Royal Brunei Navy and Philippine Navy Conducts SEAGULL Exercise

MUARA NAVAL BASE - The Royal Brunei Navy and the Philippine Navy will be conducting a combined naval exercise code-named Maritime Training Activity (MTA) SEAGULL 05/12 on 19 - 25 November 2012. This is the fifth in the series of bilateral engagements between both navies, which is held bi-annually. The Royal Brunei Navy will be host to this year's event and all military activities will be conducted in Negara Brunei Darussalam.

This training activity aims to strengthen bilateral security relationship and cooperation as well as to enhance interoperability between the two navies, promote mutual understanding and to bolster the existing long-standing relationship among the officers and men of both navies.

10 killed in Brunei helicopter crash

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN: Brunei Air Force helicopter has crashed, killing at least 10 people, mostly military cadets being flown home after training.

Brunei's defence ministry said the Bell 212 helicopter crashed in the rural district of Ulu Belait late on Friday while heading to Bandar Seri Begawan, the capital of Brunei, a sultanate on Borneo island.

A ministry statement said that in addition to the 10 people killed, two were injured and two were missing. The ministry did not immediately provide the cause of the crash.

Brunei's Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah visited two young armed forces cadets who survived the crash and expressed "great sadness".

The RBAF Support Helicopter Project Hit Several Major Milestones

The Ministry of Defence, Brunei Darussalam (MINDEF) signed a contract with Sikorsky International Operations, Inc. for the delivery of twelve (12) S-70i™ BLACK HAWK helicopters with spare parts, ground support equipment and training package. To date, the project has achieved several major milestones which include the completion of several design reviews and the completion of several baseline aircraft built in PZL Mielec, Poland. PZL Mielec, a Sikorsky company, which is a subsidiary of United Technologies Corp, produces the S-70i™ baseline BLACK HAWK helicopter which is the latest international variant of the UH-60M BLACK HAWK helicopter employed by the US Army.

A team from MINDEF recently conducted a site visit to the PZL Mielec facility in Poland to witness the factory acceptance test for Brunei’s third baseline S-70i™ BLACK HAWK helicopter. The first two baseline aircraft recently completed its factory acceptance tests in Poland in April 2012. The first aircraft is scheduled to be inducted to Sikorsky Military Completions Center (SMCC) in the United States on October 2012 for the start of customization work to produce the uniquely configured aircraft that meets the Royal Brunei Armed Forces requirements. The delivery of the twelve (12) S-70i™ BLACK HAWK helicopters will replace the current fleet of Bell 212 helicopters and enhance the Royal Brunei Air Force’s rotary wing capabilities in air mobility, Search and Rescue (SAR) and enhance surveillance of Brunei’s waters and borders. The delivery of these advanced new aircrafts will also allow the Royal Brunei Armed Forces to further strengthen its troop deployment capabilities in military and humanitarian and disaster relief operations in the region.

The first batch of the uniquely configured aircraft is expected to be delivered to Brunei in early 2014.