For 65 years, the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) has protected Malaysia's airspace, territorial lands and waters. With 21 helicopters and 119 fixed-wing aircraft, including 26 in reserve, as well as early warning radars, air defence systems and recently procured unmanned aerial vehicles, the RMAF spearheads the country's defence. It plays an important role in supporting the Royal Malaysian Navy and the Malaysian Maritime Agency to protect the strategic Strait of Malacca and counter piracy.
Malaysia has a policy to obtain and buy equipment from both the US and Russia. It has procured F/A-18D Hornet fighter jets and AIM-120C air-to-air missiles from the US, as well as Su-30MKM fighter jets and R-77 air-to-air missiles from Russia in the past. Yet the country's economic crisis has had an impact on the military's plans for modernisation of the air force and a number of its capabilities have been lost.
In this book, the history and current fate of the Royal Malaysian Air Force aircraft and helicopters currently in service, including reserved and decommissioned examples, are fully analysed.
