Dassault Aviation, Malaysian University USM To Cooperate On R&D Projects

KUALA LUMPUR, April 16 (Bernama) -- Rafale aircraft system integrator and manufacturer, Dassault Aviation, and Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM or University of Science, Malaysia) on Tuesday signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to jointly explore areas of cooperation to mutually benefit their expertises. The preliminary topics of cooperation identified are in common educational and shared research and development (R&D) projects with specific technical focuses on areas like system integration, composite manufacturing and unmanned aerial vehicle technology. "We have identified USM, one of top Malaysian institutions in aerospace education and innovation, as a major partner to be part of the Dassault Aviation worldwide university network," Rafale Programme Director, Malaysia, for Dassault Aviation, Daniel Fremont told a media briefing after the signing of MOU here Tuesday. The ceremony was held at the Global Defence Services and Government Security Event 2014 here. Fremont said supporting human capital development and technology building in Malaysia was among the key points in the group's coming cooperation programme. "There is no time limit to the collaboration. This is also the opportunity for the students to work on real projects," he added. The MOU is within the framework of the Cooperation Programme, or offset programme, in accordance with the Malaysian Ministry of Defence's requirements for the future acquisition of multi-role fighter aircraft for the Royal Malaysian Air Force. Dassault Aviation, together with its partners in Rafale International, Snecma, for the engine and Thales for the electronics, has proposed the Rafale aircraft to Malaysia. --BERNAMA