PETALING JAYA: No one at Kementah will say the MRCA tender is on but from the Press release below Boeing is confirming that it is on!
“Boeing is on contract to deliver 24 two-seat F/A-18F Super Hornets to the Royal Australian Air Force. The Super Hornet also is a competitor in ongoing fighter competitions in Brazil, India, Malaysia and Japan.”
The confirmation is interesting as there is no new announcement had been made on DSCA on a Super Hornet buy from Malaysia, does that mean that they will be relying on 2002 announcement? That was for 18 aircraft of Block 1 (USD1.5 billion) and not the Block II, the current version with the AESA radar. The Australian Hornet purchase of 24 Hornets with the AESA radar and other black boxes, cost US$3.1 billion (the whole deal with ordnance, training and basing) cost up to US$6 billion.
–Malaysian Defence
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Interestingly, today I read in one of the nation mainstream newspaper, it is stated that the RMN is studying the need for hovercraft.
AFAIK it is just a generalize description saying they are having or had a chance in doing business with the country involved. Take an example Japan on the list. F-35 is the prim, F-2 will be upgraded for new and existing airframe.
The RMN Chief has confirmed that NGV Tech will build the 2 training ships which nobody seems to know much about. He also said they will be completed in 2 years!
Has everyone seen these?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FeXS62QjTvI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aXZ5mweZjP0
All eyes on LIMA 2011! Bet the Super Bug will be there this year. But i doubt that a contract will be signed. The rumors could just be stunts to attract big name exhibitors to the island.
I am more interested in the SGPVs and the AV8 revelations on their models, weapons and EW suites that should be revealed more in LIMA 2011. I hope there will be no delays on those two...
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With Boeing confirmation, its no longer a rumour. Whether or not we are seriously considering other alternatives than the Super Bug is the billion dollar question.The flight line at Lima will be the judge....
Has a tender really been - RFI - issued by MINDEF? Or is Boeing just saying that it is in competition with other companies for a requirement for MRCA, which technically does exist, even though a ROI or RFP hasn't been issued.
Marhalim,have you heard anything about the 2 75 metre training vessels for the RMN?
CAE Electronics, the same people who developed the Fulcrum simulator, has teamed up with a Malaysian company, to develop a simulator for the RMAF's C-130H's. Wonder if the RMAF has actually issued a requirement? Marshall aerospace has also pitched a bid to upgrade the C-130H's.
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The official word from Boeing: "We continue to engage in dialog with the government of Malaysia about the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet as it relates to Malaysia's Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MRCA) requirement. Please contact the RMAF regarding specific acquisition requirements or numbers involved. Since it is still in the competitive phase, it is premature for Congressional notification."
My sources are saying that the MRCA programme is already in the RFQ stage. Thats why I wrote recently about the numbers. The RFQ is for one squadron, 12 (24?) plane plus another squadron. The smart money is saying that 12 planes is the limit they can finance for RMK10 and the next one in RMK10.
The British I am told that knowing that their plane is way too expensive, will proposed 12 Tranche 1 (ex-RAF) and 12 brand new Tranche 3. The Tranche 1 will probably be given cheap as it is not an MRCA but a dog fighter. Since RMAF wants MRCA, the Brits will be hard pressed to give us a good deal for the Tranche 1.
Once they figure out the prices, they can issue a tender already, yes I know its terbalik but its our way to get the budget first. It will be a waste of time to issue the tender when the budget is not available.
Apparently they want to select the MRCA before the Fulcrum is retired by 2014 ( or earlier).
It goes the same for the simulator programme you are mentioned. If one knows the wish list one can put in a proposal and if its square with the budget, they will issue a tender for it. Yes, the one who first broached the subject will have an advantage but it does not meant that it will get the job....
I have no information on the training ships.
if any of u try to surf NGV Tech website(the company who claim secure 2 units 75 metre training vessels for the RMN) personally i dont think they are serious about doing business. not even 1 word mentions about that training vessels, in fact their website was outdated. the last news in their post was early 2008 about paklah officiated NGV Tech's shipyard in Sijangkang ( to me more to kiss ass news). Products folder got nothing inside and track records only till 2006
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Most of their products are sold overseas for Coast Guard forces. A lot of people however are convinced they are good for their word, three PMs had been to their Sinjangkang base. They also got an MOU with a Korean firm to purchase a ship-yard and also the Bagan Datoh yard. I am guessing that the training boats are bridging contracts before the MRSS as they had been rumoured to be the preferred local contractor for the project. Yes their website had not been updated
assuming all in all, the proposed 24 SH will cost say USD 3 billion and will only be received say by 2015 earliest, might as well we wait for the JSF post 2020 or even the russian pak 50. I bet for 24 new MRCA of the two mentioned version it gonna cost us maybe 20%-30% more but we have a relative new design, enhanced capabilities and more stealthy.
In the meantime it would cost at least USd15 million to upgrade the 10 mig 29 to SMT standard and last till 2020 and another USd5 million a piece per year to maintain them. That would entail an expenditure of around US$650 million till 2020.
just saying, might as well wait for the JSF if that is the case as the offer for SH or others seems to be as expensive as the JSF and partially upgrade the mig to last till 2020.
Apart from the spratlys tension with china, what other potential conflict that we have that the existing airforce inventory cant handle now? We should spend more on quality training, proper maintenance, more surveilance assets and transport assets especially heli
Kamal, the RMAF does not want anymore ''Made In Russia''......
And who's to say that the PAK programme will not be delayed by years and be plagued by cost overruns? There has been frequents calls here to but the PAK but I can't understand how anyone can propose buying something that has not completed development, and we don't know what it will cost.
With the JSF, even assuming we can afford it and wait for it, priority will be given to nations that are part of the programme. We will be the last in line. Besides, apart from being more stealthy and more advanced in many areas than the Super Hornet, how much of a better aircraft is the JSF over the Super Hornet? For that matter, despite it being a 4th gen aircraft and more stealthy, how much better overall is the Typhoon over the SH Block 2?
Might as well go for the SH Block 3,that has super cruise ability with the GE414 engine that will be enhanced and improved. More thrust, increase in acceleration, less fuel consume and comes with the CFT for longer range. Another plus point will be the ease of conversion from the current F-18D pilot to SH. RMAF could be the first export customer for the SH Block 3.
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Yes, most probably we will be getting the International version of the SH.