Royal Brunei Navy
The Royal Brunei Navy (Malay: Tentera Laut Diraja Brunei, abbrev: RBN, TLDB) is the naval defence force of Brunei Darussalam. It is a small but relatively well-equipped military force whose main responsibility is to conduct search and rescue missions, and to deter and defend the Brunei waters against attack mounted by sea-borne forces.[1]
Royal Brunei Navy | |
---|---|
Tentera Laut Diraja Brunei | |
Founded | 14 June 1965 |
Country | Brunei |
Type | Navy |
Role | Naval warfare Search and rescue Law enforcement |
Part of | Royal Brunei Armed Forces |
Headquarters | Muara Naval Base, Brunei-Muara, Brunei |
Anniversaries | 14 June |
Equipment | See list |
Website | navy |
Commanders | |
Commander | CAPT Sarif Pudin Matserudin (acting) |
Deputy Commander | CAPT Sarif Pudin Matserudin |
Fleet Commander | CAPT Khairil Abdul Rahman |
Chief of Staff | CDR Azrin Mahmud |
Sergeant Major | WO1 Roslan Duraman |
Insignia | |
Naval Ensign | |
Naval jack |
The Royal Brunei Navy was established on 14 June 1965 , the second unit created after The Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF). The RBN is based and headquartered in Muara, which is situated 4 kilometres (2 miles) from Muara Town, with the majority of the crew members being Malays. Since 1977, the Royal Brunei Navy has been equipped with missile gun boats and other coastal patrol craft. All the ships names are prefixed KDB as in Kapal Diraja Brunei (Royal Brunei Ship in Malay). The Royal Brunei Navy has been commanded by First Admiral Pg Dato Seri Pahlawan Norazmi Pg Hj Muhammad since 13 March 2015 .[1]
History
Early history
The Royal Brunei Navy was formed on 14 June 1965 , four years after the formation of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces. It was initially known as Boat Section of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces. Its manning strength was only 18 in number, including one officer from the First Battalion who had attended a basic military course in Malaya in 1961 until 1964.[2]
This Boat Section was equipped with a number of aluminium boats, known as Temuai in Malay and Fast Assault Boats (FABs).[2] The role of the Boat Section was solely to provide transportation of infantry elements to the interior of Brunei. As the organisation expanded with the aid of stable economic growth, the Boat Section was renamed the Boat Company in 1966.[2]
The Boat Company received three river patrol boats in 1966. These boats were named KDB Bendahara, KDB Maharajalela, and KDB Kermaindera. All the ships were crewed by Bruneians, led by a qualified commanding officer. In the same year, the strength of the Boat Company was enhanced with hovercraft vessels type SR.N5, followed by SR.N6 in 1968.[3] The first fast patrol craft was accepted in 1968 and named KDB Pahlawan. It became the first flagship for the Boat Company.[3]
The Boat Company was reorganised as Angkatan Laut Pertama, Askar Melayu DiRaja Brunei (ALP AMDB or the First Sea Battalion, Royal Brunei Malay Regiment in Malay). It was one of the larger branches of Royal Brunei Malay Regiment. During that time, the estimated strength of Angkatan Laut Pertama, Askar Melayu DiRaja Brunei was 42 personnel, including an officer, while assets consisted of one fast patrol craft, three river patrol boats, two hovercraft vessels, fast assault boats, a few long boats, and Temuai (aluminium boats).[4]
In 1971, the First Sea Battalion received two more coastal patrol craft, KDB Saleha and KDB Masna.[5] The First Sea Battalion was reorganised again on 1 October 1991 as the Royal Brunei Navy, due to the growth of the armed forces in Brunei after independence from the United Kingdom.[6]
F2000 corvette dispute
The Royal Brunei Navy aimed to undergo a large-scale modernisation, with the upgrading of the Muara Naval Base, and the purchase of three British-built corvettes from BAE Systems Naval Ships, Scotland. The ships were armed with MBDA Exocet Block II anti-ship missiles and MBDA Seawolf surface-to-air missiles. The contract was awarded to GEC-Marconi in 1995: the Nakhoda Ragam class OPVs were launched in January 2001, June 2001, and June 2002, at the then BAE Systems Marine yard at Scotstoun. These were completed but not delivered from BAE Systems Naval Ships in Scotstoun due to claims by the Royal Brunei Navy that the ships fail to meet the required specifications.
The contract dispute was the subject of arbitration.[7][8] When the dispute was settled, the vessels were handed over to Royal Brunei Technical Services in June 2007.[9] In 2007, Brunei contracted the German Lürssen ship yard to find a new customer for the three ships, though by 2011 the vessels remained unsold and laid up at Barrow-in-Furness.[10] These ships were eventually purchased by the Indonesian Navy and renamed Bung Tomo-class corvettes.
Present day
Exercise SEAGULL 03-07 was held in Brunei from 2 to 10 September 2007, between the Royal Brunei Navy and their Philippine Navy counterparts. Participating ships include the Philippine Navy corvette BRP Rizal (PS-74) and patrol gunboat BRP Federico Martir (PG-385), and Royal Brunei Navy ships KDB Pejuang P03, KDB Seteria P04, KDB Perwira P14 and KDB Penyerang P16. They conducted series of drills, including mine clearance, under-water operations, replenishment at sea, night encounter exercise, boarding exercise, and other naval tactical exercises.[11]
In 2019, the RBN unveiled the Digital Disruptive Pattern BDU in digital blue colours at the 58th anniversary celebration at the Bolkiah Garrison.[12]
Roles and organisation
Roles
The roles of the Royal Brunei Navy are:
- Deterrence against attack mounted by sea-borne forces
- Protection of national offshore resources
- Maintaining Sea Lines of Communication (SLOC)
- Surveillance of the 200 nautical miles (370 kilometres; 230 miles) EEZ
- Maritime Search & Rescue operations
- Support of units of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces operational activities
- Provide support for other security agencies and ministries as ordered by Ministry of Defence of Brunei.
Organisation
The Royal Brunei Navy is divided into four main components as follows:[13]
- Fleet
- Administration
- Training
- Logistics
Headquarters
The administration of First Sea Battalion moved to a new base at Jalan Tanjong Pelumpong Muara in 1974. This base is now known as the Muara Naval Base. The Muara Naval Base serves as the headquarters of the Royal Brunei Navy. It was expanded in 1997 to include facilities to support three offshore support vessels.[14] Muara Naval Base is frequently visited by foreign warships, most notable are the frequent visits by British Royal Navy ships. Persekutuan Pengakap Negara Brunei Darussalam visits the Naval base sometimes too.
Commander
No. | Portrait | Name
(Birth–Death) |
Term of office | Ref. | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Took office | Left office | Time in office | ||||
1 | Major general Ibnu Ba'asith Apong |
1965 | 1966 | 1 year | [15] | |
2 | Colonel Kelfi Razali |
22 April 1983 | 30 September 1986 | 3 years, 222 days | [16] | |
3 | Lieutenant colonel Noeh Abdul Hamid (died 1988) |
30 September 1986 | 30 December 1988 | 2 years, 91 days | [17] | |
4 | Lieutenant colonel Shahri Mohammad Ali |
30 December 1988 | 1 November 1991 | 2 years, 306 days | [18] | |
5 | Lieutenant colonel Abdul Latif Damit (1950–?) |
1 November 1991 | 25 June 1993 | 1 year, 236 days | [19] | |
6 | Colonel Abdul Jalil Ahmad |
5 February 1995 | 13 June 2002 | 7 years, 128 days | [20] | |
7 | Colonel Joharie Matussin |
13 June 2002 | 16 May 2008 | 5 years, 338 days | [21] | |
8 | First admiral Abdul Halim (born 1965) |
16 May 2008 | 28 February 2014 | 5 years, 288 days | [22] | |
9 | First admiral Abdul Aziz (born 1966) |
28 February 2014 | 13 March 2015 | 1 year, 13 days | [23] | |
10 | First admiral Norazmi Muhammad |
13 March 2015 | 19 April 2019 | 4 years, 37 days | [24] | |
11 | First admiral Othman Suhaili (born 1970) |
19 April 2019 | 31 December 2020 | 1 year, 256 days | [25] | |
12 | First admiral Spry Serudi |
31 December 2020 | 30 December 2022 | 1 year, 364 days | [26] | |
– | Captain Sarif Pudin Matserudin Acting |
30 December 2022 | Incumbent | 301 days | [27] |
Rank structure
Commissioned officer
The rank insignia of commissioned officers.
Rank group | General / flag officers | Senior officers | Junior officers | Officer cadet | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Royal Brunei Navy |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Laksamana armada | Laksamana | Laksamana madya | Laksamana muda | Laksamana pertama | Kepten | Komander | Leftenan komander | Leftenan | Leftenan madya | Leftenan muda | Pegawai kadet |
Enlisted
The rank insignia of non-commissioned officers and enlisted personnel.
Rank group | Senior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Enlisted | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Royal Brunei Navy |
No insignia | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sarjan Mejar (Jawatan) |
Pegawai Waran 1 | Pegawai Waran 2 | Bintara Kanan | Bintara | Laskar Kanan | Laskar Muda | Prebet/Soldadu |
Equipment
The current fleet of the Royal Brunei Navy is as follows:[29][30]
class or name | image | builder | type | year entered service | details | ships |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
offshore patrol boat | ||||||
Darussalam class[31] | Lürssen Werft, Bremen-Vegesack, Germany | offshore patrol vessel | 2011-2014 | 80 metres (262 ft) OPV ordered from Lürssen Werft. Armament:
|
06 Darussalam 07 Darulehsan 08 Darulaman 09 Daruttaqwa | |
Inshore patrol boat | ||||||
Ijtihad class[32] | Lürssen Werft, Bremen-Vegesack, Germany | patrol boat | 2010 | 41 metres (135 ft) PV ordered from Lürssen Werft. Armament:
|
17 Itjihad 18 Berkat 19 Syafaat 20 Afiat | |
Fearless class | ST Engineering, Singapore | patrol vessel | - | Formerly commissioned into the Singapore Navy, later gifted to Brunei in March 2023.[33]
Armament:
|
As-Siddiq Al-Faruq | |
fast attack craft | ||||||
Mustaed class[34] | Marinteknik Shipyard Tuas, Singapore | fast attack craft | 2011 | 27 metres (89 ft) FAC based on Lürssen Werft FIB25-012 design. Built in Singapore. Armament:
|
21 Mustaed | |
Waspada class[35] | Vosper Thornycroft, Singapore | fast attack craft | 1978–1979 | 37 metres (121 ft) FAC ordered from Vosper Thornycroft. Total of 3 ships. Decommissioned April 2011. 1 in Brunei service and 2 donated to Indonesia as KRI Salawaku (642) and KRI Badau (643). Armament:
|
P02 Waspada | |
landing craft | ||||||
Serasa class | Transfield Shipbuilding, Henderson, Australia | amphibious warfare craft (LCM) | 1996 | Armament:
|
L33 Serasa L34 Teraban | |
Damuan class | Cheverton Workboats, Cowes, England | landing craft utility | 1976-1977 | unarmed, carries 30 tons of cargo | L32 Puni | |
support vessel | ||||||
– | Cheverton Boatworks, Cowes, England | support launch | 1982 | used as tug and dive tender | Burong Nuri |
Others
Personnel launches used for riverine patrols
- 01 Aman
- 02 Damai
- 04 Sentosa
- 06 Sejahteru
Fisheries and Industry / Primary Resources ministries also operate 16 metres (52 ft) patrol boats built by Syarikat Cheoy Lee Shipyards (delivered 2002).
Joint exercises and training
The Royal Brunei Navy and the Republic of Singapore Navy co-operate with each other through an annual joint exercise, code-named Exercise Pelican. Officers and soldiers of the Royal Brunei Navy are also sent overseas for advanced training, generally to Australia, Brazil, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, United Kingdom, and United States of America.[36]
Gallery
- Royal Brunei Navy divers are lowered from rescue and salvage ship USNS Safeguard (ARS-50) during familiarisation dives on 8 August 2005.
- KDB Nakhoda Ragam (28), KDB Bendahara Sakam (29), and KDB Jerambak (30) sitting outside BAE Scotstoun, Scotland on 2 September 2007.
- Royal Brunei Navy personally salute stance as USS Jarrett (FFG-33) pulls into Muara Port, Brunei during CARAT 2007.
- Members of the Brunei Special Forces rush towards the pilot house of USS Howard (DDG-83) during a visit, board, search and seizure exercise on 18 August 2008.
- US Coast Guard directs Royal Brunei Navy personnel aboard USS Crommelin (FFG-37) during CARAT 2009.
- A Royal Brunei Navy sailor watch as passageway aboard USCGC Mellon (WHEC-717) during CARAT 2010.
References
- Introduction – Royal Brunei Navy – Retrieved 19 April 2007
- History – Royal Brunei Navy – Retrieved 19 April 2007
- History – Royal Brunei Navy, page 2 – Retrieved 19 April 2007
- History – Royal Brunei Navy, page 3 – Retrieved 19 April 2007
- History – Royal Brunei Navy, page 4 – Retrieved 19 April 2007
- History – Royal Brunei Navy, page 5 – Retrieved 19 April 2007
- Brunei and BAE Systems dispute ship acceptance Jane's 26 April 2005 – Retrieved 19 April 2007
- BAE Systems, Brunei OPV dispute nears resolution Jane's 8 September 2006 – Retrieved 19 April 2007
- "Shipyard deadlock ends". Ships Monthly. September 2007. Archived from the original on 21 December 2007. Retrieved 26 December 2007.
- Story by ocnus.net
- Philippine Fleet Official Website. Exercise SEAGULL 03-07.
- "RBAF debuts new military uniforms | Borneo Bulletin Online". Archived from the original on 21 October 2022.
- Organisation – Royal Brunei Navy – Retrieved 19 April 2007
- page 15 GHD Annual Review 2002/2003 Archived 9 August 2008 at the Wayback Machine
- "1st Commander". Royal Brunei Navy.
- "2nd Commander". Royal Brunei Navy.
- "3rd Commander". Royal Brunei Navy.
- "4th Commander". Royal Brunei Navy.
- "5th Commander". Royal Brunei Navy.
- "6th Commander". Royal Brunei Navy.
- Samudera, Warta (9 July 2008). "Warta Samudera 002: TENTERA LAUT DIRAJA BRUNEI MEMPUNYAI PEMERINTAH YANG BARU". Warta Samudera 002. Retrieved 13 April 2023.
- "8th Commander". Royal Brunei Navy.
- "9th Commander". Royal Brunei Navy.
- "10th Commander". Royal Brunei Navy.
- "11th Commander". Royal Brunei Navy.
- "FAREWELL PARADE CEREMONY FOR THE COMMANDER OF ROYAL BRUNEI NAVY". Royal Brunei Armed Forces.
- "Commander". Royal Brunei Navy.
- Fleet – Royal Brunei Navy – Retrieved 19 April 2007
- [The Naval Institute Guide to Combat Fleets of the World – Eric Wertheim – 15th Ed. 2007, p66-68]
- "HRH commissions new ship | the Brunei Times". Archived from the original on 14 December 2014.
- "Brunei Navy".
- "Brunei to induct ex-Singapore Fearless-class patrol boats". Janes.com. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
- "Royal Burnei Navy commissions fast interceptor boat KDB MUSTAED". 28 November 2011.
- "Indonesia to get Brunei patrol ships | The Brunei Times". bt.com.bn. Archived from the original on 4 March 2011.
- Training – Royal Brunei Navy – Retrieved 19 April 2007
External links
Media related to Royal Brunei Navy at Wikimedia Commons