SUPER HORNET REPRESENTS NATURAL PROGRESSION FROM HORNETS, SAYS BOEING

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 18 (Bernama) -- Boeing's combat-proven multi-role Super
Hornet fighter aircraft represents a natural progression for Malaysia's current
aircraft fleet given its enhanced inter-operability with the existing eight
Hornets plus its ability to provide support for ground forces.

"The Super Hornet has the capability, flexibility and performance necessary
to modernise the air or naval aviation forces of any country," said Dennis
Muilenburg, the Executive Vice-President of The Boeing Company and
President and Chief Executive Officer of Boeing Defense, Space & Security, which
is a unit of Boeing.

He said international interest continues to grow for the Super Hornet and
Malaysia's aerial defence capabilities would certainly increase if it was to go
forward with the aircraft which has a speed of more than Mach 1.8.

"The multi-role capabilities of the Super Hornet is really unmatched in the
marketplace today," he told a media briefing during his two-day visit to
Malaysia this week where he also met Prime Minister Najib Razak as well as
Defence Minister Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

Muilenburg said his two-day visit to Malaysia as of last Monday was also to
ensure that the in-field support for the current fleet of eight F/A-18D Hornets
used by the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) was going on well.

From his discussions with Dr Ahmad Zahid and defence ministry officials, he
said it it was evident RMAF was pleased with the existing fleet as it provided
tremendous capability, reliability as well as low-cost support plus being
robust.

"If we are successful in bringing the Super Hornets to Malaysia, part of our
industrial programme would include composites manufacturing work done here in
Malaysia which certainly can include defence parts," he said.

Malaysia had acquired a fleet of eight F/A-18D Hornets, delivered in the
late 1990s for use by RMAF.

"We aim to support this going forward," said Muilenburg, adding that Boeing
had offered its new F/A-18E/F Super Hornet fighter aircraft.

Armed among others with 11 weapons stations as well unlimited angle of
attack, the F/A-18E model is a single seater while the F/A-18F is a two-seater.

Muilenburg said there were a lot of advantages for Malaysia to have a
combined Hornet and Super Hornet fleet going forward as "it certainly is the
most capable and cost-effective solution."

Asked how many Super Hornets Boeing intended to sell to Malaysia under the
Request For Proposal (RFP) it provided to the customer, he declined to comment,
saying this was entirely for the customer to decide.

However, based on newsreports, the number usually thrown about was about
12-18 Super Hornets with Malaysia preferring the single-seater aircraft.

"We also provide industrial participation (and) if we have industry partners
in Malaysia, like Asian Composites Manufacturing Sdn Bhd supplying parts for
commercial aircraft, we can look to partners for parts manufacture on the
Super Hornets," he said, alluding to the possibility of producing some defence
aircraft parts locally for the regional and international market as well.

Boeing recently clinched a US$15 billion multi-year procurement deal to
supply 124 Super Hornets to the US Navy, which Muilenburg said was a sign of
confidence in the fighter aircraft.
-- BERNAMA