RMAF eyes next-gen aircraft as Hercules transport fleet reaches 50 years

SUBANG JAYA, June 18 — The Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) plans to replace its existing C-130 Hercules transport aircraft in line with growing operational demands and the ageing condition of the fleet.

RMAF Chief Gen Tan Sri Muhamad Norazlan Aris said the plan is receiving special attention as out of the 10 units of C-130 aircraft that they currently operate, the earliest unit that they received is now 50 years old, while the latest is 31 years old.

He said rising maintenance costs for ageing aircraft, coupled with the technological advantages and greater payload capacity of newer-generation aircraft, make the replacement of the C-130 a necessity despite the proven capabilities of the current model.

“The RMAF’s responsibilities are becoming greater and more challenging, therefore we need assets capable of carrying out those tasks,” he told reporters after the 68th Royal Malaysian Air Force Anniversary Parade here today.

According to him, RMAF is also conducting studies on replacing its multi-role combat aircraft and increasing the number of Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) by 2035, as existing assets are expected to face obsolescence and maintenance support issues by then.

Muhamad Norazlan said they had yet to decide whether to acquire 4.5-generation, fifth-generation or sixth-generation aircraft, as any new procurement must take into account the defensive nature of the National Defence Policy.

Meanwhile, he said infrastructure facilities at Kuantan Air Base to handle the operation of FA-50 LCA are expected to be fully completed by October.

He said six RMAF pilots are currently undergoing FA-50 flight training at Gwangju Air Base in South Korea together with a technical support team, with two of them scheduled to complete training in October and the remaining four in December.

“Once they return, they can begin flying immediately. We only need to establish the squadron and prepare the standard operating procedures (SOPs) according to RMAF requirements,” he said, adding that the arrival of the FA-50 would enable RMAF to train more pilots locally before they progress to more advanced aircraft.

The Ministry of Defence signed a contract with Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) in 2023 for the acquisition of 18 FA-50 aircraft, with the first two expected to be delivered to the RMAF in October and the remainder to follow in stages. — Bernama