SURABAYA, REPUBLIC OF INDONESIA – 21 November 2024
The Fleet Commander of the Royal Brunei Navy (RBN), Captain Sahibul Bahari bin Haji Zainal Abidin, RBN, recently conducted a two-day working visit to the Republic of Indonesia. This visit coincided with Exercise Helang Laut 21B/2024, involving the participation of KDB DARULAMAN and KDB SYAFAAT.
The program commenced with an official visit to the headquarters of Komando Armada 2, where the Chief of Staff, Admiral Isswarto, M, Tr, Opsla warmly welcomed the Fleet Commander. Both parties reaffirmed their strong commitment to enhancing bilateral ties, exploring future training opportunities, and fostering collaboration in key operational and developmental areas.
The Fleet Commander’s visit also included a comprehensive tour of Komando Armada 2's training facilities, highlighting the Damage Control Facility specifically designed to simulate real-life damage control scenarios aboard naval ships. Additionally, the program featured official visits to several naval landmarks, including the Naval Museums of Komando Armada 2, the Naval Aviation Museum of Rebo Tjokoadiredjo Lanudal Juanda, the Jalasveva Jayamahe Monument, the Submarine Nanggala Monument, and visits to Squadron 100 Helicopters and Squadron 700 Unmanned Aerial Vehicles.
The working visit concluded with the closing ceremony of Exercise Helang Laut 2024, held at the Komando Armada 2 Headquarters. The ceremony was led by the Maritime Security Task Group Commander, First Admiral Hreesang, who expressed pride in the exercise's successful execution.
During the ceremony, the Fleet Commander delivered closing remarks, emphasizing the importance of sharing best practices, rehearsing conventional warfare procedures—particularly in anti-surface warfare—and maintaining operational readiness through rigorous exercises. He underscored the critical role these exercises play in ensuring the effectiveness and preparedness of naval forces, contributing to regional stability and fostering defence diplomacy between Brunei Darussalam and the Republic of Indonesia.
As part of the visit, the Fleet Commander presented symbolic mementoes, including copies of the Al-Quran and prayer mats, to the mosques of Komando Armada 2.
