The Royal Malaysian Air Force Volunteer Reserve (RMAFVR; , abbreviated as PSSTUDM; Jawi: ) functions as the reserve component of the Royal Malaysian Air Force. It was established on 6 October 1993 following a decision by the Board of Ministers, making it the youngest of Malaysia's military reserve forces. The formation is administered by the Air Force Reserve Headquarters (; PSTU) and forms one of the core elements of the Malaysian Armed Forces Reserve.
The headquarters of the RMAFVR is located at RMAF Sendayan. It is currently commanded by Colonel Ahmad Rashidi Ithnin , who succeeded Colonel Mohd Shahfreen Baba in 2026. The commanding officer holds the appointment of Director of the Air Force Reserve (). Historically, the position was designated as the Assistant Chief of the Air Force Reserve () and was held by an officer with the rank of brigadier general.
History
Origins: Air Force ROTU The Royal Malaysian Air Force Volunteer Reserve (RMAFVR) was established in response to the need for a dedicated air force reserve component to accommodate commissioned graduates of the Air Force Reserve Officers Training Unit (ROTU) programme. While other branches of the Malaysian Armed Forces already had established reserve elements, the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) lacked such a structure. The first cohort of Air Force ROTU cadets commenced training in 1988, and upon completing their three-year programme, they had no formal avenue to continue serving as reservists within the air force.
Formation of the Royal Malaysian Air Force Volunteer Reserve The issue of an absent air force reserve component was eventually raised in Parliament, and on 6 October 1993, the Board of Ministers approved the formation of the RMAF's own reserve force. It was officially named the Royal Malaysian Air Force Volunteer Reserve (Pasukan Simpanan Sukarela Tentera Udara Diraja Malaysia, abbreviated PSSTUDM). A new command was created for its administration, known as the Air Force Reserve Command Headquarters (), with its first headquarters located at RMAF Kuala Lumpur.
Following its establishment, the RMAFVR expanded throughout Malaysia, in tandem with the extension of the Air Force ROTU programme to additional universities and higher education institutions.
Organisational restructuring and capability expansion In 2012, the RMAFVR underwent a structural reorganisation and capability expansion. The force was categorised into four main components:
Air Force ROTU () Air Force Reservist Training Unit () Reservist Airmen () Air Force Specialist Reserve ()
By 2020, ten universities in Malaysia had established Air Force ROTU units. The RMAFVR was administratively divided into six geographical detachments:
Central Detachment Eastern Detachment Northern Detachment Sabah Detachment Sarawak Detachment Southern Detachment
Downsizing and command realignment However, a decline in recruitment for the Air Force Reserve, compounded by the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, led to a downsizing of both the Air Force Reserve Command Headquarters and the RMAFVR. In mid-2019, the Air Force Reserve Command Headquarters ceased to be led by the Assistant Chief of Air Force Reserve, with Brigadier General Muhammad Shafiq Jahudi being the last to hold the position.
The leadership structure was revised, and the command was placed under the Director of Air Force Reserve, who concurrently served as Chief of Staff of the Air Force Reserve. The command's designation was also downgraded; the term "Command" was removed, and it became known simply as the Air Force Reserve Headquarters. It was placed under the oversight of the Assistant Chief of Staff (Administration) of the RMAF.
As a result of this restructuring, the RMAFVR was reduced to only two categories:
Air Force ROTU Air Force Specialist Reserve
Relocation to Sendayan Air Base In line with the phased closure of Kuala Lumpur Air Base, all RMAF units stationed there began relocating to RMAF Sendayan from January 2018. This relocation included the Air Force Reserve Headquarters and the RMAFVR, which were officially moved in November 2019.
At Sendayan, the Air Force Reserve Headquarters and the RMAFVR was allocated approximately for its garrison. The facilities include administrative and training blocks, a jungle survival training camp, a volleyball court, an obstacle and endurance course, and proximity to a shared parade ground used by other RMAF formations.
Expansion and future reforms Following a period of downsizing, the Ministry of Defence has initiated plans to expand the reserve forces. This development aligns with the current "Total Defence" concept (; HANRUH), which aims to increase the strength of the Malaysian Armed Forces Reserve to a level comparable to that of the regular forces by 2033.
To achieve this objective, a restructuring of the Air Force Reserve began in 2025. By 2026, six new squadrons were established for the RMAFVR. These squadrons are distributed throughout Malaysia and serve as a primary mechanism for implementing the strategies outlined in the 2020 Defence White Paper and subsequent national security frameworks. These reforms are intended to bolster national readiness and ensure that the reserve component remains a resilient and responsive support element for the RMAF.
Organisation and structure
Current structure Following a significant organisational downsizing in 2019, the current structure of the Air Force Reserve was formalised in 2026.
Air Force Reserve Headquarters. Located at RMAF Sendayan in Negeri Sembilan Air Force Specialist Reserve. Located at RMAF Sendayan Royal Malaysian Air Force Volunteer Reserve (RMAFVR) squadrons No. 181 Squadron RMAFVR. Located at RMAF Subang in Selangor No. 182 Squadron RMAFVR. Located at RMAF Butterworth in Penang No. 183 Squadron RMAFVR. Located at RMAF Kuantan in Pahang No. 184 Squadron RMAFVR. Located at RMAF Gong Kedak in Kelantan No. 185 Squadron RMAFVR. Located at RMAF Kuching in Sarawak No. 186 Squadron RMAFVR. Located at RMAF Labuan in Labuan
Air Force Reserve Officers Training Unit Central International Islamic University Malaysia Air Force ROTU Universiti Teknologi MARA Air Force ROTU National Defence University of Malaysia Air Force ROTU Eastern Universiti Malaysia Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah Air Force ROTU Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin Air Force ROTU Northern Universiti Sains Malaysia Air Force ROTU Universiti Utara Malaysia Air Force ROTU Sabah Universiti Malaysia Sabah Air Force ROTU Sarawak Universiti Malaysia Sarawak Air Force ROTU
Air Force Specialist Reserve The Air Force Specialist Reserve is a unit within the RMAFVR that recruits individuals with professional expertise in niche technical and engineering disciplines relevant to the aerospace sector. Fields of specialisation include aerospace engineering, telecommunications engineering, mechanical engineering, and satellite engineering.
Established in 2020, the unit is part of an initiative by the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) to fulfil the strategic goals outlined in the 2020 Defence White Paper, which emphasised enhancing technical capabilities and integrating reservists into operational roles.
The main role of this unit is to provide technical support to the RMAF and to contribute to the modernisation of its capabilities through the application of current technologies, innovative ideas, and inventions introduced at international technology forums.
The unit is currently led by Colonel Dr. Nafizah Goriman Khan , one of the first Malaysian woman to enter the field of telecommunication engineering, which was traditionally dominated by men. She is a leading satellite specialist at the Malaysian Space Agency and a researcher at the University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus.
Air Force Reserve Officer Training Unit
The air force variant of the Reserve Officer Training Unit (ROTU) was inaugurated on 22 September 1988 at RMAF Kelapa Batas for Universiti Utara Malaysia. Initially, a new squadron designated as the Universities Air Squadron (; SUU) was formed for students, with training provided by No. 101 Flight RMAF. Following the expansion of the programme to other tertiary institutions, the SUU was renamed the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Unit (), or Air Force ROTU (). No. 101 Flight RMAF was subsequently upgraded to become the current Air Force Reserve Headquarters ().
Trainees enrolled in the Air Force ROTU are automatically considered members of the RMAFVR during their period of instruction. Consequently, ROTU cadets wear the standard RMAFVR uniform and beret. It includes the "PSSTUDM" label on the left breast pocket, which denotes their status as part of the volunteer reserve. At present, nine universities and institutes of higher education across Malaysia host Air Force ROTU units.
Future plans The Defence White Paper, published in 2020, outlined the future direction of the Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF), including its reserve components. Under this framework, reservists are no longer viewed solely as a strategic force to be mobilised during emergencies or external conflicts. Instead, they are being positioned as an operationally ready and flexible component of the armed forces, capable of deployment alongside regular units during both peacetime and wartime missions.
Several key proposals have been introduced for the reservist force, including: Assign operational responsibilities to reservists in key areas, such as base security, urban defence, and short-range air defence operations. Establish a dedicated special forces unit within the reserve force, intended to provide rapid response capabilities in areas such as reconnaissance, border security, and counter-insurgency. This concept is modelled on the British Army's 21st and 23rd Special Air Service Regiments and the Royal Navy's Special Boat Service Reserve, which operate as reserve special forces formations. Expand the scope of the Specialist and Specialised Reserve Force to include personnel with technical expertise in critical domains such as satellite engineering, cybersecurity, systems integration, cloud computing, and big data. These fields are considered vital for enhancing the Malaysian Armed Forces' capabilities in information and digital warfare.
In line with this strategic direction, the Malaysian Armed Forces Reserve was established to centralise the reserve components across the three branches of the MAF. Although progress was initially slow due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) has since launched several initiatives to strengthen its reserve elements.
Development of reserve special forces capability Beginning in September 2019, two reservists from the Air Force Reserve Headquarters were selected to join the RMAF Special Forces Adaptation Programme. The two pioneers, Second Lieutenant Salehin and Second Lieutenant Fauzi , were attached to the RMAF Regiment at Jugra Air Base. While continuing their respective duties and trades within the RMAF, they underwent physical conditioning in preparation for the Special Forces Selection.
Within a few years, they are expected to successfully pass the Special Forces Selection; otherwise, they will be reassigned to their original units. This programme aligns with the objectives set out in the 2020 Defence White Paper, and more reservists are expected to be selected for the programme in the future.
Integration of reservists into base security operations