The Malaysian Army ( ms, Tentera Darat Malaysia; Jawi: تنترا دارت مليسيا) is the land component of the Malaysian Armed Forces. Steeped in

British Army The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurk ...

traditions, the Malaysian Army does not carry the title ‘royal’ () as do the Royal Malaysian Navy and the

Royal Malaysian Air Force The Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF, ms, Tentera Udara Diraja Malaysia; TUDM; Jawi: ) was formed on 2 June 1958 as the Royal Federation of Malaya Air Force (; ). However, its roots can be traced back to the Malayan Auxiliary Air Force format ...

. Instead, the title is bestowed on selected army corps and regiments who have been accorded the honour by the ('The King of Malaysia'), who is the Supreme Commander of the Malaysian Armed Forces.

History

The first military units in Malaysia can be traced back to the Penang Volunteer Rifle raised on 1 March 1861,1 March is marked as Army Day in honour of the Penang Rifle Volunteers (PRV) raising as the first military unit in the Malay Peninsula. and the

Malay States The monarchies of Malaysia refer to the constitutional monarchy system as practised in Malaysia. The political system of Malaysia is based on the Westminster parliamentary system in combination with features of a federation. Nine of the state ...

Volunteer Rifles which existed from 1915 to 1936. The birth of the modern Malaysian Army came about when the Federal Council of the Federated Malay States passed the

Malay Regiment The Royal Malay Regiment ( ms, Rejimen Askar Melayu DiRaja; Jawi: ) is the premier unit of the Malaysian Army's two infantry regiments. At its largest, the Malay Regiment comprised 27 battalions. At present, three battalions are parachute train ...

Bill on 23 January 1933. This allowed the initial recruitment of 25 males for the First Experimental Malay Company on 1 March 1933. Major G. McI. S. Bruce of the

Lincolnshire Regiment The Royal Lincolnshire Regiment was a line infantry regiment of the British Army raised on 20 June 1685 as the Earl of Bath's Regiment for its first Colonel, John Granville, 1st Earl of Bath. In 1751, it was numbered like most other Army regiments ...

was the first Commanding Officer. By 1 January 1935, the Experimental Company became The

with a complement of 150 men. A battalion was formed on 1 January 1938 and eventually a second battalion on 1 December 1941. The 1st Bn Malay Regiment was famous for its defence of Opium Hill ( in Singapore. The ‘

Battle of Opium Hill The Battle of Pasir Panjang, which took place between 12 and 15 February 1942, was part of the final stage of the Empire of Japan's invasion of Singapore during World War II. The battle was initiated upon the advancement of elite Imperial Japa ...

’ on 14 February 1942 involved 42 soldiers commanded by Lt. Adnan Saidi who defended their position against attack from the 18th Division of the Japanese Imperial Army under Lt. Gen. Renya Mutaguchi. After World War II and during the Malayan Emergency, the number of battalions was increased to seven in the early 1950s. The ('Royal Armoured Corps') can trace its roots to the formation on 1 September 1952 of the Federation Reconnaissance Squadron. It was later merged with the

Federation Regiment The Federation Regiment was an attempt by British General Gerald Templer (1898–1979) to form a multiracial infantry regiment of the Malayan Federation Army. History In 1933, the British War Office agreed to the formation of the Malay Regiment a ...

to form the Federation Reconnaissance Corps. The name underwent a few transformations from the Malaysian Reconnaissance Corps (16 September 1967), Royal Malaysian Reconnaissance Corps (May 1979) to Royal Cavalry Corps (December 1979) and finally to on 8 December 1986. The

Royal Ranger Regiment The Royal Ranger Regiment ( ms, Rejimen Renjer Diraja; RRD) is an infantry regiment of the Malaysian Army. Although it is second in seniority to the Royal Malay Regiment (''; RAMD''), the RRD can trace its origins back to the mid 19th century an ...

's lineage began in 1863 as the paramilitary

Sarawak Rangers The Sarawak Rangers were a para-military force founded in 1862 by the second White Rajah of the Raj of Sarawak, Charles Brooke. They evolved from the fortmen which were raised to defend Kuching in 1846. The Sarawak Rangers were first commande ...

. Although the second in the order of precedence, it is the oldest active formation of the Army.

Profile

Flag

The flag of Malaysian Army has been introduced since the inception of Malaysia Army and has been in use till today. The shape of it is the combination of Malaysian Flag and Malaysian Army's crest. This flag is the symbol of pride and courageousness of the Malaysian Army. The flag dimension is (height) and (wide). The flags are being flown from 6.30 am to 6.30 pm everyday based on certain protocol and honor.

Organisation and structure

Tactical structure

The Malaysian Army currently has 18 Corps and

Regiment A regiment is a military unit. Its role and size varies markedly, depending on the country, service and/or a specialisation. In Medieval Europe, the term "regiment" denoted any large body of front-line soldiers, recruited or conscript ...

s. These are grouped into 3 main components — the Combat Element, the Combat Support Element and the Support Elements. The Corps and Regiments are currently organised into five divisions. Three of which (the 2nd, 3rd and 4th Divisions) are based on the Malay Peninsula and placed under Western Field Army Headquarters, while the other two (the 1st Division and 5th Division) are based on Malaysian Borneo and placed under Eastern Field Army Headquarters. The 21st Special Service Group (the Army's special forces), 10th Parachute Brigade and the two Army Aviation Regiment are independent formations. The Western Field Army Headquarters, Eastern Field Army Headquarters and two support commands ( Army Training and Doctrine Headquarters, and Army Logistics Administration Headquarters) are placed under Army Headquarters (Army Command).

Chief of army

The current Chief of Army () is General Dato’ Seri Panglima ''Ahmad Hasbullah Mohd Nawawi'', who succeeded General

Tan Sri The Malay language has a complex system of styles, titles and honorifics which are used extensively in Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and the southern Philippines. Brunei, Malaysia, Singapore and several provinces in Indonesia regul ...

''Zulkiple Hj Kassim'' on 3 September 2018.

Rank structure

The Malaysian Army uses a rank structure inherited from the

. The Malaysian Army rank structure has 17 levels from Private () to

General A general officer is an officer of high rank in the armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry. In some usages the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colonel."general, adj. and n.". OED ...

(). These ranks are divided into 2 main groups —

Officer An officer is a person who has a position of authority in a hierarchical organization. The term derives from Old French ''oficier'' "officer, official" (early 14c., Modern French ''officier''), from Medieval Latin ''officiarius'' "an officer," f ...

() and Other Ranks () which includes the Non-Commissioned Officer () ranks.

Officers

Other ranks

Corps and regiments

* Infantry made up of ** ''Rejimen Askar Melayu Diraja'' ('Royal Malay Regiment') ** ''Rejimen Renjer Diraja'' ('Royal Ranger Regiment') **'' Rejimen Sempadan'' ('Border Regiment') * ''Kor Armor Diraja'' ('Royal Armoured Corps') *''

Rejimen Artileri Diraja The (Royal Artillery Regiment) is the artillery corps of the Malaysian Army. was formed in Kajang on 15 August 1957 when a single battery was formed, drawn from Malay personnel formerly serving with the British Army's Royal Regiment of Artill ...

'' ('Royal Artillery Regiment') *'' Rejimen Semboyan Diraja'' ('Royal Signals Regiment') * ''Kor Perkhidmatan Am'' ('General Services Corps') * ''Kor Polis Tentera Diraja'' ('Royal Military Police Corps') *''Kor Kesihatan Diraja'' ('Royal Medical Corps') * ''Kor Risik Diraja'' ('Royal Intelligence Corps') * ''Kor Perkhidmatan Diraja'' ('Royal Logistics Corps') * ''Kor Ordnans Diraja'' ('Royal Ordnance Corps') * ''Rejimen Askar Jurutera Diraja'' ('Royal Engineer Regiment') * ''Kor Jurutera Letrik dan Jentera Diraja'' ('Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineer Corps') *'' Kor Agama Angkatan Tentera'' ('Religious Corps of the Armed Forces of Malaysia') *''

Rejimen Askar Wataniah The ( en, Territorial Army Regiment) is the military reserve force of the Malaysian Army. The Regiment infantry units formerly consisted of 2 series of reservists; the mobilised 300 series and the volunteer 500 series. The 300 series, which c ...

'' ('Territorial Army Regiment') * ''Grup Gerak Khas'' ('Special Service Group') *'' Pasukan Udara Tentera Darat'' ('Army Air Corps')

Combat elements

*''Rejimen Askar Melayu Diraja'' The ''Rejimen Askar Melayu Diraja'' ('Royal Malay Regiment') is the most senior regiment of the Malaysian Army. Its ranks are recruited from amongst the Malay population. The Regiment has 26

battalion A battalion is a military unit, typically consisting of 300 to 1,200 soldiers commanded by a lieutenant colonel, and subdivided into a number of companies (usually each commanded by a major or a captain). In some countries, battalions a ...

s. The 1st Battalion, the most senior in the Regiment, currently undertakes ceremonial and Royal Guard duties. The remainder are configured as 19 Standard Infantry Battalions, three Mechanised Infantry Battalions and three Parachute Infantry Battalions. The regiment uses rifle green berets except the three airborne battalions that wear maroon berets. The 19th Bn Royal Malay Regiment (Mech) was involved in the rescue of U.S. 75th Ranger Regiment and

Delta Force The 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment–Delta (1st SFOD-D), referred to variously as Delta Force, Combat Applications Group (CAG), Army Compartmented Elements (ACE), "The Unit", or within Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC), Task Fo ...

operatives in Somalia during the Battle of Mogadishu. The unit of 32 Radpanzer Condor APCs and 113 men from MALBATT 1 went in with the U.S.

10th Mountain Division The 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry) is a light infantry division in the United States Army based at Fort Drum, New York. Formerly designated as a mountain warfare unit, the division was the only one of its size in the US military to re ...

to rescue the trapped Rangers. Four APCs were immobilised and were destroyed by US helicopter gunships. 19 Royal Malay Regiment suffered 1 soldier killed in action (KIA), PFC Mat Aznan Awang while 8 others were wounded in action (WIA). PFC Mat Aznan Awang was later promoted posthumously to Corporal and was awarded with ''Pingat Seri Pahlawan Gagah Perkasa'', the nation's highest gallantry award. In total, 7 officers and 26 NCOs were awarded various medals for their valour during the operation, the highest number of men recommended for medals in a single unit in a single operation. *''Rejimen Renjer Diraja'' Dcx doc74ab6koj1z518anbe43-2

The ''Rejimen Renjer Diraja'' ('Royal Ranger Regiment') is a multi-racial unit organised along similar lines to the ''Rejimen Askar Melayu Diraja''. There are currently 11 battalions within this regiment. The Regiment traces its roots to the

and the Sarawak Constabulary, famed jungle trackers who had a deadly reputation during the Malayan Emergency and during the

Communist Party of Malaya The Malayan Communist Party (MCP), officially the Communist Party of Malaya (CPM), was a Marxist–Leninist and anti-imperialist communist party which was active in British Malaya and later, the modern states of Malaysia and Singapore from ...

’s

insurgency An insurgency is a violent, armed rebellion against authority waged by small, lightly armed bands who practice guerrilla warfare from primarily rural base areas. The key descriptive feature of insurgency is its asymmetric nature: small irr ...

in Malaysia. The 8th Bn Royal Ranger Regiment (8 Renjer) was the first infantry battalion in the Malaysian Army to undergo conversion into an airborne battalion. The unit is currently assigned to the elite 10th Parachute Brigade. The Malaysian Army's most decorated soldier, WOI (Rtd) Kanang anak Langkau was a

Regimental Sergeant Major Regimental sergeant major (RSM) is an appointment that may be held by warrant officers class 1 (WO1) in the British Army, the British Royal Marines and in the armies of many other Commonwealth and former Commonwealth nations, including Australia ...

of 8 Ranger. *''Rejimen Sempadan'' The '' Rejimen Sempadan'' ('Border Regiment') is a newly created regiment from the 300 series Territorial Army units in charge of the border. The Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister, Najib Razak, announced on 1 July 2006 the formation of a new regiment specifically for border patrol. Members of the regiment will be taken from various regiments and corps, most notably from the ''

''. It is believed that the army will form about 2 to 3 brigades of this new regiment. The new regiment was officially raised on 9 February 2008 by Najib Razak at Tanah Merah, Kelantan. *''Kor Armor Diraja''

The ''Kor Armor Diraja'' ''('''Royal Armoured Corps)'' provides the armour capability for the Malaysian Army. Currently, the Corps consists of 5 battalions (sometimes referred to as Regiments), which are equipped with various

armoured personnel carriers An armoured personnel carrier (APC) is a broad type of armoured military vehicle designed to transport personnel and equipment in combat zones. Since World War I, APCs have become a very common piece of military equipment around the world. Acc ...

(AV-8 Gempita, SIBMAS AFSV-90, Condor, ACV-300 Adnan and K-200 KIFV) and light combat vehicles. ''Rejimen ke-11'' of the ''Kor Armor Diraja'' is the sole user of 48 PT-91M

Main Battle Tank A main battle tank (MBT), also known as a battle tank or universal tank, is a tank that fills the role of armor-protected direct fire and maneuver in many modern armies. Cold War-era development of more powerful engines, better suspension sys ...

s from

Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populou ...

Combat support elements

*''Rejimen Artileri Diraja'' The ''

'' ''(Royal Artillery Regiment''')'' is the artillery corps of the Malaysian Army and provides artillery support and local air defence for army units. The regiment is equipped with 36 Brazilian-made

Astros II Astros II (Artillery Saturation Rocket System) is a self-propelled multiple rocket launcher produced in Brazil by the Avibras company. It features modular design and employs rockets with calibers ranging from 127 to 450 mm (5–17.72 inche ...

multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS) and 28 G5 MkIII towed artillery guns from South Africa.

Air defence Anti-aircraft warfare, counter-air or air defence forces is the battlespace response to aerial warfare, defined by NATO as "all measures designed to nullify or reduce the effectiveness of hostile air action".AAP-6 It includes surface based ...

is provided using a mix of Swiss Oerlikon twin 35 mm and Swedish

Bofors AB Bofors ( , , ) is a former Swedish arms manufacturer which today is part of the British arms concern BAE Systems. The name has been associated with the iron industry and artillery manufacturing for more than 350 years. History Located ...

40 mm anti-aircraft artillery and missile systems such as the Jernas and Starburst from the UK, Anza from Pakistan,

FN-6 FN-6 or Feinu-6 () is a third-generation passive infrared homing (IR) man portable air defence system (MANPADS). Development from HN-5 missile, FN-6 missile is an export-oriented product and China's most advanced surface-to-air missile offered o ...

from China and Igla from Russia. Malaysia committed to purchase Starstreak V-Shorads missiles from the UK in 2015. *''Rejimen Semboyan Diraja'' The '' Rejimen Semboyan Diraja'' ('Royal Signals Regiment') is in charge of strategic communication,

tactical communications Tactical communications are military communications in which information of any kind, especially orders and military intelligence, are conveyed from one command, person, or place to another upon a battlefield, particularly during the conduct of co ...

electronic warfare Electronic warfare (EW) is any action involving the use of the electromagnetic spectrum (EM spectrum) or directed energy to control the spectrum, attack an enemy, or impede enemy assaults. The purpose of electronic warfare is to deny the opponen ...

and early warning systems such as

radar Radar is a detection system that uses radio waves to determine the distance ('' ranging''), angle, and radial velocity of objects relative to the site. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, we ...

. *''Kor Polis Tentera Diraja'' The ''Kor Polis Tentera Diraja'' ('Royal Military Police Corps') deploys as part of the field army, in support of army operations, and enforces proper conduct among army personnel. Aside from being responsible for base security, the military police are also tasked with preventing and investigating criminal activities on army property or by military personnel. *''Rejimen Askar Jurutera Diraja'' The ''Rejimen Askar Jurutera Diraja'' ('Royal Engineers Regiment') is tasked with demolitions, bridge-laying and the repair of military infrastructure, such as airbase

runways According to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), a runway is a "defined rectangular area on a land aerodrome prepared for the landing and takeoff of aircraft". Runways may be a man-made surface (often asphalt, concrete, o ...

, or clearing obstacles in emergency situations. *''Kor Jurutera Letrik dan Jentera Diraja'' The ''Kor Jurutera Letrik dan Jentera Diraja'' ('Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers Corps') is responsible for the maintenance of all vehicles and machinery of the Malaysian Army. *''Kor Risik Diraja'' The ''Kor Risik Diraja'' ('Royal Intelligence Corps') specialises in

psychological warfare Psychological warfare (PSYWAR), or the basic aspects of modern psychological operations (PsyOp), have been known by many other names or terms, including Military Information Support Operations (MISO), Psy Ops, political warfare, "Hearts and M ...

(psyops), surveillance,

intelligence Intelligence has been defined in many ways: the capacity for abstraction, logic, understanding, self-awareness, learning, emotional knowledge, reasoning, planning, creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving. More generally, it can be des ...

reconnaissance In military operations, reconnaissance or scouting is the exploration of an area by military forces to obtain information about enemy forces, terrain, and other activities. Examples of reconnaissance include patrolling by troops (skirmisher ...

and

counter-intelligence Counterintelligence is an activity aimed at protecting an agency's intelligence program from an opposition's intelligence service. It includes gathering information and conducting activities to prevent espionage, sabotage, assassinations or ot ...

operations. Aside from handling propaganda and counter-propaganda, the corps is also tasked with conducting background checks on recruits when they first enroll in any training courses. There are two Army combat elements attached to the ''Kor Risik Diraja''.

Services support elements

*''Kor Ordnans Diraja'' The ''Kor Ordnans Diraja'' ('Royal Ordnance Corps') ensures that all military supplies and ordnance are stored, secured and inventoried properly. *''Kor Agama Angkatan Tentera'' The '' Kor Agama Angkatan Tentera'' (KAGAT; 'Armed Forces Religious Corps') performs religious (chaplainry) services for Muslim and Christian personnel of the Malaysian Army. It also provides

counselling Counseling is the professional guidance of the individual by utilizing psychological methods especially in collecting case history data, using various techniques of the personal interview, and testing interests and aptitudes. This is a list of co ...

and conducts ritual prayers on the battlefield. *''Kor Perkhidmatan Diraja'' The ''Kor Perkhidmatan Diraja'' ('Royal Logistics Corps') is in charge of transporting troops and supplies to the various units of the Malaysian Army. *''Kor Kesihatan Diraja'' The ''Kor Kesihatan Diraja'' ('Royal Medical Corps') provides training for Army medics and other specialists. It runs the Armed Forces hospitals and provides the battlefield mobile hospitals. The unit has also provided relief MALMEDTIMs (Malaysian Medical Teams) to

Pakistan Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 243 million people, and has the world's second-lar ...

Afghanistan Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,; prs, امارت اسلامی افغانستان is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Referred to as the Heart of Asia, it is bordere ...

Western Sahara Western Sahara ( '; ; ) is a disputed territory on the northwest coast and in the Maghreb region of North and West Africa. About 20% of the territory is controlled by the self-proclaimed Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR), while the ...

Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Guine ...

and Palestine. *''Kor Perkhidmatan Am'' The ''Kor Perkhidmatan Am'' ('General Services Corps') handles administration and financial management for the entire army.

Elite forces

10 Para Bde with M4A1 M203 during 56th NDP

*''21 Grup Gerak Khas'' The ''21 Grup Gerak Khas'' (21 GGK; '21st Special Service Group') is the Malaysian Army's special forces and commando unit. 21 GGK is one of the two

Elite forces Special forces and special operations forces (SOF) are military units trained to conduct special operations. NATO has defined special operations as "military activities conducted by specially designated, organized, selected, trained and equip ...

in the Malaysian Army. 21 GGK is the operational home of various specialists and the

Commando Royal Marines from 40 Commando on patrol in the Sangin">40_Commando.html" ;"title="Royal Marines from 40 Commando">Royal Marines from 40 Commando on patrol in the Sangin area of Afghanistan are pictured A commando is a combatant, or operativ ...

regiment A regiment is a military unit. Its role and size varies markedly, depending on the country, service and/or a specialisation. In Medieval Europe, the term "regiment" denoted any large body of front-line soldiers, recruited or conscript ...

s, which are capable of conducting

unconventional warfare Unconventional warfare (UW) is broadly defined as "military and quasi-military operations other than conventional warfare" and may use covert forces, subversion, or guerrilla warfare. This is typically done to avoid escalation into conventional ...

special operations Special operations (S.O.) are military activities conducted, according to NATO, by "specially designated, organized, selected, trained, and equipped forces using unconventional techniques and modes of employment". Special operations may include ...

. One of the known foreign operations involving this regiment was in an attack by Somali militia on a convoy transporting UN Intelligence Chief in

UNOSOM II United Nations Operation in Somalia II (UNOSOM II) was the second phase of the United Nations intervention in Somalia and took place from March 1993 until March 1995, following the outbreak of the Somali Civil War in 1991. UNOSOM II carried on ...

on 18 July 1994. In the action, two members of the regiment were killed in action, while another four were wounded. One of the injured men was taken

hostage A hostage is a person seized by an abductor in order to compel another party, one which places a high value on the liberty, well-being and safety of the person seized, such as a relative, employer, law enforcement or government to act, or refr ...

by the militia and was released nine hours later. *10th Parachute Brigade The 10th Parachute Brigade (10 Para Bde; ) is an elite airborne unit tasked with being rapidly deployed inside or outside the boundaries of Malaysia. 10 Para is the key element of the Malaysian

Rapid Deployment Force A rapid deployment force is a military formation that is capable of fast deployment. Such forces typically consist of elite military units ( special forces, paratroopers, marines, etc.) and are usually trained at a higher intensity than the rest ...

() and it is Malaysia primary main offensive force in time of war or emergencies.

Army air corps

*''Pasukan Udara Tentera Darat'' The '' Pasukan Udara Tentera Darat'' ('Army Air Corps') is the army aviation branch formed around a core of

officers. This new Army formation is tasked with

liaison Liaison means communication between two or more groups, or co-operation or working together. Liaison or liaisons may refer to: General usage * Affair, an unfaithful sexual relationship * Collaboration * Co-operation Arts and entertainment * Li ...

duties, providing limited transport capabilities, close air support and also air

using light observation helicopters. The unit currently has two squadron, 881 Army Aviation Regiment and 882 Army Aviation Regiment. The main Army Air Corps base is located in

Kluang Kluang ( Jawi: كلواڠ), formerly Keluang, is a town in Kluang District, Johor, Malaysia. Kluang was founded in 1915 as the administrative capital of central Johor by the British. It is located in the centre of the state and is within 90 min ...

, Johor. As 2019, the Air Corps is equipped with 10

AgustaWestland AW109 The AgustaWestland AW109, originally the Agusta A109, is a lightweight, twin-engine, eight-seat multi-purpose helicopter designed and initially produced by the Italian rotorcraft manufacturer Agusta. It was the first all-Italian helicopter to ...

light helicopters and 14 Sikorsky S61A-4 medium helicopter.

Reserves unit

*''Rejimen Askar Wataniah'' The ''

'' ('Territorial Army Regiment') forms the second line of Malaysia's defence. Formed by college students, professionals and civilians, it provides support for the regular armed forces of Malaysia and is responsible for the security of key installations in times of conflict. Originally tasked with area and local defence, the ''Rejimen Askar Wataniah'' units have been reconfigured and will perform front line duties alongside regular units when the need arises. ''Rejimen Askar Wataniah'' units, such as armoured squadrons, are integral units of several ''Kor Armor Diraja'' regiments.

Rapid reaction infantry battalion

* ''Batalion Siap Sedia Tentera Darat'' The ''Batalion Siap Sedia Tentera Darat'' (BSSTD; 'Army Rapid Battalion — ARB') is a combat ready battalion of the Malaysian Army. The ARB can be deployed to overseas conflict areas in short notice under order of the

United Nations Department of Peacekeeping Operations The Department of Peace Operations (DPO) (French: ''Département des opérations de maintien de la paix'') is a department of the United Nations charged with the planning, preparation, management and direction of UN peacekeeping operations. Pre ...

(UN DPKO). The battalion consists of multiple capabilities, including special operations, armour, infantry and Chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear defence (CBRN defence). Currently, the 7th Battalion, Royal Ranger Regiment (Mechanised) (7 RRD (Mek)) is assigned as the main combat element for the ARB. The 7 RRD (Mek) is supported by various corps and regiments, including special ops operators from the Malaysian Army counter-terrorism regiment, the ''11th Special Service Regiment''.

Strength

The personnel strength of the Malaysian Army is approximately 83,000 personnel in the Active Army,IISS (2012), p. 264 50,000 in the Active Reserve and 26,600 active and 244,700 reservists in the paramilitary. The Malaysian Army consists of 5 infantry divisions, 11 infantry brigades, 1 mechanised brigade, 3 border brigades, 1 special forces brigade and 1 airborne brigade composed of: * 30

Light Infantry Light infantry refers to certain types of lightly equipped infantry throughout history. They have a more mobile or fluid function than other types of infantry, such as heavy infantry or line infantry. Historically, light infantry often fought ...

Battalions * 4 Airborne Infantry (Paratrooper) Battalions * 4 Mechanised Infantry Battalions * 5 Armoured Battalions (1 Tank Regiment) * 1 light tank squadron * 14 Artillery Regiments (4 Air Defence) * 3 Special Forces Regiments * 3 field engineer regiments * 1 construction engineer regiment * 1 airborne infantry squadron * 4 military police regiments * 1 signals regiment * 1 intelligence unit * 2 helicopter squadrons The territorial army includes: * 16 light infantry regimentsIISS (2012), p. 265 * 4 specialist engineer regiments

Equipment

Present development

Since the recovery from the 1997 economic crisis, Malaysian Army, along with other branches of the Malaysian Armed Forces, has regained momentum in its modernising programs.

Firearm

At the biannual Defence Services Asia (DSA) 2006, Malaysia announced that the United States-made

M4 carbine The M4 carbine (officially Carbine, Caliber 5.56 mm, M4) is a 5.56×45mm NATO, gas-operated, magazine-fed carbine developed in the United States during the 1980s. It is a shortened version of the M16A2 assault rifle. The M4 is extensively ...

service rifle will replace the Austrian-made Steyr AUG service rifle for all three Malaysian Armed Forces services. The army will receive the new weapon soon. Both this two type of rifles manufactured locally by

SME Ordnance The SME Ordnance Sdn Bhd (SMEO), formerly known as Syarikat Malaysia Explosive Sdn Bhd, is a Malaysian defence company that specialises in the manufacturing and marketing of ordnance. The company is located in Batu Arang, Selangor. SMEO is a su ...

. Another Malaysian company, Aegis Malinnov also has recently made the country's first pistol that will be used as a major pistol for the army.

Tank

The first major procurement was to set a milestone by building its first ever main battle tank regiment. Malaysian Army received delivery of 48 units

PT-91M Pendekar The PT-91 Twardy (, en, Tough, link=no) is a Polish main battle tank. A development of the T-72M1, it entered service in 1995. The PT-91 was designed at the OBRUM (''Ośrodek Badawczo-Rozwojowy Urządzeń Mechanicznych'', or ''Research ...

main battle tanks and other tank-based equipment, like ARV WZT-4 from Poland, fully completed contract of sale in March 2010. Apart from the existing PT-91M Pendekar main battle tank, Malaysian Army has set for a new tank procurement. In 2016, The Etika Strategic, Rheinmetall and

Otokar Otokar Otomotiv ve Savunma Sanayi A.Ş., also known simply as Otokar, is a Turkish bus and military vehicle manufacturer headquartered in Sakarya, Turkey. Otokar is a subsidiary of Koç Holding. History Otokar was founded in 1963 as Turkey's ...

made an Agreement of Joint Venture Altay MBT.

Armoured vehicle and infantry fighting vehicle

Malaysian Army is also rapidly mechanising its current inventory - 267 units locally manufactured DefTech ACV-300 Adnan IFVs were acquired by the army in 2004 and 111 units

K200 KIFV The K200 KIFV (Korea Infantry Fighting Vehicle) is a South Korean armored personnel carrier, originally produced by Daewoo Heavy Industries as a domestic replacement for older armored personnel carriers, such as the M113, in front line servic ...

also purchased from South Korea. Following the procurement of the Pakistani Bakhtar-Shikan anti-armor missile launcher and these were installed on the ACV-300 Adnans. The locally manufactured AV-4 Lipanbara 4x4 armoured vehicles by DefTech that were intended to be stationed in east Malaysia were also purchased after an agreement with a Thai company. Malaysia also locally produce AV-8 Gempita 8x8 by DefTech company with technology assistance from Turkey. While another Malaysian company AVP Engineering has teamed up with a South Korean-defence company Doosan DST to offer Black Fox 6x6 wheeled armoured vehicle if it was selected by the Malaysian government. In 2017, Malaysian Army acquired IAG Guardian armoured vehicle for uses in peacekeeping missions in Lebanon. There are also planned to replace the retired

FV101 Scorpion The FV101 Scorpion is a British armoured reconnaissance vehicle, and also a light tank. It was the lead vehicle and the fire support type in the Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance (Tracked), CVR(T), family of seven armoured vehicles. Manufactured by ...

and

Alvis Stormer The Alvis Stormer is a military armoured vehicle manufactured by the British company Alvis Vickers, now BAE Systems Land & Armaments. The Stormer is a development of the CVR(T) family of vehicles (Scorpion, Scimitar, Spartan etc.), essentially ...

with the new armoured vehicle. Malaysian Army planned to add locally made light armoured vehicle in their inventory. In 2019, Malaysian government issues a tender for the new multipurpose light armoured vehicle. The variants sought for this new vehicle is the fitted for radio, mortar carrier, anti-tank guided missile carrier and light assault vehicle or special operation vehicle. This new light armoured vehicle is uses to augment the fleets of

URO VAMTAC The URO VAMTAC () is a Spanish four-wheel drive military vehicle manufactured by UROVESA. Externally it is similar in appearance and design to the Humvee of the United States Military due to similar requirements. More than 2,000 of the vehicles hav ...

and

Weststar GK-M1 Weststar GK-M1 is a Malaysian military light utility vehicle or light tactical vehicle designed and manufactured by Weststar Defence Industries. History Weststar delivered an unknown quantity of the GK-M1 in 2015. On April 20, 2016, Weststar ...

. In August 2020, the Ministry of Defence is preparing for an open competition to find the replacement for the APC to replace Condor APC and SIBMAS IFV. About 250-400 Armoured Fighting Vehicle were request by the army, specifically 4x4 and 6x6. In January 2021, Malaysian company Mildef International Technologies has launched its new

Mildef Tarantula HMAV The Mildef Tarantula HMAV is a Malaysian 4×4 V-hull mine-resistant infantry mobility vehicle that provides high level protection against a variety of battlefield threats such as mines and improvised explosive devices. The vehicle was designed ...

intended for local market and export. Another local company, Cendana Auto also ready to deliver its new Cendana Auto Rover to the Malaysian Army starting in 2021. In Defence Services Asia (DSA) 2022 exhibition, Mildef International Technologies has launched its second armoured vehicle called

Mildef Rentaka 4x4 The Mildef Rentaka 4x4 is a Malaysian 4x4 reconnaissance vehicle designed and manufactured by Mildef International Technologies or Mildef. It is the second armoured vehicle developed by Mildef after Mildef Tarantula HMAV. History Rentaka first u ...

. In same exhibition also, Malaysia signed a contract to purchase Ejder Yalcin for Malaysian Army.

Artillery

Despite adding some 28 units of South African G5 Mk III 155 mm howitzers, another major procurement was 18 units of Astros MLRS from Brazil, which delivery was completed in 2006. A second batch of 18 units MRLS was ordered in 2007. The United States reportedly agreed to transfer a total of 29 pieces of

M109 howitzer The M109 is an American 155 mm turreted self-propelled howitzer, first introduced in the early 1960s to replace the M44. It has been upgraded a number of times, most recently to the M109A7. The M109 family is the most common Western indirect-f ...

artillery to the Malaysian Army but this deal was cancelled at the last minute. In 2018, Malaysian Army ordered 18 units of Nexter LG1 Mk III 105 mm howitzers.

Air defense

There is also a requirement for an upgrade to the current air defense network. However, a dispute between the army and the air force on whether to introduce a mid-range surface-to-air missile system had led to the procurement being put on hold. According to a recent interview of the army's chief of staff, Ismail bin Haji Jamaluddin, the army has no intention of taking over the mid-range air defence role. Malaysian defence company, Weststar Defence Industries and its subsidiary Global Komited, has partnered with British air defence company,

Thales Thales of Miletus ( ; grc-gre, Θαλῆς; ) was a Greek mathematician, astronomer, statesman, and pre-Socratic philosopher from Miletus in Ionia, Asia Minor. He was one of the Seven Sages of Greece. Many, most notably Aristotle, regarded ...

for the distribution of surface-to-air missile to the Malaysian Army.

Aircraft

Malaysian Army is now shifting its emphasis on enhancing its air wing. In September 2006, Malaysian Army received its 11th and last Agusta Westland AW109. These helicopters are to initially complement, and ultimately replace, the ageing SA316B Aérospatiale Alouette III helicopters. Some of them were to be installed with light arms and to be tasked to a scout observation unit. Furthermore, the army will also receive S61A-4 Nuri multipurpose helicopters after they are retired from RMAF and these will form the backbone of the army's very first air transport units - 881 and 882 squadrons of the army air wing. To boost the security in eastern

Sabah Sabah () is a state of Malaysia located in northern Borneo, in the region of East Malaysia. Sabah borders the Malaysian state of Sarawak to the southwest and the North Kalimantan province of Indonesia to the south. The Federal Territory o ...

from the attacks by militants in the southern Philippines, especially in the Sulu Sea, the Malaysian government has purchased a total of six McDonnel Douglas MD-530G light attack helicopters from the United States for the Malaysian Army.

Future soldier system and network centric operation system

The Malaysian Army currently has a soldier modernisation programme called the Future Soldier System (FSS). Under the FSS, The Malaysian Army plans to equip all soldiers with Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) such as Kevlar helmets, Kevlar vests, Oakley goggles and ear protection equipment. The programme also includes arming all the standard issue

s with

SOPMOD The Special Operations Peculiar MODification (SOPMOD) kit is an accessory system for the M4A1 carbine, CQBR, FN SCAR Mk 16/17, HK416 and other weapons used by United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM), though it is not specific to SO ...

kits, as well as equipping soldiers with a

Glock Glock is a brand of polymer-Receiver (firearms), framed, Recoil operation#Short recoil operation, short recoil-operated, locked-breech semi-automatic pistols designed and produced by Austrian manufacturer Glock Ges.m.b.H., Glock Ges.m.b.H. The ...

series pistol. Sapura, a Malaysian electronics company, is offering their SAKTI Soldier System concept via work in three areas: Head Sub-System (HSS), Body Sub-System (BSS) and Weapon Sub-System (WSS). The HSS consists of a Helmet–Mounted Micro Camera and night vision capability with a data output,

helmet-mounted display A helmet-mounted display (HMD) is a device used in aircraft to project information to the pilot's eyes. Its scope is similar to that of head-up displays (HUD) on an aircrew's visor or reticle. An HMD provides the pilot with situation awareness, ...

and earpiece and microphone. The BSS consists of a controller system, energy unit with a power pack for the communication interface, micro-camera and HMD with a single polymer lithium ion battery for up to ten hours of operation; a communications interface for secure IP based radio which from the image is a

radio and finally a navigation unit with a display for blue force tracking and situational awareness, colour digital mapping and terrain and urban profile analysis. The system displayed is visually similar to the Kord Defence SmartGrip RIC developed in partnership with Thales Australia. The WSS consists of a Rifle Control Unit consisting of a five-button wireless controller for one handed use with key features including push to talk for the radio, switching the HMD on and off, turning the HMD brightness up and down as well as video transmission to friendly forces. The FSS in conjunction with the Network Centric Operation (NCO) System, will give the three branches of the Armed Forces a shared situational awareness, interoperability and a common operating picture via a X-band satellite-based link and a unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) system, with hopes to enable self-synchronisation for all three branches. The programme will go through several phases, with Phase 1A (the implementation of the Mobile X-band satellite communication linked) and Phase 2 (the demonstration of the capabilities of the FSS with NCO) being successful and operational in 2017. In 2018, during the annual DSA convention, the Malaysian Army showcased a joint exercise between the NCO systems via Army Operations Room and soldiers equipped with FSS systems, where the Army Operations Room coordinated the soldiers doing numerous activities, first being a live firing of a 3-man squad involving the usage of artillery and how precise the accuracy of the artilleries via the FSS and NCO equipment, second being in an Army Training Centre, and last being a real simulation operation in East Malaysia. Currently, several combat elements such as the 12th Royal Malay Regiment and the 4th Mechanised Brigade are outfitted with the system. Through the use of this system, the Malaysian Army is able to operate anywhere throughout the world, especially during United Nations Operations.

Notes

References

;Works cited *

External links

Malaysian Army Official Website

Malaysian Armed Forces Official Website

Malaysian Ministry of Defence Official Website
{{Authority control Military of Malaysia Ministry of Defence (Malaysia) Military units and formations established in 1933 1933 establishments in British Malaya