Malaysia chooses Korean F50 over India’s Tejas for its air force fighter plane requisite
The Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) chose the South Korean supersonic fighter KAI FA-50, according to reports from Korean news media, rendering India’s attempt to export the light combat aircraft (LCA) Tejas to Malaysia ineffective.
The defence PSU Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), which had made the formal bid from India, faced a setback.
“Nation’s sole aircraft maker KAI has won a $920-million deal to export 18 FA-50 light attack aircraft to Malaysia, the company announced Friday. It signed the contract with Malaysia’s defence ministry after beating rival bidders…” According to the Korea Times and Yonhap News Agency, who both cited KAI in their reports, it was reported.
HAL, which submitted a bid in response to Malaysia’s international call for bids, did not issue a formal statement on Friday, but its CMD, CB Ananthakrishnan, had stated during the just-finished Aero India that the company had experienced a setback in the Malaysian transaction.
In response to a global tender released by RMAF in October 2021, the HAL had proposed the Tejas to the Malaysian Ministry of Defence for the procurement of 18 Fighter Lead-in Trainer (FLIT) LCAs.
It was one of eight nations that responded to the RMFA’s tender, and Malaysia later shortlisted it with the KIA FA-50. The PSU, which was optimistic about the agreement up until the end of last year, even announced plans to open an office in Kuala Lumpur, the nation’s capital.
To further sweeten the deal, the HAL offered to establish an MRO (maintenance, repair, and overhaul) complex, provide aviation management training, and collaborate with Malaysian entities to manufacture aerostructures locally.
These initiatives are intended to promote human capital development and strengthen Malaysian entities’ capacities for other programs.
