malaysia defense 12av2

MALAYSIA BUYS MISSILE SYSTEMS TO MODERNISE ITS AIR DEFENCE

   Kuala Lumpur, Apr. 11 (VNA) -- Malaysia will spend USD 364 million in purchasing two missile systems from the European missile heavyweight MBDA and Russia's Rosoboronexport as part of a plan to modernise its armed forces, particularly its air defence.
   Contracts on the missile system deals were signed on Apr. 10 on the sideline of the Defence Services Asia 2002 (DSA) Exhibition held in Sungai Besi.
   In the first contract, the Malaysian Defence Ministry will pay USD 315.48 million for the Jernas short-range air defence missile system from MBDA.
   According to Defence Minister Najib Tun Razak, the Defence Ministry will set up a new air defence regiment equipped with Jernas missile launchers, surveillance and tracking radars.
   To aid the Jernas missile system, Malaysia agreed to buy Igla man-portable shoulder-launched missiles from the Federal State Unitery Enterprise (Rosoboronexport) of Russia. The deal is worth USD 48 million.
   With the purchase of these new missile systems, the Malaysian army is expected to enhance its air defence capability, the Defence Minister said.
   The two missile systems will be delivered to Malaysia within three years.
   In addition, the Malaysian government has agreed to buy three submarines from France, fulfilling its long-time goal of establishing a submarine fleet.
   Earlier on Tuesday, the Defence Ministry signed three deals for the purchase of mobile bridges and assault rifles worth around USD 80 million.
   The Malaysian government has re-embarked upon major defence procurement programmes to modernize its army which were delayed following the regional financial and economic crisis in the late 1990's.
   With the modernisation plan, the country plans to increase its defence spending from the current 2.5 percent of the GDP.--VNA