Royal Brunei Navy (RBN) joins Seagull Exercise

Photo - Mindef Brunei

The Royal Brunei Navy (RBN) will be participating in an exercise code-named SEAGULL.
This year’s exercise will be the sixth series and hosted by the Philippine Navy (PN) in Puerto Princesa City, Palawan Island, Republic of Philippine.This exercise is scheduled to commence on the 10th until 15th November 2014. RBN vessels that will partake in the biennial exercise this year are Patrol Vessel KDB DARUTTAQWA and Fast Patrol Boat KDB SYAFAAT.

The vessels are commanded by Lieutenant Colonel (L) Khairil bin Haji Abdul Rahman and Major (L) Pg Mohd Fahmy bin Pg Haji Mohd Sallehuddin respectively, with a total complement of 95 personnel, including officers, crew, one section of the Naval Surface Action Group (NSAG) and attachments. Also joining the deployment is the Sub-Lieutenant course, consisting of 10 course participants and three instructors.This is a significant achievement for RBN as this will be the first time an RBN vessel invites course participants to join them onboard for deployment. In hopes of gaining professional knowledge, the Sub-Lieutenant course participants will cover mostly on Coastal and Astro Navigation.Among those in attendance during the departure ceremony were First Admiral Dato Seri Pahlawan Abdul Aziz bin Haji Mohd Tamit, Commander of RBN. Also present were Colonel (L) Pg Norazmi bin Pg Haji Muhammad, Deputy Commander of RBN, Lieutenant Colonel (L) Yusuf bin Masron, Fleet Commander, RBN senior officers, officers and men, as well as family members of the deployed personnel.

To bless the farewell ceremony, a Doa Selamat was recited by LCpl Mohd Norhadi bin Harun from the Royal Brunei Armed Forces Religious Department. With the participation of RBN in Exercise SEAGULL 06/14 it provides an opportunity for both navies to strengthen its relationship and enhance mutual co-operation on common security concerns. This exercise will also set a historical milestone for KDB DARUTTAQWA as this will be her first bilateral exercise as well as deployment eversince her commissioning on 8th September 2014.

Royal Brunei Air Force (RBAirF) Signs Aviation Training Contract

BAE Systems press release

CT-4 basic training aircraft (photo : Australian Aviation)

BAE Systems has been training RBAF pilots since 2009, when two students started basic flying training (BFT). The relationship has deepened, with the RBAF putting students through our other training packages, including basic helicopter, multi-engine and instructor training. During the past five years, RBAF students have graduated from 10 different military aviation courses offered at our Flight Training Tamworth academy in NSW.

The contract was signed on behalf of the RBAF by Air Force Deputy Commander Colonel Hamzah Sahat and the Commanding Officer 63 Sqn, Major Azmie Iskandar Ariffin, who visited Flight Training Tamworth, as well as the Company’s Williamtown, NSW, facility.

The RBAF is one of several international Defence force customers for BAE Systems’ military aviation training at Tamworth. The Company also provides air grading for the Republic of Singapore Air Force, CASA qualification training for the Republic of Singapore flying instructors and flight training for Papua New Guinea Defence Force pilots and flying instructors.

http://www.baesystems.com/article/BAES_167887/royal-brunei-air-force-signs-aviation-training-contract?_afrLoop=1283098753136000&_afrWindowMode=0&_afrWindowId=null#%40%3F_afrWindowId%3Dnull%26_afrLoop%3D1283098753136000%26_afrWindowMode%3D0%26_adf.ctrl-state%3D11il7c0bq_4

Singapore and Brunei Conclude Bilateral Army Exercise

Photo : Mindef Singapore

The armies of Singapore and Brunei concluded an eight-day bilateral exercise code-named Maju Bersama today. Chief of Army Brigadier-General Perry Lim and Commander of the Royal Brunei Land Force (RBLF) Brigadier-General Dato Seri Pahlawan Haji Yussof bin Haji Abdul Rahman officiated at the closing ceremony of the exercise this morning.The exercise, conducted from 7 to 14 May 2014, involved about 400 personnel from 1st Battalion Singapore Guards and 1st Battalion RBLF. The exercise included a combined planning and field exercise as well as urban operations training and live-firing.

Next year marks the 20th anniversary of Exercise Maju Bersama. Inaugurated in 1995, the exercise underscores the close and long-standing defence ties between Singapore and Brunei. The Singapore Army and the RBLF interact regularly through other bilateral exercises, visits and professional exchanges, which have fostered mutual understanding and enhanced interoperability between the two armies.



http://www.mindef.gov.sg/imindef/press_room/official_releases/nr/2014/may/14may14_nr.html#.U3b5CvmSy0I

Royal Brunei Navy Receives KDB Daruttaqwa

The Acceptance Ceremony of the fourth Darussalam Class Patrol Vessel, DARUTTAQWA was held today at Luerssen Wharf in Lemwerder, Federal Republic of Germany. DARUTTAQWA’s construction began in 12 July 2012 and the vessel had successfully carried out harbor trial and sea trial and test earlier this year.

Present at the Acceptance Ceremony were the Commander of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces, Yang Dimuliakan Pehin Datu Pekerma Jaya Major General Dato Seri Pahlawan Mohd Tawih bin Abdullah and Datin Paduka Hajah Suriyah binti Haji Umar, Permanent Secretary (Administration & Finance). Also in attendance during the ceremony was Brunei Darussalam Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary in Federal Republic of Germany, His Excellency Pehin Datu Penglima Colonel (R) Dato Paduka Haji Abdul Jalil bin Haji Ahmad.DARUTTAQWA is a Patrol Vessel 80 Variant 2 (PV80-V2) with a length of 80 metres, width of 13 metres and armed with Marine Light Gun 27mm.  The ship is equipped with Scanter Surface & Air Search Radar for surveillance.  As with her sisters, DARUTTAQWA is featured with helicopter landing pad that is operational both by day and night.  Stern launch Rigid Inflatable Craft (RIC) is another feature of this vessel,  that functions for interception of fast target and to carry boarding team for investigation.  The ship is commanded by Lieutenant Colonel (L) Khairil bin Haji Abdul Rahman.

The ship will begin its maiden voyage in mid-July from Lemwerder, Bremen, Federal Republic of Germany to Muara, Negara Brunei Darussalam.  DARUTTAQWA will sail across the North Sea, English Channel, Atlantic Ocean, Straits of Gibraltar, Mediterranean Sea, through Suez Canal, Gulf of Aden, the Indian Ocean and South China Sea over 46 days.

http://mindef.gov.bn/MOD2/index.php/news-archives-mainmenu-70/2352-royal-brunei-navy-receives-daruttaqwa

39% Hike for Brunei Defence Budget

BRUNEI’S defence budget is expected to rise by 39 per cent in the upcoming fiscal year with a significant portion allocated for its special expenditure.According to the Second Finance Minister during the 10th Legislative Council (LegCo) session yesterday, a total budget of $719,150,770 has been proposed for the Ministry of Defence (MinDef) for the 2014/2015 fiscal year, an increase of $203,112,100 from the previous year.

A large portion in spending (31.8 per cent) will go towards special expenditure, while the previous year only incurred nine per cent of the budget.Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Laila Setia Dato Seri Setia Hj Abdul Rahman Hj Ibrahim also announced that provisions for security and defence under the Ministry of Finance will be transferred and included into the special expenditure for MinDef.

“This is to ensure accountability in the management of spending and implementation of projects,” he explained.As much as $183,593,900 will be included in the special expenditure to support the replacement and upgrade of old assets that have reached the end of their life span, as well as to finance the acquisition of new assets in reducing the defence capability gap.

Meanwhile, the bulk of defence spending (44.6 per cent) will be allocated for payroll with a rise of 5.8 per cent from the previous year.The larger payroll was due to annual salary increments as well as promotions to higher appointment levels within the Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF) as a whole and in phases, following the introduction of the Career Service Salary Increase Scheme Structure and the recruitment of more military officers.

Recurring expenses (23.6 per cent) are also slated to increase by one per cent to meet the maintenance costs of growing assets in line with the current operating profile and readiness of the armed forces.“The provisions allocated hope to ensure the sustainability of national defence and preparedness,” said the minister.