PETALING JAYA: The story below is self-explanatory. I am quite sure the good Lt Col had spoken to his bosses before making the suggestion that the off-set for the Cougars include a cash injection for the new aerospace centre (or what ever he said) .
Yet, again the Armed Forces requirement some how got entangled with political aspirations.
Why could”nt the Government simply plonk the RM40 million of its own money to get the new aerospace centre up and running?
And pray tell, what will happened to the result of the R&D when we have no local aerospace industry to speak in the first place? Furthermore, dont we have an R&D grant for this kind of purpose anyway? Isnt it right, Raja?
Or maybe it so hard to get grants for our defence needs that we need to get it from somewhere else?
I would rather fore-go the traditional off-set route for long term support and maintenance deal for the Cougars instead of this …..
Otherwise, as my Sager like to say “The Offset… its off!
New aerospace institute to tap foreign partners
December 01, 2010
KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 1 — The government will look to foreign partners to help fund the new Aerostructure Manufacturing Innovation Center (Amic) including Eads, Rolls Royce and Spirit Aerosystems the head of the Malaysian Aerospace council said today.
The government will match the funds contributed by the private sector and is looking to raise about RM40 million in total, of which RM20 million will come from private sources, said Lieutenant-colonel Ir Kamarulzaman Zainal, who heads the aerospace council.
Kamarulzaman, who is also the programme director for countertrade and offset services, said that the funds could possibly come from the offset from the purchase of new helicopters from Eads to replace the old Nuris.
He added that universities will be invited to bid to host the new centre but no new building will be built as the funds would go for research and development.
“We don’t need a new brick and mortar building,” he said in a press conference today.
Amic is expected to focus on a new aerostructure design, and research on new manufacturing processes and materials.
US based Spirit Aerosystems has its Asian hub at Kuala Lumpur’s old Subang Airport and does manufacturing and design work for components of the Airbus A320 and new A350 XWB.
Eads (European Aeronautic Defence and Space company) makes both civilian and military aircraft and is the parent company of Airbus.
–Malaysian Defence
I agree with Marhalim whatever offsets that are available from the Cougar purchase should be channeled towards building the infrastructures required to maintain the new aircraft.I think we overlooked this requirement in the Scorpene submarine project, where now we have to invest lot of money to put in the infrastructures for the maintenance of the submarine.But the government must give other players a chance to participate in the Cougar MRO business.
“Why could”nt the Government simply plonk the RM40 million of its own money to get the new aerospace centre up and running?”
Because you need partners with the talent, exposure and track record – in other words, systems and processes. Simply giving money to local PHDs alone does not produce the necessary ‘end product’. See link below on EU & SG R&D Coop structure: http://ec.europa.eu/research/iscp/pdf/singapore_eu_en.pdf
Marhalim: Thats the hope but in practice? I am perhaps too cynical based on past experience. I remember that BAE Systems was deeply involved in the SME Aerotiga project as part of the offset for the Hawks. They even got their aerospace engineers to work together with local engineers. Fast forward to 2010. The Aerotiga is now in storage and now we still talking about collaborating with international aerospace companies… get this to fast forward the local aerospace industry
Well, as always, Marhalim you did not understand how AE industry works. A good start, try to find out how CTRM turn thrmselves from a white elephant into a cash cow. And how did they involve in A400M subsequently lead to the \”you always think why not C130J\” decision. Key words: In AE world global supply chain doesnt only mean manufacturing.
Marhalim: Its wonderful to hear that CTRM in your words “a cash cow”. Can you provide a link to that or it is already in Wired? Anyhow, how does CTRM being a cash cow helps the Armed Forces?