Military assets upgrade included in Budget 2018

KUALA LUMPUR: An upgrade of military assets is on the cards to keep up with international standards, said Defence Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussien.

“This was not explained during the recent Budget 2018 but it is included in the budget that the upgrades are to ensure they (the assets) would fulfil the requirements of international standards.

“Those outside the military might think that the ministry is not doing anything, but it is impossible for military assets to be used safely if not for support from the Defence Ministry,” he told a press conference at the Ummah Agenda Empowerment Convention 3.0 at Putra World Trade Centre yesterday.

Hishammuddin was responding to an incident in which a Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) C130 Hercules transport aircraft made a belly landing at the Labuan Airport on Saturday after it experienced landing gear malfunction.

The crew and pilot were unhurt after the aircraft made the emergency landing at 5.15pm after circling for six hours to burn off fuel.

The incident raised questions on whether military assets were fit for operations.

Hishammuddin said it is not fair to ask the ministry to cease operations of its assets due to one incident.

“I don’t want to focus only on (those) aircraft because the upgrade of our Nuri choppers, Hawk jet fighters and our submarine is also ongoing. One or two incidents could not be avoided,” he noted.

On June 15, two RMAF airmen flying a Hawk 108 fighter jet were killed in a crash 51km from an air base in Kuantan.