Malaysian F/A-18D Hornet Jet Crashes In Accident

ONE of the Royal Malaysian Air Force’s (RMAF) F/A-18D Hornet fighter jets crashed after takeoff at approximately 9:05pm from Kuantan’s Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah Airport. Both the pilot and weapons systems officer (WSO) ejected clear of the stricken aircraft and are reported to be safe.

An RMAF statement read, “The RMAF is taking immediate action and will inform of any latest developments related to the incident. We urge all parties to refrain from spreading any speculation or unverified news.”

The Hornet from the RMAF’s No.18 Squadron based in Butterworth Air Base was recently involved in the Firepower Demonstration Training as well as the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace (LIMA) Exhibition 2025.

This incident leaves the RMAF’s Hornet’s nest with seven airframes left of the eight units procured in 1997, Malaysia’s government and the air force has been in the midst of attempting to acquire as many as 38 units of the inactive Kuwaiti Air Force (KAF) F/A-18C/D Hornets following US approval.a

According to RMAF chief General Muhamad Norazlan, an RMAF technical team would be dispatched to Kuwait next month to assess Hornets based on its long-term viability specifically on maintenance requirements as the plan requires the Kuwaiti Hornets to fly up until the 2040s as a stop gap measure before procuring fifth-generation fighters.

Transfer of the Kuwaiti Hornets to Malaysia will only proceed after delivery of the new aircraft. Gen Muhamad Norazlan added: “If the KAF receives four Super Hornets, four Hornets will be transferred to us and so on”.

The 27 F/A-18C single seaters and 6 twin-seater F/A-18Ds operated by the gulf state air force would substantially increase the current RMAF Hornets which have received a multitude of upgrades since entering service. –shp/adj/dl (Pix:RMAF)