According to a press release published by The Borneo Post on March 4, 2021, the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) launched the 601 Squadron Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) at the Sepanggar Naval Base in Sepanggar. Chief of Navy, Admiral Tan Sri Mohd Reza Mohd Sany said RMN had received 12 units of ScanEagle Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) aircraft from the United States government under the Maritime Security Initiative (MSI).
The ability of the aircraft, which provides real time data and requires minimal crew involvement, can increase the RMN’s ability in carrying out intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions in high-risk waters in Malaysia.
The ScanEagle has a 3.1 m wingspan, a length of 1.4 m, a weight of 20 kg and can fly at a speed up to 150 km/h, with an average cruising speed of 89 km/h. Block D aircraft featured a higher-resolution camera, a custom-designed Mode C transponder and a new video system. A Block D aircraft, flying at Boeing’s test range in Boardman, Oregon, set a type endurance record of 22 hours, 8 minutes.