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| Reference Material |
| Malaysia to buy 3 French submarines By The Associated Press June 6, 2002, Today KUALA LUMPUR � In a deal marking a major upgrade for its navy, Malaysia said Wednesday it will buy three French-made submarines worth about four billion ringgit ($1.05 billion). The Royal Malaysian Navy will purchase two new Scorpene class submarines and an ex-French navy Agosta 70 submarine from France�s state-owned naval firm DCN International, a Malaysian government official told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity���. The submarines would be Malaysia�s first, and boost the country�s military power in the region. Of Southeast Asia�s ten nations, only neighboring Singapore currently has submarines.(But only the Royal Thai Navy has a helicopter carrier, built in Spain about five years ago at a cost of $300 million. ACA). The submarines are the latest, and largest, purchase in a Malaysian defense buying spree. Last month it signed contracts worth almost 2 billion ringgit ($526 million) for military hardware ranging from assault rifles to sophisticated European and Russian-made missile systems. ***** |