BLACKEAGLE
SENIOR MEMBER
Dzirhan Mahadzir, Kuala Lumpur - IHS Jane's Defence Weekly
22 January 2015
Malaysian defence minister Hishammuddin Tun Hussein announced on 23 January that the Royal Malaysian Air Force's (RMAF's) Sikorsky S-61A-4 Sea King helicopters would be armed and that Royal Brunei Air Force (RBAF) S-70A Black Hawks would be transferred to RMAF service.
In a statement released in conjunction with a three-day working visit to East Malaysia to see the readiness of the military units stationed there, Hishammuddin said the helicopters would be armed to combat elements of the banned Darul Iman militant group, which were known to be in the east coast area of the East Malaysian state of Sabah.
Intelligence reports indicated that the group had targeted the area as a suitable place to expand Islamic State ideology and that several Philippine armed groups had also expressed their support for the Islamic State, he said.
Malaysia to arm Sea Kings in response to Islamic State threat - IHS Jane's 360
22 January 2015
Malaysian defence minister Hishammuddin Tun Hussein announced on 23 January that the Royal Malaysian Air Force's (RMAF's) Sikorsky S-61A-4 Sea King helicopters would be armed and that Royal Brunei Air Force (RBAF) S-70A Black Hawks would be transferred to RMAF service.
In a statement released in conjunction with a three-day working visit to East Malaysia to see the readiness of the military units stationed there, Hishammuddin said the helicopters would be armed to combat elements of the banned Darul Iman militant group, which were known to be in the east coast area of the East Malaysian state of Sabah.
Intelligence reports indicated that the group had targeted the area as a suitable place to expand Islamic State ideology and that several Philippine armed groups had also expressed their support for the Islamic State, he said.
Malaysia to arm Sea Kings in response to Islamic State threat - IHS Jane's 360