MUARA, Wednesday, 8 November 2017 - KDB DARUTTAQWA under the Command of Lieutenant Commander Rasman Bin Puteh, RBN set sail for a three-weeks deployment primarily to join the first ever Association of Southeast Asian Nation (ASEAN) Multilateral Naval Exercise 2017 (AMNEX 2017) and International Fleet Review (IFR) that will be held in Pattaya, Thailand from 13 November to 22 November 2017.
AMNEX 2017 and IFR Thailand is an event that will involve more than 22 naval ships from the ASEAN and international navies to celebrate the auspicious occasion of the 50th anniversary establishment of ASEAN, coincidently it was in 1967 ASEAN declaration that was signed in Thailand. There will be a wide variety of activities to mark the occasion including a City Parade by invited navies of which estimated a total of 10,000 crew will be participating in Pattaya, Thailand. The Royal Brunei Navy delegation headed by Commander Sahibul Bahari bin Haji Zainal Abidin, RBN comprises of a total of 61 ship’s personnel officers and crew including a section of the Naval Surface Action Group (NAVSAG) and medical personnel.
While en route and prior to AMNEX 2017 and IFR in Thailand, KDB DARUTTAQWA will be having a bilateral exercise hosted by the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) known as Exercise Pelican 36/17 in which will be launched onboard RSS STEADFAST in the South China Sea. On a sail back to Brunei from completion of AMNEX 2017 and IFR, once again KDB DARUTTAQWA will be involved with another bilateral exercise known as HELANG LAUT series 18B/17 with Tentera Nasional Indonesia (TNI), Angkatan Tentera Laut warship KRI RE MARTADINATA around the Indonesian water of Natuna Island.
Such deployment is a reflection of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF) initiative in promoting and enhancing defence diplomacy in accordance with Brunei Darussalam’s Defence White Paper exercising a much wider role regionally and internationally. Equally Royal Brunei Navy (RBN) participation in the multilateral and bilateral exercise is to further enhance its personal professionalism and at the same time good avenue to gauge its capability and capacity among established internationals navies. Such collaborations will boost the already strong and friendly relationship of RBN with both RSN and TNI.
To bless the farewell ceremony, a Doa Selamat was recited and followed by Azan by members from the RBAF Religious Department.
Present during the farewell event was Commander Spry bin Haji Serudi @ Seruji, Acting Deputy Commander of RBN, officers and enlisted RBN personnel, as well as families of the participating personnel. KDB DARUTTAQWA is expected to arrive in Muara Naval Base on Thursday, 29 November 2017.
