Twentytwo13

RMAF’s plans to acquire ex-Kuwaiti Hornets shot down?

Sukhoi Su-57E Felon in the air.

The planned acquisition of ex-Kuwaiti Air Force (KAF) Hornets for the Royal Malaysian Air Force seems to have stalled.

Last June, a delegation from the RMAF visited Kuwait to iron out details regarding the planned purchase. Government sources had earlier indicated that the deal was in the ‘final stages’ and was waiting only for the green light from the United States government.

However, things seemed to have died down. Observers say US President Donald Trump, who took office more than a week ago, could scupper the deal. The US has the final say on the deal since the F/A-18C/D Hornets were built by McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing).

“There is a possibility that he may just can the deal,” said one analyst who spoke to Twentytwo13 on condition of anonymity.

“Trump could do it in retaliation to Malaysia aligning itself with BRICS.”

In October 2024, Malaysia was accepted as a BRICS ‘partner country’ along with neighbours Thailand and Indonesia.

The RMAF announced an ambitious force modernisation programme last year to address the ‘capability gap’ in light of rising tensions in the South China Sea. The proposed ‘lock, stock, and barrel’ acquisition of ex-KAF Hornets was meant as a stop-gap measure to supplement the eight F/A-18Ds operated by the RMAF’s No. 18 Squadron based in Butterworth. The RMAF is looking at acquiring between 24 and 33 airframes.

The RMAF is also planning to acquire a number of advanced Russian Sukhoi Su-57E Felon fighters to enhance its offensive and defensive counter-air capabilities and to fill its requirement for a next-generation multirole combat aircraft (MRCA). The Felon is a 5th-gen stealth aircraft optimised for beyond visual-range engagements and can deliver a wide array of standoff weapons. It is also extremely manoeuvrable in a close-in fight.

Another analyst agreed that the Kuwaiti Hornet deal may not happen but cited a more practical reason.

“Supportability will be an issue. The US Marine Corps (USMC) operates the same variant as we do. They plan to phase out the Hornets in 2030 and transition to the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II.

“When that happens, we may have issues with the availability of spare parts. We may only have enough to keep them flying for 5-10 years. Costs will definitely go up. The net result is that aircraft serviceability rates will suffer. To spend all that money on an aircraft that can only be sustained for 10 years … Is that really the best utilisation of resources?” he asked.

The analyst suggested that instead of ‘splitting the throttles’ with two programmes – the KAF Hornets and the Felon – the funds could be put to better use if they were directed towards just one programme – the Felon.

“Initially, the plan was for just one squadron of Su-57s, consisting of between 12 and 18 aircraft. But if we can channel the funds meant for the Kuwaiti Hornets to the Su-57 programme, we can build a more credible deterrent with 36, or even 48 airframes of the stealth fighter.

The RMAF could take delivery of the Su-57s as early as 2030. It takes about one to two years for a squadron to achieve full operational capability (FOC) from the initial operational capability (IOC).

“This makes more sense. It gives us a semblance of parity in terms of numbers and, at the same time, enhances our defensive capabilities. These airplanes have a service life of 20 to 30 years, with the right maintenance and service life improvement programmes. In contrast, the Hornets will be retired in 15 years.”

Another observer said that if Trump does axe the Kuwaiti Hornet deal, it will only ‘force’ Malaysia to consider other nations for its defence requirements.

“Traditionally, we’ve been able to maintain a sort of impartiality in the area of defence. We have a number of defence arrangements with a host of different countries – the Five Power Defence Arrangements with the United Kingdom, Singapore, Australia, and New Zealand.

“We also hold regular exercises with the US – Cope Taufan with the US Air Force (USAF), regular PassExs (Passing Exercises) with the US Navy, and combined arms exercises with the USMC. These exercises are critical in enhancing our readiness. More importantly, they ensure interoperability between nations we consider allies.

“From a geopolitical standpoint, if Trump cancels the Kuwaiti Hornet deal in retaliation for our BRICS arrangement, then it would only ‘force’ us to look elsewhere for our defence needs. China has just unveiled its J-35 stealth fighter. And there’s Turkiye with its Kaan 5th-gen fighter. So, we do have other options.

“But from a defence spending standpoint, the deal that makes more sense would be the Su-57 deal. It would give us a quantum leap in capability, and the RMAF would have a true fifth-generation platform with stealth capabilities. We would have the ability to ‘stand up’ at least two squadrons of the latest fighters, and these jets would be relevant for 20-30 years.”