Insufficient operating budget keeping Sukhoi jets grounded

The Royal Malaysian Airforce (RMAF) has stated that insufficient operating funds are part of the reason for the poor maintenance rate of its Sukhoi Su-30 fighter jets, the result of which only a few are currently able to fly.

In a statement, the RMAF claimed the lack of funds was one of two root causes for the poor rate of repairs, the second being the need for mandatory maintenance repairs for aircraft upon reaching 10 years.

This came following the revelation by Defence Minister Mohamad Sabu in Parliament yesterday that only four of the 18 Sukhoi Su-30 fighter jets purchased by the previous administration in 2007 are able to fly, while the rest had been sent in for repairs.

In a statement dated last night, the RMAF said: "From 2007, the yearly operating spending accorded to the RMAF was on average lower and insufficient compared to the amount requested for by the RMAF, based on what is needed to manage and organise the entire RMAF operating assets. This was acknowledged by the National Audit Department in its 2017 audit.

"This directly restrained the maintenance spending needed to maintain all the logistical support needed for operating 18 Su-30MKM jets. This has forced RMAF to carry out conservative maintenance repairs on the jets based on the received operating budget, leading to the poor rate of repairs."

At the same time, it stressed that maintenance repairs should be made mandatory for jets that have reached 10 years, including checks and maintenance work on the airframes, components and intricate flight systems.

This had been proposed by the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) of the fighter jets and was needed to ensure the operating safety of the aircraft in future.

The RMAF added: "But the cost of the proposal (by the OEM) was too high and beyond the RMAF's budget… In addition, the maintenance repairs required the jets to be sent to the OEM's premises in Russia, which would have involved even higher cost and time."

The RMAF said this forced it to seek an alternative solution, upon which it decided to carry out the necessary maintenance works in the country, utilising existing RMAF expertise, a local maintenance repair organisation and other "local industry players".

A study conducted on one of the jets allegedly showed the maintenance works could indeed be carried out successfully in the country, at less cost and thereby reducing the country's reliance on the OEM.

"The RMAF is confident the method can set mandatory 10-year maintenance repairs at an affordable cost for the government. Even so, studying and developing this took time," it said, adding that in that time, 12 jets reached the 10-year age and are awaiting the repairs as the air force finalises the repair programme. - Mkini