Joint Force Headquarters | |
---|---|
Malay: Markas Angkatan Bersama Jawi: مركس اڠكتن برسام | |
Founded | 14 December 2007 (16 years, 10 months) |
Country | Brunei Darussalam |
Allegiance | Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah |
Branch | Royal Brunei Land Force Royal Brunei Navy Royal Brunei Air Force |
Type | Unified combatant command |
Part of | Ministry of Defence Brunei Darussalam Royal Brunei Armed Forces |
Headquarters | Ministry of Defence, Bolkiah Garrison, BB3510 |
Colours | Purple |
Anniversaries | 14 December [1] |
Website | JFHQ.MinDef.gov.bn |
Commanders | |
Commander | Col Hismawadi Said (Acting) [2] |
Deputy Commander | Lt.Col Aldi Hassan (Acting) [3] |
Chief of Staff | Lt.Col Muhammad Suwardi Ariffin [4] |
Sergeant Major | WO1 Sahrol Omar [5] |
The Joint Force Headquarters of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces (JFHQ RBAF), Markas Angkatan Bersama Angkatan Tentera Diraja Brunei (MAB ABDB), is a combined military command that was established expressly to oversee all joint operations activities of the service branches of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces. At least three services, including the Royal Brunei Land Force (RBLF), Royal Brunei Navy (RBN), and Royal Brunei Air Force (RBAirF), participate in joint operations.
In order to utilise, monitor, and coordinate Royal Brunei Armed Forces activities, and to unify all service personnel under a single command for any military action, the RBAF Joint Operations Centre (RBAF JOC) functions as the primary Command and Control (C2) hub. The JOC, which has permanent personnel for joint planning and execution, guarantees that the RBAF can use cutting-edge technology to react quickly to changing circumstances, and is always ready to monitor military actions and prepare for larger-scale operations. [6]
The Royal Brunei Armed Forces Joint Operations Command (RBAF JOC), which was established to combine RBAF forces for military operations or exercises, was the previous name of the JFHQ. The RBAF JOC was established in 1997 for a major joint exercise. Since then, it has served as the C2 hub. Its duties have grown to accommodate the RBAF's commitments, with a focus on unified command for operations. [7]
It has been determined that in order to provide unified C2, the JOC must be upgraded to a JFHQ with permanent staff. The current JOC, which lacks permanent and properly trained staff, has been effective; however, as RBAF commitments increase and operations become longer, it would be necessary to revise its core principles in order to align with the Defence White Paper Update 2007's vision and make use of existing technology to respond quickly to evolving circumstances. [7]
Reorganisation was necessary due to the RBAF's increased dimension in order to create a permanent JFHQ that would command the assigned force from the JOC and have full staff duties for joint planning and execution of operations. The JOC would be staffed 24 hours a day, to keep an eye on all military actions by the RBAF, and to be ready for larger-scale missions. As a result, on 14 December 2007, the Joint Force Headquarters of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces (JFHQ RBAF) was established, and is now housed on the second floor of the Ministry of Defence Building at Bolkiah Garrison. [7]
Assist the JFC and the component commanders in organising, leading, and carrying out a variety of tactical-level actions (the commander of the designated unit or units will maintain tactical control). Serve as the RBAF's main point of contact for other governmental ministries and agencies as well as allied and other foreign joint operations headquarters. Under a fully operational JFHQ, the Commander RBAF would delegate to the JFC the following responsibilities: [8]
The Service Commanders would concentrate only on raising, training, and maintaining the assets under their command for operational readiness, with the JFC handling the employment and deployment of allotted RBAF forces. JFHQ's permanent employees are in charge of carrying out joint planning and carrying out operations, giving the JOC at the JFHQ a single point of command and control. [8]
The JFHQ is currently structured as follows: [9]
The Royal Brunei Armed Forces is still conducting cooperative drills with friendly countries' armed forces, including those of Australia, Singapore, Malaysia, the United Kingdom, the United States, and others. Exercises 'Maju Bersama', 'Flaming Arrow', 'Dragonball', 'Bold Castle', and 'Bold Sabre' are among the manoeuvres with the Singapore Armed Forces that these exercises involve for the Royal Brunei Land Force. Meanwhile, the Royal Brunei Navy and their Republic of Singapore Navy counterparts regularly conduct Exercise 'Pelican', and the air forces regularly conduct Exercise 'Airguard'. [10]
An identical relationship exists between the Malaysian Armed Forces and the drills known as 'Brumal Setia', 'Malbru', 'Mertak Bersatu', and 'Hornbill'. Under the auspices of the US Pacific Command-funded Global Peacekeeping Operations Initiative, the RBAF and its Indonesian counterparts participate in a relatively new training exercise known as 'Garuda Shield'. It takes place in the Infantry Education Centre in Cipatat, Bandung, and lasts for two weeks. More training exercises are also carried out with the British Armed Forces in 'Setia Kawan', New Zealand in 'Azam Bersama', Australia's 'Mallee Bull', and the United States military's annual CARAT manoeuvres. [10]
Every two years, the Royal Brunei Armed Forces conducts its largest countrywide exercise, known as Exercise Hikmat Bersatu. All RBAF services, including JFHQ, RBLF, RBN, RBAirF, the Special Forces Regiment, the Royal Brunei Malay Reserve Regiment, and the British Armed Forces Second Battalion of the Royal Gurkha Rifles, participated in Exercise Hikmat Bersatu. [11]
According to Brunei's Ministry of Defence, the whole range of activities during the 2018 Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) exercise included symposiums on law and medicine, improvised explosive device (IED) identification and awareness, company attack and area clearance in the forest, and marine evolutions. The three services, the police force, the military medical services, the marine port authority, and the fisheries department are among the organisations that are involved. [12]
The sea phase will include a variety of exercises, such as division tactics (DIVTACS), which aims to improve communication as ships sail together in complex manoeuvres, anti-air warfare (AAW) to hone missile defence skills, and tracking exercise (TRACKEX), which aims to increase both navies' capacity to jointly track and pursue targets through the coordinated deployment of surface ships and maritime patrol aircraft. 2018 CARAT Brunei will include both sides' ships and planes. [12]
United Nations-led International Monitoring Teams (IMT) in Mindanao have included Brunei Darussalam as a crucial component, providing its men with invaluable experience and hands-on training in military operations other than conflict, especially in multinational operations, winning over people's support, and civil-military collaboration. The inclusion of Brunei Darussalam in the IMT has had positive results, and its presence will remain necessary. Additionally, Brunei Darussalam has sent troops to United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia (UNTAC), and to Lebanon under the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL). The UNTAC was tasked with holding free and fair elections as well as restoring civil governance and peace. [13]
Officers selected to head the JFHQ at Bolkiah Camp are:
No. | portrait | rank name (born–died) | term of office | service branch | ref. | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
took office | left office | time in office | |||||
1 | Colonel Rosli Chuchu | 14 December 2007 | 23 November 2009 | 4 years, 222 days | Royal Brunei Land Force | [14] | |
2 | First admiral Abdul Aziz (born 1966) | 23 November 2009 | 19 December 2014 | 5 years, 26 days | Royal Brunei Navy | [15] | |
3 | Major general Hamzah Sahat | 19 December 2014 | 19 April 2019 | 4 years, 121 days | Royal Brunei Air Force | [16] | |
4 | Brigadier general Mohammad Sharif | 19 April 2019 | 28 August 2020 | 1 year, 131 days | Royal Brunei Air Force | [17] | |
5 | Brigadier general Abdul Razak (born 1972) | 28 August 2020 | 25 February 2022 | 1 year, 181 days | Royal Brunei Land Force | [18] | |
6 | Brigadier general Alirupendi (born 1973) | 25 February 2022 | 26 September 2023 | 1 year, 213 days | Royal Brunei Air Force | [19] |
The Royal Brunei Navy (RBN), natively known as Tentera Laut Diraja Brunei (TLDB) is the naval force of Brunei. 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.
The Royal Brunei Air Force (RBAirF), natively known as the Tentera Udara Diraja Brunei (TUDB), is the air force of the sultanate of Brunei. It is headquartered and mainly based at the Royal Brunei Air Force Base, Rimba, opposite the Brunei International Airport (BIA). Its role is to defend the national airspace and to provide air policing and surveillance of its land and maritime borders. As of 2024, it operates twenty-two manned aircraft and five unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV).
The Royal Brunei Land Force (RBLF), natively known as Tentera Darat Diraja Brunei (TDDB) is the land component of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF) or Angkatan Bersenjata Diraja Brunei (ABDB). The RBLF has responsibility for maintaining the territorial defence of Brunei Darussalam, both from attack from outsiders, and by assisting the Royal Brunei Police Force (RBPF) in maintaining law and order. The annual anniversary ceremony of RBLF's inception was place on 4 November every year.
The Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF); Malay: Angkatan Bersenjata Diraja Brunei (ABDB), Jawi: رايول بروناي آرميد فوس, is the official organisation and collective term for all of the military forces or service branches of the sultanate of Brunei Darussalam. The RBAF consists of three primary military branches; the Royal Brunei Land Force, the Royal Brunei Navy, and the Royal Brunei Air Force.
The military ranks of Brunei are depicted by the military insignia used by the Royal Brunei Armed Forces. Given its history of being established with help from the British Army, its rank insignia follow the former British influence with adaptations for Bruneian conditions, the RBAF having started as an infantry regiment, with naval and air assets.
Halbi bin Haji Mohammad Yussof is a Bruneian aristocrat, politician and retired military office who is the incumbent Minister at the Prime Minister's Office and Minister of Defence II. He is a former member of the Legislative Council of Brunei, and previously served as the Minister of Defence II from 2018 to 2022, Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports from 2015 to 2018, Commander of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF), and Commander of the Royal Brunei Land Force (RBLF).
Pengiran Aminan bin Pengiran Haji Mahmud is a Bruneian nobleman and military officer, who previously served as the tenth Commander of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF) from 2018 until 2020. He was previously the ninth Commander of the Royal Brunei Land Force (RBLF).
The Ministry of Defence Brunei Darussalam, officially abbreviated as MinDef, is a cabinet-level ministry of the Government of Brunei. It is responsible for the national security and its military forces within the sultanate of Brunei Darussalam; the latter collectively known as the Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF); Angkatan Bersenjata Diraja Brunei, (ABDB). MinDef is Brunei's ministry of defence; and was established on 1 January 1984, when Brunei Darussalam achieved independence from the United Kingdom. The Ministry of Defence leadership presently consists of a minister ; its incumbent is the Sultan of Brunei, Hassanal Bolkiah, who is also the Supreme Commander of the RBAF / ABDB. A deputy minister is second-in-command at the Ministry of Defence.
The Commander of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces is the professional head of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF). He is responsible for the overall management, administration, and the operational control of the entire military of Brunei. The current commander is Major general Dato Paduka Seri Haji Muhammad Haszaimi bin Bol Hassan.
Muara Naval Base is a naval base which serves as the headquarters and main operating base for the Royal Brunei Navy. It is situated approximately 4 kilometres from Muara Town, Brunei-Muara District, in the sultanate of Brunei Darussalam. The naval base is located near the mouth of the Brunei River, which flows into the Brunei Bay.
Officially known as Royal Brunei Air Force Base, Rimba, commonly known as Rimba Air Force Base, occasionally known as Rimba Airbase, and informally abbreviated Rimba AFB; it is the military headquarters and main operating airbase of the Royal Brunei Air Force. It is located near the Bruneian village of Kampong Rimba, opposite, and sharing its main runway of 3,685 metres with the Brunei International Airport (BIA), at Bandar Seri Begawan, in the Brunei-Muara District of the sultanate of Brunei Darussalam.
Hamzah bin Haji Sahat is a retired Bruneian airman and the 11th Commander of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF) who served in post from September 2020 until his retirement in March 2022. He previously held the position as the commander of the Royal Brunei Air Force (RBAirF) from 2018 to 2020.
Muhammad Haszaimi bin Bol Hassan is a Bruneian military officer who currently holds the position as the 12th Commander of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF) since 2022. He previously held the position of the 11th Commander of the Royal Brunei Land Force (RBLF) from 2020 to 2022.
Shahril Anwar bin Haji Ma'awiah was a Bruneian military officer who was the commander of the Royal Brunei Air Force (RBAirF) from 2015 to 2018 and thereafter Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Defence. Prior to this, he was also the defence attaché of Brunei to Malaysia in 2010.
Abdul Aziz bin Haji Mohd Tamit is a retired Bruneian military officer and politician. He previously served as the ninth Commander of the Royal Brunei Navy (RBN) from 2014 to 2015. He was also the Deputy Minister of Defence from 2015 to 2018.
Bolkiah Garrison, also referred to as Bolkiah Camp from its original name, is one of the military bases in Mukim Berakas 'A', Bandar Seri Begawan. It contains the main building for the Ministry of Defence (MinDef), and is also the headquarters of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF). International defence collaborations, meetings and bilateral exercises are planned and considered within this military base.
Wardi bin Haji Abdul Latip is a Bruneian military officer who became the commander of the Royal Brunei Air Force (RBAirF) from 2012 to 2015. Notably, he was also the Bruneian defence attaché to China in 2007.
The Training Institute Royal Brunei Armed Forces, natively known as Institut Latihan Angkatan Tentera Diraja Brunei is a military training establishment of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF), primarily for enlisted male and female recruit training, along with technical and junior leadership courses for non-commissioned officers (NCOs). It is currently located within Penanjong Garrison, Tutong TA2741, approximately 50 kilometres from Bandar Seri Begawan in the sultanate of Brunei. Approximately one-hundred courses are available per year. The annual anniversary ceremony of TI RBLF's inception was place on 7 April every year.
Mohammad Ismaon bin Haji Zainie is a retired Bruneian military officer who served as the Chief of Staff of the Joint Forces Headquarters of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces and the deputy commander of the Training Institute Royal Brunei Armed Forces. Additionally, he was among the contingent attached to the International Monitoring Team (IMT) in Mindanao.