REJUVENATION FOR SUKHOI SU-30MKM
Jet goes through ‘preventive and restoration work’ after 10 years of service
THE first of the Royal Malaysian Air Force’s (RMAF) Sukhoi Su30MKM has undergone a refurbishment programme. Aerospace Technology Systems Corp (ATSC), the Russian manufacturer’s local partner, undertook a “preventive and restoration work” after the jet fighter completed 10 years of active service.
ATSC’s corporate and contract administration senior manager Mazliza Mohd Noor said the aircraft, with military registration number M52-11, would be officially handed over to RMAF today.
She said Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad was expected to hand over the aircraft to RMAF chief general Tan Sri Affendi Buang.
The event, to be witnessed by Defence Minister Mohamad Sabu, is scheduled to be held after Dr Mahathir opens the 15th edition of the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace (Lima) 2019 exhibition at the Mahsuri International Exhibition Centre at Padang Matsirat here.
“The preventive and restoration work was done at a much lower cost domestically, rather than sending the aircraft to Russia to have the job done.
“We are planning to undertake life-extension work for the remaining RMAF fleet in stages,” said Mazliza.
The New Straits Times that the preventive and restoration work was done to the tune of tens of millions of ringgit, but accounted for huge savings for the government by extending the aircraft’s service life.
Affendi recently voiced his concern that 40 per cent of the RMAF assets required immediate upgrading.
These include the BAE Systems Hawk 100/200 jet fighters, Boeing F/A-18D Hornets and a fleet of 14 Lockheed C-130 Hercules, in service for over 20 years.
The Sikorsky S61A-4 Nuri helicopters have also served the RMAF for over 40 years.
The Su-30MKM is the country’s leading multi-role combat aircraft based at the Gong Kedak air base in Terengganu.
Mazliza said ATSC focused on its primary core businesses — the RMAF’s Sukhoi Su-30MKM and MiG-29N Fulcrum air superiority fighter.
At Lima 2019, ATSC will be presented with the “Authorised Engineering Organisations and Approved Maintenance Organisation” (AMO) certificates by RMAF’s technical airworthiness department.
“These awards are granted in conjunction with ATSC’s 10 years of servicing and design, development, review and approval of ground support equipment and AMO for the Su30MKM’s intermediate level maintenance and depot level maintenance.
“The maintenance concerns the aircraft’s weapon systems, service life extension and preventive restoration works, repair and overhaul after the successful compliance audits by the Aircraft and Aeronautical Maintenance Regulation Team and Aircraft Aeronautical Engineering Regulation,” she said.
On June 25, 1994, ATSC was formed in accordance with a deal between the government and Russian State Corporation named Rosvoorouzhenie, now known as Rosoboronexport, and Moscow Aircraft Production Organisation, presently known as JSC RAC MiG.
ATSC is a subsidiary of National Aerospace and Defence Industry Sdn Bhd, which holds 70 per cent of the shares while its Russian partners, RAC MiG and Rosoboronexport each hold 25 per cent and and five per cent, respectively.