Why Malaysia Picked F/A-18 Super Hornets Over Rafale and Typhoon

When it comes to modernizing a fighter fleet, nations often face the delicate balance of performance, cost, and practicality.

Malaysia’s recent interest in acquiring second-hand F/A-18 Super Hornets from Kuwait, instead of opting for brand-new Dassault Rafales or Eurofighter Typhoons, is a prime example of real-world defense pragmatism.

While the Rafale and Typhoon are top-tier multi-role fighters, Malaysia’s choice reflects a mix of strategic foresight, logistical wisdom, and budgetary limitations.

An Interim Solution for an Aging Fleet

The Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) has long grappled with an aging fleet and tight defense budgets. With its Russian MiG-29s retired and other platforms growing older, Malaysia needed a timely and cost-effective way to maintain airpower. Enter Kuwait’s second-hand F/A-18Ds—fighters that Malaysia already operates, making them a familiar and practical interim solution.

Why the Super Hornet Over Rafale or Typhoon?

Malaysia did consider newer, high-performance aircraft like the Dassault Rafale, Eurofighter Typhoon, and Boeing’s own Super Hornet under its Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MRCA) program. However, no concrete deal ever materialized.

These aircraft, while technologically advanced, come with steep acquisition and operational costs. The Rafale has been particularly known for its hefty price tag, and the Typhoon’s multinational supply chain could pose logistical headaches for a smaller air force like Malaysia’s.

In contrast, acquiring used Super Hornets provided several advantages:

• Cost-effectiveness due to their second-hand status
• Fleet commonality with Malaysia’s existing F/A-18Ds
• Simplified training, maintenance, and parts logistics
• Relatively low flight hours, making them a worthy investment as a stopgap solution

A Diverse Fleet Strategy

Malaysia’s defense strategy seems to favor fleet diversity. Its inventory already includes Western jets like the F/A-18D, and non-Western platforms like the Russian Su-30MKM. This mix offers flexibility and serves as a hedge against global supply chain issues—a smart move in today’s geopolitically volatile world.

The recent interest in South Korea’s FA-50 light fighters also signals that Malaysia is not putting all its eggs in one basket. The FA-50s are expected to become the future workhorses of the RMAF, offering modern capability at a fraction of the cost of larger 4.5-gen fighters.

Super Hornet vs. Rafale: A Quick Comparison
In comparison to the Rafale, the F/A-18 has a 20% larger airframe, 41% longer range, and better General Electric F414 engines that produce 35% more thrust. It was created by American aerospace and defense company Boeing.

Similar to the Rafale, it travels at a speed of 1.8 Mach. The M61A1 Vulcan revolving canon of the F/A-18 had a maximum rate of fire of 6,000 rounds per minute. It has an AIM-7 Sparrow homing air intercept missile with a semi-active radar. The Super Hornet is equipped with AIM-120 AMRAAM beyond visual range air-to-air missiles.

Despite all the logic behind acquiring Kuwait’s Super Hornets, the deal eventually fell through—reportedly due to changing priorities or geopolitical complications. Still, Malaysia’s consideration of these jets showcased a strategic effort to bridge capability gaps while planning for its long-term modernization with platforms like the FA-50.