Malaysia shortlists 5 fighter jets to replace their Mig-29s

[Stratofreighter]

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/03/ ... ws&rpc=401

Malaysia to buy 18 jet fighters, shortlists five makers

LANGKAWI, Malaysia, March 28 | Thu Mar 28, 2013 4:56am EDT

Malaysia has shortlisted five manufacturers as it seeks to buy 18 combat aircraft by 2015 to replace its ageing fleet of Russian-made MIG-29s, the defence minister said on Thursday.

The choice was between the Britain-backed
Eurofighter Typhoon, Sweden's SAAB JAS-39 Gripen, France's Dassault Aviation Rafale, Boeing's F/A 18E/F Super Hornet and Russia's Sukhoi Su-30,
Zahid Hamidi told Reuters.

"We've made the shortlist," Zahid said on the sidelines of the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition. "We don't know the cost yet."

Industry sources said the purchase could run into billions of dollars. The deal will help modernise the air power of the Southeast Asian nation, which is in dispute with China over parts of the South China Sea and with militants from the southern Philippines over its far eastern state of Sabah.

A decision on the fighters is only expected after the country holds elections, which Prime Minister Najib Razak has to call by the end of April.
His Barisan Nasional coalition is predicted to win narrowly in a tight contest.

[mart]

Surprising that the JSF is not on their shortlist, but I guess it makes sense after all the negative reports recently regarding the JSF.

[Robert]

Of they don't need the F-35......

[Flyboy]

The fighters mentioned on the shortlist are all readily operational. One might even purchase airframes already in production (that is except for the Jas39 if it were to be the NG variant).
So from the list it seems important to have the replacement operational on short term rather than having the best equipment in the long run.

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[Coati]

18 aircraft in 2015 rules out the F-35 and JAS-39NG.