M'sia To Build Two Frigates, Buy Eight Aermacchi AircraftFrom Ahmad Fuad Yahya

LONDON, July 17 (Bernama) -- Malaysia plans to build two frigates and purchase eight Aermacchi fighter trainer aircraft to boost efforts to enhance the country's defence capabilities.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said these would be part of discussions with several companies in the defence industry for programmes to be realised under the Ninth Malaysia Plan (9MP).
He said Malaysia had issued a letter of intent to build the two frigates with BAE Systems and that negotiations were in progress.
When the two new frigates are built, the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) will have four in its arsenal. The RMN now has two -- the KD Lekiu and KD Jebat.
"Though the specifications are almost the same in terms of their sizes, the defence systems will need to meet our latest requirements," he told Malaysian journalists when visiting the Farnborough International Air Show (FIAS) in Hampshire, outside London, Monday.
Earlier, he met British Minister for Defence Procurement Lord Paul Drayson and Britain's Head of Defence Export Services Organisation, Alan Garwood.
Najib, who is also Malaysian Defence Minister, said the government planned to use Sabah Shipyard in Labuan to build the frigates so that it would create job opportunities for Malaysians there.
The cost had yet to be determined because negotiations had not been completed but the government expected the programme to build the frigates to last about four to five years, he said.
"We are not looking at it solely in terms of the cost. We also want to see the impact the programme will have on the Malaysian economy as the vessels will be built in Malaysia," he said.
On the plan to purchase the fighter trainers, Najib said Malaysia planned to buy eight Aermacchi aircraft to add to 10 similar aircraft being used by the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) for training purposes.
The purchase was in line with the country's training requirements to produce highly capable RMAF pilots, especially in handling the sophisticated Russian-made Sukhoi fighters that the force was to receive soon, he said.
On the meeting with Drayson, Najib said the British minister explained to him about the Private Financing Initiatives (PFIs) implemented in the United Kingdom.
He said he was told that PFIs there were not limited to construction and maintenance of buildings but also involved training and certain services including search and rescue missions.
Najib, who arrived here yesterday for a week-long visit, is attending the FIAS to scout for the latest defence technologies that may be needed by the country in the future.
He is expected to meet British Defence Secretary Desmond Brown Monday night.
-- BERNAMA
http://www.bernama.com.my/bernama/v3/news.php?id=208611Malaysian 1st Rifles ''BERAPI'' LP02, LP06 & LP05PETALING JAYA: For four years, the staff at Vita Berapi (M) Sdn Bhd have toiled at research and development.
But they will enjoy the fruits of their labour soon: The little-known Malaysian company is all set to produce the first made-in-Malaysia range of firearms.
Vita Berapi managing director Syed Yusoff Syed Abdullah said the company would open its first firearms manufacturing factory in Rawang by the end of the year.
He said the company hoped to supply its products to the Malaysian armed forces and other security forces.
"We have seven types of weapons, ranging from sidearms to rifles and even a pistol for sports.
"We believe that we can compete in the local and regional markets."
The company had spent much on research and development of its firearms, hiring designers from Belarus for the job.
Apart from the LP04 sports pistol, the company will also produce the Hicap Compact automatic pistol, LP01 combat pistol, LP01A automatic combat pistol (mini machine gun), LP02 sub machine gun, LP03 sub machine gun (modified), LP06 rifle and LP05 sniper rifle.
"The sports pistol was specially designed by a former Belarus shooting champion who is now the head of design at Vita Berapi. The pistol can hold up to five bullets at a time and is accurate up to 25 metres," Syed Yusoff said.
Vita Berapis pistol and combat pistol also have a range accuracy of 25 metres, while the automatic combat pistols accuracy goes up to 100 metres.
The range accuracy increases to 150 metres for both the submachine guns, while the accuracy for the rifle and sniper rifle is 600 metres and 2.5km respectively.
Ammunition for the firearms are 9mm calibre, with the exception of the rifle and sniper rifle, which use 5.56mm and 12.7mm calibre bullets respectively.
The rifles can be equipped with scopes and night vision sights, while the sniper rifle comes equipped with an optical sight.
http://www.dsaexhibition.com/http://www.defenseworld.net/dsa2006/VB Berapi LP02Sub Machinegun VB. caliber 9 x 19mm parabellum. Range up to 150m, magazine 25 bullets (up to 35)

VB Berapi LP05Sniper Rifles VB. Caliber 12.7mm, effective range 2.5 km
VB Berapi LP06
VB Berapi M4 Carbine 5.56mm (Under Licensed)
DRB-Hicom Defence Technologies Sdn Bhd (Deftech)http://www.drb-hicom.comhttp://www.acm.com.my/vehicle-hicom.htmlDEFTECH ACV300 Adnan (APC)



DEFTECH HSMV Flyer

The HSMV Flyer military four wheel drive. The flyer was aimed at the now cancelled, or dormant (depending on who you talk to) Australian Project Mulgara. The Flyer has however been sold to at least two "Asian countries" according to "usually reliable sources".
The Flyer has a 2.1 litre turbo-diesel mounted in the rear, a three speed automatic transmission and part-time four wheel drive. It has an unladen weight of 1.2 tons and can carry 1.2 tons across country.