KUALA LUMPUR: The acquisition of the Kuwait Air Force's (KAF) F/A-18 Hornets for the country is needed to ensure the alignment of Royal Malaysian Air Force's (RMAF) modernisation plans, said Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin.
He said each service branch of the Malaysian Armed Forces had drawn up its plans and the acquisition of the KAF fighter jets serves as a stop-gap measure before Malaysia decides to order new aircraft which could only be in 2035.
"We must understand that purchasing an aircraft takes up to 10 years. If we place an order, let's say I order a plane today, negotiations alone could take three to four years, and construction won't begin until 2035. That's what it's like when purchasing new aircraft.
"It's not like buying a car, where you can walk into a showroom, make a purchase, and drive off. It's a much more complicated process.
"Kuwait ordered their F/A-18 Super Hornets in 2018 and has not yet taken delivery. This highlights the challenges in acquiring aircraft, it's not easy," he said at a press conference after launching the 'Broadband Soldier Initiative' and the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the Malaysian Armed Forces and Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC).
Khaled said that the RMAF would have nothing if stop-gap measures were not taken as its fleet of BAE Systems Hawk 108/208 light fighters and lead-in fighter trainers were scheduled to be decommissioned in 2027.
"In the meantime, we have nothing. We must understand that by 2027, the Hawk aircraft stationed in Labuan will be decommissioned and no longer operational. So, what are we going to do then?"
Responding to whether the Kuwaiti Hornets were worth procuring despite their age, Khaled said the aircraft had relatively few flying hours.
"Its use is still within reasonable limits for us to acquire, regarding flying hours. Currently, their flying hours are around 2,000 to 3,000 but they can operate up to 6,000 to 7,000 hours," he said.
On Monday, Kuwait said it had no objections to Malaysia's request to procure its F/A-18 Hornet fighter jets. 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/F Super Hornet, as well as the Eurofighter Typhoon.
The nod follows Khaled's official visit to the country on Sunday, aimed at strengthening bilateral relations and defence cooperation between Malaysia and Kuwait.
Malaysia currently has eight F/A-18D Hornets and 18 Sukhoi Su-30MKMs in its Multi-Role Combat Aircraft fleet following the retirement of its 16 Russian-made Mikoyan MiG-29N Fulcrums, seven years ago.