Duncan Looi
MALAYSIA will deploy counter-unmanned aerial system (C-UAS) platforms provided by Japan in strategic operational bases. Japan agreed to provide the systems to Malaysia under its Official Security Assistance (OSA) framework last week, the first time such a system has been supplied under the OSA programme ahead of the 70th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic relations next year.
During a meeting between Malaysian defence minister Khaled Nordin and Japan’s foreign minister Toshimitsu Motegi in Japan last week, an agreement valued at US$10.4 million was signed on the matter. Designed to detect, track, identify and neutralise unauthorised or hostile drones, the agreement will see the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) use radars and cameras to detect and identify suspicious drones before disabling them with nets.
After that, Khaled said that the systems are to be deployed to Sepanggar and Labuan to strengthen the country’s ability to safeguard its waters, including the Straits of Malacca and the South China Sea. “We hope the OSA programme will continue as it is very helpful in building our capabilities,” Khaled said. “As a maritime nation, we must safeguard not only our land but also our entire maritime domain, particularly critical areas like the Straits of Malacca and the South China Sea,” the minister said.
He also noted that defence cooperation between Malaysia and Japan has gained momentum following updates to Japan’s 2022 security strategy, which expanded military assistance to regional partners. Malaysia was among the early recipients under the scheme. “Malaysia and Japan have had long-standing diplomatic relations across various fields, but defence and military cooperation is still new and must be strengthened urgently, more broadly and deeply,” he added.
After Khaled’s visit to Japan, he said that both countries agreed to hold more bilateral military exercises with cyber elements, and to explore signing a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on maritime cooperation to frame collaboration more systematically. “The cooperation aims to enhance Malaysia’s capability to safeguard its maritime areas, including maritime domain awareness (MDA), which is important in monitoring and understanding security developments in national waters,” he said.
In addition, the minister added that the two countries also agreed to explore a government-to-government (G2G) approach to defence asset procurement, involving purchases and technology transfer as well as other benefits to the local defence industry.
In September 2025, Malaysia received 14 vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) UAVs in addition to seven rescue boats from the programme. Of the 14, six went to the Malaysian Army with the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) receiving six while the Defence Cyber and Electromagnetic Division (DCED) received two units.The following month, they received a diving support vessel for dive operations and training as well as equipment for ASEAN observer teams monitoring the Cambodia-Thailand border areas during the conflict. Under OSA 2025, Japan has allocated around US$19.6M for Malaysia which includes a Diving Support Vessel for the RMN, expected to be delivered in 2029.-–shp/adj/dl (Pix:MINDEF)
