Govt to look into compatibility of new fighter jets, says minister
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Minister of Defence, Mohamad Sabu, speaks at a press conference at Parliament on April 11, 2019 Picture by Miera Zulyana |
KLANG, Sept 8 — The proposal to replace the SU Russian fighter jets of the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) with the new version fighter jets depended on the financial position of the country.
Defence Minister Mohamad Sabu said the proposal is still at study stage, in fact the government will also look at its compatibility to replace the fighter jets.
“The defence assets of the country are already outdated and have to be replaced. Nonetheless, we will check its compatibility (to replace the existing fighter jets with the new version).
“This (move to purchase new fighter jets) depended on the financial situation of the country and negotiations (between Malaysia and Russia on the purchase),” he said at a media conference after flagging off 12,000 participants of the ‘Run For Peace 2019’ organised by Soka Gakkai Malaysia here today.
On Thursday, Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad was reported as saying that Malaysia was very cautious in spending too much to replace the two types of Russian-made jet fighters with its new version.
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he would probably adore these, wakakaka Banzai (Wan Sui - Dirgahayu) |
Unlike Mahathir, Mat Sabu is what we may call a 'nice bloke' - that's right, it therefore means Mahathir is NOT a nice bloke, wakakaka.
But nice or not, Mat Sabu obviously has two left feet when it comes to defence matters especially on technical stuff as a new fighter replacement for the TUDM. He said that he will check the proposed fighter's compatibility to replace the existing fighter jets.
Compatibility? What compatibility was he talking about?
No money, that's OK, but compatibility?
Mat Sabu was tokking kok. We have been operating MIG 29 and SU30MKM for aeons, so we know quite a bit on fighter aircraft especially Russian planes. There are more than one replacement options from the Russian stable (assuming we have the money) - eg. MIG-35, SU-35, SU-37, SU-57 etc.
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SU-35 |
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SU-57 |
Poor clueless Mat said “This (move to purchase new fighter jets) depended on the financial situation of the country and negotiations (between Malaysia and Russia on the purchase)” and that's OK. No one would question nor challenge that statement of his.
But compatibility? Sheesh!
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at last YES |
Wakakakaka…
ReplyDeleteWhy blamed mat sabu?
He is a politikus appointed to be the dm. No different from many similar political appointments done by other oversea govts in their cabinet formation via coalition horse trading!
U SHOULD target the REAL one who obviously has two left feet when it comes to defence matters especially on technical stuff as a new fighter replacement for the TUDM.
Didn't yr uncle tell u that that would be the purchasing advisory committee?
The ability to maintain logistical support in the long terms requires a careful planning.
For instance, Malaysian Armed Forces Headquarters is responsible in planning the logistic support such as service support, civil national support and international support for MAF operations.
Typically, Malaysia uses the National Defence Production Policy
(NDPP) developed in 1982 for the best direction of defence industrial planning.
Thus, don't u feel worry u have military personnel who either know NUTS about military hardware or they have ganged-up with the foreign manufacturer to cheat the blurred DM by GIVING open-ended excuses!
Lifespans of these expensive “toys” are typically 20-30 years, provided they are maintained properly. Planning and budgeting to replace our existing fighter jets should have started at least 10-15 years ago. But poor Mat Sabu inherited an air-force with jets that couldn’t fly but he simply doesn’t have the billions to spend on new jets in Year 1 of Harapan’s government.
ReplyDeleteNow who were the previous Defence Ministers who did not maintain our jets properly or plan and budget for their replacement?
Hishamuddin Hussein 2013-2018
Zahid Hamidi 2009-2013
Badawi 2008-2009
Jibby 1999-2008
In fact, the most significant Defence purchases of the BN government in the last 20 years were....Scorpene SUBMARINES, which were purchased by Jibby in 2002, delivered in 2008 and have hardly been heard of since.
The subs were useless in the search for MH370 (the excuse was the submarines were only good for search and destroy, not search and rescue), in the fight against pirates and kidnappers in Sabah waters, neither were they seen flying the Malaysian flag in the face of the Chinese Navy taking over the South China Seas. So what are the subs good for? Enriching some people?
Poor Mat Sabu is not Defence Minister material, LIEW Chin Tong is much better. Mat Sabu is a Tukang Masak, and he still thinks Scorpenes is a Heavy Metal band.
"We have been operating MIG 29 and SU30MKM for aeons, so we know quite a bit on fighter aircraft especially Russian planes."
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, based on my retired RMAF buddies stories, Malaysia's experience with the 2 Russian jets is not a happy one.
On paper, the Russian fighters should eat American jets for breakfast... but in practice, a jet that spends 80% of its time "under maintenance" is No Bloody Good for national defence.( the Air Force techies used a more colourful word)
By contrast , the Boeing FA/18s of about the same age are still going strong.
Maybe it's because Melayu technicians don't know how to maintain aircraft, but how come the huge difference in durability and readiness of the FA/18s ?
Ever heard of parts cannibalisation?
DeleteEver heard of those Malaysian bought US fighter planes mothballed in the Nevada desert?
Simple & quick - with the only prerequisite of having enough spare planes to be cannibalized.
No such 'luck' for those who tried their hands on maintaining the Russian fighter planes!
You have completely confused the aircraft types and timelines.
DeleteMalaysia bought obsolete Douglas Skyhawks in the early 1980's, and most of them never flew, used for spare parts.
The FA/18s were purchased from Boeing in the late 1990s, almost all of the planes are still in flying condition. No cannibalisation at work with the FA/18s
Right, u r correct!
DeleteMy bad in confusing the type of US fighters in TUDM.
There r only 8 Boeing F/A-18D Hornet fighters with over 20 yrs of service.
Ever heard about the jet engine explosion of one the hornet over in SCsea off Sabah?
This information gleaned from on-line sources
DeleteMIG 29 - 1 out of 16 in active service. 15 in "Reserve"
- that is bureaucratic doublespeak meaning they are incapable of being fueled up, turned on and fly.
F/A-18 D - about the same age - 7 out of 8 in active service.
MIG-29s bought in 1995 (almost a quarter of a century ago) by our national renown fighter expert without consulting the RMAF, not realising Russian planes require different set of maintenance equipment from hitherto Western aircraft - he really eff-ed the RMAF kaukau. Furthermore due to the RMAF unfamiliarity with Russian support system, the air force experienced serious problems in acquiring spares
DeleteThanks to Atuk Mr Know-all
The MIG 29 has an excellent reputation for high performance.
DeleteUS fighter pilots who got the opportunity to fly the jets in the German Air Force inventory inherited from East Germany , compared them to driving Porsches.
This is the first time anywhere in the world I have heard Prime Minister being held responsible for Air Force maintenance lapses.
as I wroet above - MIG-29s bought in 1995 (almost a quarter of a century ago) by our national renown fighter expert without consulting the RMAF, not realising Russian planes require different set of maintenance equipment from hitherto Western aircraft - he really eff-ed the RMAF kaukau.
Deletewhen a man put th4 RMAF in dire circumstances vis-a-vis aircraft maintenance, wasn't he responsible?