The government of Kuwait has agreed to start negotiations on the sale terms of F/A-18 Hornet multi-role fighters to Malaysia.

The Malaysian newspaper KOSMO reported that Malaysia and Kuwait had agreed to establish a joint committee to begin discussions and negotiations for the purchase of the combat aircraft.

At this time, it is unknown how many of the 39 aircraft in the Kuwaiti Air Force (KAF) will be purchased, as the approval of the Kuwaiti government is expected.

The Memorandum of Understanding for the purchase of the F/A-18 is currently in the final stages of preparation.

On May 1, 2024, the Commander of the Malaysian Air Force announced his intention to send a group of specialists to Kuwait to negotiate the sale of the Hornet from the country’s Air Force.

The Malaysian Air Force has been considering purchasing them for several years. In December 2021, the media reported plans to purchase up to 33 aircraft (26 F/A-18Cs and 7 F/A-18Ds).

Kuwaiti F/A-18 fighters

The fighters in service with the Kuwaiti Air Force are still in good condition and have less flight time than the Malaysian F/A-18Ds.

The Malaysian Ministry of Defense confirmed its intention to purchase F/A-18C/D Hornet multi-role fighters from the Kuwaiti Air Force in July 2024, when the Kuwaiti Ambassador to Malaysia held talks with the Minister of Defense.

At the meeting, the two sides agreed to expand bilateral defense cooperation and sign a Memorandum of Understanding in the defense sector. The parties agreed to accelerate the process of finalizing the draft text of the memorandum so that it could be signed in early 2025.

The parties noted that the acquisition of the F/A-18C/D will further strengthen defense cooperation between Malaysia and Kuwait, as well as the exchange of information related to geopolitics and security in the Middle East, taking into account the similar positions of Kuwait and Malaysia, which are traditionally neutral.

The Malaysian Defense Minister and the Kuwaiti Ambassador also agreed to resume the exchange program by sending military personnel from the two countries for training (primarily air force specialists).

Prior to this meeting, the Malaysian Air Force group sent to Kuwait had completed the evaluation of the F/A-18C/D, as stated by the Malaysian Deputy Defense Minister on July 6. It was reported that after receiving the full report, the Air Force Command will assess the feasibility of purchasing the fighters.