Marhalim Abas, based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, covers Southeast Asian defense. He has worked as a journalist specializing in Southeast Asia defense and security since 1994, initially with the New Straits Times newspaper.
Government-to-government deals, more rigorous setting of requirements and a renewed emphasis on indigenous production feature in Indonesia’s new defense acquisition policy.
Malaysian maintenance firm Airod has completed a program of maintenance on its first Lockheed Martin KC-130J Hercules aircraft for the U.S. Marine Corps.
Malaysia’s first attempt at building an aerospace industry flopped. But using the skills and infrastructure from that enterprise, the government has since pushed toward aircraft components manufacturing.
