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 that were delivered to Malaysia between 2007 and 2009 under a $900-million contract signed in 2003.

In addition to its 18 Su-30MKM Flanker fighters, Malaysia also has 16 MiG-29N Fulcrum fighters in its combat aircraft fleet.










source Ria Novosti

















The Su-30MKM is a multi-role Flanker based on the Su-30MKI model and features a customized avionics package built to Malaysian specifications. Su-family fighters constitute the bulk of Russia's arms exports.

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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 the Eurofighter, Boeing's F-18 and Saab's Gripen also in the running.

The multi-role Rafale, which entered service in the French military in 2001, can carry out air-ground or air-sea attacks, reconnaissance, aerial interception or nuclear strike missions.

France is keen to make its first foreign sale of the Rafale, which has struggled to find buyers, to support a project that has cost tens of billions of euros.

India has selected the Rafale, with most of the 126 fighter jets they plan to buy expected to be built there if the final contract is signed this year as hoped.

Malaysia is keen for its local companies to be involved in the manufacturing, and Trappier said that Dassault has spent considerable effort in lining up local suppliers should the Rafale be selected.

Dassault has already signed deals with Malaysian companies CTRM, Zetro Aerospace and Sapura, he noted.

Two Rafales were at the Langkawi air show to provide demonstration flights.

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DASSAULT AVIATION

BAE SYSTEMS

EADS - EUROPEAN AERONAUTIC DEFENCE AND SPACE COMPANY

FINMECCANICA

BOEING

SAAB AB

source Global Post

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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 will get 24 to 32 Swedish-made Gripen aircraft on lease.

Gripen multi-role combat aircraft (MRCA) is currently used by the air force of Sweden, South Africa, Hungary, Czech Republic and Thailand.

Ahmad Zahid said as the buyer, Malaysia has the right to decide the best aircraft for the country and not decided by the defence industry company.

On the upgrading of Nuri helicopter, he said several of the American made Sirkosky would be used by the army.

Asked by reporters whether Nuri would be sold to third countries, Ahmad Zahid did not dismiss the possibility once upgrading was completed.

"Several Nuri may be sold to third countries and the proceeds used to buy more sophisticated assets," he added. - BERNAMA

Read more at News Straits Times

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