(DEFENCE SECURITY ASIA) — Malaysia and France have officially executed a Letter of Acceptance (LOA) for the acquisition of Ground Master 400 Alpha (GM400) long-range air defense radar system to serve as the country’s “ears and eyes” in monitoring the South China Sea.
The Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) will operate this long-range air defense radar, deploying it in Bintulu, Sarawak.
The LOA was signed by the Ministry of Defense and Thales, the French company responsible for developing the long-range air defense radar system and witnessed by Malaysian Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan and his French counterpart, Sebastian Lecornu.
According to Mohamad’s statement on his social media account, the GM400 radar system will be strategically positioned in Bintulu, Sarawak, to Malaysia’s airspace in the South China Sea
Defence Security Asia, in a report dated May 15 had hinted the deployment of the French-made long-range air defence radar in Bintulu, Sarawak, to observe developments in the South China Sea.
With an estimated value of approximately RM200 million, the GM400 joins the “Ground Master” radar family, a widely utilized system globally, including in Malaysia.
Thales provided information indicating that the 3D GM400 radar system’s detection capability has been enhanced by 10%, reaching approximately 515 km (278 nautical miles).
Additionally, cybersecurity features have been improved, along with more advanced Artificial Intelligence (AI) algorithms.
The GM400 radar demonstrates the capability to track high-speed fighter aircraft, guided missiles, helicopters, and unmanned aerial systems.
Notably, it possesses a unique ability to detect and track tactical drones flying at low altitudes (Nap-of-the-Earth) while simultaneously tracking high-altitude targets, such as bomber aircraft, at a range of 515 km.
The French-made GM400 radar in Bintulu will complement another long-range air defence radar, the AN/TPS-77, manufactured by Lockheed Martin, which will be stationed in Labuan.
The AN/TPS-77 radar is a contribution from the United States government.
Both long-range air defense radars, the GM400 by Thales in Bintulu and the AN/TPS-77 by Lockheed Martin in Labuan, will collectively serve as the nation’s “eyes and ears,” ensuring continuous surveillance of sovereignty and national interests in the South China Sea.
In 2021, the U.S. Department of Defense awarded a $25.1 million contract to Lockheed Martin for the supply of a long-range air defense radar system to Malaysia.
This contract included spare parts and training for RMAF personnel who will operate the system.
The U.S. Department of Defense’s statement dated September 24, 2021, revealed that Lockheed Martin’s branch in Liverpool, New York, was granted the $25.1 million contract for the “Malaysia Ground Based Radar System.”
The funding for supplying the long-range radar to the Malaysian government was provided through the “Fiscal 2021 Building Partner Capacity Funds” allocated by the U.S. government.
The coverage of the AN/TPS-77 radar is approximately 470 km or 250 nautical miles, and it is a mobile radar that can be transported to different areas using C-130 Hercules aircraft, trucks, or trains. — DSA
DEFENCE SECURITY ASIA APPS
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