EC 725 Cougar copter enhances RMAF's CSAR capability

SEREMBAN, Sept 28 - The government's decision to replace its ageing Nuri helicopters with Eurocopter's EC725 Cougar helicopters has been hailed as a most appropriate decision.

Marhalim Abas, a local defence analyst and independent editor of the Asian Defence Journal, said Eurocopter already had a strong presence in the commercial market in Malaysia and this would the first time that the company would be selling its military helicopter to the air force.

"Eurocopter had also supplied the Fennec helicopter to the police and navy. The company's helicopters are also being used by the MHS Aviation Bhd," he said.

He expects the EC725 to be equipped with weapons and navigation systems similar to those fitted on the EC725 units owned by the French air force.

This include the night navigation system, which is not available in any of the air force's current fleet of helicopters, he said.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who is also Defence Minister, announced yesterday that the EC725 would replace the Sikorsky S61-A4 Sea Kings or better known as Nuri.

It has been reported that the Malaysian government would acquire up to 12 EC725s.

Marhalim said several of the 12 helicopters could be configured and turned into combat search and rescue (CSAR) helicopters.

He was also confident that another tender would be opened as the 12 EC725s would not be sufficient to cater for the air force's needs, which would amount to at least 40 helicopters.

Eurocopter's representative in Malaysia for the EC725, Salleh Majid, said the helicopter had the speed and armour to enter into war zones as a CSAR helicopter.

"The EC725 is special as it has the ability to become a full-fledged CSAR helicopter and has the agility to move in and out of hot zones," he said when met recently.

He also said that the Nuri was only upgraded for search and rescue mission as it did not have the speed and armour required in a CSAR helicopter.

An industry source says that several international companies had bid hard to win the tender but it was clear that the EC725 was the strongest contender due to its ability to keep on flying even when running out of hydraulic oil.

The EC725 is an upgraded model of the AS532 Cougar and made its maiden flight in 2000 for the French's armed forces.

The EC725 had been involved in several high-profile CSAR operations including in the Operation Baliste, a French aeronaval operation off Lebanon in 2006 to transfer out European citizens during the height of Israeli offensive against Hezbollah positions.

The helicopter was also involved in supporting the French armed forces during the US-led war in Afghanistan.

The EC725 has a maximum speed of 324 kilometres per hour and the capacity of carrying 28 troops in addition to the crew.

Analysts predicted that the air force's EC725 would be fitted, among others, with radar warning receiver, 20mm cannons, rocket launchers and machine guns. - Bernama