14 June 1965; 58 years ago (1965-06-14) (as the Boat Section of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces) 1 October 1991; 32 years ago (1991-10-01) (as the Royal Brunei Navy)
The Royal Brunei Navy,
abbrev: RBN (
Malay: Tentera Laut Diraja Brunei, 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 seaborne forces.[5]
The forerunner of the Royal Brunei Navy was established on 14 June 1965; 58 years ago (1965-06-14), the second unit created after the formation of the
Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF). The RBN is based and headquartered at
Muara Naval Base, 4
kilometres (2
miles) from
Muara Town, with the majority of the
enlisted sailors 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). Captain Haji Mohamad Sarif Pudin bin Matserudin has been acting commander of the Royal Brunei Navy since 30 December 2022; 15 months ago (2022-12-30),[3] succeeding First Admiral Pg Dato Seri Pahlawan Norazmi Pg Hj Muhammad who was appointed the RBN 12th commander on 13 March 2015; 9 years ago (2015-03-13).[5]
History
Early history
The forerunner of the Royal Brunei Navy was formed on 14 June 1965; 58 years ago (1965-06-14), four years after the formation of the
Royal Brunei Malay Regiment (Askar Melayu Diraja Brunei, AMDB). It was initially known as Boat Section of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces. Its manning strength was only eighteen personnel, including one
officer from the First Battalion who had attended a basic
military course in
Malaya in 1961 until 1964.[6]
This Boat Section was equipped with a number of
aluminium boats, known as Temuai in
Malay, and
fast assault boats (FABs).[6] 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.[6]
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.[7] The first
fast patrol craft was accepted in 1968 and named KDB Pahlawan. It became the first
flagship for the Boat Company.[7]
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 forty-two 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).[8]
In 1971, the First Sea Battalion received two more
coastal patrol craft, KDB Saleha and KDB Masna.[9] The First Sea Battalion was reorganised again on 1 October 1991; 32 years ago (1991-10-01), as the Royal Brunei Navy, due to the growth of the armed forces in Brunei after
independence from the
United Kingdom.[10]
In 2007, Brunei contracted the German
Lürssen shipyard to find a new customer for the three ships, though by 2011 the vessels remained unsold and laid up at
Barrow-in-Furness.[14] These ships were eventually purchased in 2013 by the
Indonesian Navy for
£380 million, or half of the original unit cost, and renamed
Bung Tomo-class corvettes.[15]
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.[16]
In 2019, the Royal Brunei Navy unveiled the Singapore-based Force-21 manufactured
Digital Disruptive Pattern (D2P) battle-dress uniform (BDU) in digital blue colours at the 58th anniversary celebration at the
Bolkiah Garrison.[17][18]
In April 2021, the RBN installed the Royal Brunei Navy Full Mission Bridge Simulator (RBN FMBS) to provide
synthetic training for all sailors of the RBN.[19]
Roles and organisation
Roles
The roles of the Royal Brunei Navy are:
Deterrence against attack mounted by sea-borne forces;
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.[21] 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.
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).
Fisheries and Industry / Primary Resources ministries also operate 16 metres (52 ft) patrol boats built by Syarikat Cheoy Lee Shipyards (delivered 2002).
Royal Brunei Navy personnel
stand easy on parade 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, August 2008.
A Royal Brunei Navy sailor watch as passageway aboard
USCGC Mellon (WHEC-717) during CARAT 2010.
Royal Brunei Navy sailors on parade in their digital blue coloured
Digital Disruptive Pattern (D2P) battle-dress uniform (BDU) during the 2023 National Day of Brunei.
^
ab"Tentera Laut Diraja Brunei mempunyai Pemerintah yang baru" [The Royal Brunei Navy has a new Commander]. WartaSamudera002.blogspot.com (in Malay). Warta Samudera – Royal Brunei Navy magazine, Bilangan 002 - Edisi 01. 9 July 2008. Retrieved 7 January 2024.
14 June 1965; 58 years ago (1965-06-14) (as the Boat Section of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces) 1 October 1991; 32 years ago (1991-10-01) (as the Royal Brunei Navy)
The Royal Brunei Navy,
abbrev: RBN (
Malay: Tentera Laut Diraja Brunei, 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 seaborne forces.[5]
The forerunner of the Royal Brunei Navy was established on 14 June 1965; 58 years ago (1965-06-14), the second unit created after the formation of the
Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF). The RBN is based and headquartered at
Muara Naval Base, 4
kilometres (2
miles) from
Muara Town, with the majority of the
enlisted sailors 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). Captain Haji Mohamad Sarif Pudin bin Matserudin has been acting commander of the Royal Brunei Navy since 30 December 2022; 15 months ago (2022-12-30),[3] succeeding First Admiral Pg Dato Seri Pahlawan Norazmi Pg Hj Muhammad who was appointed the RBN 12th commander on 13 March 2015; 9 years ago (2015-03-13).[5]
History
Early history
The forerunner of the Royal Brunei Navy was formed on 14 June 1965; 58 years ago (1965-06-14), four years after the formation of the
Royal Brunei Malay Regiment (Askar Melayu Diraja Brunei, AMDB). It was initially known as Boat Section of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces. Its manning strength was only eighteen personnel, including one
officer from the First Battalion who had attended a basic
military course in
Malaya in 1961 until 1964.[6]
This Boat Section was equipped with a number of
aluminium boats, known as Temuai in
Malay, and
fast assault boats (FABs).[6] 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.[6]
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.[7] The first
fast patrol craft was accepted in 1968 and named KDB Pahlawan. It became the first
flagship for the Boat Company.[7]
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 forty-two 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).[8]
In 1971, the First Sea Battalion received two more
coastal patrol craft, KDB Saleha and KDB Masna.[9] The First Sea Battalion was reorganised again on 1 October 1991; 32 years ago (1991-10-01), as the Royal Brunei Navy, due to the growth of the armed forces in Brunei after
independence from the
United Kingdom.[10]
In 2007, Brunei contracted the German
Lürssen shipyard to find a new customer for the three ships, though by 2011 the vessels remained unsold and laid up at
Barrow-in-Furness.[14] These ships were eventually purchased in 2013 by the
Indonesian Navy for
£380 million, or half of the original unit cost, and renamed
Bung Tomo-class corvettes.[15]
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.[16]
In 2019, the Royal Brunei Navy unveiled the Singapore-based Force-21 manufactured
Digital Disruptive Pattern (D2P) battle-dress uniform (BDU) in digital blue colours at the 58th anniversary celebration at the
Bolkiah Garrison.[17][18]
In April 2021, the RBN installed the Royal Brunei Navy Full Mission Bridge Simulator (RBN FMBS) to provide
synthetic training for all sailors of the RBN.[19]
Roles and organisation
Roles
The roles of the Royal Brunei Navy are:
Deterrence against attack mounted by sea-borne forces;
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.[21] 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.
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).
Fisheries and Industry / Primary Resources ministries also operate 16 metres (52 ft) patrol boats built by Syarikat Cheoy Lee Shipyards (delivered 2002).
Royal Brunei Navy personnel
stand easy on parade 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, August 2008.
A Royal Brunei Navy sailor watch as passageway aboard
USCGC Mellon (WHEC-717) during CARAT 2010.
Royal Brunei Navy sailors on parade in their digital blue coloured
Digital Disruptive Pattern (D2P) battle-dress uniform (BDU) during the 2023 National Day of Brunei.
^
ab"Tentera Laut Diraja Brunei mempunyai Pemerintah yang baru" [The Royal Brunei Navy has a new Commander]. WartaSamudera002.blogspot.com (in Malay). Warta Samudera – Royal Brunei Navy magazine, Bilangan 002 - Edisi 01. 9 July 2008. Retrieved 7 January 2024.