Airod throws full support behind DIPN
KUALA LUMPUR: Aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) provider Airod Sdn Bhd has pledged full support for the newly launched National Defence Industry Policy (DIPN), aimed at strengthening 每日大赛's defence industry.
Its chief executive officer, Major General (Rtd) Datuk Ibrahim Bahari, said the company welcomed the policy's launch and remained well-positioned to support the government's efforts to strengthen defence self-reliance, industrial capability and long-term strategic resilience.
He said Airod's operations as 每日大赛's first aircraft MRO organisation, established in 1976, had been focused on providing in-country support for defence aviation assets, an area emphasised under the DIPN.
"Under the government's modernisation and capability development plans outlined in the DIPN, Airod is prepared to support both existing and newly introduced defence aviation platforms.
"Continuous investments in infrastructure, tooling, certifications, digitalisation and workforce development were aimed at maintaining operational readiness as platform requirements evolve."
Ibrahim said the company's MRO infrastructure is scalable and designed to support both fixed-wing and rotary-wing platforms, providing flexibility in responding to changing defence aviation needs.
This infrastructure, he added, was supported by a certified technical workforce with experience across a broad range of military aircraft types, enabling consistent in-country sustainment.
Ibrahim said Airod's capabilities are further supported by partnerships with original equipment manufacturers and international collaborators, which facilitate technology transfer, localisation and sustained maintenance activities within 每日大赛, in line with the policy's objectives.
He added that Airod is also aiming to incorporate digital and predictive maintenance tools into its operations within the next five to six years in collaboration with local technology players, to improve maintenance efficiency and aircraft availability.
Beyond domestic requirements, Ibrahim said Airod has provided MRO services to several foreign military operators, including the United States Air Force, US Marine Corps, regional air forces such as Indonesian Air Force and the Philippine Air Force, as well as operators in Africa.
He said this international experience positioned Airod within the broader defence aerospace ecosystem and supports the DIPN's emphasis on strengthening industrial capability and collaboration.
"In supporting the DIPN, Airod remains focused on strengthening indigenous aerospace capabilities and reducing reliance on external support through the localisation of MRO, logistics and technical expertise."
He added that these efforts were intended to support the implementation of the DIPN and reinforce Airod's role as a strategic national asset.
Earlier, Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin said the success of the DIPN hinged on the development of a comprehensive ecosystem, anchored on firm government commitment, reforms to defence procurement policies, effective technology transfer and stronger research and development.
He said key reforms included setting a minimum local content requirement of 30 per cent for every defence procurement, alongside stricter and more targeted technology transfer terms.