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Aviation History
1995
1995 - 3643.PDF
MALAYSIA >9S Malaysia keeps eye on Anzac before choosing helicopter MALAYSIA IS following closely Australian and New Zealand evaluations of competing shipboard naval helicopters before making its own selection. The Royal Malaysian Navy has an initial requirement for six heli copters to equip two new frigates being built in the UK. In the longer term, there is an additional requirement to equip a planned fleet of up to 27 offshore patrol combatant (OPC) ships. Leading competitors for the Malaysian order are the Euro- copter AS.565 Panther, Kaman SH-2G SeaSprite, Sikorsky S-76N and Westland Super Lynx. The same basic types are also being offered to the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) and Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN). The RAN project team is under stood to have agreed to work closely with its Malaysian counter part, in a move to bolster closer defence relations. Australia and Malaysia are already co-operating to develop a joint staff requirement for a new class of OPC for both navies. Australia is seeing an initial 14 naval helicopters for its new fleet of frigates jointly developed with New Zealand. A further nine to 18 machines will be needed for the RAN's planned OPCs, depending on the number of ships ordered. A request for tenders issued Westland's Super Lynx is on offer to Malaysia, Australia and New Zealand recently calls for the helicopter to be equipped with a pulse-compres sion radar, electronic-support mea sures (ESM), forward-looking infra-red (FLIR) imager, integrat ed tactical data system and the Link 11 datalink. For anti-surface warfare, the RAN's request has specified that the helicopter must be equipped with at least two (and preferably four) air-to-surface missiles. Manu facturers have been told to offer a choice of two different missiles with each helicopter. Missiles offered in the competi tion include the British Aerospace Sea Skua, the Aerospatiale AS. 15TT, the Kongsberg Penguin and the Hughes AGM-65 Maverick. Manufacturers have been given until 20 February to submit ten ders for the RAN competition, by which time the RNZN will be close to its own decision. A short list of two is expected shortly, ten ders having had to be submitted by 8 September. New Zealand, like Malaysia, requires six helicopters to replace its elderly Westland Wasps. While the RNZN evaluation is separate from that of the RAN, the two navies have agreed to liaise closely. Defence sources suggest that the RNZN and RAN are likely to try to combine sub-system require ments, such as ESM and FLIR. 3 US treaty nears conclusion M ALAYSIA HOPES to con clude a bilateral airworthi ness and safety treaty with the USA in 1996, using the locally produced SME Aviation MD3-160 Aero Tiga trainer as a validation vehicle. The aircraft, once known as the Datwyler MD3-160 Swiss Trainer, was type-certificated by Swit zerland's Federal Office for Civil Aviation (FOCA) in 1991. FOCA approval is based on US Federal Aviation Regulations, Part 23. Datwyler subsequently sold the two-seat design to Malaysia's state- owned SME Technologies in 1993. The MD3-160 has not yet been given production certification by the US Federal Aviation Ad ministration, however. The FAA has already inspected SME Aviation's Subang plant and is working with the local De partment of Civil Aviation to give it an internationally recognised pro duction certification. The com pany hopes to begin sales from 1997, through its Tallahassee- based affiliate, SME Aero. Meanwhile, SME Aviation has delivered its first two MD3-160s to the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF), which is acquiring 20 of the Lycoming 0-320-D2A-powered aircraft to re place its British Aerospace Bulldog primary trainers. A further 20 are to go to Indonesia's state-run Curug flight- training centre, in part exchange for six IPTN CN-235 transports for the RMAF. • Bombardier follows Dash success with Pelangi sales DOMESTIC MALAYSIAN carrier Pelangi Air has ordered four Bombardier de Havilland Dash 8-200Qs and two larger -300s for delivery from April 1996. A fur ther two Dash-8-300s are on option. The aircraft will replace Pelangi's three remaining Dornier 228s and two Fokker 50s, the dis posal of which will be accomplished with help from Bombardier. The deal follows Bombardier's recent sale of two Dash 8-200/300s to start-up Malaysian carrier Saeaga Air. The Kota Kinabalu- based airline has also bought a Canadair RJ, and plans to buy four more RJs by the end of 1996 for use on regional routes. Destinations include Davao City in the Philippines, Manado and Balikpapan in Indonesia, and possi ble longer-range charter services to .Macau, Subic Bay and Bangkok. Q Dash 8s will be prominent in Malaysian skies as carriers order more FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL 13 - 19 December 1995 25
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