RMAF Jugra Air Base

Jugra Air Base (Malay: Pangkalan Udara Jugra), a heliport and military installation under the Royal Malaysian Air Force, is situated approximately 20 kilometres (12 mi) from Klang and just 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) from the Straits of Malacca. Also known as RMAF Jugra, Kem Jugra (Jugra Camp) and Rejimen TUDM Jugra, this base serves as the home for both the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) special forces and infantry units.^[1]

Jugra Air Base
Pangkalan Udara Jugra
Jugra Near Banting in Malaysia
Coordinates	2.823°N 101.453°E / 2.823; 101.453
Type	Air Force Base
Site information
Owner	Ministry of Defence
Operator	Royal Malaysian Air Force
Controlled by	RMAF Regiment
Site history
Built	1971 (1971)
Garrison information
Garrison	RMAF Special Forces HQ RMAF Ground Defence Force HQ
Occupants	Hostage Rescue Team Maritime Para Rescue Squadron 217th HANDAU Squadron Parachute Training Flight

Although it is officially a heliport, it has not functioned as one since the 2016 Sikorsky S-61A-4 Nuri crash. Today, it serves as the headquarters for the RMAF Regiment. The air base may resume functioning as a heliport once they introduce a replacement for the Sikorsky S-61A-4 Nuri helicopter.^[2][3]

History

Pre-WWII: Planned to be established as an airfield

Jugra boasts a rich history as a naturally defensible location. In the 19th century, Bukit Jugra (lit. 'Jugra Hill' or 'Mount Jugra')^{[note 1]} was fortified as a fort by the 4th Sultan of Selangor, Sultan Abdul Samad. In 1940, the Royal Navy purchased a piece of land approximately 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) from today's Jugra Air Base with the intention of establishing it as an airfield for Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) use. The base was named RNAS Morib, but construction never commenced due to the Japanese Imperial Army's attacks on Malaya, which began in November 1941.^[5][6][7]

Established as a radar site and air defence centre

In 1971, the Air Force Command officially established a radar site at the peak of Bukit Jugra and named it TUDM Bukit Jugra, or RMAF Bukit Jugra Air Force Base in English. The RMAF installed a Marconi S600 radar at the site, making the base the second air defence centre in Malaysia. On 21 December 1972, the centre was officially inaugurated.^[8][9]

Relocated to a new location and designated as a heliport

On 27 August 1987, the Air Force Command relocated RMAF Bukit Jugra Air Force Base to a site approximately 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) from the radar site, naming it Pangkalan Udara Jugra or Jugra Air Base in English. The base was designed as a heliport, with one of its primary functions being the conduct of search and rescue missions in the Straits of Malacca region. A squadron of the RMAF Air and Ground Defence Force, popularly known as the RMAF HANDAU, was established here to serve as the security force for this air base. This squadron is designated as the 201st HANDAU Squadron.^[10]

In 1993, the radar site and air defence centre located at the peak of Bukit Jugra was officially closed down as the 301st Air Defence Squadron at Butterworth Air Base took over the responsibility of the air defence centre from Jugra Air Base. The equipment from Bukit Jugra was transferred to Sarawak, to what is now known as Kota Samarahan Air Force Base.^[8][10]

The RMAF Regiment relocated here

On 17 March 1999, the Air Force Command relocated the RMAF Regiment and its associated units from Kuala Lumpur Air Base to this location. With this move, Jugra Air Base, besides serving as a heliport, also became a garrison for special forces, and special forces selection began to take place here. The helicopters stationed at Jugra Air Base were also tasked with assisting the special forces in missions and training activities.^[11]

Ceased functioning as a heliport

On 4 October 2016, an RMAF Sikorsky S-61A-4 Nuri helicopter crashed at a school in Tawau, Sabah. The crash resulted in injuries to 22 people, including 13 RMAF personnel, 8 schoolchildren, and 1 school staff member. Following this incident, all 24 Sikorsky S-61A-4 Nuri helicopters in Malaysia were grounded. While a few helicopters were later permitted to fly again after upgrades, they were ultimately phased out due to maintenance costs and the unavailability of service parts. Consequently, since the 2016 incident, Jugra Air Base has ceased to function as a heliport.^[12][13][3]

Stopped conducting special forces selection

After the establishment of the RMAF Combat Training School on 1 March 2018 at Bukit Ibam Air Force Base, the Jugra Air Base ceased to conduct special forces selection. The RMAF Combat Training School, situated within the Air Education and Training Command, serves as a training centre for ground combat training of air force personnel. It employs instructors from various units within the RMAF Regiment. However, advanced courses such as parachute and free-fall training are still conducted at Jugra Air Base by the Parachute Training Flight of the RMAF Combat Training School.^[14]

A new ground force squadron was established here

Under Capability Development 55 (CAP55), a plan aimed at restructuring and modernising the RMAF from 2018 to 2055, the Air Force Command reactivated the RMAF HANDAU on 1 June 2020. Air Force Command reassigned the RMAF HANDAU squadrons to the RMAF Regiment. As a result, the 217th HANDAU Squadron was garrisoned here at Jugra Air Base.

Tenant units

Among the units garrisoned at Jugra Air Base are:

Combat Units:

RMAF Regiment Headquarters

• • RMAF Special Forces Headquarters
    • Maritime Para Rescue Squadron
    • Force Protection Squadron
      • Hostage Rescue Team
  • RMAF Ground Defence Force Headquarters
    • 217th HANDAU Squadron

Training:

RMAF Combat Training School

• • Parachute Training Flight

Notes

1. Western societies do not name lower elevated places as 'Hill'; instead, they refer to such locations as 'Mount'.^[4] For example, Mont-Saint-Michel in France and Mount Manisty in England are lower, elevated places named "Mount". Thus, this place can be known as Mount Jugra in English.

References

1. "LAWATAN KERJA PANGLIMA OPERASI UDARA KE PANGKALAN UDARA JUGRA". airforce.mil.my (in Malay). 2022-06-09. Retrieved 2024-06-23.
2. BERNAMA (2020-10-01). "ASET GANTI HELIKOPTER NURI SEDANG DIBINCANGKAN - MOHAMAD". BERNAMA (in Malay). Retrieved 2024-06-23.
3. BERNAMA (2024-04-23). "KRONOLOGI KEJADIAN HELIKOPTER TERHEMPAS DI MALAYSIA SEJAK 2015". BERNAMA (in Malay). Retrieved 2024-06-23.
4. Rutledge, Kim; McDaniel, Melissa (2023-10-19). "Hill". National Geographic. Retrieved 2024-06-25.
5. Azizul Farhan (2023-12-28). "Jugra: Ibu Negeri Selangor Yang Dilupakan". The Patriots (in Malay). Retrieved 2024-06-23.
6. Gill, Charles C. (2010). "Royal Naval Air Stations". fleetairarmoa.org. Retrieved 2024-06-23.
7. Warlow, Ben (2000). Shore Establishments of the Royal Navy (2nd ed.). Maritime Books. ISBN 978-0907771739.
8. Abdul Rahim, Ramli (2012-02-09). "Sistem Pertahanan Udara|Radar Marconi S-600 pantau ruang udara". Mingguan Malaysia (in Malay). p. 34.
9. "Sejarah Daerah Kuala Langat". selangor.gov.my (in Malay). Retrieved 2024-06-23.
10. Damong, Jickey Jonathan (2004). Tentera Udara Diraja Malaysia (TUDM) dahulu dan sekarang [The Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) then and now]. Jabatan Sejarah, Fakulti Sastera dan Sains Sosial, Universiti Malaya.
11. Lajim, Faliq (2018-05-15). "Tauliah beret biru". Harian Metro (in Malay). Retrieved 2024-06-23.
12. Abas, Marhalim (2016-10-14). "Nuri Upgrade Update". Malaysian Defence. Retrieved 2024-06-23.
13. Taiming, Abdul Rahemang (2016-10-07). "Helikopter terhempas: Gotong-royong bersihkan SMK Balung". Berita Harian (in Malay). Retrieved 2024-06-23.
14. "LATIHAN PENERJUNAN SEBENAR BAGI KURSUS JURULATIH TERJUN BEBAS (KJTB) SIRI 11/23, KURSUS PELEPAS TERJUN BEBAS (KPTB) SIRI 16/23 DAN KURSUS TERJUN BEBAS TEMPUR (KTBT) SIRI 46/23". airforce.mil.my (in Malay). 2023-09-08. Retrieved 2024-06-23.