Govt scraps plan to acquire Kuwait’s used F/A-18 Hornets

Govt scraps plan to acquire Kuwait’s used F/A-18 Hornets

KUALA LUMPUR: The government has cancelled its plan to acquire a fleet of pre-owned F/A-18 Hornet fighter jets from Kuwait for the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF).

Deputy Defence Minister Adly Zahari said the decision was formally reached during a Cabinet meeting on Feb 6 following a comprehensive technical assessment conducted by an RMAF evaluation team dispatched to Kuwait late last year.

“The meeting decided that the plan would not proceed after considering the results of the technical evaluation on the F/A-18 Hornet aircraft carried out by the RMAF team between Nov 11 and Nov 27, 2025,” he said when winding up the committee-stage debate on the Supplementary Supply Bill in the Dewan Rakyat.

Adly said the evaluation found that acquiring the Hornets would expose the RMAF to long-term risks and logistical challenges.

Among the key concerns identified were the projected delivery timeline, delays to the aircraft’s operational start date, and the absence of guaranteed continuity in maintenance and support arrangements beyond Malaysia’s control.

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Following the cancellation, Adly said that the country’s airspace readiness would face increasing pressure as existing assets continue to age.

To mitigate the capability deficit, the Defence Ministry is now reassessing the procurement schedule for the new multi-role combat aircraft (MRCA).

“We are aware that the MRCA programme is included under the 14th Malaysia Plan (14MP).

“However, after the Cabinet’s decision on the Hornets, the RMAF will study whether the MRCA acquisition should be brought forward to the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP),” he said.

He added that if the study confirms an urgent operational requirement, the procurement process for the next-generation combat assets would be expedited through the appropriate application procedures under the government’s upcoming rolling budget plan.