Malaysian MPA and UAV programmes approved
The Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) has confirmed to Shephard that the government has given approval for the service to prepare for the acquisition of maritime patrol aircraft (MPA) and UAVs.
The Chief of the RMAF, Gen Affendi Buang, in a written reply stated that the MPA and UAV programmes were approved by the Malaysian government this year and that the RMAF was conducting feasibility and technical studies. He added also that the RMAF plans for the service to be operating the UAVs by 2021.
Although he did not state the numbers to be acquired, on 7 June the Malaysian
Our news & analysis is now part of Defence Insight®
A Basic-level or higher Defence Insight subscription is now required to view this content.
More from Defence Notes
-
![DARPA, Raytheon and Northrop Grumman join forces to improve missile production]()
DARPA, Raytheon and Northrop Grumman join forces to improve missile production
Working together with DARPA in the Burn n’ Go programme, Northrop Grumman and Raytheon are supporting the development of a common, single-use solid rocket motor design to equip diverse weapon systems.
-
![SOF Week 2026: US military tests AI algorithm to support missions in low-light scenarios]()
SOF Week 2026: US military tests AI algorithm to support missions in low-light scenarios
The US Army and USAF are evaluating an AI-enabled imaging capability from Deepnight designed to enhance low-light and no-light operations across multiple platforms and environments.
-
![Industrial capacity under scrutiny as US approves further $8.6 billion Middle East arms sale]()
Industrial capacity under scrutiny as US approves further $8.6 billion Middle East arms sale
The fast-tracked emergency approvals come as the conflict in the Middle East stretches out into its third month, after Iranian attacks depleted US allies’ missile stockpiles and testing air defence systems.
-
![Intelligence innovation: From data overload to decision advantage (Podcast)]()
Intelligence innovation: From data overload to decision advantage (Podcast)
As militaries face an overwhelming flow of data, the challenge is shifting from collection to delivering fast, actionable insights that drive decision-making. Advances in AI and data integration are helping armed forces move beyond siloed systems to generate real-time intelligence across domains and allies.
-
![SAHA 2026 to Convene the Global Defence Ecosystem]()
SAHA 2026 to Convene the Global Defence Ecosystem
SAHA 2026 brings global defence and aerospace leaders to Istanbul for partnerships, launches, panels and high-value meetings.
