SHAH SALAM: RMN AW139 MUH rendered. Galaxy Aerospace – part of the Gading Group – the company that won the contract to supply three maritime utility helicopters (MUH) to the RMN has published the CGI renderings of the helicopter. The helicopter in question is of course the Leonardo AW139. From the CGI rendering we can surmised that the helicopter will have similar paint and markings to the Super Lynx and Fennec rotor craft already in service with the RMN.
RMN AW139 MUH CGI Galaxy Aerospace
The CGI also revealed that the RMN MUH will be fitted with electro-optics, radar and a rescue hoist. It also finally confirmed that the RMN is getting the AW139s for its maritime helicopter requirements.
RMN Super Lynx M501-03 taken in late 2013. Note the inert Sea Skua ASM and A244/S torpedo
Earlier this year, Malaysian Defence reported that
RMN chief Admiral Reza Sany today announced that the service has sign the contract to purchase three maritime operations helicopter (MOH) on September 20 last year. The first helicopter will be delivered on October 20, 2022; second on May 31, 2023 and the third on February 28, 2024.
He did not named the helicopters contracted though it is likely to be the Leonardo AW139 as hinted previously.
The RMN project team for the AW139 project had left for Italy earlier this year and they are expected to be there until all three helicopters are delivered in 2024.
The RMN MUH also looked very similar to Italian Air Force AW139s, designated as HH-139B, 17 of which to be delivered by this year.
The Italian Air Force also operates older versions of the helicopter, designated as HH-139A and VH-139As.
HT to EL.
— Malaysian Defence
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Quite a fresh look of ‘maritime camo’ for TLDM there.
Long overdue – good news. The RMN has badly needed a platform with a superior lift capacity compared to what it currently has. These new assets will be able to lift PASKAL teams; as well as perform resupply and other things.
Love them camo..put them on future asw heli too..but if possible please put tldm instead of navy although they mean the same
Why would RMN staff has to stay until 2024? Cant they be trained in Malaysia??
Reply
The project team oversees the manufacturing process to ensure the helicopters are done right. We also did the same thing for other foreign buys.
For me the key question is not why a RMN team has to be there until the third example is delivered but why deliveries of the 3 are staggered over a 3 year period? A OEM issue or something we specified in the contract for financial reasons?
By 2024 when all 3 are delivered; the RMN will have 15 helicopters; more than the RMAF.
Imma sad they didn’t go for Blackhawk (not sure if it was offered), but at same time elated that something is finally moving. Hopefully this deal won’t be sunk.
But 3 years, wow! Nice working holiday for the project team. Perhaps some of them might bring back Italians wives and not just only the choppers. *wink*
BTW the render kinda reminds me of Airwolf.
“RMN will have 15 helicopters; more than the RMAF.”
The RMAF wanted more than 12 Cougars, but we all know what happened.
Question is whether the RMAF wants or needs more helicopters, since they want to get out of the army utility lift business. Of course they will have to shoulder it until the army has its own utility helos, and they have utility lift of their own.
No lah, they wont stay there for the whole duration, new people will be rotated in annually
AM,
There was I believe a requirement for 36; an initial 24. Problem is only an initial 12 was approved for the first batch.
Yes it has a requirement for at least another squadron’s worth. The plan as laid out many years ago was for the army to assume the utility role whilst the RMAF focussed in SF insertion and SAR/CSAR. The problem is even if cash was made available there is no way the army will be able absorb more than a squadron’s worth: simply doesn’t have the resources.
Azlan
Sf insertion with another new squadron/new helicopters you mean? Or using the existing h225m?.or you are proposing scout/recon heli like md530g equivalent? All armed force Sf insertion or just RMAF sf the paskau,or the skuadron sayap tempur
I too love if RMAF can their own scout/recon/sf insertion squadron heli with maybe just 4-6 units cuz although H225m can do all that job they are just too valuable/overqualified to do the scout/recon jobs..
But if and only if cash are available for RMAF to spend on few utility heli,they can go for utility variant of h215m or blackhawk just to support transport roles in times for about mybe 4-6 units..assuming the main transport role will be transfered to PUTD
@Firdaus
We don’t have the luxury to replicate functions for each of the services with chopper fleet. Certain operational functions will have to be dependent on the branch with the appropriate type of chopper and ultimately they’d have to learn to work and interoperate with each other, ie Special forces insertions at EEZ territory via TUDM Caracals with gunship support from PUTD Little Birds and TLDM Fennecs providing surveillance & reconnaissance.
Firdaus,
The plan was to have a medium size utility fleet to perform SAR/CSAR and SF insertion. SF insertion not only for PASKAU but also to support any unit from any other service.
Prior to Cougar there was actually a plan to get SAR/CSAR configured NH-90s.
Firdaus
Yes, the RMAF has its own utility lift needs even if it gets out of the army support role. At present it has the Cougars to handle them.
For all the talk of the RMAF taking on the SOF insertion role with the Cougars, the Cougars are not SOF platforms per se. While SOF helicopter specs vary, the Cougars are more or less what you would expect from utility helicopters in this day and age, and in some senses fall short of this standard.
“Prior to Cougar there was actually a plan to get SAR/CSAR configured NH-90s.”
Fat lot of good it would have done. I am glad it did not come to pass.
So simply put let 12 RMAF EC725 do all the job be it sar/csar/transport/insertion..Surely it can but is it wise though..
Surely we are not that broke to afford another squadron of transport helicopter…doesnt need the fancy one at that like aw139,h215m..
Enlighten me on this rotary wing roles : rmaf ( sar/csar + utility ) ,putd ( combat + utility ), naval aviation ( naval combat + utility )..is this correct?
@Firdaus
TUDM needs at least a squadron of medium utility chopper to do the legwork as the Caracals are overspeced for workhorse job unless they need the higher loading capacity it brings.
Firdaus,
Simple.
RMAF – service specific stuff (utility, SF insertion, etc); as well other roles in support of other services/agencies such as SAR, mercy flights, etc. The Cougar may not be SOF configured per see (few helis anywhere actually are) but it has the hardware for the job and it’s not so much the platform or hardware but the key enablers – same with CSAR. The RMAF only has a requirement for another squadron of utility helis. It has no requirement for a scout or attack platform.
Same with the other 2 sister services with regards to roles; service specific stuff and other roles for whoever needs it. At the most the army can absorb a squadron’s worth of helis; not more due to infrastructure issues.
Firdaus,
The Cougars are not in anyway overspec. In this day and age a glass cockpit, FLIR and other stuff is considered essential; not a luxury. The intention is to get another squadron of platforms of roughly the same weight/size category – preferable Cougars.
The Caracals are overspecced if one only needs a medium chopper to haul 5,500lb carrying loads.
Im not saying the cougars are overspec..they are excellent for their designated roles..its just we cant rely solely on them with just 12 units..What your proposal for rotary wings in the future for all service..as for me no less than 20 to 24 units new utility helicopters
@Joe..that exactly what i mean..RMAF cant rely on the cougars to do all the hard work,they need at least a squadron worth of transport utility helos..Just the top brass need to decide whose to prioritise now between TUDM and PUTD..The Navy already ordered their first 3 MUH..considered partly solve for them..what are your take on putd’s requirement may i ask
Or let TUDM do all transport roles including sar/csar and PUTD focusing on combat element including recon/scout/fire support..
Firdaus – “Im not saying the cougars are overspec”
Good because they are not. Like everything else they are a compromise. We simply can’t have different platforms to cater for every operational contingency.
At times they will be used to full capacity; at times they won’t.
Hope it will replace all the fennecs in the future. Despite the military specs on board, the fennec kinda suits the police or an internal security agency better rather than the military in terms of it’s appearance and size too
True but fennec can be reconfigure as trainer helo for rmn air wing personel or maybe as the back up..