Royal Brunei Navy

Royal Brunei Navy
Malay:Tentera Laut Diraja Brunei Jawi:تنترا لاوت ديراجا بروني
Badge of Royal Brunei Navy
Founded	1 October 1991 (32 years, 9 months) (in current form) 14 June 1965 (59 years, 1 month) (as the Boat Section)
Country	Brunei
Allegiance	Sultan of Brunei
Branch	Navy
Type	Military
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.mindef.gov.bn
Commanders
Commander	CaptMohamad Sarif Pudin(acting)
Deputy Commander	CaptKhairil Abdul Rahman(acting)
Fleet Commander	Capt Sahibul Bahari
Chief of Staff	CdrAzrin Mahmud
Sergeant Major	WO1Roslan Duraman
Insignia
Naval ensign
Naval jack

TheRoyal Brunei Navy(RBN), natively known asTentera Laut Diraja Brunei(TLDB) is thenavaldefence force ofBrunei.It is a small but relatively well-equipped military force whose main responsibility is to conductsearch and rescuemissions, and to deter and defend the Brunei waters against attack mounted by seaborne forces.

The forerunner of the RBN was established on 14 June 1965, the second unit created after the formation of theRoyal Brunei Armed Forces(RBAF). The RBN is based and headquartered atMuara Naval Base,4 kilometres (2 miles) fromMuara Town,with the majority of theenlistedsailors being Malays. Since 1977, the RBN has been equipped with missilegun boatsand other coastalpatrol craft.All theshipsnames are prefixed KDB, as inKapal Diraja Brunei(Royal Brunei Ship inMalay). CaptainHaji Mohamad Sarif Pudinhas been acting commander of the RBN since 30 December 2022,succeeding First AdmiralPengiran Dato Seri Pahlawan Norazmiwho was appointed the RBN 12th commander on 13 March 2015.The annual anniversary ceremony of RBN's inception was place on 14 June every year.

History

For the historical maritime warfare of Bruneian Sultanate, seeBruneian Navy (1368-1888).

Early years

The fourth anniversary parade was celebrated on 31 May 1965, and the unit was thereafter dubbed theRoyal Brunei Malay Regiment(RBMR). Additionally,Sultan Hassanal Bolkiahdeclared that the regiment will shortly be outfitted with swift patrol boats, armoured vehicles, helicopters, andhovercraft.TheBoat Sectionwas formed on 14 June 1965, four years after the formation of the RBMR. Its manning strength was only eighteen personnel, including one officer from the First Battalion who had attended a basic military course inFederation of Malayain 1961 until 1964.Important military equipment, includingmotor gunboats,helicopters, and hovercraft, was acquired in 1966. On 12 March 1966, aBorneo BulletinReport said that the RBMR was the only infantry unit in the world to get a modernSR.N5hovercraft for use in combat.The Boat Section was equipped with a number of aluminium boats (natively known asTemuai) andfast assault boats(FABs). The role of the 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 theBoat Companyin 1966.The company received three riverpatrol boatsin 1966, consisted ofKDBBendahara,KDBMaharajalela,andKDBKermaindera.All the ships were crewed by locals and led by a qualifiedcommanding officer.As the RBMR's strength increased in 1967, things started to happen quickly.Vosper LimitedofPortsmouth,UK, produced the fast patrol boatKDBPahlawan,which was put into service.In 1968, the strength of the Boat Company was enhanced withWestland Saunders RoeSR.N6hovercraft.The firstfast patrol craftwas accepted in 1968 and named KDBPahlawan.It became the firstflagshipfor the Boat Company.

The Boat Company was reorganised as theFirst Flotilla, RBMR,or natively known asAngkatan Laut Pertama, Askar Melayu Diraja Brunei(ALP AMDB).While visiting theMuara Basein 1969 to observe an air and sea rescue exercise, retiredSultan Omar Ali Saifuddien IIIhoisted the newensigncreated for the flotilla under the command of the KDBPahlawan,which was initially launched in December 1966 by thenCrown Princess Saleha.

KDBSalehain 1971

During that time, the estimated strength of the First Flotilla was forty-two personnel, including an officer, while assets consisted of one fast patrol craft, three river patrol boats, two hovercraft vessels, FABs, a fewlong boats,andTemuai.KDBSalehaandKDBMasna,named afterPrincess Masna Bolkiah,were purchased in 1970; however, they didn't arrive in Brunei until 26 January 1971.With a peak speed of 25 knots (46 km/h; 29 mph), the wooden-hulled boats were outfitted withlight machine gunson the bridge andOerlikon 20 mm cannonsfore and aft. A revised 1971 Brunei-UK Agreement transferred all internal security responsibilities from Britain to the Sultanate, with the UK solely being accountable for Brunei's exterior defense. The SR.N6 hovercraft was acquired in the same year. Under the new Army Enactment, new service regulations went into effect on 1 June 1971.

The British Army's tri-service regulations, which addressed offenses in the air force, navy, and army as well, served as the model for the new disciplinary regulations. The flagship KDBPahlawan,which was acquired by the RBMR Sea Wing in 1976, was instrumental in enabling the British-officered Brunei flotilla to become the most formidable indigenous naval group in the northwest Bruneian waterways. Equipped withsurface-to-surface missiles,theKDBWaspada,constructed in Singapore, was added to the fleet in 1978. Additionally, the flotilla located in Muara served well in counter-infiltration strategies against smaller warships.

Post-Independence

KDBWaspadadocked at Muara Naval Base in 1985

Before being taken out of service in 1980, theBendahara-classparol boatssaw service for more than fourteen years.The RBMR was renamed as the Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF), orAngkatan Bersenjata Diraja Brunei,on 1 January 1984, as part of an attempt to reform the armed forces followingindependence.Since 1984, the flotilla also maintained its routine maritime training exercises with theRoyal Malaysian Navy,theRepublic of Singapore Navy,and theRoyal Thai Navy.As Brunei's military forces grew, the First Flotilla was renamed again on 1 October 1991, becoming theRoyal Brunei Navy(RBN). The RBAF was reorganised in 1991 as a result of Bruneian government's emphasis on theexclusive economic zone(EEZ), which is recognized by theUnited Nations Convention on the Law of the Seagoverning maritime regulations and is enforced by numerous nations due to the growing significance of the maritime boundary issue.

The Royal Brunei Navy aimed to undergo a large-scale modernisation, with the upgrading of theMuara Naval Base,and the purchase of threeBritish-builtcorvettesfromBAE Systems Naval Ships,Scotland.The ships were armed withMBDAExocetBlock IIanti-ship missilesandMBDA Seawolfsurface-to-air missiles. The contract was awarded toGEC-Marconiin 1995: theNakhoda Ragam-classcorvettewere launched in January 2001, June 2001, and June 2002, at the thenBAE Systems Marineyard atScotstoun.These were completed but not delivered from BAE Systems Naval Ships in Scotstoun due to claims by the RBN that the ships fail to meet the required specifications;though opinion in the shipyard was that they were too complex for a small navy to operate.The contract dispute became the subject ofarbitration.When the dispute was settled in favour of BAE Systems, the vessels were handed over toRoyal Brunei Technical Services(RBTS) in June 2007.

Darussalam-class corvettes at Barrow-in-Furness in 2007

In 2007, Brunei contracted the GermanLürssenshipyard to find a new customer for the three ships, though by 2011 the vessels remained unsold and laid up atBarrow-in-Furness.These ships were eventually purchased in 2013 by theIndonesian Navyfor£380 million, or half of the original unit cost, and renamedBung Tomo-classcorvette.KDBDarussalamandKDBDarulehsanare two newDarussalam-classoffshore patrol vessel(OPVs)that Brunei purchased for the RBN at the beginning of 2011. Launched on 6 January 2011,KDBDarulaman,the thirdDarussalam-class OPV, was the first to be put into the water for its acceptance testing in the harbour and at sea before to its August 2011 delivery date.

Exercise SEAGULL 03-07 was held in Brunei from 2 to 10 September 2007, between the RBN and theirPhilippine Navy(PN) counterparts. Participating ships include the PN corvetteBRPRizal(PS-74)and patrol gunboatBRPFederico Martir(PG-385),and RBN shipsKDBPejuang,KDBSeteria,KDBPerwira,andKDBPenyerang.They conducted series of drills, including mine clearance, under-water operations,replenishment at sea,night encounter exercise, boarding exercise, and other naval tactical exercises.The four 41 metres (135 ft)Ijtihad-classpatrol boats(KDBIjtihad,KDBBerkat,KDBSyafaat,andKDBAfiat)that had already been put into service with the RBN were also further commissioned. Two of these patrol boats were put into service in March 2010, and the other two by August of the same year. TheWaspada-classfast attack craftandPerwira-classpatrol boat,which had served the Sultanate for forty years, were scheduled to be replaced by these modern platforms.

Present day

KDBDarulamanunderway duringCARATBrunei in 2018

On 28 November 2011, the RBN celebrated the commissioning of a new Fast Interceptor Boat (FIB 25-012) known asKDBMustaed.During theExercise RIMPAC2014 naval exercise, which was hosted by theUnited States Navy,the RBN'sDarussalam-class OPVs, KDBDarussalamand KDBDarulaman,fired their MBDAExocet MM40Block II anti-ship missiles for the first time in thePacific Missile Range Facility(PMRF), which is located 80 nautical miles (150 km; 92 mi) north ofKauai.ThePerwira-class patrol boats were all officiallydecommissionedin 2016–2017.In 2019, the RBN unveiled the Singapore-based Force-21 manufacturedDigital Disruptive Pattern(D2P) battle-dress uniform in digital blue colours at the 58th anniversary celebration at theBolkiah Garrison.

In April 2021, the RBN installed the Royal Brunei Navy Full Mission Bridge Simulator (RBN FMBS) to providesynthetic trainingfor all sailors of the RBN.The RBN received the two formerSwift-classpatrol craftvessels,RSSBrave,which was retired on 27 August 2019, andRSSGallant,which was decommissioned on 11 December 2020, as a gift in March 2023 after they had been renovated. They are currently referred to asKDBAl-FaruqandKDBAs-Siddiqin RBN service, which means "truthful."They are 55 metres (180 feet) long, weighing 500 tonnes (551 short tons; 492 long tons).

Roles and organisation

A member of the Naval Surface Action Group duringNational Day 2023

Roles

The roles of the RBN are:

• Deterrence against attack mounted by sea-borne forces;
• Protection of national offshore resources;
• MaintainingSea Lines of Communication(SLOC);
• Surveillance of the 200nautical miles(370kilometres;230miles)Exclusive Economic Zone(EEZ);
• Maritimesearch and rescueoperations;
• Support of units of theRoyal Brunei Armed Forcesoperational activities;
• Provide support for other security agencies and ministries as ordered by Ministry of Defence of Brunei.

Organisation

The RBN is divided into four main components as follows:

• Fleet
• Administration
• Training
• Logistics

Headquarters

Main article:Muara Naval Base

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 RBN. It was expanded in 1997 to include facilities to support three offshore support vessels.Muara Naval Base is frequently visited by foreign warships, most notable are the frequent visits by BritishRoyal Navyships.Persekutuan Pengakap Negara Brunei Darussalamvisits the naval base sometimes too.

Commander

Commander, Royal Brunei Navy

no.	portrait	service number,rank, name (birth – death)	term of appointment			ref.
			took office	left office	time in office
1		Mejar Jeneral Ibnu Ba'asith Apong (20 Jan 1942 –???)	1965	1966	1 year
2		Kolonel Kefli Razali (6 Oct 1940 –???)	22 Apr 1983	30 Sep 1986	3 years, 161 days
3		Leftenan kolonel Noeh Abdul Hamid (??? – 6 Aug 1988)	30 Sep 1986	30 Dec 1988	2 years, 91 days
4		Leftenan kolonel Shahri Mohammad Ali (??? –???)	30 Dec 1988	1 Nov 1991	2 years, 306 days
5		Leftenan kolonel Abdul Latif Damit (25 Dec 1950 –???)	1 Nov 1991	25 Jun 1993	1 year, 236 days
(2)		Kolonel Kefli Razali (6 Oct 1940 –???)	25 Jun 1993	3 Feb 1995	1 year, 223 days
6		Kolonel Abdul Jalil Ahmad (??? –???)	5 Feb 1995	13 Jun 2002	7 years, 128 days
7		123Kolonel Joharie Matussin (??? –???)	13 Jun 2002	16 May 2008	5 years, 338 days
8		Firstadmiral Abdul Halim (24 Jan 1965 –???)	16 May 2008	28 Feb 2014	5 years, 288 days
9		Firstadmiral Abdul Aziz (23 Sep 1966 –???)	28 Feb 2014	13 Mar 2015	1 year, 13 days
10		Firstadmiral Norazmi Muhammad (??? –???)	13 Mar 2015	19 Apr 2019	4 years, 37 days
11		342Firstadmiral Othman Suhaili (19 Apr 1970 –???)	19 Apr 2019	31 Dec 2020	1 year, 256 days
12		Firstadmiral Spry Serudi (25 Mar 1970 –???)	31 Dec 2020	30 Dec 2022	1 year, 364 days
13		Captain Mohamad Sarif Pudin (26 Dec 1972 –???) acting	30 Dec 2022	incumbent	1 year, 201 days

Rank structure

Main article:Military ranks of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces

Commissioned officer

The rank insignia ofcommissioned 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

Enlisted

The rank insignia ofnon-commissioned officersandenlisted personnel.

Rank group	Senior NCOs																						Junior NCOs						Enlisted
Royal Brunei Navy																													No insignia
	Pegawai waran 1						Pegawai waran 2		Bintara kanan		Bintara												Laskar kanan				Laskar muda		Prebet/Soldadu

Equipment

See also:List of Royal Brunei Navy ships

The currentfleetof the Royal Brunei Navy is as follows:

class or name	image	builder	type	year entered service	details	ship name, pennant no.
offshore patrol boat
Darussalamclass		Lürssen Werft,Bremen-Vegesack,Germany	offshore patrol vessel	2011-2014	80 metres (262 ft) OPV ordered from Lürssen Werft. Armament: 1×Bofors 57 mm Mk3 2×Oerlikon 20mm/85 KAA 4×Exocet MM40 Block 3	Darussalam(06) Darulehsan(07) Darulaman(08) Daruttaqwa(09)
Inshore patrol boat
Ijtihadclass		Lürssen Werft,Bremen-Vegesack,Germany	patrol boat	2010	41 metres (135 ft) PV ordered from Lürssen Werft. Armament: 1×Rheinmetall MLG 27 mm gun 2× 7.62 mmmachine gun	Itjihad(17) Berkat(18) Syafaat(19) Afiat(20)
Fearlessclass		ST Engineering,Singapore	patrol vessel	2023	Formerly commissioned into theSingapore Navy,later gifted to Brunei in March 2023. Armament: 1×Oto Melara 76 mm gun 4×STK 50MG12.7 mm (0.50 in)HMG Mistral missile EuroTorpA244/S Mod 1 torpedoes	As-Siddiq(95) Al-Faruq(96)
fast attack craft
Mustaed class		Marinteknik ShipyardTuas,Singapore	fast attack craft	2011	27 metres (89 ft) FAC based on Lürssen Werft FIB25-012 design. Built in Singapore. Armament: 2× 7.62 mmmachine gun	Mustaed(21)
Waspadaclass		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: 2×Oerlikon 30 mm GCM-BO1 2×AérospatialeExocet MM38(removed)	Waspada(P02)
landing craft
Serasaclass		Transfield Shipbuilding,Henderson,Australia	amphibious warfare craft (LCM)	1996	Armament: 2×20 mm/90 calibre Oerlikon GAM B01 AA 2× 7.62 mmmachine guns	Serasa(L33) Teraban(L34)
Damuanclass		Cheverton Workboats,Cowes,England	landing craft utility	1976-1977	unarmed, carries 30 tons of cargo	Puni(L32)
support vessel
–		Cheverton Boatworks,Cowes,England	support launch	1982	used as tug and dive tender	Burong Nuri

Others

Personnel launches used for riverine patrols

• Aman(01)
• Damai(02)
• Sentosa(04)
• Sejahteru(06)

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 theRepublic of Singapore Navyco-operate with each other through an annual joint exercise, code-named Exercise Pelican. Officers andsailorsof the Royal Brunei Navy are also sent overseas for advanced training, generally toAustralia,Brazil,Malaysia,New Zealand,Singapore,United Kingdom,andUnited States of America.

Gallery

gallery of images of Royal Brunei Navy

• 
  KDBNakhoda Ragam(28),KDBBendahara Sakam(29),andKDBJerambak(30)sitting outside BAEScotstoun,Scotland, September 2007.
• 
  Royal Brunei Navy personnelstand easyon parade asUSSJarrett(FFG-33)pulls into Muara Port, Brunei during CARAT 2007.
• 
  Members of the Brunei Special Forces rush towards the pilot house ofUSSHoward(DDG-83)during a visit, board, search and seizure exercise, August 2008.
• 
  US Coast Guarddirects Royal Brunei Navy personnel aboardUSSCrommelin(FFG-37)during CARAT 2009.
• 
  A Royal Brunei Navy sailor watch as passageway aboardUSCGCMellon(WHEC-717)during CARAT 2010.
• 
  Royal Brunei Navy sailors on parade in their digital blue colouredDigital Disruptive Pattern(D2P) battle-dress uniform (BDU) during the 2023 National Day of Brunei.

See also

• Royal Brunei Armed Forces
• Royal Brunei Air Force
• Royal Brunei Land Force

Further reading

• "Remembering Brunei's naval ships".AsiaOne.com.The Brunei Times/Asia News Network.18 January 2011. Archived fromthe originalon 29 October 2017.

External links

Media related toRoyal Brunei Navyat Wikimedia Commons