Abu Dhabi: Malaysia has finally received the “green light” from the Kuwaiti government for the acquisition of second hand Kuwaiti F/A-18C/D Hornets for the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) amid political indecision and budgetary problems surrounding the air force’s long-lagging Multirole Combat Aircraft (MRCA) program.

Malaysia has reportedly sought the Kuwaiti jets since at least 2017. The legacy Hornet is thought to “increase the level of preparedness and capability of the RMAF in safeguarding the country’s airspace”. While the acquisition of the second hand Hornets would help to complement the RMAF’s fleet of Hornets, they come with their own set of challenges.

A more strategic approach would be expanding the successful Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) program or accelerating the MRCA programme to future-proof RMAF against threats (the latter has been delayed for various reasons).

The Malaysian Ministry of Defence had submitted no less than three letters to the Kuwaiti government over the past few years in a bid to acquire the fighters. However, the discussions were stymied by political imbroglios in the Kuwaiti government.

Nevertheless, Kuwait greenlit the possible sale of the Hornets during the Malaysian Ministry of Defence’s official visit in October. In June, an RMAF technical team visited Al Jaber airbase in Kuwait to evaluate the suitability of the aircraft. They found the Kuwaiti jets to be technically in good condition. They also have lower flight hours than the RMAF’s Hornets.

The two governments agreed to establish a committee to begin negotiations on the procurement of the Hornets. However, the transfer of the US-made fighters to Malaysia will require Washington’s approval. Noticeably, Malaysia has not been the only one eyeing the Kuwaiti Hornets. Reportedly, Tunisia and the US Marine Corps have also voiced interest in acquiring the jets.

Kuwait operates 39 F/A-18C/D Hornets, which were delivered between January 1992 and August 1993. The Gulf state’s air force is in the process of upgrading its combat airpower by procuring Super Hornet and Typhoon fighters. However, the delivery of these aircraft has been delayed due to COVID-19 and supply chain hurdles. This has forced Kuwait to keep its legacy Hornets longer than originally planned.

Stop-Gap Measure For Malaysia

Malaysia has eight two-seat F/A-18D Hornets, which were acquired in 1997 and are operated by the RMAF’s 18th Squadron at Butterworth. The Malaysian Hornets have received incremental upgrades to their avionics, communication and weapons systems over the years, including the Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System (JHMCS), Link 16 datalink, AIM-9X and AIM-120C air-to-air missiles, precision-guided air-to-ground munitions, and Sniper targeting pods.

This has substantially improved the platform’s air-to-air and air-to-ground capabilities. Malaysia is planning to operate the upgraded Hornets until 2035.

Malaysia is looking to buy the Kuwaiti fighters as a “stop-gap measure” as the RMAF waits for the conclusion of its long overdue MRCA programme.

The air force is reportedly looking to establish a second Hornet squadron with some 12 single-seat fighters, increase the 18th Squadron’s existing fleet from eight to 12 airframes, and have several airframes for spares. The final number of Hornets sought will be determined in deliberations between the Malaysian and Kuwaiti governments.

Buying Ageing Technology

The key question here is whether the acquisition of the ageing Kuwaiti jets is prudent. Expanding its fleet of Hornets on the cheap may be tempting, but it comes with the additional maintenance and servicing burden associated with a larger fleet of ageing aircraft.

The Hornet represents ageing technology, which is increasingly difficult to keep relevant. Moreover, the Kuwaiti Hornets are of an earlier block, whereas the Malaysian fighters are among the last Hornets manufactured. This may cause incompatibility issues when it pertains to spare parts. In addition, the aircraft have received differing upgrades to their systems. This will compound maintenance complexity.

It is possible that the RMAF also seeks to substitute its problematic Russian jets. In 2018, Malaysian government reports revealed that the RMAF’s 18-strong Sukhoi Su-30MKM fleet was reduced to only four flyable aircraft due to maintenance issues and a lack of spares.

Malaysia has tried to address the problem by forging closer defence industrial cooperation with India’s Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), which has significant expertise in assembling, overhauling, and upgrading Sukhoi Su-30 aircraft, similar to those operated by the RMAF.

In comparison, despite its small numbers, Malaysia’s Hornet fleet has performed admirably with strong support from industry and contractors. Therefore, it is conceivable that an expanded Hornet fleet could be sought to become the mainstay of the RMAF’s fighter force while it waits for the acquisition of future combat aircraft.

(With Inputs From International News Agencies)