Debunking rumors about the decision not to proceed with the deal, the Royal Malaysian Air Force stated that it continues evaluating the purchase of F-18C/D Hornet fighters from its Kuwaiti counterpart, which would still have a significant number of flight hours remaining despite being in service for over three decades. The potential acquisition has U.S. support, as it would provide the Asian country with a “stop-gap” capability until a new platform is selected in the future, while also preventing China from gaining a new potential customer for its J-10CE aircraft.
The news comes from statements made by the Chief of the Royal Malaysian Air Force, General Datuk Seri Muhammad Norazlan Aris, in response to inquiries from local media. Quoting some of his own words: “We are considering all aspects before making any decision. Delivery date, cost, maintenance, logistics; everything must be taken into account.” In this regard, the general also hinted that a delegation from the force would visit Kuwait during the course of this month to advance the evaluation process.
It is worth noting that, according to local reports, in recent days different anonymous sources had published claims that the purchase had been discarded due to allegedly high costs associated with upgrading the fighters, while also suggesting that there were no certainties as to when they could finally be delivered. With General Norazlan’s statements, combined with Washington’s authorization issued earlier this year, this now appears to be dismissed as false news.
Furthermore, expanding on the details of the agreement that Malaysia and Kuwait are seeking to finalize, it involves the acquisition of 30 F-18C/D fighters by the former, though it has not yet been specified how many would be single-seat or twin-seat versions. The batch would represent nearly three-quarters of the fleet currently available to Kuwait, totaling 39 aircraft, which are in the process of being replaced by F/A-18 Super Hornets and Eurofighter Typhoons.
From the perspective of familiarity with the platform under consideration, it is worth highlighting that Malaysia already operates a fleet of F-18D Hornets, which, together with Su-30MKM fighters, make up the core of the country’s air combat capabilities. In addition, the force also keeps Hawk 108/208 aircraft in service, which, although originally designed for advanced training missions, can be adapted to an interceptor role if circumstances require it.
Images used for illustrative purposes
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