KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's defence sector witnessed significant strides, courageous feats and sobering moments that defined the year. The New Straits Times looks back at the biggest headlines on the military front this year.
BOOSTING DEFENCE CAPABILITIES
Malaysia's air defence is set to be boosted by the planned procurement of a fleet of F/A-18 C/D Hornet fighter jets from Kuwait.
Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin has already inspected the condition of the United States-made fighter jets.
Both Malaysia and Kuwait will establish a committee to negotiate the procurement of the jets, which will complement the Royal Malaysian Air Force's (RMAF) existing fleet.
However, the deal would need to be approved by the US as the fighter jet's original manufacturer.
If all goes to plan, the Hornets will bolster RMAF's air defence capabilities between 2035 and 2040, while awaiting the acquisition of new multi-role combat aircraft.
On the naval front, the construction of the second batch of littoral mission ships (LMS) has begun.
The Ada-class corvettes are manufactured by Turkish defence firm Savunma Teknolojileri Muhendislik and used by the Turkish navy.
Additionally, the government has reaffirmed its commitment to completing the construction of the five littoral combat ships (LCS), which was delayed for several years.
The first of the five vessels is set to be handed over to the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) in August 2026.
The Maharaja Lela-class LCS vessels, equipped with anti-ship missiles, air defence systems and torpedoes for anti-submarine warfare will strengthen the nation's maritime defence, particularly in the disputed South China Sea.
To further boost Malaysia's capabilities and presence in the South China Sea, a new naval base will also be established in Bintulu.
Armed Forces chief Tan Sri Mohammad Ab Rahman said the new base is part of a long-standing strategic plan and will commence operations by 2030. The base will also house the Turkish-made LMS.
HEROIC FEATS
The year also saw armed forces personnel displaying extraordinary commitment to humanitarian efforts and acts of bravery.
In January, Sergeant Mazlan Abdul Rahman risked his life to save two people who fell from the Penang Bridge.
During the incident, Mazlan, who was crossing the bridge, immediately jumped into action upon hearing cries for help and provided cardiopulmonary resuscitation assistance to the victims after rescuing them.
Meanwhile, in October, Staff Sergeant Mohd Nor Khalid dived into a lake to rescue four distressed teenagers on a capsizing boat in Puncak Alam.
Both soldiers received merits from the army chief General Tan Sri Muhammad Hafizzudeain Jantan and praise from the public.
In August, two RMAF Airbus A400M strategic airlifters flew from the Subang airbase to the Al Maza airbase in Egypt in a coordinated effort to bring 40 injured Palestinians and 80 of their relatives to be treated in Malaysia.
The Palestinians were displaced in Israel's ongoing war on Gaza.
The RMAF also provided humanitarian assistance and disaster relief to the Philippines after Tropical Storm Kristine left many stranded in floods in November.
TRAGEDIES
The year, however, was not without its tragedies.
On April 23, two RMN helicopters, an Agusta Westland AW139 maritime operations helicopter and a Eurocopter Fennec crashed following a mid-air collision during a flypast training for its 90th anniversary celebrations.
All 10 people onboard both helicopters were killed.
In August, RMN's fast attack craft KD Pendekar sank after it struck an unidentified underwater object in the waters off Johor.
Though no one was harmed in the incident, mine clearance diver Leading Seaman I Arman San Hermansa drowned in a subsequent salvage operation.
DEFENCE DIPLOMACY
Defence diplomacy remained a cornerstone of Malaysia's strategic outreach.
Throughout the year, Khaled went on several working visits to boost defence ties with allied countries, including Kuwait, South Korea, Turkiye, Australia and Singapore.
Naval vessels from the US, Canada, Germany, China and Russia also made several port calls to the country.
Among the notable vessels were the USS Abraham Lincoln, USS Blue Ridge, HMCS Montreal and FGS Baden-Württemberg.
Others included combat support ships FGS Frankfurt am Main, RFS Gromkiy, RFS Rezkiy, RFS Aldar Tsydenzhapov and the medium seagoing tanker RFS Pechanga.
The armed forces conducted joint military exercises with the US Navy and Marine Corps (Carat 2024), Indian Army (Exercise Harimau Shakti) and Royal Australian Air Force (Exercise Elangaroo).
The RMAF also hit a milestone after a US Air Force tanker successfully conducted the first air-to-air refuelling exercise with an RMAF Sukhoi SU-30 MKM jet.