Malaysia Selling MiG-29N Fighters

[Webmaster]

MIG-29N Jetfighters Will Be Sold Off - Zahid

KUALA LUMPUR, June 25 (Bernama) -- The air force's MiG-29N jetfighters will be sold off and replaced with new aircraft, Defence Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said.

Several companies abroad had expressed interest to buy the aircraft, he said, adding that the ministry would discuss the matter with the Finance Ministry.

"There are still matters to be considered such as the price," he told reporters after attending an event here to announce the Defence Services Asia (DSA) 2010 exhibition.

Malaysia received the delivery of the Russian-made MiG-29N in April 1995.

Malaysia had signed the purchase of 18 units the aircraft in June 1994 at the cost of US$380 million while the package which included training and spare parts cost US$1.6 billion.

Ahmad Zahid the MiG-29N would be replaced with interceptors with the latest technologies to strengthen the air force's capabilities.

He also said that the government was taking steps to replace the armed forces' ageing assets in stages.

[...]

-- BERNAMA

Source: http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v5/newsgeneral.php?id=420832

Interesting revelation by Malaysia's Defence Minister. On delivery of the Su-30MKM the Malaysian officials made it very clear that reports of the MiG-29 fleet being retired were false, and that they would still continue service as dedicated air defense. This appeared to make sense, after all the Malaysian MiGs are not that old, and the Sukhois are multi-purpose jets. With a limited fleet and still to achieve full operational capability, why dedicate those to air policing duties. However it now seems Malaysia has received interest from abroad (Sri Lanka??) for the MiG-29 fleet.

Clearly this should be a wake-up call to Boeing. Malaysia already operates F/A-18D Hornets and the possibility of a mixed Su-30MKM / Super Hornet fleet remained an option, despite preferring the Su-30MKM over the Super Hornet for the initial contract. Additionally, this could be a chance for KnAAPO to sell the Su-35 single-seater, rather than letting IAPO sell more Su-30MKMs.

[AVIATOR]

What I don't like seeing is a country outside our strategic alliances owning both allied top of the line aircraft like the Hornet and potential enemy aircraft as well. This gives them the perfect way to develop counter measures against our aircraft. And it is 'our' aircraft that they are potentially countering.
With a bit of luck, their latest Soviet block purchases will all fall out of the sky because of lack of spare parts, service and faulty construction.
As I said on another thread, I dislike the US, selling the latest fighter aircraft outside our alliances for mere money and one day we will pay for it.