Royal Malaysian Air Force F/A-18D Crash

A McDonnell Douglas F/A-18D Hornet of the Royal Malaysian Air Force crashed shortly after taking off from Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah Airport at Kuantan. Both pilots ejected safely. Malaysia operates a small fleet of eight two-seat F/A-18Ds from Kuantan, its most capable strike aircraft, alongside Su-30MKM fighters. The loss of a single airframe represents a significant proportion of that fleet, which Malaysia has sought to expand by acquiring surplus Kuwaiti Hornets.