RNM Successfully Concludes Aspide Missile Fire

The Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) has successfully concluded its live firing of the Aspide missile launched from the naval surface-to-air system in the Melaka Straits early Thursday.Fleet Operations Commander Vice-Admiral Datuk Ahmad Kamarulzaman Ahmad Badaruddin said the missile was launched from one of its war ships, KD Laksamana Hang Nadim."The missile hit a target flown by a Learjet. To save cost, the navy conducted the missile campaign simultaneously with the ongoing weekly Pangkor War exercise series," he said in a statement today.Ahmad Kamarulzaman said the success of the exercise had proven the RMN preparedness in handling threats especially an anti-air warfare, one of the four-dimension maritime war.Aspide is an Italian missile system developed from the American Sparrow AIM-7E Sparrow, employed as both an air-to-air and surface-to-air missile that first entered into service in 1987.The Aspide missile is one of anti-air missile systems onboard the RMN war ships ranging from the Laksamana class, aged over 26 years."Despite that, KD Laksamana Hang Nadim had shown its capability with the success of the missile launch. The missile was guided by a semi-active radar with a high accuracy up to a distance of 20km at the speed of 600 metres per seconds.Ahmad Kamarulzaman said the exercise also involved KD Sri Inderapura, KD Perak, KD Laksamana Tun Abdul Jamil, KD Laksamana Tan Pusmah, a Fennec helicopter, a CB90 boat, the Test Control and Weapon System Assessment Division, and the RMN armour and explosive depot.The Science and Technology Institute for Defense (STRIDE) analysed the missile firing campaign, he added.

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