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From Russia With Love: Serampang Dua Mata
Posted on September 7, 2019by hafizuddinsulaiman
The much anticipated meeting between Malaysian Prime Minister Tun Mahathir and Russian President Putin was held in Vladivostok with several key aerospace issues being discussed.
These include Russia’s offer to buy all 10 MiG-MAPO built Mikoyan Gurenvich Mig-29N/NUB (NATO Reporting Name: Fulcrum) and 18 KNAAPO built Sukhoi Su-30MKM (NATO Reporting Name: Flanker) and exchange them with up to 36 RAC MIG Mig-35 (NATO Reporting Name: Fulcrum F) to the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF).
While initially Russian proposal was said to involve the heavily westernised Mig-29Ns on “1 for 2” basis, apparently President Putin, the oligarchs as well as the military are having second thoughts on the proposal.
They now wanted to include the 18 Malaysian Sukhois for the obvious reason. Unlike other Western inclined users, Malaysia has from the very beginning insist on modifying its Russian made combat aircraft with combination of best technologies from the West.
All 18 Mig-29N/NUB might not being able to integrate significant Western made systems but they were seen as testbed platform that lead to the inception of more successful ‘Peculiar to Malaysia’ variant of the hugely successful Su-30MK which we all knew as the Su-30MKM.
With the exception of HAL built Su-30MKI which had Russian, Indian and Israeli avionics and weapon systems, the Malaysian Su-30MKM has Russian, South African, French, American, United Kingdom and Indian technologies incorporated which makes it even more formidable weapon platform despite its small quantities.
Such qualities were much vied upon by other countries especially the United States, considering that both China and Russia are considered as rival and operators of the Su-30 family. As a result, every single opportunity given during bilateral training to fly with the Sukhoi have not been wasted at all.
The Su-30MKM remains the only Russian aircraft able to dispense Paveway II Laser Guided Bomb (LGB). The Russian sees this as an opportunity to access a glimpse of crucial American technologies by buying back the Malaysian Migs and Sukhois.
The Foxtrot Fulcrum was a result of long development gestation of the Mig-29M2 (NATO Reporting Name: Fulcrum E). The M2 variant was actively promoted to the RMAF as reinforcement and potential successor to the Mig-29N/NUB. A prototype of the Mig-29M2 has made an appearance at the Langkawi International Maritime & Aerospace (LIMA) 2001 show.
Back then since 1999, the Malaysian Mig fleet suffers maintenance issues due to after sales support and spare parts delivery problems with Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM). Similar situation occurred exactly once again to the Sukhoi fleet recently.
The Mig-35 is said to be a big departure from the Mig-29 that it is based from. In comparison to the Malaysian Mig-29, the Mig-35 had integral in flight refueling (IFR) probe instead of a visible bump on the Malaysian example. Both aircraft however retained the Infra Red Search & Track (IRST) but the Foxtrot had a more powerful one similar to the Su-30MKM.
It is slightly longer than the Malaysian Migs, has larger and stronger redesigned wing which enables it to carry more weapon.
While the NUB had to forego its radar in order to accommodate additional seat, the twin seat variant of the Mig-35 has adopted the redesigned canopy of Mig-29M2 which is more streamlined with better aerodynamics as well as rooms for radar.
Unlike the Mig-29M, the MIG-29UPG and the abandoned Mig-29NM (a proposed Malaysian upgrade on the Mig-29N), the Mig-35 does not require bulbous dorsal hump for more sensors and to carry more fuel.
Russia’s offer also include transfer of technology as well as support. Considering that the RMAF first Russian made aircraft was in fact the Mig-29, local defence industries are actually able to support the Mig-35 as the existing facility at Kuantan AFB which had once accredited to conduct 5,000 hours and 10,000 hours maintenance programs.
The Malaysian Migs also had weapon system which only suits its role as interceptors with limited air to ground attack capabilities.
It is able to fire Vympel R-27 (NATO Reporting Name: AA-10 Alamo) as well as R-73 (NATO Reporting Name: AA-11 Archer). These were Medium Range and Short Range Air to Air Missiles. Unlike the Sukhoi, the Malaysian Migs lack the Beyond Visual Range Air to Air Missile, a significant setbacks when pitted against American aircraft as have been during Exercise Air Warrior 2010 when Malaysian Migs only won once. (here)
The Mig-35 on the other hand will have the R-73 AMRAAMskii as well as the R-77 (NATO Reporting Name: AA-12 Adder) BVRAAM to effectively becomes a potent MRCA. It is also able to fire R-37 (NATO Reporting Name: AA-13 Arrow) which is able to shoot down tankers, AEW as well as ISTAR aircraft beyond the reach of escort aircraft.
The Mig-35 is also able to fire Grom E-12 Glide bomb which would give a stand off, precision strike capabilities against ground target.
The Malaysian Migs was known as the Smokey Bandit, no thanks to the tell tale black smoke from its Klimov RD-33 turbofan engines. The engine is also notoriously hard and costly to maintain.
The Russian has promised the Malaysian that the new Klimov RD-33MK is more powerful, cost effective and most importantly does not emits physical signatures.
Though on the outset, the offer may look attractive especially with the possibility of the RMAF regaining two full combat squadrons through a buy back program, the reality checks however were not so pretty at all.
While acknowledgedly the Mig-35 could carry all of the Russian weapon and aircraft system that the Su-30MKM had, it is not known whether there has been any success to integrate Russian and Western systems.
The success of Su-30MKM integration owes much to the Indian SU-30MKI program which has so many developmental bugs and issues. The interim aircraft, the Su-30K procured in late 1990’s also had many problems, so much that they were returned to Russia after only a few years in Indian service.
Eventually, these former Indian jets were refurbished and sold to Angola.
Malaysia took the wise decision only after the K/MKI Flanker were in Indian Air Force (IAF) service of 10 years, long enough for debugging and rectification works to be done.
The Indian did operate a fully Russianised, carrier borne variant of the Mig-29M known as the Mig-29K/KUB. Unfortunately though, there were a lot of problems on these Navy Migs which are still unresolved till today.
After 12 years of service, the Malaysian Sukhoi fleet has matures so much that it has become an indispensable multi role platform. The success of recent Ops Bisa Daya in East Sabah clearly shows the strategic value of these Flanker in all spectrum of aerial warfare.
The RMAF has invested heavily on the Sukhoi’s including on the development of Gong Kedak AFB dedicated to host No 11 Skn the Malaysian Flanker unit as well as the Sukhoi Techical Centre (STC). Malaysia remains the only country in Asia Pacific that is able to service the MKM’s Lyulka AL-31FP turbofan engines without having had to flown these Thrust Vector Control (TVC) engines to Russia, Belarus or Ukraine. The other country which has similar capability is India.
The Su-30MKM or Cik Su (Miss Su, as they are affectionately referred to among Malaysians) has reached a situation similar to the RMAF Boeing F/A-18D Hornet in 2003 when the Americans proposed a buyback which will see the Air Force to operate 24 F/A-18E/F Super Hornets with fuselage taken from the then US Navy surplus’ A and B stocks.
Adding another type of combat aircraft into an already heavily mixed hi-lo set up would definitely defeat the objectives of RMAF’s “Capability 2055” or CAP55 Strategic Plan. Supposedly under the plan, the RMAF would like to have only one type of Multi Role Combat Aircraft (MRCA) equipping two squadrons.
The initial plan is to reinforced the existing Hornet fleet with up to 10 surplus F/A-18C/D operated by the Kuwaiti Air Force (KAF). The plan has been revealed since March 2017 during LIMA 2017 and was reiterated several times during the No 18 Skn 25th anniversary in September 2017 and recently during the Air Force Day on June 1, 2019.
The Hornet seems to be a more suitable stable mate for the Sukhoi at least until both aircraft reached their respective out of service date in 2035 and 2040. By that time frame Malaysia is ready to fulfill the CAP55 plan by acquiring either the Sukhoi Su-57E (NATO Reporting Name: Frazor) or Turkish TAI TF-X 5th Generation stealth fighters. Obviously the Mig-35 was never in the plan.
Another hurdle that needs to be overcome in order to materialise the Mig-29/Su-30 buy back plan is the Americans themselves. The Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act or CAATSA has significantly put a lot of dilemma to would be buyers of Russian defence product.
Perhaps the Malaysian Prime Minister and his Pakatan Harapan Government has not thought about it much as they are cancelling six MD Helicopters MD-530G Defender Light Scout/Attack Helicopter (LSAH) and M109A 155mm Self Propelled Howitzer (SPH) thus further risking wrath from the US if Mig-35 plan proceed.
One Russian source inform this Blogger on effect of CAATSA to Russia’s plan to expand its market in Asia Pacific. While the aerospace market is big and growing, CAATSA has hampered the country’s military sales and at the same time limits Russia’s penetration to just civilian aircraft. A good example is the delays on Indonesian Air Force (TNI-AU) KNAAPO built Sukhoi Su-35 (NATO Reporting Name: Flanker E). Also known as the Super Flanker, 11 of these aircraft is expected to replace the Northrop F-5E Tiger II/Macan fighters under a barter trade deal with palm oils and other Indonesian commodities.
While the Government sentiments on Russia post MH17 tragedy have normalised again following the rise of Tun M, it cannot being said so when it comes to public opinion. Till this day, many Malaysians still believed that pro Russian rebels in Eastern Ukraine armed with Russian supplied equipment were responsible for the shooting down. Tun M, being a close friend to Putin would definitely stand in defence of Russia, even by saying that he does not believed the findings made by Joint International Team (JIT) which members include Malaysian investigators. MH 17 was a tragedy to the nation as national carrier aircraft being shot down along with Malaysian crews and nationals on board. The vivid image of Malaysian flag on the Boeing 777-200ER body among the wreckage and human bodies that laid across Ukrainian sunflower fields remain the greatest tomb of the country’s dark history.
Having said that, on the other hand, the Russians did gave us another option to consider that is to assist the upgrade works on all 18 SU-30MKM. The whole fleet is currently undergoing Service Life Extension Program (SLEP) with the first of the aircraft serial number M52-15 was handed to the RMAF during the recent LIMA 2019 after completing the 10,000 hours servicing program at STC.
Had it not been for the positive assistance by Tun M whom had brought the issue on RMAF aircraft servicibility to Putin during a meeting in Singapore last November 2018, it is unlikely that the SLEP program, initiated by the previous Government, could ever gained proper traction and momentum.
Funding remains a challenge as the previous Government was non committal on this issue. During LIMA 2017, they even mulled the idea of selling the Migs, which was put on retirement in 2015, to the Indians as part of measures to fund the Sukhoi’s upgrade program.
The revelation made by current Minister of Defence resulted the booting out of Russian contractor. As a result, the RMAF has worked together with local company, Aerospace Technology System Corp (ATSC), to come up with localised 10,000 hours servicing program as well as to lower the project’s cost.
This effort seems to pay off as fleet availability and readiness have improved to more than 56% in August 2019 when compared to 33% in August 2018. Again, the ability to deploy four Su-30MKM to Labuan AFB last July 2019 to conduct Air Policing over the Eastern sector of South China Sea is a good sign of fleet readiness recovery resulted from the smooth SLEP program.
Russia has offered to upgrade the Su-30MKM to Su-35 standard involving installation of more powerful Zhuk-AE AESA radar, AL-31F engines as well as Thales Talios target acquisition laser pod which would allow the MKM to fire Kalibr or Brahmos cruise missiles.
Unfortunately, even if the SLEP program is progressing well, funding for upgrade might still be at huge risk as there has been reports that further cuts will be made on Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF) defence budget soon.
Tun M is currently in Japan as part of his next leg of state visit in the region
https://malaysiaflyingherald.wordpress.com/Guess the ruskie having second though on taking 18 Mig-25 and replace with 36 mig 35
Sep 3 2019, 12:00 AM
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