SHAH ALAM: Thales Fulmar X is set to make its debut at LIMA 2017, to be held in Langkawi from March 21 to 25. Six of the mini-UAV are contracted for service with the MMEA new generation patrol craft.
Thales, in December delivered one Fulmar X mini-UAV to Destini Bhd, the builder of the NGPC. According to Thales, six more Fulmar is expected to be delivered later this year for use with the NGPC.
The sole Fulmar X in-country is currently being used to certify the mini-UAV on the first NGPC currently undergoing sea trials. Destini Bhd is also using the mini-UAV to train MMEA sailors selected to be its operators.
It is unclear however whether the mini-UAV will performed demonstration flights during LIMA 2017. If it does it will likely be conducted at the maritime segment of the show which will be held at Porto Malai jetty, the venue since 1997. If did not, however, other demonstrations have been scheduled at the maritime segment as in previous years. The maritime display will be open for the public from March 22.
Among the foreign navy ships slated to take part in LIMA 2017 include Italian Navy FREMM frigate, ITS Carabiniere. The ship is on a four-month deployment to the Asia-Pacific region. It is currently in Australia to showcase its capabilities as the frigate is among the candidates in Australia’s SEA 5000 Future Frigate programme.
Another ship scheduled to participate is BNS Prottoy, a Type 056 stealth missile corvette of the Bangladesh Navy. It will be interesting to see up close one of the designs offered for the Royal Malaysian Navy but not taken up.
The Indonesian Navy is also slated to take part in LIMA. However, the ship or ships have yet to be confirmed. With the current push for the MRSS, one will not be surprised if one of the Makassar class vessels turned up at Langkawi.
As usual, RMN and MMEA vessels will be the biggest contingent at LIMA. MMEA is also likely to debut its newest ship, KM Pekan. The first NGPC is also likely to be at the show and there is even talk that it will be commission there.
— Malaysian Defence
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Seems that the maritime segment will steal the limelight in this LIMA 2017 edition.
Off Topic:
Transiting Kuching International Airport, saw 3 Nuri at TUDM Kuching with all props remove. Park at open hanger where A400 is usually park.
Any guesses?
Wondering how many operation Nuri are there now in Kuching?
Did see any except for one park outside their Main hanger.
A possibility is that the rotor blades are being changed; this is usually done at squadron level. The calibration process involves a mop :]
Maybe they are transporting the Nuri back to Semenanjung for the Nuri upgrade.
Mop like the one we have at home? Wonder how it got to do with calibrating rotor blades. Is it; You hold it up under the rotating rotor, if the mop goes up then rotor is out of sync?