Quiet Affairs For Armed Forces During LIMA 2009

LANGKAWI, Dec 6 (Bernama) -- The just-concluded Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace exhibition (Lima 2009) proved to be a quiet affair for the armed forces, especially for the navy and air force.
Due to the crunching impact of the global financial crisis, the government had had to slash its defence spending, forcing it to defer several major arms procurements.
One of the major deals that was expected to be sealed during this year's edition of Lima, but failed to materialise, involved the government's contract for the purchase of the Eurocopter EC-725 Cougar Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR) helicopter.
The goverment, according to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, who is also the Finance Minister, needed to work out its financial capabilitity and affordability.
Speaking to reporters on the second day of Lima 2009, he, nevertheless, acknowledged that the French-made Cougar helicopter is a very high performance aircraft and the best candidate to replace the ageing RMAF Nuri helicopters.
With the decision to delay the purchase of the Cougar, the government, according to several sources, could possibly opt to upgrade the Nuri helicopters and enable the Royal malaysian Air Force's (RMAF) workhorse to serve until 2025.
The belt-tightening measures taken by the government not only impacted on the RMAF, but also the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN).
The RMN had hoped for a strong indication from the government during Lima 2009 on its proposal for the purchase of the second batch of Offshore Patrol Vesssel (OPV).
The first batch of six OPVs had been delivered to RMN and the navy, along with the local contractor, Boustead Naval Shipyard (BNS), are hopeful that the government will agree on the purchase of the second batch.
BNS senior general manager engineering and technical services division Syed Amir Shahbudin, in an interview with Bernama during the exhibition, pointed out that the livelihoods of more than 2,000 local vendors depended on the continuation of the national project.
"The second-batch project has a huge multiplier effect on the local economy," he said.
During Lima 2009, there was no word from the government regarding RMN's plan to have a second batch of two Lekiu-class frigates, with one proposed to be constructed in Labuan and the another in the United Kingdom.
The addition would make the RMN's frigates squadron among the most potent in the region.
While the RMN did not get what it wanted, the RMAF meanwhile bade farewell to its MiG-29N air interdiction fighter aircraft which would be decommisioned next year and replaced with a Multi Role Combat Aircraft (MRCA)-type fighter aircraft.
With the decision to phase out the MiG-29N, the government has started its search for a replacement and the international aviation company has pounced on the announcement and offered several makes of fighter aircraft.
Although Defence Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahidi said that the ministry had listed five types of MRCA for possible replacement of the MiG, the usual suspects, according to well-informed analysts, would fall on Sukhoi SU-30MKM and F-18 E/F Super Hornet.
The RMAF currently employs 18 Sukhoi SU-30MKM in its arsenal, along with a squadron of eight older versions of the FA-18 C/D Hornet.
-- BERNAMA