Malaysia receives delivery of first batch of ScanEagle 2 UAVs donated by US

The Insitu ScanEagle 2 UAV of the Philippine Air Force, also obtained as donations from the US Southeast Asia MSI Peogram. Photo c/o Rappler.

The Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF) has received the first batch of 6 Insitu ScanEagle 2 unmanned aerial vehicles together with all associated support equipment from the US government, according to British defense news outlet IHS Jane’s.

A total of 12 ScanEagle 2 UAVs are for transfer to the MAF as part of the US government’s Southeast Asia Maritime Security Initiative (MSI) program that was started in early 2016 by former US President Barrack Obama.

The MAF confirmed to have received the first batch of 6 ScanEagle 2 UAVs in late February 2020, while the second batch of 6 units are scheduled to transfer by 2022. The UAVs will be operated by the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) 601 Squadron, which was formed on November 2018 to specifically operate the new assets.

As part of the program, US assistance also includes training, maintenance, and sustainment of the entire system for the first 2,000 flying hours of the UAVs.

Aside from Malaysia, other Southeast Asian countries will benefit from receiving ScanEagle 2 UAVs from the US, as 34 units have been programmed for transfer between 2020 to 2022. Indonesia and the Philippines are scheduled to receive 8 units each, while Vietnam will be receiving 6 units.

The Philippines already received an initial batch of 6 ScanEagle 2 UAVs in 2018, also as part of the Southeast Asia MSI program.




[1] Jane’s Defence Weekly