THE Ministry of Defence has reopened the tender process for the leasing of four helicopters for the Malaysian Army Air Unit, after the previous contract was cancelled due to non-delivery by the selected company.
Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin confirmed that the new tender – which closes in September – will involve a more stringent evaluation, taking into account key criteria such as helicopter type, asset age, lease cost, operational lifespan and aviation safety.
"The tender for the leasing of four helicopters for the Army is now open. During the evaluation stage, we will consider all views, including those expressed by His Majesty the Yang di-Pertuan Agong," he told reporters on Sunday.
Last November, the ministry formally revoked the contract with the company initially awarded the lease of four Black Hawk helicopters after it failed to meet the delivery deadline, despite having received an extension until the end of October 2024.
Mohamed Khaled said the government had imposed penalties and seized the performance bond submitted by the company.
The new tender process follows remarks by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Sultan Ibrahim, who previously called for the cancellation of plans to acquire Black Hawk helicopters that were more than 30 years old, citing concerns over their airworthiness and potential risk to pilot safety.
Separately, Mohamed Khaled also addressed the recent incident involving a Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) F/A-18D Hornet fighter jet, which was destroyed in an accident at Kuantan Air Base.
He confirmed that a special board of inquiry has been set up to determine the cause of the incident, and that all aircraft of the same type have been grounded temporarily.
"Out of eight Hornet aircraft, only seven are currently operational. We want to ensure that safety remains a top priority," he said.
He expressed gratitude that the pilot and crew survived the incident, and urged the public to allow investigators the space and time to carry out their work thoroughly. - August 24, 2025
