EC725 and the MRCA
Marhalim Abas December 23, 2014 Malaysia - RMAF



SHAH ALAM: FOR reasons only known them, RMAF,the Defence Ministry and the Government has never made the military case for the MRCA programme apart from the fact that it will be the replacement for the Mig-29N Fulcrum and F-5 fleets.

And although the MRCA programme has moved beyond the stage of RFI and RFP, little is known publicly what kind of fighter jet that meets RMAF needs apart from the little bits we learned from the manufacturers. Among them are an AESA radar, maritime strike and air-to-air capability.

As for the four candidates – Boeing Super Hornet, Dassault Rafale, Eurofighter Typhoon and Saab Gripen – there are not much to separate them. Indeed if one was chosen tomorrow, no one can credibly challenged their MRCA credentials.

hat said, how can we ascertain which one is the RMAF favourite candidate? This is a question that will not be answered of course – again for various reasons – but there are clues to guide us.

The best clue is of course, another aircraft in RMAF service, one of its latest- the Airbus Helicopters EC725 Cougar.

The first two EC725s arrived in Malaysia in Nov, 28, 2012 about one year after the contract to procure 12 helicopters was signed. It must be noted that the EC725 will not have been selected in the first place if the original specifications for the tender was not revised to allow helicopters without a ramp to take part.

Some four months after the first delivery, a single EC725 took part in LIMA 2013 although its flying time was limited to the opening ceremony only.

Eight months later, the EC725s took part in its first “civil” operations – transporting food supplies to residents of flood ravaged Kuantan town and some other towns as well.

Two months later, the Cougar made its foreign debut at the 2014 Singapore Airshow and by June this year, four Cougars from the 10th Squadron were dispatched on a permanent detachment to the Labuan Airbase in East Malaysia. The helicopters are now attached to the 5th Squadron in Labuan.
So what does EC725 track record got to do with the MRCA then? Simply that if given the choice, RMAF will choose a mature aircraft with the least amount of issue just like what had transpired with the Cougars.

After undergoing such pain with the Sukhois, it is understandable that RMAF wants its newest fighter to be just the opposite of that.An airplane that will be ready operationally ready once the crew had obtained the necessary flight hours and free of unnecessary maintenance issues. It is also good if the ordnance for the plane is already in stocked in its armoury.

By that, it does appear that the Super Hornet is the best option with the Rafale coming a distant second – mostly due to the lack of compatible ordnance. The Typhoon as it is still undergoing development to become a fully fledged MRCA comes third and the Gripen last (the NG is still a paper airplane, whereas the C/Ds are almost at the end of their service lives).

The things going against the Super Hornet (apart from the financing of course) are two – the production line is shutting down soon (2017) and the uncertainty of its longevity. Although the US Navy has stated that it will operate the Super Hornets beyond 2030, developments within the next decade, could drastically change that equation.

So are those two factors enough to dethrone the Super Hornet? Your guess is as good as mine. The decision to go forward rests with the politicians, they will decide when and how much funding will be available. A delay in the decision making could tip the scale to the Typhoon and Gripen, though it is likely to benefit the former rather than the latter.

That is our Elephant in the Room. Our politicians and their interests.

— Malaysian Defence

http://www.malaysiandefence.com/?p=5439