Kuala Lumpur [Malaysia], July 12 : In a significant yet understated move to strengthen its air capabilities in the South China Sea, Malaysia has secured U.S. approval to acquire up to 33 F/A-18C/D Hornet fighter jets from Kuwait, a development that signals a quiet but firm recalibration of regional power dynamics, The Eurasian Times reports.
The transfer, greenlit under Washington's Arms Export Control Act, marks a strategic U.S. nod to Malaysia's military modernisation without triggering an overt geopolitical showdown with China. Royal Malaysian Air Force Chief General Tan Sri Asghar Khan confirmed the approval on June 17, framing it as a critical upgrade amid rising threats in the Indo-Pacific.
Although Malaysia publicly maintains neutrality, this defense boost, covertly supported by the U.S., reveals growing discomfort with China's coercive actions, particularly near Malaysia's maritime and airspace zones.
As per The Eurasian Times, Beijing's belligerent behaviour continues to destabilise the region. In May alone, China dispatched 70 warships and two carrier strike groups from the Yellow Sea to the South China Sea, aggressively encircling Taiwan. Similar tactics have been used in Malaysian waters, including the provocative 2021 incursion of 16 Chinese military aircraft, prompting a formal diplomatic protest.
With its fighter fleet thinned by the retirement of MiG-29s and BAE Hawks, Malaysia's acquisition of the well-maintained Kuwaiti Hornets--many upgraded with modern radars and electronic warfare systems--fills a glaring defense gap. U.S. support here is neither accidental nor merely logistical; it's part of a broader strategy to empower regional partners without drawing them into formal alliances, The Eurasian Times noted.
Even as Malaysia maintains trade and dialogue with Beijing, it continues to face repeated intrusions near Petronas oil rigs off Sarawak, areas claimed under China's illegitimate nine-dash line. Public backlash against China's aggression has grown, exemplified by the 2025 boycott of Chagee tea shops after displaying a map echoing Chinese territorial claims.
The Eurasian Times reported that the Hornet deal sends a quiet but unmistakable message: Malaysia, like other middle powers, is preparing for a future where sovereignty cannot rely on diplomacy alone. As tensions simmer, U.S.-backed defense upgrades reflect a growing resolve in Southeast Asia to resist China's creeping expansionism--on Malaysia's terms.