Aviation in the sultanate of
Brunei Darussalam arose due to a
government desire to provide
medical services in the rural areas of its territory. In
1965, two
Sikorsky S55 helicopters were contracted from the Worldwide Helicopter Company[7] to fly
doctors by
helicopter to remote areas, particularly those which were inaccessible by
road.[8] In
1966, this service was taken over by three
Britishpilots from the
Royal Air Force (RAF), operating three
RAF Westland Whirlwind helicopters, thereby signifying the start of
military aviation in Brunei, officially becoming a helicopter
platoon.[6][8][7] In
1967, the Whirlwinds were replaced by a pair of
Westland Wessex Mk54 (Bruneian export version of the RAF HC2 variant;
construction numbers and
registration: wa563 (built 1966) / AMDB-106, and wa695 (1969) / AMDB-101).[9] Three years later, in
1969, it was officially named the Air Wing,[6] and the same year, deliveries of the first of five
Bell 206 Jet Ranger helicopters[8] (four 206A, and subsequently two 206B-3; construction numbers and registration: 579 / AMDB-103, 580 / AMDB-104, 110 / AMDB-107, 325 / AMDB-109, 2896 / AMDB-121 [reassigned TUDB-305], and 2898 / AMDB-122 [reassigned TUDB-306]) arrived to enter service.[10] A sixth airframe was later procured to replace a
hull loss.
In
1970, prior to Rimba Air Force Base, the military Air Wing of Brunei then started to operate a pair of
Bell 205 helicopters from
Berakas Garrison, forming No. 1 Squadron.[6] These were subsequently replaced in
1974 by
Bell 212 helicopters.[6][11][12][13] No. 2 Squadron was formed in
1981, equipped with six German
Bolkow BO105-CBS helicopters[8][11] (construction numbers and registration: S-408 / 123, S-409 / 124, S-410 / 125, S-411 / 126, S-412 / 127, and S-581 / 100) operating in the
close air support (CAS) role.[6][14] In
1982, No. 3 Squadron was established to operate a pair of
SIAI Marchetti SF260W fixed-wing
training aircraft.[8]
At the now established
airbase of Royal Brunei Air Force Base, Rimba,
1997 saw the arrival of
Sikorsky S70A-14 Blackhawk helicopters,[6][8][15] and more significantly, a
fixed-wing military transport aircraft, namely the IPTN CN235-110M[6][8][16][17] (construction number: N-033, registration: ATUDB 501, subsequently re-registered TUDB 501).[18] This resulted in the official formation of No. 4 Squadron[19] and No. 5 Squadron on 12 September 1997.[6][8] Four fixed-wing
training aircraft were acquired in
1998, the
tandem-seat turboprop
Pilatus PC-7 Mk.II, originally operated by No. 3 Squadron.[6][8] Security of the RBAirF at Rimba was enhanced on 4 January
1999, with the formation of an Air Regiment and a Base Defence Squadron, along with the introduction of the French-made
Mistral missile system operated by No. 38 Squadron.[6][8]
On the morning of 20 July
2012, having departing Royal Brunei Air Force Base, Rimba at 08:55, a RBAirF
Bell 212 was due to return to the airbase later that same morning, but subsequently was found crashed with the loss of twelve of the fourteen onboard military personnel in
Ulu Rampayoh,
Mukim Labi.[24][25] Investigations by the Supreme Board of Inquiry of the
Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF) concluded that the crash was caused by
human error whilst in flight; specifically 'unauthorised low-level flying' which resulted in a
controlled flight into terrain (CFIT). At the time of the crash, believed to be approximately 10:15, the aircraft was being operated by three crew; also onboard were two trainers, one staff, and eight
officer cadets.[25]
On 30 September 2013, the newly completed Air Movement Centre (AMC) within the airbase was officially handed over to the RBAirF; during the ceremony, the main contractor LSL Sdn Bhd presented a mock key (via a formal chain of Bruneian officials and government ministers) to the then Commander of the Royal Brunei Air Force, Brigadier General
Wardi Abdul Latip. Designed by Arkitek KHA, construction of the new AMC began on 29 April 2013, and cost approximately B$3.9 million. The main purpose of the AMC is to provide arrivals and departure facilities for all
Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF) personnel transiting to and from Brunei, along with other nations forces, and will also be used for officials using non-commercial flights.[26]
On 24 September
2019, Royal Brunei Air Force Base, Rimba was one of the locations used as a training area for Exercise Setia Bersama (Loyal Together) 1/2019, the nationwide ten-day
military exercise conducted by the Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF / ABDB) in Brunei Darussalam.
Military assets from various parts of the RBAF test and assess their level of preparedness at both operational and tactical levels, and cooperated with other agencies and 'grassroots' leaders from all districts of Brunei, and included all military camp bases.[35] A month later, United States and Brunei joint exercise
Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) was held at the base on 22 October
2019.[36] Also noted during CARAT 2019, a USAF
Boeing P-8A Poseidon operated by
Patrol Squadron (VP) 10 was present at the airbase.[37]
On 2 November 2019 at 16:55, the main gate of Royal Brunei Air Force Base, Rimba was damaged when a man in a
hijacked car used it to ram into the main gate "a few times". The car, with a young boy inside, was hijacked by 24 year old Muhammad Firdaus bin Mohammad Salleh, and the impact caused the main gate to fall, which then damaged two cars parked nearby. Muhammad Firdaus failed to enter a
plea to the charge of 'committing an act endangering the lives of the public' when appearing at the
Magistrates' Court on 4 November 2019. The
defendant could face a
fine and up to three years
imprisonment if
convicted; his case was referred to the Deputy Public Prosecutor for a further hearing on 11 November 2019,[38] which was then
adjourned by three weeks until 2 December.[39] On 8 February
2021, local man Muhammad Firdaus bin Mohammad Salleh was given a custodial
sentence of two years six months imprisonment plus three
strokes of the cane after pleading
guilty at the
High Court. The damage caused to the main gates was assessed to be over
BND 8,000.[40][a]
On 14 May
2020, medical supplies donated by
China to help combat the
COVID-19 pandemic in Brunei arrived at Royal Brunei Air Force Base, Rimba, on board an
Ilyushin IL-76 from the China's
People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF). The Air Movements Centre (AMC) at Rimba processed the 128 boxes of medical equipment; which included laboratory and thermal screening equipment (testing kits and ventilator support equipment),
personal protective equipment (PPE), and sanitising and disinfectant products.[44][45]
From 26 until 28 January
2021, the
Royal Brunei Air Force's Fire Service Flight of
No. 3 Wing RBAirF completed an Aviation Rescue Fire Fighting (ARFF) exercise at the Royal Brunei Air Force Base, Rimba.[46] Aside from testing the competency and effectiveness of the
firefighting crews and associated emergency services, its aim was also to refine and produce an updated
Standard Operating Procedure (SOP).[46] On 25 June
2021, a
parade was held at the Air Movement Centre (AMC), Rimba, in celebration of the RBAF / ABDB 55th anniversary. Of note was the introduction of
Insitu Integrator into the RBAirF, a drone
unmanned aerial system (UAS).[47][48] The
decommissioning ceremony of the RBAirF's
Bolkow BO105 fleet was held at the AMC within the Air Force Base, Rimba, on 5 February
2022. First introduced as a fleet of six helicopters into No. 2 Squadron, Air Wing in
1981,[11][14] administered and maintained by the
Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME) from the United Kingdom until 1993, this ended 41 years' service of the type as latterly operated by
No. 1 Wing, Operations Group.[49][50]
From 24 until 26 January
2023 at Royal Brunei Air Force Base, Rimba,
Major (U) Muhammad Isyhak bin Haji Ismail, Acting Commanding Officer of
No. 2 Wing RBAirF, took part in a three-day Air Domain Awareness Subject Matter Expert Exchange via video-conference to the Pacific Integrated Air and Missile Defence (IAMD) Centre.[51] On 31 May 2023, Royal Brunei Air Force Base, Rimba was again the host for the grand parade, celebrating the 62nd anniversary of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces.[52] During mid-2023,
606 Squadron of the
Royal Auxiliary Air Force (RAuxAF) was deployed from its home base
RAF Benson in England to assist the move of Brunei-based
Pumas of
230 'Tiger' Squadron from temporary home base in Royal Brunei Air Force Base, Rimba.[53] The flight effectively relocated to its
British Forces Brunei permanent home base at
Medicina Lines on 1 June 2023.[54]
In December 2022, the Ministry of Defence signed a contract to purchase four new
Airbus C295MW tactical transport fixed-wing aircraft from
Airbus Defence and Space to replace its ageing
CN235-110M.[17] Produced at the Airbus factory in Seville, Spain, the first aircraft was handed over to the RBAirF in Seville late December 2023,[55][56] and the first two aircraft (TUDB 502[57] and TUDB 503[58]) arrived at Rimba on 24 January 2024.[59]
Current units
Royal Brunei Air Force Base, Rimba is currently home (or
parent) to the following
units.
Established 1 September 1983; 40 years ago (1983-09-01), from the Air Defence Battery of the
Royal Brunei Malay Regiment, it was subsequently reassigned to the Royal Brunei Air Force on 24 March 1995; 29 years ago (1995-03-24), and renamed the Air Defence Squadron, and subsequently raised to
wing status. As well as operational roles, 2 Wing also provides
administrative and support functions.[64]
No. 238 Squadron – originally known as 38 Squadron, based at
Berakas Garrison (RBLF / TDDB), 238 Sqn operates
Mistral, its Very Short Range Air Defence (VSHORAD) weapon system;
No. 233 Squadron – originally known as 33 Squadron, originally based at
Penanjong Garrison (RBLF / TDDB), it used to operate the
Rapier FSB1, a Short Range Air Defence system until its decommissioning in 2010; 233 Sqn is now a support to 238 Squadron preparing for its new
air defence system;
No. 236 Squadron – based at Rimba, 236 Sqn is tasked with protecting the base from air and ground threats;[65]
Engineering Squadron – based at
Berakas Garrison (RBLF / TDDB), Engineering Sqn provides maintenance support for all operational Air Defence squadrons.
No. 3 Wing RBAirF
Created on 27 July 2016; 7 years ago (2016-07-27), No. 3 Wing was established to give support and assistance to Operational Group in achieving its mission and responsibilities.[66]
No. 31 Squadron[63] (PATDU) – the Parachute Airborne Tactical Delivery Unit consists of the Jungle Rescue Team, and provides tactical supply into the
jungles of Brunei;
Technical Supply Squadron – responsible for all
technical supplies for the entire Royal Brunei Air Force; at its Main Store (in the 4 Wing main building) and Forward Stores (in Hangars A and B, along with 38 Sqn stores);
Supply Control & Accounting Flight – SCAF provides
administrative functions to all elements of supply operations through its five cells: Control Accounting Cell (CAC), Supply Accounting Cell (SAC), Supply Control Cell (SCC), Receipt and Despatch (R&D), and the Bulk Fuel Installation Account.
No. 5 Wing RBAirF – (Maintenance Wing)
Commanded by
Lieutenant Colonel (U) Pengiran Mohamed Khairul Arifin bin Pengiran Haji Mohamad Salleh,[70] 5 Wing is the Maintenance Wing for the entire Royal Brunei Air Force, tasked with all operational and
training requirements along with maintenance deadlines and handling
aircraft maintenance related matters.[71]
No. 51 Squadron – engineering squadron, responsible for the
Blackhawk S70i fleet;
No. 52 Squadron – engineering squadron, responsible for the
Bolkow BO105-CBS until their decommission;[49][50]
Technical Equipment Maintenance Division – civilian section responsible for aircraft major maintenance and inspection.
No. 6 Wing RBAirF – (Administrative and Base Maintenance)
6 Wings' main role is to manage administrative issues and base maintenance in relating to the Royal Brunei Air Force
operations, together with managing personnel welfare.[72]
Regimental Police Fleet – protects the airbase from unauthorised entry;
Pay Flight;
Base Maintenance;
Estate Maintenance Section;
Medical Reception Service;
Light Aid Detachment;
Dental;
Military Transport Flight – provides all military vehicles for land transport.
No. 7 Wing RBAirF – (Training School)
Previously known as Training Wing,[73] 7 Wing is responsible for the training, administration, and
welfare management of all Royal Brunei Air Force personnel, and is also an establishment for
Leadership courses to fulfil the needs of the RBAirF.[74]
No. 75 Squadron – established in 1985; 39 years ago (1985), as the Air Technical Training School, 75 Sqn (originally known as 65 Squadron[70]) provides basic and advance technical courses for all RBAirF technicians;[76]
No. 77 Squadron – based at
Berakas Garrison (RBLF / TDDB), 77 Sqn provides Air Defence training courses to personnel of No. 2 Wing RBAirF, and also all other personnel of the
Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF / ABDB).
Gate guardians
Royal Brunei Air Force Base, Rimba displays a retired
Bell UH-1 helicopter (military version of the Bell 205,
construction number: 30057,
registration: AMDB 100) as its
gate guardian on a traffic island roundabout just inside its main gate.[77][78]
Gallery
Retired RBAirF / TUDB
Bell UH-1 (Bell 205,
c/n: 30057,
reg.: AMDB 100) helicopter
gate guardian displayed inside the main gate of the
airbase, September 2023.
Royal Brunei Air Force Base, Rimba (top left) shares its 3,685 metres (12,090 ft)
runway with the
Brunei International Airport (bottom right), 2016.
^
abJohn Mounce (photographer) (9 July 2011).
TUDB501 – CASA/IPTN CN235. AirHistory.net (photograph). Royal Brunei Air Force Base, Rimba. Retrieved 2 January 2024.
^John Mounce (photographer) (9 July 2011).
M43-17 – Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-29N (9-12SD). AirHistory.net (photograph). Royal Brunei Air Force Base, Rimba. Retrieved 2 January 2024.
^John Mounce (photographer) (9 July 2011).
AMDB100 – Bell UH-1H Iroquois. AirHistory.net (photograph). Royal Brunei Air Force Base, Rimba. Retrieved 2 January 2024.
Aviation in the sultanate of
Brunei Darussalam arose due to a
government desire to provide
medical services in the rural areas of its territory. In
1965, two
Sikorsky S55 helicopters were contracted from the Worldwide Helicopter Company[7] to fly
doctors by
helicopter to remote areas, particularly those which were inaccessible by
road.[8] In
1966, this service was taken over by three
Britishpilots from the
Royal Air Force (RAF), operating three
RAF Westland Whirlwind helicopters, thereby signifying the start of
military aviation in Brunei, officially becoming a helicopter
platoon.[6][8][7] In
1967, the Whirlwinds were replaced by a pair of
Westland Wessex Mk54 (Bruneian export version of the RAF HC2 variant;
construction numbers and
registration: wa563 (built 1966) / AMDB-106, and wa695 (1969) / AMDB-101).[9] Three years later, in
1969, it was officially named the Air Wing,[6] and the same year, deliveries of the first of five
Bell 206 Jet Ranger helicopters[8] (four 206A, and subsequently two 206B-3; construction numbers and registration: 579 / AMDB-103, 580 / AMDB-104, 110 / AMDB-107, 325 / AMDB-109, 2896 / AMDB-121 [reassigned TUDB-305], and 2898 / AMDB-122 [reassigned TUDB-306]) arrived to enter service.[10] A sixth airframe was later procured to replace a
hull loss.
In
1970, prior to Rimba Air Force Base, the military Air Wing of Brunei then started to operate a pair of
Bell 205 helicopters from
Berakas Garrison, forming No. 1 Squadron.[6] These were subsequently replaced in
1974 by
Bell 212 helicopters.[6][11][12][13] No. 2 Squadron was formed in
1981, equipped with six German
Bolkow BO105-CBS helicopters[8][11] (construction numbers and registration: S-408 / 123, S-409 / 124, S-410 / 125, S-411 / 126, S-412 / 127, and S-581 / 100) operating in the
close air support (CAS) role.[6][14] In
1982, No. 3 Squadron was established to operate a pair of
SIAI Marchetti SF260W fixed-wing
training aircraft.[8]
At the now established
airbase of Royal Brunei Air Force Base, Rimba,
1997 saw the arrival of
Sikorsky S70A-14 Blackhawk helicopters,[6][8][15] and more significantly, a
fixed-wing military transport aircraft, namely the IPTN CN235-110M[6][8][16][17] (construction number: N-033, registration: ATUDB 501, subsequently re-registered TUDB 501).[18] This resulted in the official formation of No. 4 Squadron[19] and No. 5 Squadron on 12 September 1997.[6][8] Four fixed-wing
training aircraft were acquired in
1998, the
tandem-seat turboprop
Pilatus PC-7 Mk.II, originally operated by No. 3 Squadron.[6][8] Security of the RBAirF at Rimba was enhanced on 4 January
1999, with the formation of an Air Regiment and a Base Defence Squadron, along with the introduction of the French-made
Mistral missile system operated by No. 38 Squadron.[6][8]
On the morning of 20 July
2012, having departing Royal Brunei Air Force Base, Rimba at 08:55, a RBAirF
Bell 212 was due to return to the airbase later that same morning, but subsequently was found crashed with the loss of twelve of the fourteen onboard military personnel in
Ulu Rampayoh,
Mukim Labi.[24][25] Investigations by the Supreme Board of Inquiry of the
Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF) concluded that the crash was caused by
human error whilst in flight; specifically 'unauthorised low-level flying' which resulted in a
controlled flight into terrain (CFIT). At the time of the crash, believed to be approximately 10:15, the aircraft was being operated by three crew; also onboard were two trainers, one staff, and eight
officer cadets.[25]
On 30 September 2013, the newly completed Air Movement Centre (AMC) within the airbase was officially handed over to the RBAirF; during the ceremony, the main contractor LSL Sdn Bhd presented a mock key (via a formal chain of Bruneian officials and government ministers) to the then Commander of the Royal Brunei Air Force, Brigadier General
Wardi Abdul Latip. Designed by Arkitek KHA, construction of the new AMC began on 29 April 2013, and cost approximately B$3.9 million. The main purpose of the AMC is to provide arrivals and departure facilities for all
Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF) personnel transiting to and from Brunei, along with other nations forces, and will also be used for officials using non-commercial flights.[26]
On 24 September
2019, Royal Brunei Air Force Base, Rimba was one of the locations used as a training area for Exercise Setia Bersama (Loyal Together) 1/2019, the nationwide ten-day
military exercise conducted by the Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF / ABDB) in Brunei Darussalam.
Military assets from various parts of the RBAF test and assess their level of preparedness at both operational and tactical levels, and cooperated with other agencies and 'grassroots' leaders from all districts of Brunei, and included all military camp bases.[35] A month later, United States and Brunei joint exercise
Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) was held at the base on 22 October
2019.[36] Also noted during CARAT 2019, a USAF
Boeing P-8A Poseidon operated by
Patrol Squadron (VP) 10 was present at the airbase.[37]
On 2 November 2019 at 16:55, the main gate of Royal Brunei Air Force Base, Rimba was damaged when a man in a
hijacked car used it to ram into the main gate "a few times". The car, with a young boy inside, was hijacked by 24 year old Muhammad Firdaus bin Mohammad Salleh, and the impact caused the main gate to fall, which then damaged two cars parked nearby. Muhammad Firdaus failed to enter a
plea to the charge of 'committing an act endangering the lives of the public' when appearing at the
Magistrates' Court on 4 November 2019. The
defendant could face a
fine and up to three years
imprisonment if
convicted; his case was referred to the Deputy Public Prosecutor for a further hearing on 11 November 2019,[38] which was then
adjourned by three weeks until 2 December.[39] On 8 February
2021, local man Muhammad Firdaus bin Mohammad Salleh was given a custodial
sentence of two years six months imprisonment plus three
strokes of the cane after pleading
guilty at the
High Court. The damage caused to the main gates was assessed to be over
BND 8,000.[40][a]
On 14 May
2020, medical supplies donated by
China to help combat the
COVID-19 pandemic in Brunei arrived at Royal Brunei Air Force Base, Rimba, on board an
Ilyushin IL-76 from the China's
People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF). The Air Movements Centre (AMC) at Rimba processed the 128 boxes of medical equipment; which included laboratory and thermal screening equipment (testing kits and ventilator support equipment),
personal protective equipment (PPE), and sanitising and disinfectant products.[44][45]
From 26 until 28 January
2021, the
Royal Brunei Air Force's Fire Service Flight of
No. 3 Wing RBAirF completed an Aviation Rescue Fire Fighting (ARFF) exercise at the Royal Brunei Air Force Base, Rimba.[46] Aside from testing the competency and effectiveness of the
firefighting crews and associated emergency services, its aim was also to refine and produce an updated
Standard Operating Procedure (SOP).[46] On 25 June
2021, a
parade was held at the Air Movement Centre (AMC), Rimba, in celebration of the RBAF / ABDB 55th anniversary. Of note was the introduction of
Insitu Integrator into the RBAirF, a drone
unmanned aerial system (UAS).[47][48] The
decommissioning ceremony of the RBAirF's
Bolkow BO105 fleet was held at the AMC within the Air Force Base, Rimba, on 5 February
2022. First introduced as a fleet of six helicopters into No. 2 Squadron, Air Wing in
1981,[11][14] administered and maintained by the
Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME) from the United Kingdom until 1993, this ended 41 years' service of the type as latterly operated by
No. 1 Wing, Operations Group.[49][50]
From 24 until 26 January
2023 at Royal Brunei Air Force Base, Rimba,
Major (U) Muhammad Isyhak bin Haji Ismail, Acting Commanding Officer of
No. 2 Wing RBAirF, took part in a three-day Air Domain Awareness Subject Matter Expert Exchange via video-conference to the Pacific Integrated Air and Missile Defence (IAMD) Centre.[51] On 31 May 2023, Royal Brunei Air Force Base, Rimba was again the host for the grand parade, celebrating the 62nd anniversary of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces.[52] During mid-2023,
606 Squadron of the
Royal Auxiliary Air Force (RAuxAF) was deployed from its home base
RAF Benson in England to assist the move of Brunei-based
Pumas of
230 'Tiger' Squadron from temporary home base in Royal Brunei Air Force Base, Rimba.[53] The flight effectively relocated to its
British Forces Brunei permanent home base at
Medicina Lines on 1 June 2023.[54]
In December 2022, the Ministry of Defence signed a contract to purchase four new
Airbus C295MW tactical transport fixed-wing aircraft from
Airbus Defence and Space to replace its ageing
CN235-110M.[17] Produced at the Airbus factory in Seville, Spain, the first aircraft was handed over to the RBAirF in Seville late December 2023,[55][56] and the first two aircraft (TUDB 502[57] and TUDB 503[58]) arrived at Rimba on 24 January 2024.[59]
Current units
Royal Brunei Air Force Base, Rimba is currently home (or
parent) to the following
units.
Established 1 September 1983; 40 years ago (1983-09-01), from the Air Defence Battery of the
Royal Brunei Malay Regiment, it was subsequently reassigned to the Royal Brunei Air Force on 24 March 1995; 29 years ago (1995-03-24), and renamed the Air Defence Squadron, and subsequently raised to
wing status. As well as operational roles, 2 Wing also provides
administrative and support functions.[64]
No. 238 Squadron – originally known as 38 Squadron, based at
Berakas Garrison (RBLF / TDDB), 238 Sqn operates
Mistral, its Very Short Range Air Defence (VSHORAD) weapon system;
No. 233 Squadron – originally known as 33 Squadron, originally based at
Penanjong Garrison (RBLF / TDDB), it used to operate the
Rapier FSB1, a Short Range Air Defence system until its decommissioning in 2010; 233 Sqn is now a support to 238 Squadron preparing for its new
air defence system;
No. 236 Squadron – based at Rimba, 236 Sqn is tasked with protecting the base from air and ground threats;[65]
Engineering Squadron – based at
Berakas Garrison (RBLF / TDDB), Engineering Sqn provides maintenance support for all operational Air Defence squadrons.
No. 3 Wing RBAirF
Created on 27 July 2016; 7 years ago (2016-07-27), No. 3 Wing was established to give support and assistance to Operational Group in achieving its mission and responsibilities.[66]
No. 31 Squadron[63] (PATDU) – the Parachute Airborne Tactical Delivery Unit consists of the Jungle Rescue Team, and provides tactical supply into the
jungles of Brunei;
Technical Supply Squadron – responsible for all
technical supplies for the entire Royal Brunei Air Force; at its Main Store (in the 4 Wing main building) and Forward Stores (in Hangars A and B, along with 38 Sqn stores);
Supply Control & Accounting Flight – SCAF provides
administrative functions to all elements of supply operations through its five cells: Control Accounting Cell (CAC), Supply Accounting Cell (SAC), Supply Control Cell (SCC), Receipt and Despatch (R&D), and the Bulk Fuel Installation Account.
No. 5 Wing RBAirF – (Maintenance Wing)
Commanded by
Lieutenant Colonel (U) Pengiran Mohamed Khairul Arifin bin Pengiran Haji Mohamad Salleh,[70] 5 Wing is the Maintenance Wing for the entire Royal Brunei Air Force, tasked with all operational and
training requirements along with maintenance deadlines and handling
aircraft maintenance related matters.[71]
No. 51 Squadron – engineering squadron, responsible for the
Blackhawk S70i fleet;
No. 52 Squadron – engineering squadron, responsible for the
Bolkow BO105-CBS until their decommission;[49][50]
Technical Equipment Maintenance Division – civilian section responsible for aircraft major maintenance and inspection.
No. 6 Wing RBAirF – (Administrative and Base Maintenance)
6 Wings' main role is to manage administrative issues and base maintenance in relating to the Royal Brunei Air Force
operations, together with managing personnel welfare.[72]
Regimental Police Fleet – protects the airbase from unauthorised entry;
Pay Flight;
Base Maintenance;
Estate Maintenance Section;
Medical Reception Service;
Light Aid Detachment;
Dental;
Military Transport Flight – provides all military vehicles for land transport.
No. 7 Wing RBAirF – (Training School)
Previously known as Training Wing,[73] 7 Wing is responsible for the training, administration, and
welfare management of all Royal Brunei Air Force personnel, and is also an establishment for
Leadership courses to fulfil the needs of the RBAirF.[74]
No. 75 Squadron – established in 1985; 39 years ago (1985), as the Air Technical Training School, 75 Sqn (originally known as 65 Squadron[70]) provides basic and advance technical courses for all RBAirF technicians;[76]
No. 77 Squadron – based at
Berakas Garrison (RBLF / TDDB), 77 Sqn provides Air Defence training courses to personnel of No. 2 Wing RBAirF, and also all other personnel of the
Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF / ABDB).
Gate guardians
Royal Brunei Air Force Base, Rimba displays a retired
Bell UH-1 helicopter (military version of the Bell 205,
construction number: 30057,
registration: AMDB 100) as its
gate guardian on a traffic island roundabout just inside its main gate.[77][78]
Gallery
Retired RBAirF / TUDB
Bell UH-1 (Bell 205,
c/n: 30057,
reg.: AMDB 100) helicopter
gate guardian displayed inside the main gate of the
airbase, September 2023.
Royal Brunei Air Force Base, Rimba (top left) shares its 3,685 metres (12,090 ft)
runway with the
Brunei International Airport (bottom right), 2016.
^
abJohn Mounce (photographer) (9 July 2011).
TUDB501 – CASA/IPTN CN235. AirHistory.net (photograph). Royal Brunei Air Force Base, Rimba. Retrieved 2 January 2024.
^John Mounce (photographer) (9 July 2011).
M43-17 – Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-29N (9-12SD). AirHistory.net (photograph). Royal Brunei Air Force Base, Rimba. Retrieved 2 January 2024.
^John Mounce (photographer) (9 July 2011).
AMDB100 – Bell UH-1H Iroquois. AirHistory.net (photograph). Royal Brunei Air Force Base, Rimba. Retrieved 2 January 2024.