PETALING JAYA: Questions have been raised over the Royal Malaysian Air Force’s (RMAF) decision to award a new contract to a company which failed to deliver four Sikorsky UH-60A Black Hawk helicopters barely eight months ago.
According to a letter, Aerotree Defence and Services Sdn Bhd was awarded a contract to calibrate the instrument landing system equipment for fixed-wing aircraft at three military air bases recently.
Last November, the defence ministry cancelled a RM187 million Black Hawk lease contract it signed with Aerotree after the company failed to deliver the aircraft despite three date revisions.
The four helicopters, leased for five years, were intended to serve as a platform for the army’s Air Team Nucleus, supporting both training and operational flight missions.
One source expressed “shock” upon learning of the award, barely eight months after the
Black Hawk “fiasco”.
“The defence ministry must explain how this is possible as we understand that another firm was initially awarded the calibration contract but lost it suddenly,” the source told FMT.
FMT is withholding the name of the second company, pending a comment.
Seven months ago, defence minister Khaled Nordin said the government’s deal with Aerotree was called off after the company failed to meet its October delivery deadline.
FMT has reached out to Aerotree CEO Halim Othman and RMAF for comment.
Foreign-registered aircraft and crew
Meanwhile, another source questioned the identity of the aircraft and air crew attending to the calibration of airfields at Labuan, Butterworth and Gong Kedak.
The source also questioned whether Aerotree or the UK-based calibration company were in possession of a Malaysian air operation certificate (AOC) issued by the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM).
He said RMAF was obliged to clarify the matter, including whether the air crew possess valid work permits to carry out the work in the country.
According to the source, the assurances sought were necessary as the entry and exit of foreigners from Malaysian air bases would pose a security risk.
He claimed the calibration flights started on June 16 and are expected to be completed by today.
