Simulator Deal For FA-50M

A model of the RMAF FA-50M Block 20 at LIMA 2023. Note the Cobham refueling probe, Sniper targeting pod and precision guided weapons. Malaysian Defence picture

SHAH ALAM: Local simulation company Ikramatic Systems Sdn Bhd has signed the second phase agreement under the Industrial Collaboration Programme (ICP) with Korean Aerospace Industries to provide FA-50M simulators for RMAF.

The signing between Ikramatic and KAI was conducted in South Korea yesterday witnessed by Defence Minister DS Khaled Nordin.

Ikramatic executive director Syed Mohamad Ikram was quoted by Bernama as saying under the agreement the two companies will develop and deliver two flight devices – the full flight simulator and the operational flight trainer. Ikramatic is the local developer of the PC-7 simulator and also the EW for the RMAF.

Khaled (centre) at the signing of the simulator ICP deal. DS Khaled Nordin.

Both devices are expected to be operational by 2026. The ICP is part of the procurement of the 18 FA-50Ms light combat trainer for the RMAF. This is the first ICP to be made public, so it is unclear whether the deal to develop a regional MRO for the FA-50s will be signed.

It must be noted that KAI provided a FA-50PH flight simulator facility to the Philippine Air Force in 2019 under a US$7.8 million contract (RM33 million).

Khaled inside a FA-50 cockpit when he visited the KAI factory yesterday.

It is likely that the FA-50 simulators will be based at the Kuantan airbase replacing the MB-339 simulator as the plan is to have the training squadron there. RMAF fast jet squadrons are all equipped with simulators which are maintained by different companies.

Meanwhile, Khaled said the first batch of FA-50s are expected to be delivered by 2026.

— Malaysian Defence

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20 Comments

  1. Mindef also sign MOU with South Korea about defence procurement in the future will be G to G only. Do you think that will be true or just talks only?

  2. Financially speaking I assume RMAF interest in MERAD is because NASAM shoot amraam and sidewinder. Thus reducing their overall CAPEX and OPEX.

    If its not NASAM. Then they would be better off financially to just let GAPU do it. As it’s a huge waste of their CAPEX and OPEX following TDM around doing GAPU jobs without any benefits to themselves.

  3. >nasam

    tell me how much exactly AMRAAM missile that we have in our own stocks (and not guam or hawaii or whatever). 20? 30?

    Do we have enough AMRAAM missile to spare for both NASAM and our Hornet/FA-50?

  4. irregardless (if that’s even a word), I’d rather have MRSAM with it’s own missile that didn’t share with our already meager AMRAAM stocks. problems with acquiring US missile isn’t that we cannot afford them but all procurement goes to the convoluted process of going to the Congress and even then when the procurement is greenlit they will inevitably hold them hostage in guam like alway

    With KMSAM or VL-Mica at the very least we own the missile outright and it’s stored in our own soil.

  5. We should have bundled the purchase of the atgm, short range SAM and medium range SAM to LIG Next1…and nego for a good price

  6. Are there plans to have more AA artillery or all VSHORAD will be missile based? Looking at Ukraine, AA arty still have a big role due to suicide drones. If we can get something like pantsir or similar will be good. No need to be mounted on AFV, lorry based good enough.

  7. AFAIK, the gun-based artillery will remain the same and the new procurement of VSHORADs are replacements for all those stuffs we bought 20 years ago. Personally, I prefer using the MOOG RWS set up for air defence based on the Gempita either 6X6 or 8X8 or JLTV.

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