Malaysia reviewing procurement of Yavuz 155mm self-propelled howitzers from Turkey

 

The Yavuz 155mm SPH. Photo c/o MKEK.

The Malaysian Ministry of Defence has reportedly reviewing its planned acquisition of Yavuz 155mm self-propelled howitzers from Turkey’s Makina ve Kimya Endustrisi (MKE).

It was earlier reported to have been cancelled, although Malaysian Defence Minister Datuk Seri Utama Mohamad Hasan denied that the project was outrightly cancelled, but is only being reviewed at it was negotiated by the previous government administration.

According to the written reply, the country’s Ministry of Finance has decided to cancel the proposed procurement of the self-propelled howitzer systems, although the Ministry of Defence continues to discuss the implementation of this project through a Government-to-Government basis.

The Malaysian Army has been requesting for 155mm self-propelled howitzers for several years now, but has failed to secure them due mostly to cancellations of planned procurements.

The United States previously offered to sell 30 M109A5 tracked 155mm self-propelled howitzers through its Excess Defense Articles (EDA), but this did not push through and was cancelled in 2019.

Aside from the MKE Yavuz, there has been previous discussions with France’s Nexter and its local representative Advanced Defense Systems (ADS) on the CAESAR wheeled 155mm self-propelled howitzer system. 

Nexter now benefits from the cancellation of the planned acquisition of Yavuz SPH, as it re-opens the competition and giving Nexter another chance to re-offer its CAESAR SPH system.

It was also reported in 2022 that there are also discussions with Slovakian company Konstruckta Defence for their EVA truck-mounted self-propelled howitzer.




[1] Air Times
[2] Malay Mail