BrahMos Aerospace showcased a scaled version of the Sukhoi Su-30 fighter jet armed with three BrahMos cruise missiles at the DSA 2024 exhibition. (Janes/Kapil Kajal)

BrahMos Aerospace – a joint venture (JV) between India and Russia – has outlined its plans to export its supersonic cruise missiles to Southeast Asian countries at the Defence Services Asia (DSA) 2024 exhibition held in Kuala Lumpur from 6 to 9 May.

Speaking with Janes at the show, a spokesperson for BrahMos Aerospace said the company has offered its cruise missiles to countries such as Indonesia, Malaysia, and Vietnam.

“We [BrahMos Aerospace] are in talks with all these countries, and they have shown good interest in the missile,” the spokesperson added.

Janes understands that Malaysia and Indonesia are looking to procure air-launched variants of the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile to arm their Sukhoi Su-30 fighter jets.

Vietnam plans to procure the shore-based anti-ship missile version of the BrahMos to counter the Chinese aggression in the South China Sea.

The spokesperson confirmed that BrahMos Aerospace has initiated the delivery of the BrahMos system to the Philippines.

MBDA showcased the scale models of its Enhanced Modular Air Defence Solutions and VL MICA New Generation system at the DSA 2024 exhibition. (Janes/Kapil Kajal)

European missile maker MBDA has offered its Enhanced Modular Air Defence Solutions (EMADS) self-propelled surface-to-air missile (SAM) system and VL MICA New Generation (NG) SAM to the Malaysian Armed Forces, a spokesperson of MBDA told Janes at the Defence Services Asia (DSA) 2024 exhibition held in Kuala Lumpur from 6 to 9 May.

“[MBDA has] proposed the systems to the Malaysian Army and the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF),” the spokesperson said.

However, it is still unclear when the systems will be tested by these services, the spokesperson added.

The Malaysian Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) seeks to procure a short-range air-defence (SHORAD) system as a part of the 12th Malaysia Plan, which runs from 2021 to 2025.

Both the EMADS and VL MICA are short- to medium-range air-defence systems developed and are primarily intended for defending ground formations or static assets against common aerial threats such as fighter and multirole aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and cruise missiles, according to the spokesperson.

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The single-seat KAI FA-50 project intends to replace the aircraft's second cockpit and crewperson with an additional fuel tank to increase the type's combat radius. (KAI)

South Korea's Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE) has announced a plan to fund the development of the single-seat version of the Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) FA-50 light trainer and attack aircraft.

The ministry said on 3 May that KRW49.4 billion (USD36.39 million) will be invested with KAI to develop the single-seat version. The project aims to improve the FA-50's ability to compete in the international market and expand the national “export portfolio”, according to the ministry.

“This development project intended to modify the single-seat airframe and include an auxiliary fuel system to increase operational radius by up to 30%,” MOTIE said.

Janes has previously reported on KAI's plan to develop the single-seat variant by removing the second pilot and cockpit and installing a 300 gal auxiliary fuel system in that space. In February 2023 during the Singapore Airshow, a KAI spokesperson told Janes that the aircraft's operational range could potentially be increased to as much as 20% as a result. Janes