Anka-S drones to act as 'unblinking eye' over South China Sea

LABUAN: The Royal Malaysian Air Force's (RMAF) Anka-S unmanned aerial system (UAS) will serve as an 'eye that never blinks' over the South China Sea, strengthening the country's ability to monitor activities in one of the world's most contested maritime areas.

Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin said the commencement of Anka-S operations by the RMAF's No. 11 Squadron represented a strategic leap in Malaysia's defence and maritime surveillance capabilities.

"The system would provide operational coverage that had never existed before, particularly over areas of interest, including waters with overlapping claims.

"The operation of the Anka-S represents a strategic leap from the perspective of our defence and maritime surveillance capabilities," he said at a press conference following the handover ceremony during his working visit to Labuan Air Base on Tuesday.

Also present were the navy chief Admiral Tan Sri Zulhelmy Ithnain, air force chief General Tan Sri Muhamad Norazlan Aris, Joint Forces Commander Lieutenant-General Datuk Tengku Muhammad Fauzi Tengku Ibrahim and ministry secretary-general Datuk Lokman Hakim Ali.

During the visit, a symbolic handover of the asset was marked by Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) Field Service Representative (FSR) Halil Gul presenting a memento to Norazlan, with Khaled in attendance.

Khaled added Malaysia had acquired three Anka-S units worth RM423.8 million, including ground control stations and two years of personnel training.

He said the system, which is capable of flying for more than 24 hours at an operational altitude of up to 30,000 feet, would be based at Labuan Air Base to conduct surveillance over the South China Sea.

He said the Anka-S would enhance Malaysia's ability to detect activities that could threaten national interests, including smuggling and illegal fishing activities.

"In short, with the Anka-S, the RMAF can maintain the country's eyes and ears and conduct continuous operations from positions that may be difficult to detect and under various weather conditions," he said.

Khaled said one of the system's key advantages was its ability to accurately identify and track vessel profiles, allowing authorities to deploy assets more efficiently and accurately to locations where intrusions occur.

"It can identify a vessel accurately, allowing us to determine the appropriate action. In the past, when we did not have this capability, we sometimes had to deploy aircraft or large vessels, which obviously involved higher operational costs," he said.

He added that the hourly operating cost of the system was significantly lower compared with deploying fighter aircraft or large maritime patrol vessels.

Khaled said the Anka-S would allow authorities to first assess whether a vessel posed a threat before deciding on further action.

The minister said the government was considering acquiring another three Anka-S units under future procurement plans.

He said the current fleet could operate a maximum of two systems at one time on rotation, while additional units could potentially allow wider coverage of the country.