History of Royal Brunei Air Force

 

The birth of aviation in the Sultanate was marked by the government’s early effort to provide medical services to rural areas. The World Wide Helicopter Company was contracted to provide the service using 2 Sikorsy S55 helicopters doctors were flown location inaccessible by road to provide medical necessities. In 1966 3 RAF pilots from Great Britain using 2 Westland whirlwind helicopters took over the role of the company signifying the birth of the air force.

In the same year the unit was given the designation of helicopter platoon. This was followed by an important milestone in the Royal Brunei Armed Forces navigation history when Lt Ak Abidin bin Pg Ahmad and Lt Jocklin bin Kungpaw became the first 2 local pilots to undergo basic pilot training in the United Kingdom on 14 Aug 1967.

In 1969 the unit was renamed as the air wing. The air wing received its first 2 Bell 205 helicopters in 1970 signifying the creation of the No. 1 Sqn based in Berakas Garrison. The introductions of the Bell 212 helicopters replace the Bell 205 helicopters. Following Brunei Darussalam’s independence, the air wing was officially placed under the command of the Command Task Force Royal Brunei Armed Forces. 1st Oct 1991 is an important milestone when the Air Wing Royal Brunei Armed Forces was declared an independent service of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces and assumed the designation of Royal Brunei Air Force or Angkatan Tentera Udara Diraja Brunei.

The presentation of the Royal and Service Colours was graced by His Majesty The Sultan and Yang Di Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam at Penanjong Garrison.

Meanwhile soon after the arrival of the newly acquired the Blackhawk S70A helicopters and the CN 235 transport aircraft, No. 4 and No. 5 Sqn were officially formed on 12th Sept 1997. On 4th Jan 1999 the establishment of the Air Regiment was formalised comprising of 2GBAD and a Base Defence Sqn. On 1st Jan 2005 the malay designation of the Royal Brunei Air Force – Angkatan Tentera Udara Diraja Brunei was changed to Tentera Udara Diraja Brunei.

THE EVOLUTION OF THE ROYAL BRUNEI AIR FORCE; The Sikorsky S70i Blackhawk Helicopters were unveiled at the 4th BRIDEX and Conference in 2013 marking another milestone in the modernisation of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces. His Majesty the Sultan of Brunei Darussalam, Minister of Defence and Supreme Commander of RBAF witnessed the unveiling of the new aircraft.

With the introduction of the new asset, Sikorsky S70i Blackhawk Helicopters, this marked the decommissioning of the entire fleet of Bell 212 helicopters after 40 years of service in the Royal Brunei Air Force.