifications and 8 bladed propellers
https://media.defense.gov/2009/Jul/02/2000532573/-1/-1/0/090624-F-5350S-201.JPG
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AFAIK the proposed remained the same of what had been signed in 2014 which were for avionics and communications systems to meet international aviation traffic standards. The only difference is likely the foreign vendor.
Marhalim,
Do you remember the Adnan fitted with an AGL/HMG is a Sharpshooter seen at Merdeka Day 2014? I’ve always wondered if the variant actually existed in numbers or whether the vehicle was a just a one off thing for trials. Given that there is already a support variant fitted with a AGL/HMG combo in a Helio turret; I can’t figure out why the same would be done with a Sharpshooter.
Also, do we know who supplied the thermal imagers for the AV-8?
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I think I remember I am not sure about whether there are any more variant of the Adnan AGL/Sharpshooter turret in service. No idea about the thermal imagers in AV8, most likely Safran or Thales
Probably TUDM cougars are too early to be upgraded, but just found this picture of Aselsan HEWS – Helicopter Electronic Warfare System that functions as an integrated self protection system. Installed on Chilean Cougars.
https://i.hizliresim.com/g9RE8N.png
https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WyH9nmNqnAQ/Wgon1bcpnQI/AAAAAAAAXUw/n2IrTdBaDE00bPBs0S9lCpIHfIAJg8UBQCLcBGAs/s1600/3.jpg
https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OjVGognbTNo/Wgon5lGpZyI/AAAAAAAAXVE/_F1XEf_sdlYwsjeJdFcTJgZjejaDbObpwCLcBGAs/s1600/6.jpg
https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-q__N5KckCIc/Wgon7hclN-I/AAAAAAAAXVI/JRbpXWjibLIyi55KkIo1bQAbQCnRzR8-wCLcBGAs/s1600/8.jpg
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AFAIK the Cougar is fitted for but not equipped with the SPS so it’s just the matter of fitting the sensors and countermeasures already. As does the refuelling probe.
@ azlan
You meant this picture right?
http://media.themalaymailonline.com/uploads/gallery/2014-08/SF_Merd
eka_parade_3_3108.jpg
I think it is probably from the last batch of 48 ACV-300 Adnan order. So there would be 2 types of turret available with the AGL.
https://btdmonline.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/1355914.jpg
Look at the number plate. ZC2046. Most of the 1st batch Adnan has ZB number plate.
https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YtnccXUyLvU/WSVM2uuYi0I/AAAAAAAAJ38/_oRrcVUoC-06L51H-rNjvkbvrR5Y8-pkgCLcB/s1600/LKT8.jpg
No doubt the RMAF has plans on paper to install a self defence suite [hopefully this will also include a means to deal with beam riders] to the Cougars but at present justifying the expense will be problematic. With the A400Ms it will be easier, as an argument can be made that they might in the future deploy to out of area, high risks spots in support of MALBATT or on humanitarian ops.
The A-109s have a IR jammer but I haven’t spotted any flare/chaff launchers on them. Strangely, given that they fly low, there aren’t any wire cutters fitted – the South African ones have a wire cutter.
I think some of them do have wire cutters. Why all of them not equipped as such?
https://www.malaysiandefence.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/gun.jpg
Marhalim,
On another matter, the first LCT-30 turret displayed at the DEFTECH stand by Denel showed a 360 degrees panoramic commanders sight fitted. For some reason I thought that production models of the Ingwe variant had a 360 degrees panoramic commanders sight but I was mistaken, unfortunately. The Ingwe variant displayed at DSA didn’t have it. Costs is most certainly the main factor but having it makes a major difference.
On the Condor ”logistics vehicle” it was stated that it’s intended to tow a trailer mounted Aludra as well as carry ammo and stuff. Whilst I can see the need for a vehicle with certain a protection level to carry ammo direct to troops, I fail to see why one would be needed to tow a UAS. To tow a UAS any soft skin 4×4 will do. In the early 2000’s the Stormer ‘Tracked Logistics Carrier’ was trialed here. For me it makes more sense converting the ones we have into ‘logistics vehicles’ rather than continue using them as APCs.
I don’t fancy the Condor being cut up to be an armoured logistics carrier. Too much task to cut up and reinforce the monocoque to make it not flexible (hard to explain, cut up 1/3 of a milk carton and see how much of the rigidity is lost). If you need an armoured logistics carrier, just buy an armoured cab and place it over the newly bought MAN trucks.
http://www.bigwheels.my/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/MAN-Photo-B.jpg
The few remaining condors should just be upgraded to be given to the motorized battalions, and support elements for Mechanized force such as signals, engineering, medics.
A few things we can do to the condor (other than as an APC) without cutting it up
– ambulance/medical evacuation
– Engineering
– Signals/communications (radio)
– Satellite communications (satcom)
– ELINT/SIGNIT vehicle
– 105mm gun tower (armoured)
– manpads/sam platform (for starstreak rapidranger maybe?)
If we need a tracked logistics vehicle, surplus M548 refurbished and upgraded with ACV-300 Adnan powertrains would be good.
It would be great if we can convert 1 GAPU regiment to be a mechanized one. Using Condors with starstreak rapidranger and manpads.
@ Azlan
I have also noticed it and have commented about it before in this blog. It seems that all of the AV8’s Denel LCT-30 turret including the Ingwe variant are not fitted with any Panoramic Commander Sight.
….,
As a MANPADs carrier I would prefer the Stormer. It has more mobility than a Condor. Given that they’re all operated by 10 Para and there’s no interest; I guess it’s a moot point.
The question is whether DEFTECH converted the Condor as a private initiative or at the request of the army? If indeed it becomes reality, the one major thing needed is a crane.
D.W.
We can safely say it’s due to costs, unfortunately. An unanswered question is whether the commander and gunner both have a thermal? The one ordered was Catherine XP, my guess is that it’s for the gunner. And what about the driver? Same thing with the PT-91M – the gunner has a thermal but what about the driver? On T-72s and Poilsh PT-91s the driver just fixes a detachable thermal on the existing frontal periscope.
Not all has wire cutter because 1. it is quite useless to their mission profile, 2. not all frames are combat config.
…,
Yes that one. Marhalim pointed it out at the 2014 parade as it was exiting the tunnel and heading into Dataran Merdeka.
Why a 12.7mm/AGL combo in A Sharpshooter’s the question.
m,
It’s one of those things that won’t always be needed but will be very needed if the need arises. Having it on leads to no major weight or other penalties.
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I believe the Combo was one of the options for the Sharpshooter turret as marketed by FNSS. Perhaps its cheaper than the one with 25mm turret as well as having the AGL being a good option.
@ azlan
Probably for the 2nd adnan batch the helio/thales turret is no longer available?
…,
Or we had extra Sharpshooter turrets but no extra Bushmasters.
Anyway if it was DEFTECH that specified Sharspshooter, not the army, which just went along with it but that’s a different story I guess.
Yes, the AGL combo is offered for the sharpshooter
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ExIMhMwG6O8/UYaUMqB4qsI/AAAAAAAAxL0/Foiy4ZtUn-c/s640/KULE-10.jpg
Previously probably the helios/thales turret combination was cheaper than the sharpshooter plus familiarity with the condor/stormer turrets.