Russian KA-31
Posted on 12/14/2007 3:48:08 AM PST by sukhoi-30mki
Malaysia to launch contest for airborne early warning fleet
By Vladimir Karnozov
Malaysia could issue a request for proposals for four airborne early warning and control system aircraft in mid-2008, with funds for the acquisition likely to become available during the nation's next five-year spending plan.
The Royal Malaysian Air Force has indicated a tentative requirement for a relatively lightweight, low-cost system to improve the situational awareness of its Boeing F/A-18D, RSK MiG-29N and Sukhoi Su-30MKM pilots. The surveillance aircraft should also be capable of monitoring naval vessels, it says, especially in the Malacca Straits.
Candidate systems will include Northrop Grumman's E-2 Hawkeye and Saab 2000 turboprops to be equipped with Saab Microwave Systems' Erieye radar. The Swedish company announced during the LIMA air show in Langkawi on 4-8 December that its proposal would have a loitering capability of at least 9h with five onboard operators.
Air force commander-in-chief Gen Azizan bin Ariffin says AEW&C aircraft "will be the next major acquisition after multirole fighters", but industry sources suggest Kuala Lumpur's immediate priority is to buy new utility helicopters to replace its Sikorsky S-61 Nuris (Flight International, 11-17 December).
Russia has offered to supply Kamov Ka-31 picket helicopters carrying Oko surveillance radars, but its Ilyushin Il-76-based A-50 has been deemed too large and expensive to take part.
Russian KA-31
What kind of loiter time does that thing have?
About 3 hours,If im not mistaken.Poor man’s toy.
Let see now, AK-47, RPG-7 and landmines. Are they effective? Yes they are.
I don’t believe anyone would dispute that.
Reminds me of “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” ... does it play music?
As a citizen in Malaysia, perhaps my government should consider three things before the AWACS purchase, reliability, availability and simplicity.
Human being are still yet to achieve that kind of convinience, maybe at least another decade. And our universe is not as simple as you think.
Anyway, back to the topic. According to some reports in my country (Malaysia) my government may already selected a few candidate, and one of them is the Swedish-built plane Saab 2000.
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