[World Article] Sayonara F-5, It was Nice Knowing You

Deputy Defence Minister Datuk Abdul Rahim Bakri told Parliament on Nov 18 that the services of the Mig-29N and the F-5 fighter jets in the Royal Malaysian Air Force will end by the end of 2015 and 2014, respectively.

Speaking during the session which was supposed to debate the Defence Ministry’s proposed 2015 budget – instead of asking the right questions, our politicians were instead grand standing with one even asking why we do not conduct exercise with Turkey’s military – Abdul Rahim also said although there were plans to replace both aircraft, funds have yet to be allocated (MRCA programme).

The deputy minister did not say it but his statement meant that RMAF will lose half of its fighter force within a 12 month period from the 60-odd in service at the moment with no replacement for the immediate future.

The retirement of both aircraft are not surprising as their end service dates had been made public previously. For the F-5 – RMAF’s first supersonic fighter – this will be the second retirement as it was first deactivated on Nov 10, 2000. In 2003, at least ten F-5s – four F-5Es, four F-5Fs and two RF-5Es were reactivated and reconstituted as the 12th Squadron.

The squadron was originally activated in 1975 to operate the F-5Es and F-5Bs as the country’s first supersonic air defence unit before it was deactivated in 2000.

When reactivated in 2003 – the 12th Sqdn was redesignated as the Tactical Air Reconnaissance Squadron with the two RF-5Es playing the main role with the single seaters serving as escort while the twin-seaters qualified new pilots.

In 2007, the two RF-5Es originally procured in 1993 were upgraded with a digital camera system and a digital display system. The fleet soldiered on almost anonymously as the F-5 was largely eclipsed by RMAF’s newer fighter jets.

The F-5 made the headlines again in 2008 after two of the jet’s engines were stolen while stored at the Kuala Lumpur Air Base, a year earlier.

12th Sqdn was also thrust into the limelight in 2013, when its 24th commander, Mej Zaidi Ahmad lodged a police report over the indelible ink issue during the 13th General Election. Zaidi is undergoing court martial accused of circulating information on the ineffectiveness of the indelible ink used in the 13th general election.

It is unclear whether RMAF will hold a grand send-off for the F-5 next month. Perhaps it will not as they might changed their mind and pressed the fleet back into service just like they did in 2003! Hopefully they will be loved in retirement as in during service. Sadly the example displayed at RMAF’s museum is already looking like a rusting hulk.

Goodbye, F5, it was nice knowing you.

— Malaysian Defence

  ★ malaysiandefence