(DEFENCE SECURITY ASIA) – Malaysia’s stock of spare parts for its Su-30MKM fighter jets is sufficient to meet operational requirements for the Russian-made aircraft for the next three years.
Speaking to the New Strait Times, the CEO of Aerospace Technology System Corp Sdn Bhd (ATSC), Lt Col (Rtd) Datuk Mohd Fadzar Suhada, confirmed that Malaysia has an adequate supply of spare parts for the Su-30MKM fighter jets.
“At the start of the military conflict in Ukraine, we had a spare parts inventory worth RM7 million. By the end of 2023, this had grown to RM13 million, which is sufficient to cover operational needs for approximately three years,” he said.
He made these comments to the newspaper during the 9th Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok, Russia, which was also attended by Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
ATSC is a subsidiary of National Aerospace and Defence Industries Sdn Bhd, responsible for maintaining the Royal Malaysian Air Force’s (RMAF) fleet of Su-30MKM fighter jets.
The RMAF operates 18 Su-30MKM jets, manufactured by Irkut Corp, and based in Gong Kedak.
In addition to Russia, Malaysia also sources Su-30MKM spare parts from India, one of the largest operators of the aircraft with the Su-30MKI variant in service with the Indian Air Force (IAF), Mohd Fadzar added.
Concerns about the supply of Su-30MKM spare parts arose following the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, as well as the Western sanctions imposed on Russia.
According to Mohd Fadzar, the sanctions have affected Russia’s supply chain.
“However, we have managed the situation well, as much of the aircraft maintenance work is carried out domestically,” he explained.
Last year, the Deputy Minister of Defence noted that while the Russia-Ukraine war is likely to continue for an unpredictable period, the Ministry of Defence and the RMAF have developed a long-term maintenance plan for the Su-30MKM fighter jets.
He added that the RMAF also has the internal capacity to handle some of the maintenance work on the Su-30MKM, including its electronic systems.
“Not all maintenance has to be done by Russian companies. We are aware of the RMAF’s capability to handle part of the maintenance, particularly in electronics, with our in-house expertise,” he said. — DSA