Malaysian Air Force Chief Inspects Construction of P-72M Maritime Patrol Aircraft in Italy

(DEFENCE SECURITY ASIA) – The Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) Chief, General Tan Sri Mohd Asghar Khan Goriman Khan, recently conducted a working visit to Italy to inspect the progress of the P-72M maritime patrol aircraft (MPA) acquisition project for Malaysia.

The Malaysian Ministry of Defence signed a contract in 2023 to procure two P-72M MPAs, developed by Italian aerospace firm Leonardo, valued at over RM700 million.

Delivery of the aircraft is expected to commence in 2026.

According to an RMAF social media statement recently, General Mohd Asghar and his delegation visited Leonardo’s LAD Caselle facility in Turin, where the P-72M aircraft are undergoing modifications.

“The delegation received a comprehensive briefing on the project’s current status and inspected the ongoing modification works,” the statement noted.

During his visit, General Mohd Asghar paid a courtesy call on his Italian counterpart, Lieutenant General Luca Goretti, Chief of Staff of the Italian Air Force (ITAF), at ITAF headquarters in Rome.

Their bilateral discussions aimed to enhance cooperation between the two air forces, particularly in training and sharing expertise, given ITAF’s extensive experience with this type of MPA.

General Mohd Asghar also extended an invitation for Lt Gen Goretti and the ITAF delegation to attend the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition (LIMA) 2025, scheduled for May 20–24, 2025.

The RMAF delegation also visited Leonardo’s headquarters, engaging with the company’s top management to discuss accelerating the integration of systems and delivery timelines for the P-72M aircraft.

These efforts align with the RMAF Capability Development Plan 2055 (CAP55) to bolster operational readiness.

Concluding the visit, General Mohd Asghar and his delegation toured several strategic sites, including the new air defense control system at Practica di Mare Air Base and ELT Elettronica Group, a leading defense electronics company.

At Practica di Mare Air Base, the delegation witnessed a demonstration of the advanced Command & Control (C2) system, “Blueshield,” developed by Leonardo for ITAF’s air defense operations.

This visit underscores RMAF’s commitment to ensuring the smooth acquisition of new assets while fostering long-term strategic collaboration between RMAF and ITAF.

Under the CAP55 program, Malaysia plans to acquire at least six MPAs through various phases of its national development plans.

Two MPAs were procured during the 12th Malaysia Plan (2021–2025), with four more to follow in subsequent five-year plans.

The P-72M, marketed as a cost-effective yet highly capable platform, can execute missions such as anti-submarine warfare (ASW), anti-surface warfare (ASuW), and electronic intelligence (ELINT).

The aircraft has an endurance of over eight hours, a maximum takeoff weight of 23 tons, a top speed of 465 km/h, and a ceiling of 25,000 feet. — DSA