Destini Bhd, a leading malaysian defense company, has recently been awarded a significant contract by the Malaysian Ministry of Defence. The contract, valued at approximately RM18.75 million, grants Destini Prima Sdn Bhd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Destini Bhd, the responsibility of supplying 2.75-inch (70 mm) rockets to the Malaysian army. The contract will span a period of two years, commencing from June 27, 2023, and concluding on June 26, 2025. As part of the agreement, Destini Prima is required to provide a performance bond amounting to RM468,733.01. Destini Bhd expressed confidence that this contract will have a positive impact on its financial performance and net assets. It expects the earnings and net assets of the company to improve during the financial periods ending on December 31, 2023, and throughout the contract’s duration.
In another notable development, Destini Bhd successfully completed the Final Acceptance Test of six MD 530G multipurpose armed reconnaissance helicopters. Manufactured by MD Helicopter Inc, these helicopters were officially handed over to the Royal Malaysian Army (ATM). Following an extensive 31-day journey, which concluded in February 2022 after the pre-delivery inspection in December 2021, the helicopters are now deemed airworthy. They will be stationed at ATM’s air unit based at the Mahkota Camp in Kluang, Johor, as well as at the Eastern Sabah Security Command. Equipped with a range of weaponry including a 7.62 mm Gatling gun, a 12.7 mm heavy machine gun, and 70 mm rockets. Destini Bhd anticipates that the delivery of these helicopters will enable the company to leverage its existing expertise in maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) services.
The MD Helicopters (formerly McDonnell Douglas Helicopter Systems) 530G is the latest in a long line of light attack helicopter configurations based on the Model 500/530 airframe. The 530G for Malaysia continues to raise the bar on performance with the integration of the Wescam L3 MX10D sensor and the Pathfinder Ares Weapons Management System from Tek Fusion. These integrated systems are used to support the Dillion M134 Mini Gun, FN Herstal Heavy Machine Gun and Rocket Machine Gun pods, and 2.75-inch (70 mm) Folding-Fin Aerial Rockets (guided and unguided). The aircraft provides overwhelming close-in support night or day, as well as outstanding reconnaissance capability. The MD530G helicopters, supplied by Syarikat Halaman Optima Sdn Bhd through Syarikat Destini Prima Sdn Bhd, were made by MD Helicopter Inc (MDHI) based in the United States.
The Folding-Fin Aerial Rocket (FFAR), also known as “Mighty Mouse”, was an unguided rocket used by United States military aircraft. The early FFAR rockets (with rocket motors Mk4 for aircraft and the Mk40 for helicopters) were conventional 2.75 inches (70 mm) diameter unguided rockets, comprising a solid-propellant motor with 4 folding fins and an appropriate warhead. The FFAR has been developed by BAE System into the modern Hydra 70 series, which is still in service. There are several design efforts to turn the Hydra 70 rocket into a precision guided munition (PGM) to produce a weapon with greater accuracy but at less cost than other guided missiles. These include: BAdvanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS) II, Low-Cost Guided Imaging Rocket (LOGIR), Direct Attack Guided Rocket (DAGR), Guided Advanced Tactical Rocket – Laser (GATR-L) and SAL-Laser Guided Rocket (FZ275 LGR).
