Did LOI Issued For The Acquisition of Slovakia-Made “EVA” 155mm SPH System ???

(DEFENCE SECURITY ASIA) — Malaysia’s Ministry of Finance (MoF) is alleged to have issued a Letter of Intent (LOI) to the local company, Global Komited for the acquisition of the “EVA” 155mm mobile artillery system for the Malaysian Army.

Global Komited is a subsidiary of the Weststar Group.

The allegation was made by Member of Parliament Datuk Awang Hashim (PN-Pendang) during his questioning regarding the acquisition of the self-propelled howitzer system to Defense Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khalid Nordin while he was addressing the Royal Address debate in the Parliament today.

Awang Hashim inquired, “Is it true that the Ministry of Finance issued an LOI amounting to RM805 million to Global Komited, a subsidiary of Weststar Group,(for the acquisition of the EVA 155mm mobile artillery system) ?”

He claimed that the Ministry of Finance opted for the “EVA” 155mm mobile artillery system over others, including the CAESAR 155mm developed by the French company NEXTER.

 

Awang Hashim further alleged that this selection contradicted the preferences of the end-user, namely the Malaysian Army.

In response, Mohamed Khaled stated that the proposal for the 155mm mobile artillery system for the Malaysian Army is still in the procurement process.

He emphasized that the decision is yet to be finalised, and they are awaiting details on the source of procurement.

According to Mohamed Khaled, any defense procurement process by the Ministry of Defense follows the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) and guidelines outlined by the Ministry of Finance.

The “EVA” mobile artillery system, developed by Konstrukta Defence, is partially funded by the Ministry of Defense in Slovakia.

 The system, based on the Tatra T810 6×6 vehicle, features a 155mm/L52 cannon capable of firing all NATO-standard ammunition.

 

The “EVA” 155mm 52 Cal mobile artillery system is an autonomous artillery system with an automatic loading system, providing effective shooting capabilities with direct or indirect target determination.

 Its design is based on the proven effectiveness of the 155mm 52 Cal mobile cannon, extensively tested in Slovakia and other countries.

Key features of the “EVA” mobile artillery system include high mobility due to its cannon’s weight, crew protection from infantry weapons, long-range attack capabilities, quick system deployment, precise shooting, and the ability to execute Multiple Round Simultaneous Impact (MRSI) firing.

The “EVA” system, reportedly developed within a span of only 9 months, can fire five rounds in one minute, nine rounds in two minutes, or 12 rounds in three minutes.

 With Rocket-Assisted Projectile (RAP) ammunition, the cannon can reach a firing range of 41km.

 

Operated by a three-person crew—commander, gunner, and driver—and equipped with a Fire Control System (FCS), the primary principle of the FCS is to manage technical requirements, monitor system activities, and ensure the system obtains necessary data such as topography and ballistics for firing calculations.

To determine the official winner of the tender for the 18 units of the Self-Propelled Howitzer (SPH) for the Malaysian Army, it is anticipated that the official announcement will be made during the DSA 2024 exhibition in May.

Apart from CAESAR, the “Yavuz” 155mm 52cal SPH system developed by the Turkish defense conglomerate MKE is also fiercely competing, along with several other SPH systems participating in the tender initiated by the Ministry of Defense. — DSA