Royal Malaysian Air Force

Description

For 65 years, the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) has protected Malaysia’s airspace, territorial lands and waters. With 21 helicopters and 119 fixed-wing aircraft, including 26 in reserve, as well as early warning radars, air defence systems and recently procured unmanned aerial vehicles, RMAF is the spearhead of the country’s defence against the increasing hegemony and military presence of the armed forces of the People’s Republic of China, particularly its Air Force and Navy in the South China Sea. It also plays an important role in supporting the Royal Malaysian Navy and the Malaysian Maritime Agency to protect the strategic Strait of Malacca and counter any piracy activity there. Back in the 1960s and 1970s, RMAF participated in tens of counter-insurgency operations against communist rebels, while in 2013, its fighter jets participated in similar operations in Sabah. During both wartime and peacetime, RMAF has served the Malaysia by participating in humanitarian and disaster relief operations. In this book, history and current fate of the aircraft and helicopters currently in service with the RMAF, including several of the reserved and decommissioned examples, are fully covered, coupled with over 110 images.