Naval base and headquarters of the Royal Brunei Navy
Muara Naval Base (Malay : Pangkalan Tentera Laut Muara ) is a naval base which serves as the headquarters and main operating base for the Royal Brunei Navy (RBN; Tentera Laut Diraja Brunei , TLDB).[1] It is situated approximately 4 kilometres (2 miles ) from Muara Town , Brunei-Muara District , in the sultanate of Brunei Darussalam .[2] [3] The naval base is located near the mouth of the Brunei River , which flows into the Brunei Bay .[4]
History
During World War II , then occupied Muara was previously used by the Japanese Navy as a naval base until the country was liberated by the Australian 9th Division .[5] The Boat Section of the Royal Brunei Malay Regiment (RBMR), specifically, the administration of First Sea Battalion, was relocated to its current location at Muara in 1974.[6] Among many international visitors to the naval base, the United States Navy (USN) warship USS Robert E. Peary (FF-1073) was berthed at Muara Naval Base in 1989.[7] In 1991, Brunei ordered three Nakhoda Ragam -class corvettes , which were planned to be based at the naval base.[8] However, due to a contractual dispute with their manufacturer, all three ships of the class were never commissioned into the navy.[9]
In 1997, the base's upgrade project costed B$ 140 million, in which it included the construction of a new 314 metres (1,030 feet) long quay, shiplift , and renovation of its existing facilities.[2] The project was carried out in order to facilitate the three new Darussalam -class offshore patrol vessel .[10] Between 2007 and 2012, ammunition and explosive storage bunkers were constructed not far from the base, at Kampong Kapok .[2] [11]
Another B$44.6 million project was started in July 2011, to provide new accommodation facilities for the base's personnel, workshops, technical buildings, and car parks.[2] [12] During BRIDEX 2011 , the Royal Brunei Navy celebrated its 46th anniversary at the naval base (and jointly at the BRIDEX International Conference Centre),[13] in which twenty-four warships from ten countries were invited to attend.[2] [13]
On 29 May 2013, as part of a state visit to Brunei, President of Singapore Tony Tan visited the Muara Naval Base.[14] On 23 February 2014, a 172 metres (564 feet) long roll-on/roll-off (ro-ro) car carrier Trans Future 2 collided with KDB Berkat and another Ijtihad -class patrol boat while in port.[15] [16] Later in May, Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah landed his Sikorsky S-70 at the naval base in which he visited the KDB Afiat and witnessed a naval exercise .[17] Later that year on 11 November, the 20th annual Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT Brunei 2014) between the United States and Brunei began at the naval base.[18] [19]
On 12 November 2018, the 24th annual CARAT began at the naval base, in which it involved several exercises in the South China Sea with USNS Fall River (T-EPF-4) .[20] The 25th annual CARAT was once again held at the naval base on 31 October 2019.[21]
Units
Three naval divisions are based in the naval base:
Operation Division[22]
Administrative Division[22]
Support Division[22]
Facilities
There are several facilities located within the naval base:[23]
Royal Brunei Navy Primary School
Royal Brunei Navy Mosque[24]
Multi National Coordination Centre (MNCC)[25]
Naval Training Centre (NTC)[26]
Training Administration Office
War Training Room
Fire–Fighting Training Room
Learning Management Centre (LMC), operated by the Royal Brunei Training Services (RBTS)
Multi–Purpose Hall
Vanguard Logistic Store[27]
Surau Al-Huda[28] [29]
See also
References
^ "RB Navy organisation" . MinDef.gov.bn . Royal Brunei Navy , Public Relations Unit, Ministry of Defence Brunei Darussalam . 2015. Retrieved 5 January 2024 .
^ a b c d e "Muara Naval Base – Muara Naval Base is the main headquarters of the Royal Brunei Navy, part of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF). It is located in Pekan Muara" . Naval-Technology.com . Naval Technology, Verdict Media Limited. 26 January 2012. Retrieved 5 January 2024 .
^ Mohamed Deli bin Ahmad (1993). Brunei-Muara District . Department of Information , Prime Minister's Office. p. 18 – via Google Books. [failed verification ]
^ Schwarz, Jürgen; Herrmann, Wilfried A.; Seller, Hanns-Frank (2002). Maritime Strategies in Asia . White Lotus Press. p. 452. ISBN 978-974-480-008-4 . Retrieved 5 January 2024 – via Google Books.
^ Saunders, Graham (5 November 2013). A History of Brunei . Routledge. p. 123. ISBN 978-1-136-87394-2 . Retrieved 5 January 2024 – via Google Books.
^ "Royal Brunei Navy history" . MinDef.gov.bn . Bolkiah Garrison : Royal Brunei Navy , Public Relations Unit, Ministry of Defence Brunei Darussalam . 2015. Retrieved 5 January 2024 .
^ Brunei Darussalam newsletter . Department of Information, Prime Minister's Office. 1989. p. 20 – via Google Books.
^ Carpenter, William M.; Wiencek, David G., eds. (2005). Asian Security Handbook: terrorism and the new security environment (3rd ed.). M.E. Sharpe. p. 64. ISBN 978-0-7656-1552-7 . Retrieved 5 January 2024 – via Google Books.
^ "Ships Monthly - September 2007 news" . ShipsMonthly.com . Ships Monthly , IPC Media Ltd. 10 August 2007. Archived from the original on 21 December 2007. Retrieved 18 May 2022 .
^ "GHD Annual Review 2002 / 2003" (PDF) . GHD.com.au . GHD Pty Ltd . p. 15. Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 August 2008.
^ Brunei Darussalam long-term development plan . Government Print. Department, Prime Minister's Office, Brunei Darussalam. 2007. p. 208 – via Google Books.
^ "BND44mil facility buildings handed to RBN" . MinDef.gov.bn . Muara : Royal Brunei Air Force , Public Relations Unit, Ministry of Defence Brunei Darussalam . 31 October 2013. Retrieved 5 January 2024 .
^ a b "Royal Brunei Navy celebrates 46th anniversary at International Defence Exhibition BRIDEX 2011" . ArmyRecognition.com . Army Recognition. 8 July 2011. Retrieved 5 January 2024 .
^ "Visit to Royal Brunei Navy headquarters at Muara Naval Base" . NAS.gov.sg . Ministry of Communications and Information Collection, courtesy of National Archives of Singapore . Retrieved 5 January 2024 .
^ Hancock, Paul (23 February 2014). "Trans Future 2 – car carrier vs navy" . ShipwreckLog.com . Shipwreck Log. Retrieved 5 January 2024 .
^ "Ro-Ro ship incident in the Muara Channel" . MTIC.gov.bn . Ministry of Transport and Infocommunications . Retrieved 19 May 2022 .[dead link ]
^ Waleed PD Mahdini (4 May 2012). "Sultan witnesses culmination of Hikmat Bersatu IV" . Sultanate.com . Sultanate. Borneo Bulletin . Retrieved 5 January 2024 .
^ "CARAT Brunei kicks off at Muara Naval Base in Brunei" . NavalToday.com . Naval Today , Navingo. 11 November 2014. Retrieved 5 January 2024 .
^ Singh, Daljit, ed. (April 2015). Southeast Asian Affairs 2015 . Singapore : Institute of Southeast Asian Studies . ISBN 978-981-4620-75-8 . Retrieved 5 January 2024 – via Google Books.
^ Lt. Clyde Shavers (12 November 2018). "CARAT exercise kicks off with US, Brunei Navy" . C7F.Navy.mil . Muara , Brunei: Commander, U.S. 7th Fleet . Retrieved 5 January 2024 .
^ "U.S., Royal Brunei Navy ships transit in formation during CARAT Brunei" . Pacom.mil . Muara , Brunei: U.S. Indo-Pacific Command . 31 October 2019. Retrieved 5 January 2024 .
^ a b c Brunei Air Force handbook - strategic information and weapon systems . Washington DC , USA: International Business Publications, USA / Lulu.com. p. 180. ISBN 978-1-4330-0429-2 . OCLC 946747582 – via Google Books.[unreliable source ]
^ "HIS MAJESTY's VISIT TO ROYAL BRUNEI NAVY, MUARA NAVAL BASE" (PDF) . navy.mindef.gov.bn . pp. 4–7. Retrieved 6 June 2024 .
^ "RB Navy Organisation" . www.mindef.gov.bn . Retrieved 6 June 2024 .
^ "HANDOVER CEREMONY OF THE MULTINATIONAL COORDINATION CENTER (MNCC) BUILDING BETWEEN THE MINISTRY OF DEFENCE AND THE PRIME MINISTER'S OFFICE" . www.mindef.gov.bn . 5 January 2023. Retrieved 6 June 2024 .
^ "HANDING OVER CEREMONY FOR NEWLY ACTING COMMANDANT NAVAL TRAINING, NAVAL TRAINING CENTRE, ROYAL BRUNEI NAVY" . navy.mindef.gov.bn . 14 February 2024. Retrieved 6 June 2024 .
^ Wan Mohamad Sahran Wan Ahmadi; Saerah Haji Abdul Ghani (30 September 2019). "Tinjau perkembangan TLDB" (PDF) . www.pelitabrunei.gov.bn (in Malay). p. 3. Retrieved 6 June 2024 .
^ "MINDEF AND RBAF SURAUS GET OFFICIAL NAMES" (PDF) . www.mindef.gov.bn . 12 December 2016. p. 35. Retrieved 12 June 2024 .
^ "OPENING CEREMONY OF TERAWIH PRAYERS DAN TEDARUS AL-QURAN IN THE HOLY MONTH OF RAMADHAN 1442H" . navy.mindef.gov.bn . 13 April 2021. Retrieved 12 June 2024 .
External links
Media related to Muara Naval Base at Wikimedia Commons