For the first time in the region, the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) will test fire its latest anti-ship missile --the Sea Skua --next week, but the location is still being kept secret. The Sea Skua has never been used by any ASEAN navy and it will be the first time that it will be fired from a helicopter.
According to a defence source, RMN's latest helicopter, the Super Lynx 300 has been entrusted the responsibility to launch the British-made weapon.
"The purchase of the Sea Skua had never been announced but has been in RMN's inventory since last year, and will be tested by RMN for the first time next week," the source told Bernama. According to reports in several defence journals, the purchase of the Sea Skua for RMN's Super Lynx helicopters was sealed in 2001 but details had been kept secret.
The source said that probably only one Super Lynx would be involved in the exercise but the location would be closely watched by RMN's state-of-the art warships like the KD Jebat and KD Lekiu, which are equipped with the sophisticated Seawolf missile system.
It is believed that only one of the missiles - which proved its worth during Operation Desert Storm in the Persian Gulf - will be test-fired during the exercise. |