The Armed Forces of Malta (AFM) is set to benefit from around €7.4 million in investment aimed at strengthening its operational capabilities, training and technological capacity, the Ministry for Home Affairs and the Ministry for European Funds said in a statement.
The investment, co-financed through European funds, includes €4.28 million for the mid-life upgrade of the AFM's King Air aircraft and a further €3.2 million for a new Ground Simulator Training Device.
The upgrade of the third King Air aircraft means the AFM's entire King Air fleet has now been modernised. The aircraft are used for surveillance, security and border control missions, further enhancing Malta's capacity in these areas.
The new Ground Simulator Training Device will provide AFM crews with a dedicated facility where they can train and practise operational procedures. It is the first flight simulator of its kind for the Armed Forces of Malta and the only such facility in Malta.
The simulator is intended to allow crews to maintain and develop their skills in a dedicated training environment, while supporting the high standards of competence required to conduct missions safely and effectively.
Speaking during an activity marking the investment, Minister for Home Affairs and Security Glenn Bedingfield said the project demonstrated the government's commitment to strengthening Malta's security capabilities.
"We invest in equipment, we invest in technology, and we invest in training, but above all, we invest in people," Bedingfield said.
He stressed that modern equipment alone was not sufficient to create operational capability, arguing that trained personnel, expertise and continuous preparation were equally important.
Bedingfield said the investment was particularly relevant to Malta's position as an island country in the centre of the Mediterranean and as a European Union member state.
He also noted that the project had been included among the security commitments in the government's electoral manifesto and was being delivered during the first months of the legislature.
The minister thanked AFM Commander Brigadier Clinton O'Neill and AFM personnel for their contribution to implementing the projects.
Minister for European Funds, Social Dialogue and Consumer Protection Keith Azzopardi Tanti said European funding was most effective when translated into concrete capabilities.
"This €7.4 million investment is doing precisely that: modernising the air fleet of the Armed Forces of Malta while also introducing a new and historic training capability for its crews," he said.
Azzopardi Tanti described the investment as not only an investment in technology and infrastructure, but also in the personnel responsible for operating the new capabilities and in Malta's capacity to contribute to the security of the country and the European Union.
Brigadier O'Neill said the two projects, alongside other ongoing initiatives, reflected the AFM's determination to provide its personnel with the equipment, technology and training necessary to carry out their responsibilities safely and efficiently.
The investment brings together the modernisation of Malta's maritime and border surveillance-related aviation capabilities with expanded training infrastructure for AFM air crews, with European funding supporting both elements of the project.