Malaysia Orders 8 MB-339CM to Provide Training for Su-30MKM's Crews

22 November 2006

MB-339 for the RMAF (photo : Military Aviation)

Alenia Aermacchi signs EUR 88 million contract to supply eight MB-339 CM.
Alenia Aermacchi, a Finmeccanica company, has signed a contract with the Malaysian Defence Ministry for the supply of eight MB-339 CM aircraft.

The contract is worth a total of around EUR 88 million, and as well as MB-339 training aircraft, includes the supply of spare parts, ground equipment and services for a period of two years. The agreement also covers aircraft maintenance and the production of components for civil aircraft with Malaysian companies.

The MB-339 CM will be manufactured by Alenia Aermacchi and used by the Royal Malaysian Air Force in Kuantan in the role of lead-in fighter, to train Malaysian pilots to fly front-line combat aircraft, including the new recently-acquired Sukhoi 30 MKM.

The Royal Malaysian Air Force's choice is testimony to the excellent features of the MB-339, which, in this new CM version, offers all armed forces a more advanced and efficient performance that meets increasingly complex training requirements.

This new contract represents further recognition of the technological capabilities of Alenia Aermacchi, which provides consistently cutting-edge products for the world's main trainer aircraft markets; it also confirms Finmeccanica's strategic decision to increase its international presence through its own products of excellence.

Finmeccanica has been operating in Malaysia for many years, and going forward will be part of many other interesting civil and defence programmes in the country, in the communications, space and radar sectors for example.

(Deagel)