Malaysian Defence Minister Personally Inspects Current Condition of Kuwait Air Force’s F/A-18C/D Fighter Jets
Malaysian Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin, along with the Malaysian delegation, visited the Ahmad Al-Jaber Air Base, which houses Squadron 9, the unit responsible for operating the F/A-18C/D Legacy Hornet fighter jets owned by the Kuwait Air Force.
(DEFENCE SECURITY ASIA) – Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin, currently on an official visit to Kuwait, personally inspected the current condition of Kuwait Air Force (KAF) F/A-18C/D fighter jets that Malaysia is seeking to acquire.
He, along with the Malaysian delegation, visited the Ahmad Al-Jaber Air Base, which houses Squadron 9, the unit responsible for operating the F/A-18C/D Legacy Hornet fighter jets owned by the Kuwait Air Force.
Accompanying Mohamed Khaled on his visit to the Ahmad Al-Jaber Air Base was Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) Chief, General Tan Sri Mohd Asghar Khan Goriman Khan.
“We were welcomed by Major General Sheikh Sabah Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Kuwait Armed Forces and Commander of the Kuwait Air Force,” Mohamed Khaled said.
“I received a briefing on the status, capabilities, and operations of the KAF F/A-18C/D fighter jets, including from KAF pilots themselves, and was also given the opportunity to inspect some of these strategic assets firsthand,” he added in his latest Facebook post.
(kredit FB Mohamed Khaled Nordin)
Last June, an RMAF technical team visited Kuwait to hold discussions on the acquisition of the fighter jets. According to the RMAF Chief, Kuwait’s F/A-18D (Hornet) jets are in good condition and have lower operational hours compared to Malaysia’s existing fleet of Hornet aircraft.
Mohamed Khaled further stated that the Kuwaiti government had previously provided positive feedback regarding Malaysia’s interest in acquiring the F/A-18C/D Legacy Hornets.
Earlier, the Defence Minister mentioned that both the Malaysian and Kuwaiti governments had agreed to establish a committee to initiate negotiations regarding the acquisition of Kuwait’s F/A-18C/D fighter jets.
“Malaysia and Kuwait have agreed to form a joint committee to begin discussions and negotiations on the acquisition of the Legacy Hornet fighter jets,” the Defence Minister said.
Malaysia plans to acquire Kuwait’s F/A-18C/D Hornets as a temporary solution before the RMAF is equipped with new Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MRCA).
The Kuwait Air Force decided to retire its F/A-18C/D fleet after acquiring F/A-18E/F Super Hornets and Eurofighter Typhoons.
To replace the F/A-18C/D, Kuwait has purchased 28 Super Hornets, consisting of 22 single-seat F/A-18E jets and six two-seat F/A-18F Super Hornets, which will operate from Ahmad Al-Jaber Air Base.
In addition to the Super Hornets, Kuwait has also procured 28 Eurofighter Typhoons developed by BAE Systems, valued at an estimated US$8.7 billion (RM38.73 billion). — DSA