SHAH ALAM: I guess that our dreams of exporting the AV8 to regional countries are only pipe dreams (see story below). I wonder if the Turkish will announced the cost of the deal if it is finalised (yes, I know there have been reports of Indonesia purchasing 8X8s from South Korea). One has to wonder also our proposal to sell license made M4s to Indonesia and Thailand as espoused by the Defence Minister recently. Here. Here
From Defense News
The land warfare sector accounts for Turkey’s largest defense export deal: a $600 million sale of 257 Pars eight-wheel-drive armored personnel carriers and combat vehicles from FNSS to Malaysia, signed in February. The vehicles will be co-produced with Malaysian partners.
FNSS is discussing another sale of the Pars to Indonesia. The company also is near a deal with the arms company Al Jaber in the United Arab Emirates, FNSS officials said. FNSS and Al Jaber are expected to jointly build the Pars vehicles in the emirates.
Building on the success of the Pars eight-wheel, FNSS has developed a six-wheeled version that it hopes to export. FNSS displayed the six-wheel Pars at IDEF.
–Malaysian Defence
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View Comments (19)
Thats great. Now the licensor has started to compete with the licensee even before one 8x8 is even produced in Malaysia.They wants to grab the largest share they can grab.But who can blame the Turks for doing so? When the going is good might as well grab as much as possible so that the overall cost of their own 8x8 can be parred to the cheapest. The M4 carbine? Singapore and Indonesia both have their own rifle production.No need for them to join venture or manufacture for us to compete with their own rifles. The Indonesian rifles-an own version of the FN 5.56 rifles has many varieties and they have no need for the M4. As for the Thais, why must they buy from us or goes into joint venture with us?.What advantage will the Indonesians and Thais gain ? Nothing
The Defence Minister's statement that Thailand and the Indonesia could buy our M-4s shows how far divorced is he from reality. Why on earth would anyone wish to buy M-4s or AV8s from us when they can buy the real thing direct from the original manufacturer? All this talk about exports is also mainly intended to convince the public that there can be some benefits from these deals.
Another brilliant idea from our honourable Mr Defence Minister. That is what you get when you put some politician in charge at Mindef.
The problem with him is that he wants to be seen as the guy who bridge the gap between the ASEAN countries, the guy who foster greater relationship, the guy who made Malaysia and indon walking together holding hands. Perhaps he wants to be seen as the asean version of EU Jean Monnet. If that is what he want, fine i dont care but he has to wait until there is someone who is less hawkish taking over the presidency in indonesia. Someone who is more rational and is not bloated with misplaced national pride.
Our defence minister is so far detached from reality. Have it ever occur to him what the people in those 2 countries think of his proposal? I hope he wont be in charge for too long. When does his term expire?
I am not in favour of us exporting a whole system. We should have tried to be part of the supply chain for the PARS, even it is just the rubber parts to begin with. Could have asked for more parts if we are competitive enough, for example climate control for tropical countries for the AV8 since we have expertise in air-conditioning. Be the best but not the biggest. The same thing with M4.
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The export option is just sandiwara
they trust PT PINDAD more then DEFTECH
even we give them 50% discount..
thailand => tavor
singapore => sar 21
indonesia => ss-2
does he propose that these countries dump their replacement programmes and buy M4s made in malaysia by SMEO?
additional to that..
myanmar - EMERK 3
vietnam - AK
cambodia - AK, type 56
pls dont take it serious about our defence minister, he is full of humor ... it just a joke. as a politician he also need publicity. i dont think he got any publicity on any national issues
Sure they will. Especially when the SMEO M4 is 2x the price of a Diemaco or Hartford gun. Colt uses vendors in the US with HUGE economies of scale supplying a domestic civilian AR market of nearly half a million black rifles a year. Forgings, small parts etc. as commodity items.
Here, we are going to have a headache just trying to deal with shit like 1/2x28 tpi threads.
Could only work with nice incentives, if the ASEAN nations agree on some kind of indirect barter trade. For example: If Malaysia buys Anoa vehicles from PT.Pindad, Indonesia buys some M4 rifles from SMEO... Or something like that. No way any ASEAN nation is going to buy hundreds of thousands of M4 Melayu as it's new standard rifle but maybe SMEO can sell a few hundred rifles this way...
david,
seriously, I doubt malaysia is willing to import strategic goods from its neighboring countries. and this is the key problem. As for as this talk about defence cooperation is concerned, its a one way street given the noise so far. its not going to fly if there is no intention at all to reciprocate.