Malaysian Armed Forces

Total Armed Forces:

active - 96,000

reserve - 49,800

Defence Budget:

1999 - $1.8 billion

2000 - $1.6 billion

Army: Malaysian Army

active - 80,000

4 combat divisions

26 tanks

10 helicopters

supporting artillery/air defense guns and missiles

Navy: Royal Malaysian Navy

active - 8,000 including 160 Naval Air

4 principal surface combatants

41 patrol and coastal combatants

4 mine countermeasures

2 amphibious warfare ships

17 armed helicopters

Air Force: Royal Malaysian Air Force

active - 8,000

84 total combat aircraft including
4 fighter/ground attack squadrons (42 aircraft)
3 fighter/"aggressor" squadrons (26 aircraft)

supporting air defense guns and missiles

Paramilitary forces: active - 20,100

Assessment:

Capable of defending mainland against all existing and foreseeable threats. Naval position is improving with acquisition of missile-equipped frigates, corvettes and patrol boats. Since the mid-1990s, the Malaysian armed forces have focused on creating a Rapid Deployment Force to quickly move between peninsular and insular parts of the country. The government is also committed to create a power projection force to include Hawk-2000, F-18 and MiG-29 multi-role fighters for interdiction and maritime strike, patrol aircraft, long-range air transport, airspace surveillance radars and C3I system.

Trends:

The Malaysian economy has recovered slightly from the 1997 financial crisis and defense spending is to be maintained and possibly increased. The focus is on boosting operational readiness especially for coastal and sea lane defense and the development of a combined arms approach. Procurement programs that were deferred or shelved due to economic belt-tightening might be resurrected under the 8th Malaysian Plan, a strategic planning document for 2001-2005. These include an ambitious plan for 200 new armoured vehicles, further development of the Rapid Deployment Force and army aviation. Naval expansion is a priority with plans to purchase at least one SSK submarines, three surface ships and two LSTs, in addition to the large-scale OPV programme concluded with a German consortium. No offensive power is being sought. Relations between Singapore and Malaysia have been strained but military confrontation is unlikely. Defense of the Straits of Malacca and the South China Sea is integral to both countries. Since the crisis, mutual strategic and economic dependency has become ever more evident and both exhibit signs of moving towards greater co-operation.