SINGAPORE—The U.S. Navy has officially handed over the first of three modified CN-235-220M maritime patrol aircraft to the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF).
The project is part of the U.S. Navy’s Building Partner Capacity program under the broader U.S. government’s Maritime Security Initiative.
In September 2020 the CN-235s were sent to Indonesian airframer PT Dirgantara Indonesia, which installed a belly-mounted maritime surveillance radar, FLIR turret, a roll-on/roll-off CarteNav AIMS-ISR mission management system and line-of-sight datalink capabilities. The aircraft were then given to the RMAF in June of this year.
Two more aircraft are expected to be completed by 2022.
The RMAF also has a requirement for six new maritime patrol aircraft under the so-called CAP55 road map.
Separately, Malaysian Defense Minister Ikmal Hisham Abdul Aziz told parliament the ministry has completed the tender evaluation processes to acquire UAS. A final decision will be made by August. The aircraft will be delivered by 2025. The UAS will be based in Labuan, East Malaysia, to conduct surveillance in the South China Sea and the over the east coast of Sabah.
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