Royal Malaysian Navy Aviation | |
---|---|
KD Rajawali | |
Country | Malaysia |
Branch | Royal Malaysian Navy |
Type | Naval aviation |
Role | Aerial warfare Military supply chain management |
Size | 4 squadron |
Part of | Malaysian Armed Forces |
Garrison/HQ | KD Rajawali, Lumut, Perak |
Insignia | |
Roundel |
The Royal Malaysian Navy Aviation is the naval aviation branch of the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN). RMN aviation also known as the KD Rajawali. It was based in Lumut, Perak and currently consisted of four squadron. [1]
RMN aviation was unofficially formed in 1985 after nine of the RMN personnel graduated from flying school. Two years later, RMN purchased a batch of used Westland Wasp from Royal Navy as their first flying unit. [2] The RMN aviation officially inaugurated on 11 May 1990 by the third Chief of Navy, Laksamana Madya Tan Sri Abdul Wahab Bin Haji Nawi and RMN aviation now officially known as the KD Rajawali. [3]
RMN aviation moving further by acquiring the new assets and expanding their squadron to fulfil the modern tasks. This includes the acquisition of modern anti-submarine and anti-surface helicopter-Super Lynx, light attack and surface surveillance helicopter-Fennec and utility helicopter-AW139. RMN aviation also formed it first unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) squadron by acquiring ScanEagle UAV. [4]
Currently, RMN aviation consisted of four squadron which is three squadron of helicopter: 501, 502 and 503. One squadron of unmanned aerial vehicle: 601.
Equipped with six units Super Lynx helicopter. The main roles of this squadron are to fulfil the anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare. The Super Lynx equipped with A244-S torpedoes for anti-submarine and Sea Skua missiles for anti-surface. [5]
Equipped with six units Fennec helicopter for surface surveillance and light attack roles. The Fennec equipped with Telephonics 1500 radar and FLIR LEO II for surveillance task. It can also be equipped with rocket launcher for light attack task. [6]
Equipped with three units AW139 helicopter.
On 23 April 2024 two RMN helicopters (a Eurocopter Fennec and an AgustaWestland AW139) crashed during a military parade rehearsal for the Navy's 90th anniversary on 27 April. 10 people were killed including the pilot and crew of both helicopters and the commanding officers of 503 Squadron and 502 Squadron. [8]
The Westland Wasp is a small 1960s British turbine-powered, shipboard anti-submarine helicopter. Produced by Westland Helicopters, it came from the same Saunders-Roe P.531 programme as the British Army Westland Scout, and is based on the earlier piston-engined Saunders-Roe Skeeter. It fulfilled the requirement of the Royal Navy for a helicopter small enough to land on the deck of a frigate and carry a useful load of two homing torpedoes.
The Westland Lynx is a British multi-purpose twin-engined military helicopter designed and built by Westland Helicopters at its factory in Yeovil. Originally intended as a utility craft for both civil and naval usage, military interest led to the development of both battlefield and naval variants. The Lynx went into operational usage in 1977 and was later adopted by the armed forces of over a dozen nations, primarily serving in the battlefield utility, anti-armour, search and rescue and anti-submarine warfare roles.
The Royal Malaysian Navy is the naval arm of the Malaysian Armed Forces. RMN is the main agency responsible for the country's maritime surveillance and defense operations. RMN's area of operation consists of 603,210 square kilometers covering the country's coastal areas and Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZ). RMN also bears the responsibility of controlling the country's main Sea Lines of Communications (SLOC) such as the Straits of Malacca and the Straits of Singapore and also monitors national interests in areas with overlapping claims such as in Spratly.
Lumut is a coastal town and mukim in Manjung District, Perak, Malaysia, situated about 84 km (52 mi) southwest of the state capital city of Ipoh, 12 km (7.5 mi) north from the town of Sitiawan. It is the main gateway to Pangkor Island before established Marina Island Pangkor as second gateway, and noted for seashell and coral handicrafts.
The Kasturi-class corvettes are two ships of the Royal Malaysian Navy, KD Kasturi and KD Lekir. They were acquired in the mid-1980s. The two ships constitute the Malaysian Navy's 22nd Corvette Squadron, their homeport being Lumut. After about 25 years of service, they underwent an extensive modernisation known as Service Life Extension Program (SLEP) starting in 2009, enabling them to be employed for another 10 to 15 years. They have since been returned to active duty.
The EurocopterAS550 Fennec and AS555 Fennec 2 are lightweight, multipurpose military helicopters manufactured by Eurocopter Group. Based on the AS350 Ecureuil and AS355 Ecureuil 2 series, they are named after the fennec fox. The armed versions of the AS550 and AS555 can be fitted with coaxial weapons, rockets, torpedoes and various other munitions.
The AgustaWestland AW139, now known as the Leonardo AW139, is a 15-seat medium-sized twin-engined helicopter developed and produced by the Anglo-Italian helicopter manufacturer AgustaWestland, now part of Leonardo. It is marketed at several different roles, including VIP/corporate transport, military use, offshore transport, firefighting, law enforcement, search and rescue, emergency medical service, disaster relief, and maritime patrol.
The Brazilian Naval Aviation is the air component of the Brazilian Navy, currently called Força Aeronaval. Most of its air structure is subordinated to the Naval Air Force Command, the military organization responsible for providing operational air support from Navy vessels, while four squadrons are subordinated to the Naval Districts, responsible for inland and coastal waters. ComForAerNav is headquartered at the Naval Air Base of São Pedro da Aldeia, where all aircraft fleet level maintenance is carried out and where the Aeronaval Instruction and Training Center is located, which forms its staff. Its pilots, all officers with one to three years of prior naval experience, fly its helicopters, airplanes and Remotely Piloted Aircraft as extensions of the ships' weaponry and sensors.
The AgustaWestland AW159 Wildcat is a military helicopter, developed by the British-Italian helicopter manufacturer AgustaWestland, and later marketed by the Italian aerospace company Leonardo. It is an improved version of the Westland Super Lynx designed to serve in the battlefield utility, search and rescue, aerial reconnaissance, anti-submarine warfare (ASW), anti-surface warfare (ASuW), utility, command and control, and troop transport duties.
The Special Task and Rescue Team, abbreviated as STAR, serves as the command for elite maritime special operations and underwater divers within the Malaysia Coast Guard. It was established as a rapid reaction force for emergencies within the maritime zone of Malaysia.
KA Bunga Mas Lima (BM5) is a container freighter purchased by the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) and converted into an auxiliary ship. Bunga Mas Lima was the second ship owned by the Malaysian International Shipping Corporation (MISC) to be deployed to the Gulf of Aden.
The Pasukan Khas Laut, commonly abbreviated to PASKAL, is the principal special operations force of the Royal Malaysian Navy.
The Maharaja Lela-class frigate, also known as the littoral combat ship (LCS), is a class of six stealth frigates being built for the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN). First announced as the Second Generation Patrol Vessel in 2011, the ships are based on an enlarged version of the Gowind-class corvette, designed by Naval Group, formerly known as DCNS of France.
Seaspray is series of a British airborne maritime radar systems, initially developed by Ferranti for the Lynx helicopter, built in Edinburgh. It is used primarily as an Air-to-Surface Vessel radar in the anti-submarine and anti missile boat roles. The combination of Lynx and Seaspray has been an export success and operates in numerous armed forces around the world, often along with the related Sea Skua short-range missile.
The Gagah Samudera is a class of training ships of the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN). The two ships were built jointly by Malaysia and South Korea under a shared development programme, with one ship built in South Korea and the other in Malaysia, The ships, named KD Gagah Samudera and KD Teguh Samudera are currently in service with Royal Malaysian Navy. All RMN ships carry the prefix KD
PASKAL: The Movie is a 2018 Malaysian Malay-language military action film directed by Adrian Teh and produced by Asia Tropical Films. It stars Hairul Azreen, Jasmine Suraya Chin, and Tiger Chen. It was inspired by the elite Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) force named PASKAL. With a budget of RM10 million, PASKAL: The Movie is one of the most expensive Malaysian film ever made.
KD Kasturi is the lead ship of Kasturi-class corvette of the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN). She was acquired in the 1980s and served under 22nd Corvette Squadron of RMN and based in Lumut Perak. Kasturi is based on HDW's FS 1500 design.
Lumut Naval Base is a Royal Malaysian Navy military base in Lumut, Perak, about 100 miles (160 km) from Kuala Lumpur. It is Malaysia's largest naval base, and it has served as the Royal Malaysian Navy's headquarters since 9 September 1984, replacing Woodlands Naval Base in Singapore. This base now serves as the headquarters for the Royal Malaysian Navy's (RMN) Western Fleet Command, while the Sepangar Bay Naval Base serves as the headquarters for the RMN's Eastern Fleet Command.
On 23 April 2024 at 09:32 MYT, two Royal Malaysian Navy helicopters – an AgustaWestland AW139 and a Eurocopter Fennec – collided over the Malaysian town of Lumut during a military parade rehearsal celebrating the 90th anniversary of the Royal Malaysian Navy. Ten people – seven on the AW139 and three on the Fennec – were killed. There were no survivors. The cause of the crash is still under investigation.