THE Ministry of Defence may explore alternative fighter jet options if the proposed acquisition of used F/A-18 Hornets from the Kuwaiti Air Force (KAF) remains unresolved due to delays on Kuwait’s end, said Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin.
Kuwait has yet to commit to a definitive handover of the jets, as it is still awaiting delivery of newly purchased aircraft from the United States.
“We still have no certainty as to when we might receive the F/A-18 Hornets from Kuwait, because the country itself is waiting for delivery of the new jets they’ve ordered from the US,” said Mohamed Khaled.
“We understand those deliveries have been delayed further. Naturally, we cannot remain in limbo without knowing when we’ll actually get the aircraft. If we proceed with the purchase, Kuwait can only deliver them once they’ve received their new jets. Until then, they need to retain their existing fleet for their own national defence.
“So the question is: how long can we afford to wait for our own operational needs? We cannot sit idle, so we must now consider other options,” he told reporters after a zakat contribution event by BHPetrol in Pasir Gudang today.
Mohamed Khaled said the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) still plans to send a technical team to assess the Kuwaiti jets and determine whether the purchase remains viable, including a review of potential additional costs.
“We’ll go and examine the condition of the aircraft to see if it’s worth waiting for and whether any further investment is needed,” he said.
On 26 August, RMAF Chief General Datuk Seri Muhammad Norazlan Aris had confirmed that the evaluation process was ongoing, dismissing claims that the deal had already been cancelled.
At the same time, Mohamed Khaled, who is also MP for Kota Tinggi, said the government is relying on the delivery of FA-50M light combat aircraft from South Korea’s Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI), due to arrive in 2027, to fill immediate defence needs.
“Fortunately, we will be receiving the FA-50M aircraft by 2027. This will at least serve as a replacement when our Hawk jets are retired.
“However, the 18 FA-50Ms we’ve ordered will not be sufficient. That’s why we still need additional aircraft capable of performing Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MRCA) duties. The FA-50M falls into that category, as do our existing Sukhoi Su-30MKMs,” he added.
The Ministry is also reviewing whether the current Sukhoi fleet can continue to meet Malaysia’s broader air defence requirements. - Sept 6, 2025
