Japan Promotes P-1 MPA to Malaysia

24 Juni 2019

Kawasaki P-1 MPA (photo : JMSDF)

The Malaysian Minister for Defence took the opportunity to have yet another close look of Japanese-made Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA), the four engined Kawasaki P-1 at Paris Airshow.

The minister and his delegation took a walk around while being briefed by Japanese officials and Japanese Maritime Self Defence Force (JMSDF) representatives on the capabilities of the P-1. This has been the second briefing on the P-1 given by Japan to Malaysian DEFMIN.

The first one was on September 10, 2018 when Kawasaki Heavy Industries (KHI) officials brought him for a tour at its P-1 production plant in Nagoya, Japan.

It is no secret that Japan is trying hard to market its P-1 and C-2 aircraft abroad. Considered as pricey to small countries like Malaysia, marketing focus has been given to Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) for the eventual replacement of the Lockheed P-3k2 Orion MPA as well as the Royal Air Force (RAF) which back then was looking for a replacement to the BAe Systems Nimrod MRA4. Kawasaki took the initiative to bring its P-1 to the UK and further down south to the New Zealand so that evaluations could be made on the aircraft’s performance.

Unfortunately both the Brits and Kiwis decided to opt for two engines Boeing P-8A Poseidon as a natural successor to their respective MPA.

At the same time, it is also not a secret that the RMAF had long has this interest on the P-8 too. Yet, the financial constraint that befell on MINDEF and the Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF) means that it can only afford to buy IAe CN-235MPA, Airbus C-295MPA/PC-295 Persuader or Leonardo ATR-72MPA/P-72.

Japan did offer the RMAF with former JMSDF Kawasaki built P-3J Orion but to the Air Force these were too old and costly to operate.

Kawasaki P-1 MPA (photo : NickP)

Is there any way Japan could see a light for its P-1? Taking into consideration of very close ties between Malaysia and Japan plus the need to check on China’s expansion of its sphere of influence in ASEAN, a Smaurai Bond mechanism needs to be considered to fund up to 4 P-1 for the Malaysians.

Is it workable and feasible? This blogger would say yes provided that there strong political will for two separate main issues. First, the will by Japan to transfer such expensive and highly sophisticated military equipment to Malaysia.

Japan did transfer a number of parapublic equipment to the Malaysian Coast Guard. It also provides converted trainers to the Philippines Navy which have been used as MPA. The P-1 case would be a precedent to Japan and other non China affiliated ASEAN countries as no similar arrangement has been considered prior to this.

Secondly, the willingness of Malaysia to play tough on China. Despite the efforts taken by current ruling Government to avert China’s debt trap, no thanks to various dealings made prior May 2018, the contractual obligations dictate that it would be costly for Malaysia to cancelled these agreements. While Malaysia manage to reduce the exorbitantly high price tags previously agreed to China, the initial Samurai Bond taken from Japan would merely pay some of these costs while the remaining debts need to be contra trade through commodities and procurement of defence article like the Keris class Littoral Mission Ship (LMS).

Without doubt if all two hurdles were overcome, the P-1 could be in the hands of the RMAF at nominal price funded through non burdening Japanese financing solutions.

P-1 would introduce significant capability increase to the RMAF in a way similar to the two Lockheed PC-130H Camar long range MPA did to the RMAF in the 1980’S. Many did not know that the Camar, despite being equipped with Mark I Eyeball sensors can actually dropped depth charges as well as sea mines out of its cargo bay.

During the disappearance of Flight Mh370, the crew of now converted Lockheed/AIROD C-130T dispensed Australian owned sonobuoys over the southern Indian Oceans which other more capable MPA especiallly the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) AP-3C Orion and US Navy P-8s could be able to pick up any signs of the ill fated jetliner wrecks underwater.

(MFH)