Page 33 - ADT MARCH 2021 Online Magazine

Priority Partner Investment Development Authority, said that
In the defence sector, Turkey is one of Malaysia’s main source TAI's "footprint" in Malaysia will enhance the
of defence procurement, namely armoured vehicles and military country's aerospace ecosystem.
communications. During the visit by President Erdoğan to Malaysia
in December 2019, a number of agreements between firms in the Aviation Partnership
defence sector were signed. FNSS Savunma Sistemleri A.Ş, a "The competitive cost of doing business in
Turkish defence manufacturer, had signed a master agreement with Malaysia will undoubtedly be beneficial for
its Malaysian partner Deftech for the development and production both parties to raise the nation's local expertise
of 257 each Malaysian AV8 (8x8) armoured wheeled vehicles in 12 as well as certification status," Rahman said.
configurations. The vehicle is based on PARS 8x8. Turkish Aerospace has also invited Malaysia to [ COUNTRY FOCUS MALAYSIA ]
join the country’s indigenous fighter program,
Under the US$559 Million contract awarded in February 2011, the TF-X, following Ankara’s suspension from
in cooperation with DRB-HICoM DEFTECH of Malaysia FNSS the U.S.-led F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program.
is designing, developing and producing a total of 257 armoured The company had already signed a memoran-
personnel carriers to be based on PARS-II 8x8 in 12 different con- dum of understanding with the Asian nation for
figurations including the infantry fighting vehicle (IFV), armoured the co-production of TF-X composites.
fighting vehicle (AFV), the armoured personnel carrier (APC), tank
destroyer (AFV-ATGW), command vehicles (ACV), signals (AVS), Prof. Temel Kotil, CEO of Turkish Aerospace
reconnaissance vehicle as well as recovery vehicle. Industries, said his company is committed to
continuing its investments and collaboration
in Malaysia for the development of new gen-
While the original PARS 8x8 was 24–25-ton vehicle, the AV-8 IFV-25 eration technologies, particularly in the field
configuration weighs 28 tons and its equipment differs considerably of the defence and aviation industry. Prof.
from that of PARS. Deliveries have been continuing to Malaysian Kotil said that Turkey will jointly manufacture
military, and the Malaysian Defence Ministry is said to be consid- its indigenous Hurjet advanced trainer with
ering placing an order for the second and third batches of AV-8 Malaysia, should a tender process be success-
vehicles. ful. Malaysia is expected to finalise a tender for
buying 18 jets to fulfil its Lead In Trainer-Light
Combat Aircraft, or FLIR-LCA, requirement.
Upgraded Cooperation “The joint production offer will see 15 Hurjets
Turkey has been assisting Malaysia, which is strategic partner, to being built in Malaysia, with three to be built in
further improve the defence industry. "We are resolved to improving Turkey,” Prof. Kotil said.
our relations on every front when it comes to especially using our According to him, joint production will build
potential well in the upcoming period," Turkish Foreign Minister Malaysian capacity to produce aircraft of the
Mevlut Cavusoglu told a joint press conference in Ankara with his type, as TAI saw Malaysia as “one of the best
visiting Malaysian counterpart Saifuddin Abdullah last December. countries to collaborate with strategically in
On defence industry cooperation, Cavusoglu said Turkish com- Asia-Pacific.” TA plans to train 12 Malaysian
panies are "closely interested in defence industry tenders for engineers at its plant in Ankara, as it aims to
Malaysia.” The Turkish Aerospace (TA) recently opened a new help Malaysia develop its own fighter jet design
engineering and design office in Malaysia. and manufacturing capability. Prof. Kotil said
Malaysia should embark on their own pro-
The office at the Cyberview Futurise campus in the western gramme to attain self-reliance.
Selangor state is the company’s first engineering and design office
in Southeast Asia. The Turkish Aerospace said it is committed to It is with great expectation that the Malaysian
continue its investments and collaboration in Malaysia for the devel- government could wisely strategise a remodel-
opment of new generation technologies, particularly in the field of ling and reorganisation of the defence industry
defence industry and aviation. Turkish and Malaysian engineers to make it more relevant to the future defence
will carry out joint studies in a number of areas such as unmanned and security needs of the country. Envisioning
aerial vehicles, jet trainers, helicopter projects, and modernisation a Malaysian defence aircraft environment akin
programs for the global aviation ecosystem. to the US Lockheed-Martin, 50 years down
the line, Prof. Kotil said the country has all the
Malaysia's International Trade and Industry Minister Mohamed potential to realise the vision, provided with full
Azmin Ali said the move is an opportunity for the two countries commitment from policymakers. The effort of
to combine their joint expertise to secure workflow for the bene- the Defence White Paper by the Malaysian
fit of the Turkish and Malaysian aerospace industry. "Turkey has government may just be the needed impe-
one of the fastest developing defence and aerospace sectors tus to address the many issues faced by the
in the world and has achieved many firsts for the Muslim world,” Malaysian defence industry for its future devel-
Azmin Ali stated. Arham Abdul Rahman, the CEO of the Malaysian opment.

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