By Franz-Stefan Gady
MD Helicopters has been awarded a contract to supply six MD 530G scout attack helicopters to Malaysia’s military.
Malaysia’s Ministry of Defense has selected U.S.-based aircraft maker MD Helicopters to supply six MD 530G scout attack helicopters to the Army Aviation branch, Pasukan Udara Tentera Darat (PUTD), of the Malaysian Army, according to a MD Helicopters press release.
Delivery of the helicopters is slated to begin at the end of this year with the full fleet scheduled for delivery in the first quarter of 2017, the press release states. The contract is the biggest U.S.-Malaysian arms deal since Kuala Lumpur placed an order for eight F/A-18DS fighter aircraft in June 1993.
“We are honored that the MD 530G—our next generation light scout attack helicopter—was selected by the Malaysian prime minister, minister of defense and the chief of defense force (CDF) to be the newest addition to the Malaysian Armed Forces,” said Lynn Tilton, chief executive officer for MD Helicopters.
The MD 530G gunship was first revealed to the Malaysian public at the March 2015 Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition. According toIHS Jane’s Defense Weekly, the helicopter is powered by a Rolls-Royce 250-C30 turbine engine, has a top cruising speed of 130 knots, and can carry a load of 862 kilograms (1,900 pounds) over a range of 519 kilometers (322 miles).
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