East meets West for a historic refuelling mission
November 15, 2024
The Washington Air National Guard (WANG) has maintained a strong partnership with Malaysia since 2017, aimed at improving interoperability and integrating capabilities. This latest mission formed part of a State Partnership engagement with the Royal Malaysian Air Force.
Engagements like this reinforce initiatives led by our allies and partners, projecting strength by utilizing both distinctive U.S. capabilities and those shared with allies and partners. Together, these efforts leverage cultural, strategic, and operational advantages that are essential to our shared objectives in the Indo-Pacific region.
On 12 November 2024, aircrew assigned to the 141st Air Refueling Wing, Washington Air National Guard, normally based at at Fairchild Air Force Base, Spokane, Washington, flew a historic sortie from RMAF Subang Air Base, Malaysia. During the mission, the KC-135R Stratotanker used its multi-point refuelling systems (MPRS), to refuel three Russian made Sukhoi Su-30MKM aircraft and a pair of US-supplied F/A-18D Hornets.
On Nov 12, DCM Bhalla joined Maj Gen Welsh of the Washington National Guard and RMAF Chief Gen. Tan Sri Dato’ Sri Mohd Asghar Khan to witness history in the making – This first-ever inflight refuelling between the US and Malaysian Air Forces was witnessed by Major General Gent Welsh, Adjutant General of the Washington National Guard, RMAF Chief General Tan Sri Dato’ Sri Mohd Asghar Khan, and Manu Bhalla, the Deputy Chief of Mission at the US Embassy in Kuala Lumpur.
