Exercise ANGSA, which is currently underway has shown that the Royal Malaysian Navy’s (RMN) Sqn 601 which operates the ScanEagle Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) has already operated at Station LIMA TLDM, in Terumbu Layang-Layang which is in the Spratly Islands.

RMN through a tweet on the X account (formerly known as Twitter) has today posted some pictures of the Chief of Navy Admiral Tan Sri Abdul Rahman Ayob’s visit to RMN’s Station LIMA to review the Sqn 601 operation.

The deployment by RMN is also the role of Sqn 601 which operates ScanEagle for the purpose of gathering Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaisance (ISR) information in support of the Ex ANGSA.

It is not clear whether the deployment of Sqn 601 at LIMA Station is permanent or only for the duration of Ex ANGSA.

Last month, it was reported that RMN will operate the ScanEagle UAS system at Station LIMA located in Terumbu Layang-Layang, Spratly Islands.

The presence of the ScanEagle UAS system and its supporting equipment will further increase the Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) capability of RMN around the Layang-Layang and the Spratly Islands in general which are always “hot”.

As we know, the Spratly Islands, which are said to be rich in oil and gas, are “hot” with several regional countries such as China, Vietnam and the Philippines claiming the entire area of ​​the archipelago or part of it as their property.

China, for example, has turned several coral reefs in the Spratly Islands into its military bases, housing military aircraft, radar and communications facilities and warships.

RMN’s move to place the ScanEagle UAS system at Station Lima, Layang-Layang Island will certainly increase its ability to monitor state-owned waters in the Spratly Islands.

RMN is believed to have 12 ScanEagle UAS systems developed by the Boeing-Insitu company.

The UAS system was donated to Malaysia by the United States under the Maritime Security Initiative (MSI) program which aims to improve the maritime monitoring and defense capabilities of Washington’s partner countries.

According to a statement by the United States Department of Defense in May 2019, the Boeing Insitu company was awarded a contract worth US$48 million (RM216 million) to supply 48 ScanEagle UAS systems to Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines and Vietnam.

RMN began receiving the ScanEagle drone system in May 2020 and is currently operated by Squadron 601 based at RMN Kota Kinabalu Base.

“ScanEagle has a weight of around 22kg with a maximum speed of 150 km/h that allows it to operate for 12 hours with an ideal operating height starting from 762 meters up to 1,524 meters.