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Small Arms Ammo For Armed Forces

BKOP operators with HK 9mm sub-machine guns as pictured in 2019. Hishammuddin Hussein

SHAH ALAM: The Defence Logistics Division of the Armed Forces have issued a slew of quotation notices for the supply of small arms ammunition from live and blank 5.56 rounds; 9mm; 308; 338 and 12.7mm calibres as well as stun grenades for itself, training academy (ALK) and its Special Forces Division (BKOP).

The twenty-seven separate quotation notices were published today (April 24) and closes on May 1, a period of just six days. Only companies able to supply the ammunition in the time-period specified by notices will be able eligible to bid for them.

The then Defence Minister with BKOP operators during a demonstration in 2019. Hishammuddin Hussein.

The most notices are for live 5.56mm M193 ammunition, some three million rounds plus change for the Armed Forces headquarters. Another 210,000 rounds of blank 5.56mm ammunition are also being sought for the ALK and BKOP.
NSOF personnel conducting a Hostage Rescue demonstration at the launch of the unit in Oct 27. 2016. NSOF was disbanded in late 2018/2019. A new SF unit, Bahagian Khas Operasi Pertahanan, was launched in 2019 to replace it. Malaysian Defence picture.

BKOP is also seeking to buy 230,000 rounds of 9mm 65 grain frangible rounds; 4,000 rounds of .308 match sniper rounds and 4,000 rounds of .338 match sniper rounds. The division is also seeking to buy 1,500 of 12.7mm calibre rounds and 2,550 stun grenades.
Two operators from BKOP/Special Operations Division, one from Paskal and the other from GGK, based on their berets and uniforms. Note the guns carried. Both are the M4 carbines with upper receivers fitted with picatinny rail and with accessories. Both are using Magpul PMAG 30 round magazine. MAF HQ.

The bid for the 12.7mm rounds revealed that the division also operate an unknown number of assault vehicles equipped with M2 Browning machine guns or the Barret M107 anti-materiel guns as their primary weapons. The sniper and frangible 9mm rounds as well as the stun-grenades also revealed that BKOP has a hostage rescue team (HRT). Of course, this unit is a smaller one that the one envisaged by NSOF in the past.
GGK SOV Vamtac during a demonstration held during the visit of the current PTD to Kem Iskandar on Nov 4, 2020. BTDM picture

It is likely that the 5.56mm ammunition will also make its way to the three services, RMN, RMAF and the Army as well as the BKOP. The Army itself bought its own 5.56mm ammo in the recent past.

— Malaysian Defence

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Marhalim Abas: Shah Alam

View Comments (7)

  • How does the M4 upgrade programme going? The pic of GGK and Paskal operator M4 looks good. Can we expect the same M4s for the rest of the ATM?

    • Only the operators and paras are getting their M4s fitted with rail so can put various. Regular Army standard rifle, AFAIK

  • Jaq - ''I\’m guessing that the 12.7mm rounds is for the anti-material rifles…''

    The sky's the limit if we want to assume anything based on information which's not available. It can be match grade ammo forth Barretts or a variety of ammo types for HMGs. It can also be both.

  • SO I'm a bit confused who can procure ammo?

    If assume a one third of each service gets the ammo, that means TDM will get 1million 5.56mm on top of the 12.5million in the earlier buy so why not amalgamate this newer requirement into the earlier buy to get better volume pricing? If this was a additional need, it is too still much to be an afterthought so I question the necessity.

    Does it goes to a central procurement agency to vet out unnecessary purchase or is it yet another case of TDM's left hand don't know what the right hand doing?

    • All the services can buy small arms ammo directly and they do. This order came from Bahagian Logistik Pertahanan, which is the central logistic depot of the Armed Forces. This is kept as reserves and issued out on need-to-need basis. the air force for example, do not need that many small arms ammo so for them, it is better for them to requisition them from the depot when they need them. Paskau order their ammo directly via tender or quotation notices though as does Paskal.

  • Then its a logistical nightmare where one could get ammo supply from various agencies and then tracking & FIFO consumption of ammo due to it have expiry dates is a challenge for both their respective armouries and the Logistik Pertahanan. I dunno, maybe they have a central supply system that could track the various ammos within their storage and issued out accordingly. But if they don't there is a lot of wastage when ammo goes out of date in their storage.