Bye bye to the RMAF MIG29N

[Alan B. 5]

KUALA LUMPUR: The Royal Malaysian Air Force’s (RMAF) MiG-29fighter jets will be gradually phased out and replaced by newinterceptor aircraft by Dec 31 2010 due to rising operational andmaintenance costs, Defence Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidisaid.

 

He said replacement aircraft was needed due to increasingmaintenence costs and that the MiG-29s were nearing their lifespanlimit of 10 years. Two such aircraft had also crashed in 1998 and 2005.

 

Zahid said only 10 MiG-29s will be used for airspace defence and this will be reduced to six aircraft until December next year.

 

“TheGovernment will save RM260mil per year in maintenance costs and thesesavings will be used to maintain other types of aircraft in the RMAFinventory,” he told Datuk Abd Rahman Dahlan (BN-Kota Belud).

 

Abd Rahman also asked why Malaysia had bought the MiG-29s.

 

“Malaysiabought the MiG-29s at a relatively low price, but later on the RMAF hadto contend with higher expenses in spare parts replacement andmaintenence work,” he added.

 

Zahid replied that when Malaysiabought 18 MiG-29 aircraft in 1993, the jet was considered the mostcapable and versatile fighter aircraft that could be obtained at thetime.

 

He also said that each MiG-29 needed to undergo preventiveand restoration work which cost RM10mil and RM7mil for engine overhaulevery year after it completes a flight time of between 1,000 hours and4,000 hours.

 

“The MiG-29s will be replaced by 18 Russian-made Sukhoi SU30MKM fighter jets which the Government had just acquired,” he added.

 

Later,at the Parliament lobby, Zahid the cost to maintain the MiGs was toohigh because the jets also needed to be sent to Russia for overhaulwork.

 

Zahid said many countries have also moved towards obtaining fighter jets with multi-role combat capabilities.

 

“Weare assessing whether to get the new jets from the United States,France, Sweden or Britain. The purchase will also depend on thecountry’s economic recovery,” he added.

 

[iwan 3]

britain?we're not interested in the eurofighters are we?

[Waiping 12]

Of course this will cost more money, and a few will get rich.

[Tamizi Hj Tamby 1]

Hmmm,If RMAF is assessing the US,Sweedish and British made jets, it could be this (from my view):

 

US-F/A-18E/F Super Hornet

Sweden-SAAB JAS 39 Gripen

Britain-Eurofighter Typhoon

[Mohd Suhaimi Fariz 2]

Hmmm,If RMAF is assessing the US,Sweedish and British made jets, it could be this (from my view):

 

US-F/A-18E/F Super Hornet

Sweden-SAAB JAS 39 Gripen

Britain-Eurofighter Typhoon

 

I've heard that the US is offering the Super Hornet in exchange of the F/A-18Ds we have, although that news is not new. But are we guaranteed to get the latest tech on the Super Hornet? Or are the US trying to do another Apache pitch where they withheld something back (in the case of the Apache they didn't want to sell the Longbow radar that they sold to Singapore)

[Victor A. 2]

Hmmm,If RMAF is assessing the US,Sweedish and British made jets, it could be this (from my view):

 

US-F/A-18E/F Super Hornet

Sweden-SAAB JAS 39 Gripen

Britain-Eurofighter Typhoon

 

rumour has it that the main contender would be Saab JAS39 Gripen...

[Teoh Z Yao 0]

I think just phase out the MIG's and acquire nothing new... Any suspicios dots on the radar screen, the Hornets and existing Sukhois would do more than enough... Save money and prevent more successful get-rich scheme...

[Mohd Suhaimi Fariz 2]

I think just phase out the MIG's and acquire nothing new... Any suspicios dots on the radar screen, the Hornets and existing Sukhois would do more than enough... Save money and prevent more successful get-rich scheme...

 

We have only 8 Hornets and 18 Sukhois. Don't forget that sometimes it's not possible to have all jets on alert for operations since some of the aircraft would probably pulled for routine maintenance. It's not enough. Mind you, Singapore have 24 F-15S in an air superiority role, 22 F-16 as interceptors, 52 F-16 as strike aircraft, and 36 upgraded F-5S also as interceptors. And they're upgrading to the new F-35 soon. Our country's bigger than them but we're defending it with only 26 planes!

Edited October 28, 2009 by Mohd Suhaimi Fariz

[Teoh Z Yao 0]

We have only 8 Hornets and 18 Sukhois. Don't forget that sometimes it's not possible to have all jets on alert for operations since some of the aircraft would probably pulled for routine maintenance. It's not enough. Mind you, Singapore have 24 F-15S in an air superiority role, 22 F-16 as interceptors, 52 F-16 as strike aircraft, and 36 upgraded F-5S also as interceptors. And they're upgrading to the new F-35 soon. Our country's bigger than them but we're defending it with only 26 planes!

 

Hmmm... 26 is more than enough...

[KK Lee 5]

Mindef didn’t mentioned Russian means he is unhappy with them. Although Mindef may be unhappy with the Russian but the PM can over ride him, so I won’t rule out Russian. With current gomen foreign policy, the gomen is unlikely to purchase from the US or Britain.

 

At the end, which aircraft to buy has nothing to do with performance or cost but who has the strongest cable to the top.

 

[Fitri Shukri 0]

Sad news. I liked the MiG-29Ns. I heard understand our RMAF loved it too.

 

Too bad our defence planning is always short-sighted.

 

Maybe Malaysia should buy 3 FA18F + 2 Gripen + 4 Rafale + 3 EF2000 + 2 F35 + 5 Mig35 + 3 Mirage 2000 and call it "1Malaysia Air Force Squadron"

[mokhzani 0]

10 years? Does this make MIG the shortest operational a/c in TUDM's inventory?

 

Remember in 2004 when I "stumble" upon TUDM's Open Base day in Kuantan and the highlight of that day is the acrobatic show by 5 Migs. 4 formation and 1 solo. After witnessing that performance I wasn't particularly impressed with the Thunderbirds' performance.

 

BTW the 2 MIGs that went down, both were due to engine failure right?

[Fizree Helmi 0]

Of course this will cost more money, and a few will get rich.

 

It is better then TUDM upgrade those MIG-29N/UB. There is where "a few" will get rich. Rather spend to upgrade the MIG-29N/UB, it is better to get newer/ better a/c then those MIG-29N/UB...

 

10 years? Does this make MIG the shortest operational a/c in TUDM's inventory?

 

Remember in 2004 when I "stumble" upon TUDM's Open Base day in Kuantan and the highlight of that day is the acrobatic show by 5 Migs. 4 formation and 1 solo. After witnessing that performance I wasn't particularly impressed with the Thunderbirds' performance.

 

BTW the 2 MIGs that went down, both were due to engine failure right?

 

Yes mokhzani, MIG-29N/UB is the shortest operational a/c in TUDM's. Base on what I hear, this is due to MIG-29N/UB that RMAF acquired is an old version of the MIG-29 series (still using old materiel to build TUDM's MIG-29), but TUDM pilots fly it over the limit of the plane. The airframe of this MIG-29N/UB is not strong enough to withstand the "crazy" maneuvers made by RMAF pilots. That is why the Australian air force pilots call the TUDM pilots "skillful but crazy". You also have witness how those pilots maneuvers their a/c right? To be not impressed by the Thunderbirds' performance, those MIG pilots must have made some awesome maneuvers. Other thing is, the current avionic for this MIG-29N/UB is way to advance for the plane to handle coz they have been upgraded many times since 1999.

 

That is why TUDM should decommission those MIG-29N/UB rather then upgrade it(it would be waste of money to maintain this a/c just by upgrading them). With the 26 multi-role a/c(SU-30MkM and F/A-18D) that TUDM have in their inventory, I thing it is still not enough to defend the whole of Malaysia. TUDM's BAE Hawk 108 and 208 is out of the question coz it is specialized on short-range close air support and ground attack rather then on air defense. What TUDM really need is another interceptor/multi-role type of a/c(Eurofighter Typhoon, F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, Dassault Rafale, JAS 39 Gripen or MIG-35) to replace those MIG-29N/UB.

[Pall 0]

Well come to think of it, at least our airforce is kinda quick when it comes to fleet renewal. Unlike our bendera carrier.

[mokhzani 0]

Well come to think of it, at least our airforce is kinda quick when it comes to fleet renewal. Unlike our bendera carrier.

 

I believe they went out for window shopping recently.....

[Waiping 12]

We got KD Tunku Abdul Rahman mah.

[Mohd Idham 0]

With the 26 multi-role a/c(SU-30MkM and F/A-18D) that TUDM have in their inventory, I thing it is still not enough to defend the whole of Malaysia.

 

Are we talking about an invasion ? (pronouns like sec. def. in tranformers I)

 

Or to invade other country ?

 

26 is enough, and make sure all 26 are available & flyable 24/7..that is most important..

[Tamizi Hj Tamby 1]

About the RMAF F/A-18D Hornet,it has the same specification with the USMC (United States Marines Corps)F/A-18D,and the version was 'Night Attack' and equiped with 3 basic elements that giving it the all weather,all day/night attack:

 

-AN/APG-73 Radar;

-AN/AAR-50 NavFLIR Pod;

-AN/AAS-38 "NITE Hawk' Pod;

 

and the weapon often related to the 'Night Attack' version:

-AIM-9 Sidewinder (in version S);

-AIM Sparrow (in Version M);

-AGM-84 Harpoon (in version A);

-Paveway II LGB (Laser Guided Bomb) (along 500lb Mark 82 Bomb);

-Rockeye CBU (Cluster Bomb Unit);

-Unguided rockets;

 

and a M61A1 Vulcan cannon.RMAF F/A-18D was powered with F404-GE-402 EPE engines.

 

(All of the information was obtained from 'Perajurit' magazine dated December 2003.Apologies if there any inaccuracies on the information above)

[Teoh Z Yao 0]

Are we talking about an invasion ? (pronouns like sec. def. in tranformers I)

 

Or to invade other country ?

 

26 is enough, and make sure all 26 are available & flyable 24/7..that is most important..

 

 

Bingo...

 

That (in italic) would be quite impossible, though, but half of the number would be sensible...

[BC Tam 2]

About the RMAF F/A-18D Hornet,it has the same specification with the USMC (United States Marines Corps)F/A-18D,.....

You really believe that ?

[Mohd Idham 0]

I believe...thats why US gomen eagerly want to have them back....they 'mistakenly' sold it to our rmaf...

 

They even offered us with 20+ F-16 to replace 8 of our f/a-18D.

[GeO 0]

Should get the F-22 Raptor la dei..

[Tamizi Hj Tamby 1]

GeO,

 

F-22 Raptor? I don't think so,as US ban on the export of this aircraft,plus DOD (Department of Defense) already announcing that the F/A-22 production will be ceased,and they will concentrate on F-35 (which its manufacturing cost is more cheaper than Raptor).A single Raptor could cost you US$ 65 Billion (figure it out the price in RM),and they will cease the production when the 187th aircraft is completed

 

You really believe that ?

 

BC,

 

I've already mention this on my post:

 

Apologies if there any inaccuracies on the information above

 

If the info given was true,than consider it's lucky.But if it's inaccurate,i'm sorry

[Fitri Shukri 0]

I think the SAAB JAS-39 Gripen is best suited to complement the Su-30MKM. The Gripen can be made to use Russian weapon systems and is capable of landing on roads (imagine Gripen taking off from typical Malaysian roads surrounded by palm oil plantation...). This, is my not expert opinion.

[KK Lee 5]

I believe...thats why US gomen eagerly want to have them back....they 'mistakenly' sold it to our rmaf...

 

They even offered us with 20+ F-16 to replace 8 of our f/a-18D.

 

So The US didn’t restricted RMAF F-18D function? What Rakyat was told by the ex-pm was a lie?