KUALA LUMPUR: Airbus has reiterated Malaysia's importance as a market for its defence and space business via a multitude of industrial partnerships.
Part of the industrialisation, it said, involves exploration of the potential of biomass as feedstock for sustainable aviation fuel; and development of a sustainable ecosystem that could involve hydrogen technology.
The collaboration is to help Malaysia establish self-sustaining maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) operations, as well as to develop higher-level engineering capability.
In reaffirming its support, Airbus Defence and Space (ADS) Asia-Pacific head Johan Pelissier said the conglomerate had developed an extensive and strong industrial partnership with Malaysia, bringing multiple benefits to the country's economy.
"As a strategic partner to Malaysia, playing a major role in local industrialisation, Airbus remains steadfast in growing this already strong local industrial footprint.
"This is to support the local aerospace sector through industrial collaboration programmes, especially in the defence and space segments," he said via a virtual media briefing today.
Also present were Airbus Malaysia country head Raymond Lim and Airbus Defence and Space Malaysia head Addi Faiz Adnan.
Pelissier explained that in spite of the challenges faced by the aerospace sector last year, ADS was holding its own.
He said that as of Jan 31 this year, ADS had a global order of 1,886 aircraft and delivering 1,675 aircraft covering the light and medium, multi-role tactical transport, heavy transportation and combat aircraft segments.
Within Asia Pacific, approximately 160 aircraft were being operated across all segments.
"Malaysia remains key to ADS both as a customer and a partner. The Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) is using its Airbus-manufactured assets on various humanitarian, disaster relief and medical missions.
"Similarly, Malaysia-based industrial partners continue to be part of the Airbus global supply chain," said Pelissier.
He added that the aerospace manufacturer was looking forward to enhancing existing partnerships in defence and military fixed wing.
This, he said, was to help Malaysia establish self-sustaining MRO operations and develop higher-level engineering capability to support complex MRO across different military aircraft platforms.
"Through its ongoing partnership with the Aerospace Malaysia Innovation Centre (AMIC), Airbus is already researching solutions for sustainable aviation.
"The emphasis is on the exploration of the potential of biomass as feedstock for sustainable aviation fuel.
"When the need arises, Airbus stands ready to support Malaysia in the development of a sustainable ecosystem that could involve hydrogen technology," said Pelissier.
Malaysia is the first export nation of the A400M airlifter, and the aircraft is today one of the most visible symbols of Airbus' successful relationship with Malaysia.
"We are proud of how the Royal Malaysian Air Force uses the A400M fleet extensively for search and rescue operations and humanitarian missions in the country and across the Southeast Asia region.
"This is especially so during the recent months in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic and disaster relief missions," said Pelissier.
He added that Malaysia was also an existing customer with MEASAT-3b, the country's largest satellite manufactured and launched by Airbus in 2014.
In 2019, Airbus was selected to build MEASAT-3d, a new multi-mission telecommunications satellite to replace capacity and augment MEASAT's core business in Malaysia, Asia, the middle-east and Africa.
"The plan is to launch this new satellite in 2022. In the area of maritime surveillance and security, Airbus has enjoyed a 100 per cent market share in Malaysia with its STYRIS-registered solution for coastal surveillance with critical areas secured along the Straits of Melaka and in East Malaysia, supporting the various local governmental agencies for the past 15 years," said Pelissier.
On another note, Pelissier said Airbus had also confirmed its participation in Malaysia's Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA) tender.
Airbus is offering its C295 MPA, a proven aircraft and a global reference in maritime surveillance that offers the lowest risks, yet the best acquisition, operations and life-cycle costs in its category which is most suited for Malaysia.
"The C295 MPA is equipped with Airbus' ingenious state-of-the-art mission systems like the Fully Integrated Tactical System (FITS) and comprehensive sensor suites, which makes it the only military MPA platform in-service today that is highly robust and tactically ready at any time.
"We are confident that the C295 MPA is the perfect choice for Malaysia's requirement, representing the best combination of value and capability," Pelissier said.
Currently, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Oman and Portugal have successfully operated the C295 MPA, making it the only MPA in its category in service today.