The first aircraft for the fledgling air force was a Scottish Aviation Twin Pioneer named “Lang Rajawali” by the then Prime Minister Tunku Abdul Rahman. Several Malayans serving with the Royal Air Force transferred to the Royal Malayan Air Force. The role played by TUDM was limited initially to communications and the support of ground operations against Communist insurgents during the Malayan Emergency. TUDM received the first combat aircraft with the delivery of 20 Canadair CL41G Tebuan (an armed version of the Canadair Tutor trainer). TUDM also received the Aérospatiale Alouette III helicopters, used in the liaison role.
With the formation of Malaysian Federation on September 16, 1963, the name of the force was changed to "Tentera Udara Diraja Malaysia" or Royal Malaysian Air Force". New types introduced into service included the Handley Page Herald transport and the De Havilland Canada DHC-4 Caribou. TUDM received the Sikorsky S-61A-4 helicopters in the late sixties and early seventies and used in the transport role. TUDM gained an air defence capability when the Australian Government donated 10 ex-RAAF Commonwealth Aviation CA27 Sabre fighters. These were based at the Butterworth Air Base.
After the withdrawal of British military forces from Malaysia and Singapore at the end of 1971, a five-nation agreement between Malaysia, Singapore, New Zealand, Australia, and the United Kingdom was concluded to ensure defense against external aggression. The Royal Australian Air Force maintained a Mirage IIIO squadron at the Butterworth Air Base as part of its commitment to the Five Power Defence Agreement. This squadron has been withdrawn since 1983 though occasional deployments of RAAF aircraft continue.
Royal malaysian Airforce Official Website (Malay) : http://www.airforce.gov.my
With the withdrawal of the British military forces, TUDM underwent gradual modernisation in the 1970s and through the 1990s. The CA27 Sabre were replaced by 16 Northrop F-5E Tigers. A reconnaissance capability was acquired with the purchase of 2 RF-5E Tigereye aircraft. TUDM also purchased 88 Ex US Navy McDonnell Douglas A-4C Skyhawks and Grumman Bethpage refurbished 40 of the airframes into the A-4PTM (Peculiar To Malaysia) configuration (similar to A-4M standard). TUDM has traditionally looked to the West for its purchases, primarily to the United States. However, limitation imposed by the United States on "new technology" to the region such as the AIM-120 AMRAAM fire and forget air to air missiles has made TUDM consider purchases from Russia and other non-traditional sources. The 90's saw the arrival first with the BAE Hawk Mk108/208 which replaced the T/A-4PTM's followed by the MiG-29N/NUB in 1995 to take on the air superiority role, and finally the delivery of the F/A-18D Hornet in 1997 to provide the all weather interdictor capability. In 2003 a contract was signed for eighteen Su-30MKMs for delivery in 2007 to fulfill a requirement for an initial order batch of multi-role combat aircraft (MRCA). A requirement for a further eighteen MRCAs remains unfulfilled. TUDM is also looking for an AWACS aircraft, though no firm orders have been placed.
On 8 December 2005 four Airbus Military A400M aircraft were ordered to enhance the airlift capability. The first Malaysian aircraft will be delivered in 2013. In late 2006 the Government signed a contract to purchase 8 Aermacchi MB-339CMs to add to the 8 older MB-339AMs currently in service.
FOR
THE 50th YEARS ANNIVERSARY
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