PETALING JAYA (Sept 23, 2012): The Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) is considering an offer from Sweden to lease up to 18 JAS39 Gripen fighter jets for its Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MRCA) programme.
RMAF chief Tan Sri Rodzali Daud told theSun leasing the Gripens is a cheaper solution considering the huge capital expenditure needed for the procurement of new fighters.
“The Gripens had been leased to European air forces, so there is nothing new about such a deal.
“The aircraft also meets all of our MRCA requirements although I admit it is short on gas and range due to its small size,” he said when asked to comment on claims by defence industry sources that Sweden has offered a lease-buy option for the Gripens.
Sources told the Sun that offer was made after Gripen and the Sukhoi Su-30MKM were eliminated from the MRCA programme following technical evaluation by RMAF test pilots.
Er… Gripen is eliminated after technical evaluation but the aircraft meets all MRCA requirements???
Sounds to me that RMAF can’t afford the others, so the criteria have been changed so that Gripen DOES meet requirements. Wonder if this selection will go the way the Swiss one went – get some temporary C/D’s to allow Fulcrums to be retired in 2015 then buy some E/F’s when the budget is there.
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September 24, 2012 at 2:44 pm