The two helicopters were handed over to RMN on July 1, 2022, in conjunction with the Kota Kinabalu Air Station opening at the RMN Eastern Fleet Command Headquarters at the TLDM Sepanggar naval base.
The RMN 503 Squadron will operate this new aerial asset. This squadron was also activated the same day and will be responsible for monitoring the Malaysian Maritime Zone. The air station hosts 503 Squadron and 601 UAS Squadron, which operates 12 ScanEagle UAVs donated by the US in 2020-21. The UAV squadron formally stood up on March 4 2021.
The AW139s will allow RMN to increase the frequency of patrols in the waters of the Sabah and Sarawak regions. They will also be used for Search and Rescue (SAR), Medical Evacuation (MEDEVAC), Casualty Evacuation (CASEVAC) missions, and Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) operations.
One or two pilots operate the AW139 with 15 passengers. It has dimensions of 16.6 m long, 2.2 m thick, and 4.9 m high. It has two Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6C-67C turboshaft engines producing 1,142 kW (1,531 hp). The AW139 has a maximum speed of 310 km/hour, a flight altitude of up to 6,096 m and a range of 1,061 km or an endurance of 5 hours 13 minutes.
