BRENDAN SOBIE / SINGAPORE
Kuala Lumpur restores fighters but is likely to disappoint suitors by declining offers
Malaysia has reactivated the first of nine Northrop F-5Es and is reviewing proposals from several manufacturers for a possible, but unlikely, cockpit and avionics upgrade.
BAE Systems, Thales and Taiwan's Aerospace Industrial Development Corporation (AIDC) are offering upgrade packages to replace a suite that the UK's Caledonian Airborne Systems has been developing for Malaysia since 2001. Malaysia's Airod is to restore nine F-5s and assist in integrating new avionics if they are purchased.
So far Malaysia has committed only to reactivating the aircraft and is reluctant to invest scarce funds on an upgrade. Manufacturers are trying to convince the country that an upgrade is needed for the surveillance and reconnaissance missions it plans. The proposed upgrade covers a chaff dispenser, the ejection seat, GPS-satellite and inertial navigation, head-up display, radar, radar warning receiver and radio.
Late last month, Malaysia flew three F-5s for the first time in several years. Airod plans to complete restoration work on a fourth aircraft this month. An airworthiness committee is reviewing five more fighters that have been earmarked for reactivation.
Malaysia unveiled plans for restoring and upgrading F-5s in 2001, when it selected Caledonian and Langkawi R&D Academy (LARDAC) to upgrade one F-5F with options for nine F-5Es. But LARDAC has dropped out and Caledonian is reportedly having problems meeting contractual commitments.
Airod is lobbying to replace Caledonian with AIDC, which is seeking a launch customer for its F-5 Project Tiger upgrade. But BAE and Thales are trying to convince Malaysia to select a more experienced avionics integrator. Airod and AIDC point out that only Project Tiger already has a prototype and the support of Northrop Grumman.
All the companies vying for procurement hope to use Malaysia as a springboard to enter the F-5 upgrade market, but all acknowledge the programme is unfunded and hasa low priority.
Source: Flight International
