Malaysia's bid to acquire F/A-18 Hornet fighter jets from Kuwait has moved a step closer to reality following approval from the United States.

Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) chief General Tan Sri Asghar Khan Goriman Khan confirmed today that Washington had granted the necessary clearance for the deal.

"There is positive progress (on the deal)... we have set up a committee comprising the Defence Ministry, Boeing and the Kuwaiti Air Force, and the US has granted approval for us to proceed with further discussions.

"The process will be carried out in the near future, but we also need to wait for Kuwait to receive the F/A-18 E/F Super Hornets they purchased from the US. That's a key factor.

"Once they receive the Super Hornets, then, God willing, the transfer from Kuwait to Malaysia will proceed positively. Discussions have already begun," he said at a press conference at the RMAF 67th Anniversary celebrations at the Kuantan air base.

Under the US Arms Export Control Act, all deals involving American-made arms must have the approval of the country's Congress.

This includes assets which had already been purchased by one country and is being sold to another nation.

The long-anticipated deal involves around 30 Hornets — a mix of single-seat F/A-18Cs and twin-seat F/A-18Ds — currently in service with the Kuwaiti Air Force.

Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled had previously said the aircraft, originally acquired by Kuwait in the 1990s, are generally in good condition.

During his visit to Kuwait last October, he had said the Gulf nation expressed no objections to Malaysia's request to procure its Hornet jets.

Malaysia currently operates eight F/A-18D Hornets and 18 Sukhoi Su-30MKMs in its combat aircraft arsenal.

The RMAF had recently purchased 18 South Korean-made FA-50Ms to replace the RMAF's fleet of BAE Hawk 208/108 light combat aircraft and lead-in fighter trainers.

However, the FA-50M aircraft are only expected to be delivered next year.

This has also left a gap in the Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MRCA) fleet following the retirement of its 16 Russian-made Mikoyan MiG-29N Fulcrums, seven years ago.

Plans to replace the MiG-29Ns, optimised for their air defence role, were reportedly delayed due to budgetary constraints.

https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2025/06/...i-fa-18-hornets

banyak duit nampak

See trump, we buy murican product.

Don't tariff us so much pls pls pls

actually is we buy from KUWAIT

money doesnt go into US pocket

Maintenance fee, spare part, all come from Murica still right?

Who do you think we need to engage to service the planes?

Mean kuwait need to replace it with China fighter??

how much is maintenance spare part cost?

dunno

wumaos care to comment?
becoz this moves us closer to the AMDK sphere...
otherwise no spare parts no maintenance.. and kill switch

unless we wanna be like iran.. with their f14s

US got kill switch in the planes?

also, US will have leverage over MY; be obedient, or no parts

This post has been edited by ycs: Jun 16 2025, 03:10 PM

ATSC la banggang

what does this have to do with wumaos? Malaysia prefers and already using F18, its the most sensible choice of procurement for long term to current fleet

our neighbours already have , or in the midst of acquiring. F35s. What's the use of F18s in this situation?

Very old planes

Why we go buy 30 year old planes?

I thought our gov no money... still buy old stuff? Maintenance kelaut...

meanwhile Indonesia is getting Turkish fighter jets

hypocrites , boycott

F/A 18 are good planes.