KUALA LUMPUR: Kuwait has no objections to Malaysia's request to procure their F/A-18 Hornet fighter jets, said Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin.
The procurement however is subject to approval from the supplier country - the United States - and could only be done once Kuwait has received all of its new fighter aircraft, the F/A-18E and F/A-18F Super Hornet as well as the Eurofighter Typhoon.
"Kuwait assured us that they have no objections to Malaysia's request and that it depends solely on these two conditions," Khaled told the New Straits Times.
Khaled arrived in Kuwait on Sunday for an official visit aimed at strengthening bilateral relations and defence cooperation between Malaysia and Kuwait.
Also present with the Malaysian delegation is Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) chief General Tan Sri Asghar Khan Goriman Khan.
Yesterday, Khaled met with Kuwait's deputy prime minister Sheikh Fahad Yousef Saud Al-Sabah, who is also its defence and interior minister.
He also had an audience with Kuwait Prime Minister Sheikh Ahmad Abdullah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah.
Reports of the possibility of procuring the Hornets emerged in June this year when a technical team from RMAF visited Kuwait to discuss the procurement.
Malaysia currently has eight F/A-18D Hornets, and 18 Sukhoi Su-30MKMs in its Multi-Role Combat Aircraft fleet (MRCA) following the retirement of its 16 Russian-made Mikoyan MiG-29N Fulcrums, seven years ago.
The RMAF began its Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MRCA) acquisition programme in 2011, with a planned entry of service date between 2015 and 2016.
While it was initially reported that the RMAF was seeking to procure 18 aircraft, this later rose to 24 to 40 new aircraft in 2014.
Meanwhile, Khaled said a committee comprising Malaysian and Kuwaiti officials will be established to facilitate the procurement following the meeting with the Kuwaiti leaders.
"This is to ensure that the procurement process can proceed immediately once these conditions are fulfilled.
"As we are aware, if we fail in this procurement, we will have to begin the process of searching for new jets, which will take more than three to four years before we receive delivery. If we do not succeed in obtaining Kuwait's jets, this will significantly delay it," he said.
Khaled also extended his gratitude to the Kuwaiti government for understanding Malaysia's need for the aircraft.
His meeting with the leaders, he said, also touched upon opportunities for cooperation in defence and security.
He said both sides discussed and acknowledged their willingness to sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on defence.
"This is a much-needed agreement that will benefit both nations. Just as Kuwait views the South China Sea as an important area, Malaysia also pays close attention to the Middle East.
"What happens in the Middle East can have a global impact, so Malaysia must understand and be aware of the issues faced in the region.
"The MoU will allow Malaysia to gain insight into such issues from Kuwait's perspective," he said adding that it will also allow the countries to focus on areas such as research and development.
He said such a partnership with Kuwait will also open up avenues to explore new forms of cooperation, such as in artificial intelligence and environment, sustainability and governance (ESG) within the defence sector.
He added that Kuwait is ready to invest in various sectors, including real estate, agriculture, and pharmaceuticals.
"They also welcome investments from Malaysian companies in Kuwait. I see great potential in the relationship between Malaysia and Kuwait, but we have yet to fully capitalise on it.
"I believe that this visit will catalyse even stronger bilateral cooperation and relations between the two countries. Both nations share the same faith, and I believe we can establish a relationship based on true friendship, shared religious values, and sincerity."