F-22s land in Malaysia for first Southeast Asian exercise

Six US Air Force (USAF) F-22 Raptor air-superiority fighters arrived in Malaysia at RMAF Butterworth airbase on 6 June to take part in the bilateral Exercise 'Cope Taufan 2014'.
The participation of the F-22 in its first exercise in a Southeast Asian country follows discussions in 2013. The United States is keen to engage with Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) Sukhoi Su-30MKMs, which in the past carried out air combat exercises with US Navy carrier-based fighters whenever a carrier transited through Malaysian waters.
The six F-22s are a composite detachment from Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, and arrived from Andersen Air Force Base in Guam. They will be joined by Boeing F-15Cs.
Both types will engage in air-to-air combat exercises with the RMAF's Su-30MKMs,MiG-29s,F/A-18Ds and Hawks.
'Cope Taufan 2014' will also include a number of logistics exercises involving USAF transport C-130s and C-17.
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Malaysia has no plans to replace MiG-29, Sukhoi jets with newer models

Malaysia Defence Minister said any replacement and purchase for new fighter jets has to be looked at in the context of the country's present security and threats.
In stead of this Malaysia is looking more at the possibility of equipping the present fleet of Agusta with weapons or upgrading the Nuri helicopters.
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Malaysia Invests In Sukhoi Fighter Readiness

Malaysia has allocated RM300 million to increase the combat readiness of the Royal Malaysian Air Force’s fleet of Sukhoi Su-30MKMs.
The events in Sabah, Malaysia, this past March, when local forces conducted Operation Daulat used combat jets to quell the resistance of the Filipino gunmen on the island of Borneo, may have prompted a spate of arms sales to that country and her closest neighbors.

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