Defence

Malaysian maritime agency signs $61 million AW139 contract

By Siva Govindasamy

The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) has signed a letter of agreement for three AgustaWestland AW139s in a deal worth 196 million ringgit ($61 million).

This adds to the three Eurocopter AS365N3 Dauphins that the MMEA, which is responsible for patrolling Malaysian waters, signed last year. The agency says it is keen to order an additional three helicopters of each type, but it is not clear when it could advance these plans.

Established in 2005 to remove overlapping functions between various government agencies, the MMEA focuses much of its attention on the Straits of Malacca, a vital global shipping artery, to crack down on piracy and smuggling.

The agency is also keen to acquire fixed-wing and amphibian aircraft under an as-yet unfunded requirement, and is evaluating proposals for types including the ATR 42, Beechcraft King Air 350, Bombardier Dash 8 and Fokker 50.

© AgustaWestland