Malaysia receives MD 530G light attack helos

All six MD 530G helicopters for Malaysia are lined up at MDHI's Texas training facility for their official handover to the Malaysian MoD. They are currently in transit to Malaysia, arriving before the end of Q1 2022. (MD Helicopters Inc.)

MD Helicopters Inc (MDHI) has formally handed over six MD 530G armed reconnaissance and light attack rotorcraft to Malaysia, the company announced on 13 January.

The latest-generation ‘Little Bird' helicopters were delivered to the Malaysian Ministry of Defence (MoD) at the company's Texas training centre in the United States. They are currently being transported to Malaysia, arriving before the end of the first quater of (Q1) 2022.

Malaysia became the launch customer for the MD 530G when it signed for six helicopters in February 2016. The MD 530G is the latest standard of MDHI's range of light attack and scout helicopters based on the Model 369FF ‘Little Bird' airframe (Boeing utilises the same airframe for its AH-6i [International]/S [Saudi] platform).

The MD 530G can employ guided munitions, such as the BAE Systems Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS) guided rocket, and comes with a full ‘glass' cockpit as standard (it is an option on the MD 530F), as well as a chin-mounted L3 Wescam MX-10D electro-optic/infrared sensor and target designator. As noted by MDHI, the Malaysian Army platforms also feature the Pathfinder Ares Weapons Management System from Tek Fusion.

As previously reported by Janes , the new helicopters will likely form a unit (883 Squadron) as per the development plan for the Malaysian Army Aviation (Pasukan Udara Tentera Darat: PUTD) that called for three squadrons based on different mission types: a light observation squadron, a tactical-lift squadron, and an attack helicopter squadron.