Kuala Lumpur has entered into a significant partnership with Italian defense provider Leonardo to lease helicopters for the Malaysian Armed Forces. The Defence Minister, Mohamed Khaled Nordin, announced that this contract, valued at 16 billion Malaysian ringgit (approximately $3.5 billion), will see the delivery of 28 helicopters over a 15-year period, according to reports from the local news agency Utusan.
The framework agreement specifies that the Royal Malaysian Air Force will receive 12 helicopters, while four aircraft will be allocated to the Maritime Enforcement Agency, and two will serve the Navy. Additional support is extended to the Royal Malaysian Police and the Fire & Rescue Department, which will receive seven and two units, respectively.
Nordin emphasized the advantages of the leasing model, stating that this approach alleviates the end-users, such as the Malaysian Armed Forces and its affiliates, from the responsibilities of securing maintenance, repair, and overhaul contracts or sourcing spare parts. He noted that all these aspects will be managed by the leasing company. This arrangement is structured as a lease-to-own deal, offering the government the option to purchase all 28 helicopters for a nominal fee of RM1 after the 15-year term.
In a parallel development, the Chief of the Malaysian Armed Forces, Gen. Sri Mohammad Ab Rahman, disclosed plans to assess Leonardo’s AW149 medium multirole military rotorcraft as a potential replacement for the aging fleet of Nuri helicopters, which are variants of the Sikorsky SH-3 Sea King. The acquisition process is planned to unfold in two stages, with the initial phase focusing on leasing 12 Combat Search and Rescue utility helicopters, followed by an additional order for another dozen.
On another note, Kuala Lumpur recently canceled a separate rental agreement for four UH-60A Black Hawks intended for the Malaysian Army. This decision was made due to the selected distributor’s failure to meet an extended deadline.
The AW149 is characterized as a modern helicopter measuring 18 meters (59 feet) in length, with a rotor diameter of 15 meters (49 feet). It can accommodate up to 19 personnel and has a payload capacity of approximately 3,880 kilograms (8,550 pounds). Equipped with twin engines providing around 2,000 horsepower each, the AW149 achieves a top speed of 170 knots (314 kilometers/196 miles per hour) and boasts a range of 545 nautical miles (1,009 kilometers/627 miles), with an endurance exceeding five hours. The helicopter can be outfitted with various armaments, including missiles, rocket launchers, and precision strike weapons, enhancing its versatility in military operations.
