Excellent Seamanship

US and Brunei naval exercise reported here

"The exercise went very well," said Destroyer Squadron One Commander, Captain Buzz Little, who is serving as the CARAT task group commander.

Four Royal Brunei Navy ships deployed during the exercise, KDB Pejuang, KDB Seteria, KDB Penyerang and KDB Perwira, exercised maritime security tactics with the US four-ship task group.

It involved the dock landing USS Harpers Ferry, the guided missile destroyer USS Paul Hamilton, frigate USS Rodney M. Davis, and the rescue and salvage ship USS Safeguard.

The exercise was designed to enhance interoperability of the participating forces in a variety of mission areas of mutual benefits. It included skills directly applicable to combat transnational crimes at sea.

Skills such as maritime interdiction, maritime surveillance and visit, board search and seizure (VBSS) were executed during the two-day exercise in the designated operation area of Brunei waters in the South China Sea.

"The exercise is much focus onto our junior officers to practise for the future, and for both navies to work together in preserving the freedom of commerce in the sea", said. Captain Buzz Little. "We should need to work together in anti-piracy and terrorism, or for humanitarian relief, " he said.

The most important part of this exercise, said Ministry of Defence spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel Ramli Hadis, "is to maintain the military bilateral relationship".

Yes, yes, it is.