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Scaneagles in KK

The Unmanned Aerial Vehicle ScanEagle is launched from the flight deck of the Afloat Forward Staging Base (Interim) USS Ponce . US Navy

SHAH ALAM: Scaneagles in KK. RMN took formal delivery of six Scaneagles UAV from the United States late yesterday. The delivery took place in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah. The Scaneagles including its associated equipment were transported on an Antonov Airlines An-124 airlifter to the Kota Kinabalu International Airport.

The arrival of the Scaneagles were announced by the US Embassy in KL on its social media channels.

Crates of the Scaneagles. US Embassy KL.

As you are aware that the Scaneagles were gifted by the US, with another six expected in 2022. From Malaysian Defence post in June, 2019.

The container carrying the drones likely at a warehouse facility at Sepanggar naval base. US Embassy KL

A dozen Scaneagle drones for Malaysia. It appears that Malaysia is getting more Insitu Scaneagle drones for ISR missions. Late last year it was announced that RMN is getting two ScanEagle drone system from the US under Pentagon Maritime Security Initiative. A typical ScanEagle drone system usually has a command launcher unit and three drone airframes, so a two system meant six air frames.

On May 31, the Pentagon announced that Malaysia is getting 12 Scaneagles (four systems). I was told that Malaysia was originally offered six drones with an option for another six. I was told that we had exercised the option so we are getting 12 drones. It is likely the extra ScanEagles were bought for Malaysia under Pentagon’s other security cooperation funds instead of just from the MSI.

The Scaneagleas UAVs in their crates inside the Antonov airlifter. US Embasssy KL

Apart from Malaysia, three other SEA countries are also getting the same drones, namely Indonesia, Vietnam and the Philippines.
RMN has said that the Scaneagles will be based at its Sepanggar naval base though the drones are expected to be deployed around the country, from its ships and also from land bases.

— Malaysian Defence

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Marhalim Abas: Shah Alam

View Comments (30)

  • Good news. Hope more new asset will be buy and come. May our new government have a political will to invest more on military.

  • Great news.

    The scaneagle system needs quite a space on board ships. If say a gowind is carrying the scaneagle system, i dont think the hangar could take a helicopter too. Why something bigger like the Type 31 would be ideal complement to thr gowinds to deploy unmanned systems like UAV and USV.

    Anyway we have been operating scaneagles in ESSCOM right? So how many systems we had before this donation?

    Reply
    The ESSCOM ScanEagles contract had expired at least two three years ago after all of them were lost in crashes

  • @ marhalim

    A reason why we need to consider about the high attrition rate when we operate UAVs.

    @ melayu ketinggan

    Of course. Also with MALE UAVs

  • @ marhalim

    If that is not possible, a photo op of the MKM with Kh-31 flying over West Capella should be okay right?

    We should show that tudm is also there for our oil and gas personnels risking their lives in the middle of the south china sea.

    Reply
    It's basically the same thing

  • Malaysian EEZ, malaysian defence assets, malaysian oil and gas exploration activity... and even pictures cannot be taken as to kowtow to china?

    China is acting like imperial japan 1941, and we know what happened to japan then.

  • Any reason why we didn't use Aerostat for esscom like the Thais did in southern Thailand?

    I know the acquisition cost is high but these thing could be put on the sky almost indefinitely

    Reply
    Because it is not yet a proven system. Even the Thais has not bought them. Only the Philippines and Singapore have aerostats at the moment and these were introduced within the last two years. We bought fixed coastal surveillance radars as these have been in service previously. The military are very conservative by nature and unless they are forced to do so they won't commit to a completely new equipment just like that.

  • @.....

    "China is acting like imperial japan 1941, and we know what happened to japan then."

    True. I find it quite ironic that they harped on Japan WW2 record while they are actually more or less doing the same thing . However, I am not sure whether the Americans will be willing to commit themselves to conflict in the SCS..if the worst do happen (God forbid) we may be alone.

  • Perhaps the RMN should consider adding another Bunga Mas size ship to the fleet. The CCG MO so far is either pelting other ships using water cannon or pushing other ships away. At least with Bunga Mas size they will think twice before pulling the same move....probably.