The Air Force Ordinance, 1958
            marked the beginning of the RMAF.
 

 
 
 

The history of the Royal Malaysian Air Force started with its formation when the Air Force Ordinance was passed by the Parliament on Monday, June 2nd,  1958 and it was then known as "Tentera Udara Diraja Persekutuan" or Royal Malayan Air Force.

Air Commodore A.V.R Johnstsone who was seconded from the Royal Air Force (RAF) was assigned as the adviser to the  the Malayan government and later as the first Chief of the Royal Malayan Air Force (RMAF)

He was responsible in drawing the blueprint for Malaya's Air Force in terms of organisation, personnel, assets and its regulation.

The first aircraft acquired for  No 1 Squadron was Scottish Aviation Twin Pioneer which was later renamed as 'Lang Rajawali' by Tunku Abdul Rahman the first Prime Minister.

The first Prime Minister,  Tunku Abdul Rahman
at the reception ceremony of the first aircraft  of RMAF the
Twin Pioneer .

As a new force,  most of its members were seconded from the Royal Air Force. A few personnel were later transferred from the RAF to the Royal Malayan Air Force on November, 1958. They were Flying Officer Lim Heng Lip, Sergeant Subramanian, Corporal Othman Mohd Ismail, Corporal Wan Said, Corporal JD Parsley, Corporal Mahadeven, Senior Aircraftman (SAC) Surindam, SAC Md Noor, SAC Zainal, SAC Mohd Hussain and Junior Technician (JT) Ismail Ariffin.

As young force, its initial roles were to provide air communication and support ground forces in their military operations against communist insurgents.

With the formation of Malaysia on September 16th, 1963,  the name of the force was changed to "Tentera Udara Diraja Malaysia" or Royal Malaysian Air Force".
 

ROLES OF THE RMAF

The broad goal of the RMAF is to prepare, maintain and operate an air force that is ready and able to project aerospace power in oder to promote and protect our national interests. As an element of the Malaysian Armed Forces the RMAF has the following roles to play:

*    Aerospace Control which assures the friendly use of the environment while denying its use to an enemy. Aerospace control involves offensive counter-air, defensive counter-air defensive suppression operations.

*    Force application which brings aerospace power to bear directly against surface target's force. Application involves strategic attack, offensive and maritimes air operations.

*    Force enhancement increases the ability of aerospace and surface to perform their missions which involves air refueling, surveillance , airlift missions, electronic counter-mearsure, special operation and combat air rescue.

*    Force Sustenance sustains our ability to conduct operations successfully. Force sustenance involves base defence, logistics support and base support which provide essential services to aerospace organisations and their personnel.
 

MISSION

The mission of the RMAF is to defend the sovereignty and integrity of the nation and its interests through the proper and effective use of aerospace power.