Video: Malaysian Su-30 handover

[planeman]

Odd thing is Russia is still flogging AA-10s with these birds. I think Malaysia has AA-12 (R-77) for the Fulcrums anyway so presume the Su-30s will have that capability also.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jV63poSLKp4

Malaysian military is definately "on the up" and one for China to look out for in the future, though not an obvious enemy or anything. In fact Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore are all rapidly expanding their military capability and reach and Thailand is already pretty potent, so China may have difficultly operating in that theatre if circumstances require it in the future IMO. :coffee:

[rhino123]

How many Su-30 do Malaysia ordered? And how many had been delivered? I think if the numbers do not exit twenty to thirty, it really don't make much of a difference to China.

[sultan]

How many Su-30 do Malaysia ordered? And how many had been delivered? I think if the numbers do not exit twenty to thirty, it really don't make much of a difference to China.

we have ordered 18 Su30MKM. n will delivery before 2009 in three batches

These birds will equip avionic from France n South Africa

[SteelBird]

If I'm not wrong, this bird has canard and TVC. If so, how is it compared to Indian MKI?

[planeman]

http://pilot.strizhi.info/wp-content/uploads/2007/05/img_9485_sm.jpg

[planeman]

If I'm not wrong, this bird has canard and TVC. If so, how is it compared to Indian MKI?

I would imagine the answer is that they are quite similar, not a lot in it.

[szbd]

Odd thing is Russia is still flogging AA-10s with these birds. I think Malaysia has AA-12 (R-77) for the Fulcrums anyway so presume the Su-30s will have that capability also.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jV63poSLKp4

Malaysian military is definately "on the up" and one for China to look out for in the future, though not an obvious enemy or anything. In fact Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore are all rapidly expanding their military capability and reach and Thailand is already pretty potent, so China may have difficultly operating in that theatre if circumstances require it in the future IMO. :coffee:

:confused: China exported a lot of weapons to tailand. China has good relationship with Malaysia too. Singapore is still the strongest I think.

[szbd]

I would imagine the answer is that they are quite similar, not a lot in it.

I think from the same factory that developed MKI. And India will probabily take some maintainance job for these birds.

[Cheetah]

After a four-year wait, the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) will take delivery of two Sukhoi SU-30MKM multi-role fighter aircraft Thursday.

They will be the first two of 18 aircraft ordered by Malaysia in May 2003, being the most sophisticated aircraft of its kind in Southeast Asia.

Chief of Air Force Jen Datuk Seri Azizan Ariffin and Defence Ministry Secretary-General Tan Sri Ahmad Latffi Hashim will receive the aircraft on behalf of the Malaysian government at the Irkut Aircraft Corporation manufacturing plant here.

Malaysia and the Russian government agency, Rosoboronexport, signed a US$900 million (RM3.4 billion) contract for 18 Sukhoi Su-30MKM (Modernizirovannyi Kommercheskiy Malaysia or Modernised Commercial Malaysia) aircraft.

In return for the purchase, Russia agreed to train and send a Malaysian astronaut to the International Space Station (ISS).

The 16 other Su-30MKM aircraft will be delivered to Malaysia in stages up to the middle of next year.

Other than Malaysia, the Indonesian Air Force has two Su-27 and eight Su-30MK2 aircraft while Vietnam has four Su-30 and 12 Su-27 aircraft.

Defence analysts believe, however, that the Su-30MKM and a similar version, the Su-30 MKI, used by the Indian Air Force are the most modern Su-30 aircraft in the market.

Although the Su-30 aircraft of the RMAF and the Indian Air Force are the same, the electronic equipment and avionics used by the aircraft are different, for political reasons.

India's aircraft are equipped with systems produced by Israel while Malaysia, which does not have diplomatic ties with the Jewish state, uses electronic and avionics systems from France, India and South Africa for the Su-30MKM.

RMAF's two-seater Su-30MKM aircraft are equipped with the thrust vectoring control (TVC) engine system and two small wings by the side of the pilot's seat called "canard" for maximum air movement.

The TVC engine system relates to the control of the nozzle movement and vectoring for determining movement in the air.

Maximum movement in the air is a factor that determines whether the aircraft can defeat the enemy during aerial combats or dogfights.

The Su-30MKMs can fly for 4.5 hours covering 3,000 km with a normal fuel tank but with inflight refuelling, the time and distance can be extended to 10 hours and 8,000 km.

The ability to operate over long distances is important to RMAF as Malaysia is vast with undulating landscape and the peninsula is separated from Sabah and Sarawak by the South China Sea.

In addition, Malaysia also has oil platforms owned by Petronas and its production-sharing contract partners, not only close to shore but also in deep-sea areas.

The ability to safeguard oil resources is important not only to check external threats but also ensure that the nation's sovereignty is not questioned by other countries.

Defence analysts believe that the delivery to RMAF of the Su-30MKM aircraft that can cover long distances has shifted the balance of power in Southeast Asia.

The fighter aircraft can fly at Mach 2 and can carry about eight tonnes of weapons in 12 storage centres or "hardpoints" in the lower portion of the aircraft.

The Su-30MKM aircraft will be equipped with air-to-air, air-to-land and anti-radiation missiles, for destruction of electronic equipment like radar, and laser-guided bombs.

They are also equipped with high-powered radar of the "NO11M Bars" type that can detect up to 15 enemy targets and attack four of them simultaneously:nono: .

The "Bars" radar enable the aircraft to detect ships from 400 km away and smaller vessels from 120 km off.

The ability to detect targets from afar using high-powered radar enables the Su-30MKM jet-fighters to double up as early warning aircraft.

http://pilot.strizhi.info/2007/05/27/3796

http://pilot.strizhi.info/2007/05/27/3729#more-3729

http://pilot.strizhi.info/2007/05/27/3816 .

[adeptitus]

Malaysian military is definately "on the up" and one for China to look out for in the future, though not an obvious enemy or anything. In fact Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore are all rapidly expanding their military capability and reach and Thailand is already pretty potent, so China may have difficultly operating in that theatre if circumstances require it in the future IMO. :coffee:

With the arrival of the Su-30MKM, the Royal Malay AF can finally retire their aging F-5E/F's. Numerically speaking, the Malay AF isn't large, but will have fairly modern (F/A-18D, MiG-29N, SU-30MKM) aircraft.

IMO they're also kinda obsessed with matching up to Singapore... and vice versa. The Singaporeans will probably be showing off their F-15S in the near future.

I don't foresee Malaysia being a security threat to the PRC. Actually I think they might make a good customer for military hardware, since they're open to sourcing from a variety of countries. It'd be far more difficult to sell to Singapore.

[Tasman]

Odd thing is Russia is still flogging AA-10s with these birds. I think Malaysia has AA-12 (R-77) for the Fulcrums anyway so presume the Su-30s will have that capability also.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jV63poSLKp4

Malaysian military is definately "on the up" and one for China to look out for in the future, though not an obvious enemy or anything. In fact Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore are all rapidly expanding their military capability and reach and Thailand is already pretty potent, so China may have difficultly operating in that theatre if circumstances require it in the future IMO. :coffee:

Agreed. The only thing that worries me about the RMAF is the mix of combat aircraft. I think it would be far better for Malaysia to reduce to perhaps two types. The new Su-30MKM will be an excellent multi purpose aircraft and there have been reports that Malaysia also wants the FA-18E/F Super Hornets.

http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Friday/National/20070601075717/Article/index_html

I actually think that a mix of the latest Flankers alongside a squadron of Super Hornets would give Malaysia a very potent mix. It would also prevent the country from becoming too dependent on one source of combat aircraft. However, if the RMAF also continues to operate the MIG-29s along with aircraft like the FA-18D, F5E, RF5, Hawk and MB339 I think it will have a maintenance and logistics nightmare. Preumably the FA-18Ds would be replaced by the SHs but I notice from the comments in the attached link that the F5s are to be refurbished for further service and the MIG-29Ns are spoken about as having another two decades of service so there will be a number of different types even without the SHs.

Whilst I think a mix of no more than two types would be sensible from a logistcs and maintenance point of view I can see the possibility of Malaysia having at least three frontline aircraft if it acquires FA-18E/Fs to follow on the new Flankers. I guess they would then use the MIG-29Ns in the air defence role, the Super Hornets in the strike and anti shipping role and the Su-30MKMs as a multi purpose 'swing' force, although the SH could also operate in this role.

What do others think of the large mix of aircraft in the RMAF inventory?

Cheers

[Scratch]

While more types apparently let you spezialize your aircraft and crews on certain tasks, the question is if it's worth the extra efforts in logistics.
And buying more small batches of different aircraft is most probably more expansice than buying larger batches of less or the same.