OK, here it is.
Malaysia to place MiG-29s in storage
Dzirhan Mahadzir JDW Correspondent
Kuala Lumpur
28-Jul-2006
Malaysia will de-activate its Russian Aircraft Corporation (RSK)
MiG MiG-29N multirole fighter aircraft fleet in 2007 to ensure
enough fighter pilots are available to operate the Sukhoi Su-30MKMs
that will be delivered that same year.
The decision was made by the Malaysian Armed Forces in light of the
fact that the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) has a shortage of
qualified pilots and cannot make up the numbers in time to
accommodate the entry of the Sukhois into RMAF service.
The RMAF's shortage of pilots stems from a combination of a lack of
sufficient aircraft for lead-in fighter training, currently about
11 Aermacchi MB-339As, and shortcomings in the pilot training
programme that were addressed in 2003, the ramifications of which
are only now being felt.
In addition, a number of RMAF pilots have opted to leave the
service for civil aviation, particularly in light of the demand for
pilots by Malaysia's low-cost aviation carrier, Air Asia.
Currently the RMAF has one operational MiG-29 squadron, Squadron 19
based at RMAF Kuantan, that contains all 16 aircraft in the
inventory. However, readiness problems have resulted in a low
number of the fleet being operationally ready, although the newly
appointed squadron commander is working to improve the situation.
While details of their de-activation schedule are still being
worked on, the MiG-29s are due to be placed in storage rather than
being sold off to a third party because the RMAF hopes to bring the
aircraft back into service once sufficient pilots are
available.
The shortage of lead-in fighter aircraft trainers will be addressed
through the purchase of eight MB-339 C/Ds, which is currently being
negotiated.
Meanwhile, the RMAF's plans to purchase an undisclosed amount of
Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAM) bomb kits appears to be
stalled owing to the fact that the purchase would also require
upgrades to be made to the RMAF's Boeing F/A-18Ds in order to
operate the JDAMs. The upgrades would entail additional funding
that is expected to be unavailable given Malaysia's budgetary
constraints.
Cheers,
Sunho
