Cash-Strapped Malaysia Looks To Lease Fighters

“Everybody thinks that whatever Malaysia leases will eventually become the long-term solution because the Air Force will have already invested in infrastructure items like bases, spares and training,” Garwood said.Leasing civil airliners like the Boeing 737 is big business, but in the fighter world, it’s a rare event. Sweden’s Saab is the only top-line combat jet supplier involved in leasing, with existing deals with the Czech Republic and Hungary for the Gripen for several years.Teal Group analyst Richard Aboulafia reckons that Saab’s experience in fighter leasing could give it the edge in Malaysia.“They have planes to spare, they know how to structure this kind of deal and have a good presence in the region,” he said.Neighboring Thailand is operating the Gripen, having purchased 12 of the single-engine combat jets.