-

Lankawi International Maritime & Aerospace Exhibition

Text:	Saichol-Krai-amat & Chakrit-Samithinan
Pictures:	Saichol-Krai-amat & Chakrit-Samithinan

RMAF’s Airbus A400M Atlas - the LIMA 2015 highlight

Malaysia is very proud of its Airbus Defence and Space A400M Atlas with the first of four on order delivered from the manufacturer’s assembly facility in Spain just before the opening of LIMA 2015. The big grey airlifter, Airbus factory number MSN22, arrived over Langkawi Island in formation with four BAE Systems Hawks just after the Malaysian Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak, formally opened LIMA 2015. It did not carry out any handling or flight display at the conclusion of the formal fly past. After landing it was parked in the LIMA 2015 aircraft park until the close of the show. Malaysia will take up the in roll in—roll–out flight refuelling fit on its four A400Ms. Some of the RMAF fleet of C-130 Hercules are fitted for in flight refuelling of its fighters.
Airbus avoided detailing the latest delivery dates of the remaining three Malaysian A400Ms leading to conjecture they will be delayed by problems in its Spanish final assembly line as production is going through a ramp up process. The holdup is believed to becaused by delays in suppliers providing components and parts. The problems, which publicly angered the boss of Airbus Group, Tom Enders, saw the resignation of Domingo Ureña-Raso, the head of Airbus Defence and Space. There are reports that Turkey has deliveries of at least two of its A400Ms delayed this year. Malaysia has a large industrial share in A400M production with CTRM being the sole source supplier of the vertical tailplane leading edge (see picture of LIMA display of the component), some nacelle fairings, main landing gear doors and some wing and tailplane access panels. All the contenders in Malaysia’s MiG-29N replacement program are capable of hose and drogue refuelling.

Press Conf. with Defense Minister Hishamuddin Hussein (Picture courtesy Saichol-Krai-amat)

Airbus A-400M Atlas (Picture courtesy Saichol-Krai-amat)

Sukhoi Su-30MKM (Picture courtesy Saichol-Krai-amat)

Sukhoi Su-30MKM (Picture courtesy Chakrit-Samithinan)

Malaysian-Air-Force (Picture courtesy Saichol-Krai-amat)

Kris Sakti Team (Picture courtesy Saichol-Krai-amat)

Kris Sakti Team (Picture courtesy Chakrit-Samithinan)

Kris Sakti Team (Picture courtesy Saichol-Krai-amat)

Sukhoi Su-30MKM (Picture courtesy Chakrit-Samithinan)

Airbus A-400M Atlas (Picture courtesy Chakrit-Samithinan)

Airbus A-400M Atlas (Picture courtesy Saichol-Krai-amat)

Aermacchi-MB-339 (Picture courtesy Chakrit-Samithinan)

Casa-CN-235 (Picture courtesy Chakrit-Samithinan)

Mc Donnell Douglas F-18D Hornet (Picture courtesy Chakrit-Samithinan)

Lockheed C-130H Hercules (Picture courtesy Chakrit-Samithinan)

BAE-Hawk-Mk-208 (Picture courtesy Chakrit-Samithinan)

Mil Mi-8 Bomba (Picture courtesy Chakrit-Samithinan)

MALAYSIA’s Maritime Enforcement Agency

MALAYSIA’s Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) is seeking demonstrations of UAVs from manufacturers as it plans for a major expansion in its operations over the next seven years. It is also to acquire additional helicopters and fixed wing aircraft as it moves to be a more capable force in policing Malaysia’s exclu- sive economic zone up to 200nm offshore. Early work for the Agency involved piracy in the Straits of Malacca but after the 2013 terror raids in Sabah the scope of its operation has considerably widened and weapons are now carried.
The Agency, which has two Bombardier 415MP turboprop amphibians equipped with S&T Airborne Systems Maritime Surveillance Systems 6000, as well as AgustaWestland AW139 and Airbus Helicopters Dauphins. It will double its staff in the period to 2022 from around 5,000 now to more than 10,000 in 2022. The capability of its ships and boats will expand. CAPTION: One of the MMEA’s CL415MPs on show during LIMA 2015.

Westland Super Lynx 300 (Picture courtesy Chakrit-Samithinan)

Eurocopter EC-365 Dauphin (Picture courtesy Chakrit-Samithinan)

Eurocopter EC-555 Ecureuil (Picture courtesy Saichol-Krai-amat)

Pilatus PC-6 Turbo Porter (Picture courtesy Saichol-Krai-amat)

Bombardier CL 415MP (Picture courtesy Saichol-Krai-amat)

Visitors

Boeing B-53H Stratofortress(Picture courtesy Chakrit-Samithinan)

General Dynamics F-16C Falcon of the Pacific Demo Team (Picture courtesy Chakrit-Samithinan)

Dassault Rafale (Picture courtesy Chakrit-Samithinan)

WESTSTAR’s corporate Boeing 727-100 (left), previously flown by prominent US businessman Donald Trump, and now used for charter and for its own corporate travel, was a highlight of the show for enthusiasts after it arrived at Langkawi-

Boeing P-3A Poseidon (Picture courtesy Saichol-Krai-amat)

Boeing 727-100 (Picture courtesy Chakrit-Samithinan)

Aerobatic Teams

A highlight of LIMA 2015 was the first display outside China of its six Chengdu J-10 fighter equipped August 1 aerobatic and formation team. The team, which is based at Tianjin in the far north-east of China, flew to Langkawi via Bangkok’s Don Mueang Airport in the company of two Ilyushin Il-76 airlifters which carried support equipment and ground crew. The J-10 is China’s front-line fighter and there have been attempts to develop a market in emerging economy countries and particularly Pakistan and in parts of Africa. There were single and two-seat J-10s at LIMA.

Chinese Pilots of the 1st August Team (Picture courtesy Chakrit-Samithinan)

Chengdu J-10 of the 1st August Team(Picture courtesy Saichol-Krai-amat)

Chengdu J-10 of the 1st August Team (Picture courtesy Chakrit-Samithinan)

Chengdu J-10 of the 1st August Team (Picture courtesy Saichol-Krai-amat)

Ilyushin-Il-76 (Picture courtesy Saichol-Krai-amat)

General Dynamics F-16C Falcon of the Black Knights (Picture courtesy Saichol-Krai-amat)

General Dynamics F-16C Falcon of the Black Knights (Picture courtesy Chakrit-Samithinan)

General Dynamics F-16C Falcon of the Black Knights (Picture courtesy Saichol-Krai-amat)

On the 15th of March 2015, during a practice for LIMA 15', two aircraft (tail no.5 and no.6) clipped their wings in mid-air and crashed. All four crew of both aircraft ejected safely and suffered minor injuries. One of the aircraft crashed close to a house, setting it on fire and damaging nearby property, while the other crashed into an empty field. No ground injuries were reported as the house was unoccupied at the time of the accident. Indonesian First Force Marshal Indra Yadi later made the decision to pull the JAT out from LIMA 15' aerial display.

KAI KT-1 Woongbi Jupiter Team (Picture courtesy Chakrit-Samithinan)

Aeromacci MB-339 Al Fursan (Picture courtesy Chakrit-Samithinan)

Aeromacci MB-339 Al Fursan (Picture courtesy Saichol-Krai-amat)

Aeromacci MB-339 Al Fursan (Picture courtesy Chakrit-Samithinan)

-	last update	Written	-	-
-	Corrections, additions and remarks please send to the Webmaster Michael E. Fader			-
-	If information from this site is used as source material please credit www.wings-aviation.ch			-
-	If this page does not have a navigational frame on the left, click HERE to see the rest of the website.			-