SHAH ALAM: We got winners for pylon and digital pattern webbing tenders. IN May, Malaysian Defence posted about a tender for a local company to build and conduct tests on a pylon which RMAF dubbed the Pylon X1 – to fit the US-made BDU-59 Laser Guided Training Round (LGTR) on its Flanker fleet.
The full specifications as usual is not listed publicly but the one listed in the specifications called for the winning vendor for the design of the prototype pylon and its associated equipment as well as the simulation to conduct the release of the LGTR from the pylon. It is likely the company will work with the RMAF to produce more of the same pylons once the prototype is certified for use on the Flankers.
Upon checking the Eperolehan website yesterday, it can be revealed that the tender was won by Innopeak (M) Sdn Bhd, which according to its website:
a boutique precision engineering & manufacturing company who’s major customers are from multisector namely aerospace, oil & gas, defence, automotive and in near future rail. The company was incorporated in 1993 with focus on design & manufacture of precision tools & fixtures and providing one stop engineering solution
The company’s Letter of Award (LOA) and bid to manufacture the pylon was listed at RM99,000 while the other four services associated with the work costs RM12,000 each. It must be noted that the design and manufacture of the Pylon X1 is to be conducted together with RMAF Aerospace Engineering Service Centre or PUSPEKA. It is likely that the PUSPEKA lacked the manufacturing capability to produce the item hence the need for an outside contractor. Innopeak was the only company that bid for the contract.
A further checked on the Eperolehan website showed that Pakaian Kesuma Sdn Bhd was awarded a RM33 million contract to supply the Army with 49,431 “webbing digital equipment set complete” to be supplied within three years. It is likely that Pakaian Kesuma will be supplying around 10,000 digital pattern webbing annually, starting next year.
The RFB for the webbing was published last September. As reported previously the digital pattern webbing consists of a belt, shoulder harness and pouches for ammo, water and other personal items. The items could be used separately or in one ensemble, for operational or ceremonial duties.
— Malaysian Defence
View Comments (11)
So it's possible to fit US made weapons to Flankers then? No noise from Uncle Sam?
Nothing so far AFAIK. Now with the sanctions against Russia, I am guessing they will be more tolerant
Good, our Flanker already 'westernised' with France and Denel made stuff before. Lets give the Flanker more western. Our Flanker already success in droping US-made Paveway laser bomb before. Lets hope in the future the Flanker can use RMAF's Hornet ammunition also.
The webbing does not fit well over the shoulders...making the wearer looking ill fitted.
The ones worn by the 10 Paras Panglima and recon personnel look superb.
Being able to "launch" paveway on Flanker sounds more impressive than it is. It's likely that either the damocles pod or FO on the ground lasing the target and the flanker is only there for bomb truck role.
dundun - ''Being able to “launch” paveway on Flanker sounds more impressive than it is.''
Nothing ''impressive'' it's just a means to launch ordnance.
Rock - ''Lets give the Flanker more western.''
Rock - ''Lets hope in the future the Flanker can use RMAF’s Hornet ammunition also.''
Sounds great but if we want to integrate stuff that's need tying in to the FCS, radar or other avionics it will entail the need for OEMs to provide the needed object/source codes; i.e. would Raytheon be willing or able to help us integrate AMRAAM to Bars?
No...
There is always the Indian BVRAAM, which has already been done on the MKIs. That is one area which HAL is pursuing with their Tejas offer. It may still happen even without a deal with the Tejas, IMO. Of course there is also the Brahmos Block 2, which does not entail the modification of our Flankers as it is smaller
the Paveway thing is a big deal not due to the fact that we use Damocles but the fact that it still need to interface with the mission computer to program the PRF laser code to the bomb.
Its not a big deal really after they did the interface with the ACMI pod
From your description it sounds like it is an indigenous design and will be made locally, if I understand correctly. Or is it just another one of those 'take from another OEM rebadge' job?
Its design by RMAF PUSPEKA