SABAH SECURITY : Allocation will be used to build initial infrastructure

LANGKAWI: THE government has approved an initial allocation of RM200 million for the Eastern Sabah Safety Zone (Ess-zone).Defence Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said yesterday the allocation would be used to build the initial infrastructure for Eastern Sabah Safety Command (Esscom) in the form of cabins and camps as well as immediate procurement of assets for all the agencies involved in Ess- zone." I expect after this (initial allocation),......

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Ministry seals RM4.27b Deftech deal

AWV 8x8 PRODUCTION: RM100m to expand Pekan and Nilai plants DRB-HICOM'S Defence Technologies Sdn Bhd (Deftech) has begun production for 257 units of 8x8 armoured wheeled vehicles (AWV) for the army, with delivery of the first batch in five years' time. Defence Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi yesterday said Deftech would develop, manufacture, supply and deliver 12 variants of the AWV over a span of 13 years through collaboration with......

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Lima third largest after Farnborough and Paris airshows

LANGKAWI: The Langkawi International Maritime and Air (LIMA) Exhibition 2013 is now recognised as the third biggest defence exposition in the world, said Defence Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi. He said LIMA 2013 was now ranked third after the Farnborough Air Show in the United Kingdom and the Paris Air Show at the Le Bourget Airport. He called on those, who had belittled LIMA by claiming that the exhibition was purportedly drawing......

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Taiwan vows to step up patrol in East China Sea

TAIPEI, Taiwan: Taiwan’s president has commissioned a new vessel to beef up patrol in a group of disputed islands in the East China Sea also claimed by China and Japan. President Ma Ying-jeou Ma on Saturday commissioned the 2,000-ton Xinbei cutter, which is equipped with machine guns and water cannons. The vessel will join a fleet of smaller ships to patrol the islands, known in China as Diaoyu and in Japan as Senkaku. On board the ship off......

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12 F-35 Lightning II For RSAF

Singapore is expected to announce within the coming days its plans to buy the first 12 of some 75 of the stealthy Lockheed Martin F-35B Lightning II fighter aircraft. It is expected to submit a “letter of request” soon for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, said two U.S. government officials who were not authorized to speak publicly on the matter.The B version is a STOVL variant similar to those destined for the United States Marine Corp (USMC). The......

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Sukhoi, Malaysia Sign $100 Mln Deal on Fighters' Maintenance

LANGKAWI (Malaysia), March 28 (RIA Novosti) – Russian aircraft maker Sukhoi and the Malaysian Defense Ministry have signed a $100-million contract for the technical maintenance of Malaysia’s fleet of Su-30MKM fighters, said a spokesman for the organizing committee of the LIMA-2013 aerospace exhibition. © RIA Novosti.Su-30 Multirole Fighter The contract covers technical maintenance as well as supplies of spare parts for 18 Russian Su-30MKM fighters......

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Need to buy new ships, aircraft

LIMA EXHIBITION: PM says govt has identified maritime and aerospace industries as key sectors to supportPrime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak (second from right), his deputy, Tan Sri Muhyidddin Yassin, and Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor at the 12th Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace exhibition in Langkawi. Pic by Effendy RashidLANGKAWI: THE Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace exhibition is poised to become a gateway for defence spending......

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France says Malaysia can build jets if it buys Rafale

France dangled Tuesday the possibility of manufacturing its Rafale fighter plane in Malaysia if the nation selected the aircraft as its new combat jet. "We are considering an assembly line in Malaysia," said Eric Trappier, chief executive of the Rafale's builder Dassault Aviation, in a telephone interview from the Langkawi air show in northern Malaysia.Malaysia is looking to buy 18 combat fighters to replace its ageing Russian Mig-29s, with......

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LIMA 2013: Some News On RMAF

The Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) would upgrade 30 of the RMAF’s existing Sikorsky S-61A-4 Nuri helicopter so that they could be used for combat support operation for another 12 years.  The upgrade works on these helicopters, reportedly worth RM 500 million would involved the installation of digital display system, advanced gear box as well as rotor blade. Works will be done by a local aerospace company.The RMAF Mikoyan-Gurevich Mig-29N/NUB......

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LIMA 2013: DRB-HICOM Ink MoU With SAAB

DRB-HICOM signed an MoU with SAAB AB which outline an industrial cooperation to look into areas of technology and expertise transfer to Malaysia.  Saab is offering Erieye system to fill in RMAF AEW&C requirementThe MoU broadens and deepens the existing relationship between the companies which has already signed an Industrial Cooperation Teaming Agreement at LIMA 2011 to collaborate on AEW&C system. Through the MoU, both parties have......

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LIMA 2013:Defence companies told to make Malaysia partner

LANGKAWI: Countries and players of the defence industry are asked to make Malaysia and other Asean countries as partners and not merely as consumer countries in the purchase of military assets.  Defence Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said this was important to prevent Malaysia and countries in the region from being left behind in the modernisation of arms and military technology. "As such I have always informed defence companies......

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LIMA 2013:Ahmad Zahid: Malaysia not getting Gripen jets on lease

LANGKAWI: Defence Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has rubbished a report that Malaysia plans to boost air power by getting Gripen fighter jets on lease. "I want to emphasise that the report is not true as Malaysia is only interested in buying defence assets," he told a press conference at Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace (LIMA) Exhibition here today. An international defence magazine published in March reported that Malaysia......

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Zahid: We need to replace outdated equipment

LANGKAWI: Many crucial government procurements are expected to be sealed at the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace exhibition to beef up security, especially for the newly-established East Malaysia Safe Zone (Esszone). Defence Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said several memorandums of understanding and agreements were expected to be announced on Thursday at the Mahsuri International Exhibition Centre in Padang Mat Sirat. "In......

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'Govt to boost military's capability'

PUTRAJAYA: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said the government was prepared to approve an additional allocation to boost the capability of the armed forces. Following the incident in Lahad Datu and Semporna recently, he said the government would carry out overall improvements in terms of its equipment, training, skills and intelligence. "If there is anything which we need to add, God-willing, the government is prepared to approve an additional......

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PUTD’s Future Plan

It is no secret that the Malaysian Army Aviation Unit or better known as the Pasukan Udara Tentera Darat (PUTD) has the intention to procure transport and attack helicopters just like any other Army Aviation unit in the region. As has been disclosed by the Chief of the Armed Forces, several Nuri helicopter could be operated by the Army once the RMAF receives the full strength of the still on going deliveries of EC-725 Super Cougar CSAR helicopter.......

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Airbus’ A400M Aerial Transport: Delays and Development

The UK Ministry of Defence signs an 18-year, GBP 226 million ($340 million) contract with Airbus Military and Thales UK to supply RAF A400M training services. The contract is technically with the A400M Training Services Ltd. joint venture between those 2 firms.  The contract will design, build, and manage the A400M Atlas Training School for aircrew and ground crews at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire, including the full flight simulators......

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The Rise of Teguh Samudera

RMN’s second training ship, the Teguh Samudera (Firm Ocean) was recently launched by Tun Dr Siti Hasmah Mohd Ali, the wife of former Prime Minister, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad at NGV Tech shipyard in Sijangkang, Banting, Selangor on February 27. This was the second launch for RMN’s latest Samudera class training ships after Gagah Samudera (Mighty Ocean), the lead ship was launched by the Datin Seri Rosmah Mansur, the wife of the current Prime Minister,......

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AV8, AV8, Where Art Thou?

SHAH ALAM: Regular commenter Yinchet sent this comment late yesterday : “Seem like Av8 prototype will be dsiplayed at the Army’s 80th anniversary celebrations.One of the two sealed pattern configuration pictured most probably at Port DicksonYes, the picture above is one of two Sealed Pattern Vehicles – the example abve is armed with the 25mm one man turret the same one fitted to the Adnan IFV – are in Malaysia for for end user trials. Ironically......

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MALAYSIA IS A COUNTRY SPLIT INTO TWO HALVES

Malaysia is a country split into two halves: Peninsular Malaysia and East Malaysia - which are separated by a large body of water, much of which is controlled by neighbouring countries. The Royal Malaysian Navy’s (RMN) shape and mission has been largely determined by this factor - along with the circumstance that Malaysia controls one half of the vital Straits of Malacca. This is reflected in the operational command organization of the RMN. The......

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TOR for F/A-50 'Golden Eagle' now being crafted

MANILA — The Philippines is now on track to operate again supersonic jet aircraft as the "term of reference" (TOR) for the F/A-50 "Golden Eagle" is now in the works. KAI F/A-50 Golden Eagle (photo : chosun) "Procurement for the F/A-50 will be on a government-to-government basis," the Department of National Defense (DND) observer stressed.He also said the go-ahead signal for the TOR only came last week.The order came from the Government Procurement......

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Chinese WZ-10 attack helicopter based on Kamov design

The Changhe Aircraft WZ-10 attack helicopter is based on a Russian design commissioned by the Chinese, Kamov's chief design engineer says. In 1995, Kamov developed a preliminary design in the 6t weight class under a contract with the Chinese government, says Sergey Mikheev, Kamov's chief design engineer, speaking at the Heli-Expo trade show in Las Vegas, Nevada. "Due to understandable reasons, this information was kept secret," he says. The......

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The dragon gets a bear hug

Russia is resuming the supply of advanced weapon platforms to China in a move that may have implications for India. At the end of last year, Russia concluded a framework agreement with China for the sale of four Amur-1650 diesel submarines. In January it signed another intergovernmental agreement for the supply of Russia’s latest Su-35 long-range fighter planes. If the deals go through, it will be for the first time in a decade that Russia......

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