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Press Releases

These are the press releases we've issued over the year.

Defence Industry Council to be launched. (Bernama, July 7, 1999)

CAESE provides impetus to local aerospace industry (NST, Wednesday, July 7, 1999)

Syarikat tempatan berjaya keluarkan pesawat tanpa juruterbang(Utusan, July 6, 1999)

Finally, Malaysia's very own simulator(New Starits Times,Tuesday, July 6, 1999)

Finally, Malaysia's very own simulator

Tuesday, July 6, 1999

By Azrani Rustam and Adrian David

KUALA LUMPUR, Mon. - A Malaysian company has made a significant breakthrough in the local aviation industry by designing a flight simulator - a pre-flight pilot training unit - making it the first to do so in this part of the world.

Electronics engineers from Ikramatic Systems Sdn Bhd in close cooperation with the Royal Malaysian Air Force have designed the software programme for a Pilatus PC-7 aircraft.

The prototype of the simulator is now ready for inspection by the RMAF and the designers have received enquiries from several potential foreign customers. A flight simulator - comprising a cockpit equipped with computer-run flight programme - is designed to give a trainee pilot the experience of flight before actual flight training.

With this, Malaysia is perhaps the only Asian country to have developed its own flight simulator, a credible feat against the big names in the industry from the United States, Britain, France, Canada, Germany.Using a flight simulator, the trainee is acquainted with all the flight controls found in the cockpit of a similar aircraft.

A more advanced simulator with sophisticated flight control equipment have been found to be very useful in training all pilots. Not many countries have the skills and technology to develop their own flight simulator. Only the giants of the aviation industry have such skills and they are found in the US, Britain, France, Canada, Germany, Spain and Russia.

In an interview with The New Straits Times at the RMAF Subang base, Ikramatic Systems team members demonstrated the mechanics of the 'static' simulator which offers a six-dimensional illusion. The design was pioneered by entrepreneur Mohammad Abdullah, 43, systems engineer Syed Mohamad Jamil Syed Ahmad, 42, and former RMAF fighter pilot Mejar (rtd) Mohd Halim Aziz, 33.

Mohammad said they developed the simulator along the concept of the popular Frasca model from the United States, which is used for ab initio training.

"Altogether, we managed to develop the PC-7 simulator over a period of 18 months, consuming a total of 7,000 manhours. The fine-tuning took us three months from April this year. "

"All-in, we have to date spent RM250,000 on spares and parts, from money we raised ourselves," said Mohammad, adding that they also received the full backing of RMAF chief Lt Jen Datuk Seri Ahmad Saruji Che Rose and Central Aerospace Engineering Services Establishment (CAESE) director Kol Rosdi Mahmud.

Once patented, the innovation would be a breakthrough for the local aerospace industry because of its all-Malaysian effort. The simulator is being offered to the RMAF to train its cadet pilots on 39 of its Swiss made PC-7 turbo trainers during advanced flying at the Alor Star base, after they complete their basic flying on the Malaysian made SME MD3-160 aerobatic trainer.

Mohammad, who is chairman of the company, has 20 years of experience as an aviation entrepreneur, having initially started out at Petronas' off-shore oil venture in Kuala Terengganu. Ikramatic System's managing director, Syed Mohamad, graduated with a degree in mathematics and computer science from the University of South Australia, before taking up employment with Sapura Advance Systems for 11 years until two years ago. Mohd Halim, the company's executive director, saw 14 years with the RMAF, flying the Aermacchi MB339 advanced trainer, the A-4 Skyhawk fighter bomber, F-5E interceptor and the MiG-29N air superiority fighter. His last posting was as an MiG-29N flight instructor before he opted out of service.

Another three systems engineers assisted periodically, while the RMAF provided a mock-up of the PC-7 cockpit and space for the team to do research and development with CAESE at the Subang base.

Ikramatic Systems would recommend a retail price of US$1.5 million (RM5.7 million) for each simulator. This compares with the US$5 million (RM19 million) price tag offered by a Swiss competitor for a similar model. Even the Frasca basic simulator carries a price tag of US$250,000.

"With over 1,000 PC-7s in operation with more than 17 air forces worldwide, the sales prospects are good for our simulator considering our price tag."

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CAESE provides impetus to local aerospace industry

Wednesday, July 7, 1999

By Adrian David

KUALA LUMPUR, Tues. - The defence industry's indigenous aerospace component is shaping up firmly, following the full implementation of the Central Aerospace Engineering Services Establishment (CAESE) at the Royal Malaysian Air Force base in Subang.

With CAESE in full bloom, Defence Minister Datuk Abang Abu Bakar Abu Mustapha said the RMAF was able to engage in smart partnerships with local companies, with minimal hinderance. He identified five core projects, namely the PC-7 turbo trainer flight simulator, electronic warfare systems, the logistics intelligence information "expert" systems, unmanned airborne vehicle and the integrated computer management system.

The RMAF is jointly developing the PC-7 turbo trainer flight simulator with Ikramatic Systems Sdn Bhd; the electronic warfare system with Telekom Malaysia Bhd, Systems Consultations Services Sdn Bhd and Tiara Communications Sdn Bhd; the "expert" systems with Sapura Advance Systems Sdn Bhd and Pointgate Sdn Bhd; the unmanned airborne vehicle with Syarikat Modus Verticraft Sdn Bhd; and, the integrated computer management system with Sapura Advance Systems.

"CAESE was set up to conduct research and development, and prepare and provide engineering services maintenance for the RMAF, without totally depending on foreign expertise," Abang Abu Bakar said after a working visit to the facility. Also present were RMAF chief Lt Jen Datuk Seri Ahmad Saruji Che Rose, CAESE director Kol Rosdi Mahmud and senior RMAF officers.

Abang Abu Bakar said that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Mahathir Mohamad, the prime mover in developing an indigenous aerospace industry, would be invited to visit CAESE in September.

"By then (September), we hope to showcase some of the developed indigenous projects and later on, at the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace exhibition in late November," he added.

Ikramatic Systems has succeeded in indigenously developing a PC-7 prototype flight simulator, thus making a significant breakthrough in this region. The RMAF, which operates up to 39 PC-7s, is poised to be the launch customer later this year.

CAESE is under the ambit of the Malaysian Defence Industry Council which is chaired by Abang Abu Bakar. The council acts as a forum for the Government and local defence industries to jointly develop the industry.

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Syarikat tempatan berjaya keluarkan pesawat tanpa juruterbang

KUALA LUMPUR 6 Julai - Industri pertahanan negara mencapai satu lagi kejayaan apabila sebuah syarikat tempatan akan mengeluarkan pesawat tanpa juruterbang untuk kegunaan Tentera Udara Diraja Malaysia (TUDM), tidak lama lagi.

Pesawat UAV generasi terkini yang akan dikeluarkan oleh Modus Verticraf Sdn. Bhd., boleh terbang secara menegak dan meluncur dengan kelajuan tinggi bagi pelbagai kegunaan dan boleh berfungsi sebagai pesawat pengintip tentera. Menteri Pertahanan, Datuk Abang Abu Bakar Abang Mustafa berkata, kelahiran pesawat kecil yang boleh dikawal dengan alat kawalan jauh itu direka bentuk oleh anak tempatan dan hasil perkongsian bestari antara Modus Verticraf dengan TUDM.

Beliau berkata, projek pesawat UAV berkenaan adalah antara lima projek kerjasama TUDM dengan beberapa syarikat tempatan yang sedang dibangunkan di Pusat Perkhidmatan Kejuruteraan Aeroangkasa (Puspeka) di Pangkalan TUDM, Subang dekat sini.

Abang Abu Bakar berkata, lain-lain projek perkongsian bestari TUDM dan swasta yang dibangunkan di Puspeka ialah projek pensimulasi pesawat latihan PC-7 dengan Ikramatic System Sdn. Bhd. dan projek peperangan elektronik (EW) dengan Syarikat Telekom Malaysia, System Consultancy Services dan Tiara Communication Consultancy.

TUDM juga mengadakan perkongsian bestari dengan Sapura Advance Systems Sdn. Bhd. dan Pointgate Sdn. Bhd. untuk membangunkan projek sistem pakar dan projek Sistem Pengurusan Komputer Bersepadu (SPKB) dengan Sapura Advance Systems Sdn. Bhd.

''Saya berbangga dengan keupayaan dan kemampuan syarikat-syarikat tempatan yang memperlihatkan kebolehan dan kesediaan untuk menguasai kepakaran teknologi tinggi untuk menghasilkan produk-produk yang setanding dengan keluaran luar negara."

''Saya yakin produk-produk tersebut berpotensi untuk menembusi pasaran antarabangsa,'' katanya.

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Defence Industry Council to be launched

July 06 , 1999

KUALA LUMPUR, July 6 (Bernama) -- The Malaysian Defence Industry Council will be launched this month to introduce pro-active policies to further develop the national defence industry sector. It would serve as a forum for the government and local defence-related companies to identify problems impeding the industry, Defence Minister Datuk Abang Abu Bakar Mustapha said today.

He said:"Once we know their problems, it makes it easier for the government to introduce new policies to help these companies." He told reporters this after inspecting the air force's Central Aerospace Engineering Services Establishment or CAESE at the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) Base in Subang near here.

Abang Abu Bakar will be council chairman. Its other members will be senior officers of the ministry, the armed forces and chief executive officers of key companies in the local defence industry. On his visit to CAESE today, Abang Abu Bakar said the establishment had satisfactorily carried out its task of producing sophisticated equipment for the air force.

CAESE was presently involved in designing a simulator for the PC-7 trainer aircraft as well as in electronic warfare and unmanned airborne vehicle projects.

"We are thankful to seven local companies namely Telekom Malaysia Bhd, Ikramatic System Sdn Bhd, System Consultancy Services Sdn Bhd, Tiara Communication Consultancy Sdn Bhd, Sapura Advance System Sdn Bhd, Pointgate Sdn Bhd and Modus Sdn Bhd for assisting CAESE in coming out with these products through smart partnership," he said.

He added that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Mahathir Mohamad is scheduled to visit CAESE in September and monitor its progress since its inception in 1993.

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