The Royal Malaysia Army (Tentera Darat Malaysia / TDM) is expecting to receive six MD530G light scout attack helicopters from the United States next month.
The helicopters were ordered in a contract worth around MYR321 million (US$75.98 million) that was signed between the Malaysian Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) and MD Helicopters in 2015.
The six MD530G will replace TDM’s four S61A-4 Nuri helicopters (Malaysian version of Sikorsky SH-3 Sea King)that were grounded following a near-fatal crash of a Royal Malaysian Air Force (Tentera Udara Diraja Malaysia / TUDM) Nuri helicopter in August 2019. The new helicopters will be based in Sabah, East Malaysia to boost the security against militant attacks from Southern Philippines.
A number of setbacks have caused the delivery of the six helicopters to be delayed several times. The expected delivery date was in 2017 but issues ranging from alleged corruption, MD Helicopters bankruptcy cases to the travel restrictions due to the ongoing pandemic caused a four-year delay in delivery.
The MD530G light scout attack helicopter has its roots in the Hughes OH-6 Cayuse light observation helicopter that was developed in the early 1960s and saw heavy use in the Vietnam war. Further development of the Hughes OH-6 Cayuse, by McDonnell Douglas Helicopter Systems (today, MD Helicopters, Inc.), resulted in the MD500 helicopter family in both military and civilian versions.
Powered with a Rolls-Royce 250-C30 turboshaft engine, the MD530G is able to reach a maximum speed of 282 km/h. It also has an endurance of about 2.5 hours or a maximum range of 426 km with a 204 km/h cruising speed. With a maximum take-off weight of about 1,701 kg, the MD530G is equipped with an electro-optical and infra-red sensor as well as a Helmet Display and Tracking System (HDTS). It also has two external pylons that enable it to carry a combination of armaments, ranging from GAU-19 multi-barrelled 12.7 mm caliber guns, rocket pods for unguided or guided 2.75 inch rockets, to two pairs of AGM-114 Hellfire anti-tank missiles.
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