KUALA LUMPUR – Ageing Kuwaiti F/A-18 Hornets will be a suitable bargain fighter jet for Malaysia’s defence despite probably having only 10 years of use left, a former US naval aviator said.
Trevor “Gonky” Hartsock, a former Hornet pilot, told Scoop the aircraft was built to withstand a beating as it had to be deployed from and land on ships.
Although Malaysia does not have aircraft carriers, the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) would benefit from the jets’ sturdy airframe and multirole capabilities, encompassing air-to-air and air-to-ground missions.
“In my mind, the legacy Hornets are a good fit for Malaysia as they are very durable and not only from a maintenance standpoint.
“You can fly it rough and the plane can take it. In a defensive wartime environment that’s important.
“You wouldn’t want a high-maintenance Ferrari, but a Toyota Hilux, which is what the F/A-18 Hornet is,” said Hartsock, who previously trained RMAF Hornet pilots from 2012 to 2015.
Malaysia currently has eight F/A-18D Hornets in its arsenal, which entered service in 1997, while the jets intended to be procured from Kuwait have been in operation since 1991.
Quelling worries on the planes’ capabilities being affected by age, Hartsock, who has had experience working with the Kuwaiti Air Force and certified their training simulators, pointed to the fact that the Gulf nation’s Hornets are well maintained.
“I’m not sure how similar Kuwait’s F/A-18 variant is to Malaysia’s current Hornets, but since it’s the same airframe, RMAF has experience flying the jet and the logistics to run it.
“So, I can see why they are eyeing the Kuwaiti planes,” he explained.
When asked if RMAF should consider fifth-generation stealth fighters instead, Hartsock, who is currently a US Air Force reservist, opined it may not be the best fit considering the nation’s aversion to power projection in its defence philosophy.
Cautioning that stealth fighters could see RMAF incurring additional costs, he said Malaysia’s humid climate and current defence infrastructure may not be suitable for maintaining such planes.
For the record, fifth-generation fighter jets are capable of supersonic flight while maintaining stealth through their shape and radar-absorbing paint.
In Asia, some nations have updated their aviation assets to include these planes, with Singapore’s military to feature the technologically advanced US made F-35 Lightning II capable of vertical takeoff and landing, while China has its locally developed J-20 Mighty Dragon.
Should Malaysia opt for updated modern fighter planes to add to RMAF’s fleet, Hartsock believes 4.5th generation jets such as the F/A-18 Super Hornet or the F-15 Strike Eagle, the latter of which is also used by Singapore, would be a suitable fit for Malaysia.
“When I was in Malaysia, I was asked for my opinion on what the next best fighter jet would be for the country based on the requirements given.
“It was a performance wishlist and I thought the F-15 EX Strike Eagle would have been perfect. I still think it would be the best fighter for Malaysia, but RMAF said no because it’s expensive.
“With that said, the F/A-18 Hornet, which is a bargain fighter, is pretty good at everything and not so expensive,” Hartsock added.
While the costs of the potential procurement of the Kuwaiti jets have not been disclosed, the price of an F/A-18 Hornet is estimated at US$66 million (RM295 million) per unit. Since these are used aircraft, the expense is expected to be significantly lower.
However, last year Malaysia and Korean Aerospace Industries (KAI) signed a contract worth nearly RM4 billion for 18 units of the FA-50 Block 20 light combat aircraft, with half of the amount to be paid via counter trade involving crude palm oil or palm oil products.
RMAF’s current Hornet squadron consists of only eight aircraft, and the military branch has been eyeing similar jets being retired by the Kuwait Air Force.
In June, reports noted that RMAF planned to conduct a technical visit to Kuwait to discuss acquiring the Hornet jets, which are known for their good condition and low operating hours compared to existing Malaysian Armed Forces aircraft.
The following month, Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin said he discussed the matter with Kuwaiti Ambassador to Malaysia, Rashed Mohammed Rashed Al-Saleh, during a courtesy call.
The Kuwaiti jets, purchased in 1991, are being retired in favour of the more modern F/A-18 Super Hornets, a larger version of the legacy Hornets. – August 8, 2024