Malaysia Pushes For Maritime Surveillance Aircraft Lease

FROM
Leithen Francis -

The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) is pushing for a budget to acquire fixed-wing maritime surveillance aircraft on long-term wet-lease, since its existing agreement with Bombardier for maritime patrol has lapsed.
The MMEA also is hoping to renew a customer support pact with Bombardier that lapsed a while ago, according to the agency’s director general, Adm. Amdan bin Kurish. “The Bombardier planes have not been flying for some time,” he says.
Amdan attributes the failure to “bureaucracy and haggling over price.” He cites instances where his agency and Bombardier would reach agreement, but MMEA would have trouble getting approval from senior government officials. The process of going back and forth on negotiations was time-consuming and led to the contract lapsing before a new one was ready, he says.
Without a support contract , MMEA’s two Bombardier 415 amphibious aircraft have been grounded at its base at Kuala Lumpur Subang Airport. Amdan predicts the 415s will fly again soon, although he cannot say precisely when. He also says the MMEA’s amphibious aircraft pilots will have to travel overseas for simulator training to regain some of their proficiency.
MMEA’s customer support agreement with AgustaWestland also expired, but that was less of an issue because the helicopter maker decided to roll over the agreement on a month-to-month basis until a new one could be reached.