JINJU (South Korea): Construction of the 18 FA-50M light fighter jets ordered by Malaysia has reached 39%, and the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) is expected to receive the first batch in 2026, says Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin.
The Defence Minister said these light fighter jets are being built according to schedule in South Korea.
The procurement of the FA-50M is part of the RMAF Capability Development Plan 2055 (CAP55).
“We definitely need to increase our air assets because our airspace is vast and requires an effective air force to carry out its role.
“We purchased the FA-50M jets last year, and I visited the manufacturing plant in South Korea to observe the construction progress of the FA-50M and see what advantages the aircraft offers,” he said after his visit to Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) and Hanwha Aerospace here, Bernama reported.
According to Mohamed Khaled, KAI and Hanwha Aerospace are the military asset manufacturers responsible for building Malaysia’s 18 FA-50M fighter jets.
“Although KAI is responsible for manufacturing the FA-50M, the F404 engine it uses is built by Hanwha Aerospace,” he added.
The Defence Ministry and the South Korean aerospace company signed a contract in May last year for the acquisition of 18 FA-50M (Malaysia) jets, valued at about RM4bil. He said the acquisition of the FA-50M would further strengthen the Armed Forces, especially the RMAF.
When asked whether the ministry plans to acquire additional air assets besides the FA-50M, he said that other air asset procurements depend on the planning of the RMAF and the country’s finances.
“Under RMAF’s CAP55, we have listed (the purchase of air assets) and we hope the government can meet the needs as previously planned by the ministry,” he said.
Meanwhile, Mohamed Khaled witnessed the signing of the second phase of the Industrial Collaboration Programme (ICP) between Malaysian company Ikramatic Systems Sdn Bhd and KAI.
In a media interview, Ikramatic executive director Syed Mohamad Ikram said the ICP allows Ikramatic and KAI to jointly develop two types of flight simulators – the Full Mission Simulator and the Operational Flight Trainer.
He said both simulators would be used to train FA-50M pilots in the country by 2026.
“One of the ICP (components) carried out is the co-development of the simulator system with a local company, which includes sharing knowledge and expertise to advance the local industry. We were chosen due to our 26 years of experience in building locally made flight simulators,” he added.
