KUALA LUMPUR: The Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) is seeking a lease for eight utility helicopters.
This comes in the wake of an announcement last week of the phasing out of the military’s workhorses, the Sikorsky S-61A-4 Nuri, after five decades of service.
RMAF chief Gen Datuk Seri Ackbal Abdul Samad said this was a short-term, stop-gap measure to address the air force’s requirements.
“We need to find up to eight medium-lift, utility helicopters to oversee the operational security needs in the South China Sea and East Malaysia.
“We, therefore, are looking at leasing the helicopters while awaiting selection of new helicopters which can take up to three years to be procured,” he said at the Armed Forces chief Gen Tan Sri Affendi Buang’s ‘grand command’ address at the Defence Ministry in Jalan Padang Tembak.
Ackbal said the RMAF wished to seek a budget of RM70 million, which was meant as upkeep for the aged Nuris, from the ministry to acquire leased helicopters.
“We have to consider that our air mobility is not affected with the absence of the Nuris. At the same time, we have to seek alternatives according to the cost involved and the availability of finance,” he said.
The decision to phase out the Nuris came following after-thoughts and deliberations the past two decades, in relation to the huge wear and tear, and exhorbitant maintenance costs, with spares difficult to source.
Ackbal said that the RMAF was managing with its fleet of 12 Eurocopter EC 725 Caracals (now referred to as Airbus Helicopters H225M) that were procured in 2012.
Ackbal did not name the type of helicopters being sought for leasing.
But The New Straits Times understands that there is a great possibility of the RMAF acquiring more new EC 725 as eventual Nuri replacements.
This could be in line with the ministry’s attempt to purchase and operate a similar aircraft fleet to optimise resources and logistics.
The Nuris were grounded following a near-fatal crash at the Gubir army camp in Kedah on Aug 2 last year.
The helicopter, which took off from the Butterworth air base, was carrying four crew, 11 personnel and supplies for an operational mission when it apparently suffered a mechanical failure.
All on board escaped with injuries.
The RMAF took delivery of its 43 Nuris in batches from 1968, and to date the helicopters are learnt to have logged over 14,000 flying hours.
Over the years, more than 95 personnel were reportedly killed in over 22 crashes.
It left only 28 Nuris flying - 16 with the RMAF and 12 that were transferred to the Army Aviation.