KUALA LUMPUR, May 6 — Aircraft manufacturer Airbus plans to invest in a third helicopter full flight simulator in Subang, Selangor, with operations expected to commence in 2026.
Chief representative for Malaysia, Burhanudin Noordin Ali said the simulator will be used for the H175 helicopters.
There are currently two simulators for the H225 and AS365 helicopters, Burhanudin Noordin told a press conference in conjunction with the Defence Services Asia (DSA) and National Security (Natsec) Asia 2024 exhibitions today.
The Airbus Helicopters Malaysia Simulation Centre, a joint venture with Boustead Heavy Industries Corporation, is located in Subang.
Airbus Asia-Pacific president Anand Stanley said the H225M will be the main highlight of this year’s DSA and Natsec.
The Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) is one of the global operators of the H225M. It has 12 in its fleet and they fly on military and humanitarian duties.
“We want to ensure that Malaysia continues to have access to the best-in-class, state-of-the-art products from Airbus,” he said.
In a statement today, Airbus reaffirmed that Malaysia is an important market for its military helicopters, defence and space business and expressed its commitment to strengthening its presence here.
“Airbus has developed extensive and strong industrial cooperation that brought multiple benefits to the local economy,” it said, adding that it would like to deepen existing partnerships and investments in the local ecosystem. It also sees a potential regional demand for increased capabilities and renewal of legacy military transports.
“We are well-positioned to offer Malaysia a strong A400M-C295 mixed fleet to support strategic and tactical requirements,” the statement said.
Airbus currently has over 800 employees in Malaysia and supports more than 4,000 job opportunities in the country’s supply chain. — Bernama
