Royal Brunei Air Force | |
---|---|
Tentera Udara Diraja Brunei | |
Founded | 1 October 1991 |
Country | Brunei |
Allegiance | Sultan of Brunei |
Type | Air force |
Role | Aerial warfare, air defence, air policing, search and rescue |
Size | 22 manned aircraft, [1] plus 5 UAVs |
Part of | Royal Brunei Armed Forces |
Headquarters | Rimba, Brunei-Muara, Brunei |
Website | Official website |
Commanders | |
Commander of the air force | Brig Gen Sharif Ibrahim [2] [3] |
Deputy commander | Col Haszahaidi Ahmad Daud |
Chief of staff | Lt Col Mohammad Albadii Shahnoel |
Sergeant major | WO1 Suridi Ibrahim |
Notable commanders |
|
Insignia | |
Fin flash | |
Aircraft flown | |
Multirole helicopter | S-70i, Bell 214ST |
Trainer helicopter | Bell 206 |
Reconnaissance | RQ-21 |
Trainer | PC-7 Mk.II |
Transport | CN-235, Airbus C295 |
The Royal Brunei Air Force (RBAirF) (Malay : Tentera Udara Diraja Brunei, Jawi: تنترا اودار دراج بروني) is the air force of the sultanate of Brunei Darussalam. It is headquartered and mainly based at the Royal Brunei Air Force Base, Rimba, within the Brunei International Airport (BIA). [4] The role of the Royal Brunei Air Force is to defend the national airspace and to provide air policing and surveillance of its land and maritime borders. [5] As of 2024 [update] , the Royal Brunei Air Force operates twenty-two manned aircraft [1] and five unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV).
The Royal Brunei Air Force was formed as an independent air force on 1 October 1991 . It was originally created in 1965 as the Air Wing of the Royal Brunei Malay Regiment (Malay: Askar Melayu Diraja Brunei – AMDB), the forerunner of today's Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF). The Air Wing of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces had operated helicopters (the Bell 205) since 1966. [4]
The Royal Brunei Air Force was established as the Air Wing of the Royal Brunei Malay Regiment in 1965. [6] It was first tasked to fly doctors to rural area with two Sikorsky S-55 aircraft, which was operated by pilots from the Worldwide Helicopter Company. In 1966, the tasks were taken over by three British pilots from the Royal Air Force (RAF) operating three RAF Westland Whirlwind helicopters. [7]
In 1967, the unit was renamed as the Helicopter Platoon, and received five Bell 206 Jet Ranger helicopters. The Air Technical Training School was established in 1980. In 1981, No. 2 Squadron was established and equipped with six Bölkow BO105 helicopters.
No. 3 Squadron was established in 1982 and equipped with SIAI-Marchetti SF260s. On 1 September 1983, the No. 2 Wing was founded at what was previously the Air Defence Battery. When Brunei assumed responsibility for its own defence from the United Kingdom in 1984, the Air Wing was expanded. On 1 October 1991, with the consent of The Sultan, the Air Wing was officially renamed the Royal Brunei Air Force. [7] The Air Defence Battery was transferred to the Royal Brunei Air Force on 24 March 1995, and given the new name Air Defence Squadron.
No. 4 Squadron was established in 1997, and was equipped with the Blackhawk S-70A helicopters. No. 5 Squadron was also established in 1997, and was equipped with a CN-235 fixed-wing aeroplane and the Base Defence Squadron. In the same year, 3 Squadron received the Pilatus PC-7 Mk.II training aircraft. No. 38 Squadron was established in 1999, and is equipped with the Mistral surface-to-air missile, following acquisition of its Mistral System. [7] In the same year, Airfield Ground Defence was transferred from the RBAirF's Administration Wing to the Air Regiment.
A brand-new wing called No. 3 Wing was inaugurated on 27 July 2016. [8] In 2019, the RBAirF unveiled the Digital Disruptive Pattern BDU in digital grey colours at the 58th anniversary celebration at the Bolkiah Garrison. [9] As of 28 August 2020, the commander of the Royal Brunei Air Force is Brigadier General (U) Dato Seri Pahlawan Mohd Sharif bin Dato Paduka Haji Ibrahim.
Following an order made in 2020, the RBAirF acquired five Boeing Insitu RQ-21 Blackjack unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) from the United States in 2021. [10] They will be used for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) around Brunei's territorial waters in the South China Sea. [11] The first was unveiled by the Sultan of Brunei, Hassanal Bolkiah, an event held in June 2021 to mark the 60th anniversary of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces. [11]
A parade was held at the Air Movement Centre (AMC) in celebration of the 55th anniversary on 25 June 2021. Of note was the introduction of Integrator into the RBAirF, a drone unmanned aerial system (UAS). [12] In collaboration with the Philippine Air Force (PAF) on 3 December 2021, pilots from the Philippines will carry out their training with the S-70i Blackhawk flight simulator at the Canadian Aviation Electronics (CAE) Brunei Multi-Purpose Training Centre (BMPTC). [13]
The decommissioning ceremony of the RBAirF's Bölkow 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, administered and maintained by the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME) from the UK until 1993, this ended 41 years' service of the type as latterly operated by No. 1 Wing, Operations Group. [14]
The Royal Brunei Air Force is divided into seven (7) Wings: [15] [16]
The Operation Wing consists of four flying wings and three addition units:
In 2015, the Commander of the Air Force, Brigadier General Wardi Abdul Latip, stated that the Air force was actively working with Lockheed Martin to purchase a C-130J Super Hercules, with delivery expected in 2018. As of 2024, this plan is yet to materialize. In January 2015, the RBAirF transferred four of its S-70A Black Hawk’s to the Royal Malaysian Air Force. [28] [29] In 2014, eight Bell 212 helicopters were retired and decommissioned from service. [18] [30]
During Royal Brunei Armed Forces diamond jubilee celebration in 2021, an unmanned aerial system (UAS) programme was launched by the Sultan of Brunei, and a RQ-21 Blackjack model was unveiled by a US company, Insitu to the Sultan. This UAS will be used for maritime security surveillance role. [31] The newly acquired M134D Minigun will be expected to be integrated into the RBAirF later in 2022. [32]
Armaments for the aircraft consist of M134 Minigun's, FZ rockets and unguided air-to-surface SURA rockets. [33] [14] [34] There have been plans to secure fighter capability by purchasing several BAE Hawk aircraft, but these plans have been delayed on several occasions. [35] In November 2011, the White House announced that a deal has been secured by Sikorsky to sell 12 UH-60Ms to the Royal Brunei Air Force. [36]
Aircraft | Origin | Type | Variant | In service | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Transport | |||||
IPTN CN-235 | Indonesia | transport | 1 [37] | ||
Airbus C295 | Spain | transport | C295MW | 2 | 2 on order [38] out of 4. [39] |
Helicopters | |||||
Bell 214ST | United States | utility | 1 [37] | ||
Sikorsky UH-60 | United States | utility / transport | S-70i | 12 [37] | produced in Poland |
Trainer Aircraft | |||||
Bell 206 | United States | rotorcraft trainer | 2 [37] | ||
Pilatus PC-7 | Switzerland | trainer | 4 [37] | ||
UAV | |||||
Meggitt Banshee | United Kingdom | Target drone | Unknown | [40] | |
RQ-21 Blackjack | United States | ISTAR | 5 [41] [42] |
Previous aircraft operated were the Hawker Siddeley HS 748, Bell 212, Sikorsky S-55, MBB Bo 105, SIAI-Marchetti SF.260, Piper PA-28 Cherokee, Westland Wessex, and the Westland Whirlwind. [7] [43] [44]
The No. 2 Wing operate the P-STAR ground-based radar which provides a picture of the controlled airspace over Brunei [45]
A Bell 212 operated by the Royal Brunei Air Force crashed in Kuala Belait on 20 July 2012 with the loss of 12 of the 14 crew on board. [46] The cause of the accident has yet to be ascertained. [47] The crash is the worst aviation incident in the history of Brunei.
No. | Name (Birth–Death) | Term of office | Ref. | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Took office | Left office | Time in office | |||
1 | Major general Abidin Ahmad | 1982 | 1986 | 3–4 years | [48] |
2 | Colonel Jocklin Kongpaw | 27 March 1986 | ? | [49] | |
3 | Brigadier general Ibrahim Mohammed | ? | ? | [50] | |
4 | Brigadier general Mahmud Saidin | ? | 20 August 2009 | [51] | |
5 | Brigadier general Jofri Abdullah | 20 August 2009 | 7 December 2012 | 3 years, 109 days | [52] |
6 | Brigadier general Wardi Abdul Latip | 7 December 2012 | 26 September 2015 | 2 years, 293 days | [53] |
7 | Brigadier general Shahril Anwar | 26 September 2015 | 18 August 2018 | 2 years, 326 days | [54] |
8 | Major general Hamzah Sahat | 18 August 2018 | 28 August 2020 | 2 years, 10 days | [55] |
9 | Brigadier general Sharif Ibrahim | 28 August 2020 | Incumbent | 3 years, 212 days | [56] |
The rank insignia for commissioned officers for the Royal Brunei Air Force.
Rank group | General / flag officers | Senior officers | Junior officers | Officer cadet | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Royal Brunei Air Force | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Marsyal udara | Jeneral (udara) | Leftenan jeneral (udara) | Mejar jeneral (udara) | Brigedier jeneral (udara) | Kolonel (udara) | Leftenan kolonel (udara) | Mejar (udara) | Kapten (udara) | Leftenan (udara) | Leftenan muda (udara) |
Unlike most Commonwealth armed forces, Brunei has maintained 4 warrant officer ranks, used in conjunction with the standard Commonwealth NCO and enlisted personnel and ratings ranks. The following are the rank insignia for enlisted personnel for the Royal Brunei Air Force.
Rank group | Senior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Enlisted | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Royal Brunei Air Force | | No insignia | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Pegawai waran 1 (udara) | Pegawai waran 2 (udara) | Staf sarjan (udara) | Sarjan (udara) | Koperal (udara) | Lans koperal (udara) | Prebet/Soldadu (udara) |
Brunei International Airport (BIA), , is the primary international airport, one of two airports in the Sultanate of Brunei Darussalam, on the island of Borneo.
Number 230 Squadron Royal Air Force is a Royal Air Force (RAF) flying squadron, currently based at Medicina Lines in Brunei Darussalam, part of British Forces Brunei, operating the Westland Puma HC2. The squadron was previously part of Royal Air Force Germany (RAFG), operating the Puma HC1 there from 1980. Following the drawdown of the British Armed Forces in Germany at the end of the Cold War, the squadron disbanded on 30 April 1992. This was short-lived however, and the squadron reformed at RAF Aldergrove on 4 May 1992, again with the Puma HC1.
The Royal Brunei Navy, abbrev: RBN 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.
Air chief marshal Sir John Anthony Cheshire,, born 4 September 1942, is a retired senior Royal Air Force (RAF) commander.
The Royal Brunei Land Forces is the land component of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces. The RBLF has responsibility for maintaining the territorial defence of Brunei, both from attack from outsiders, and by assisting the Royal Brunei Police in maintaining law and order.
Celle Air Base German: Heeresflugplatz Celle is a military airbase of the German Army. The airfield is situated southwest of the city of Celle, Lower Saxony, Germany. It was opened in 1934 and has been in military use ever since. Today the aerodrome is used by a helicopter training school, a helicopter liaison and reconnaissance squadron and a helicopter maintenance unit utilising the type Bölkow Bo-105.
The Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF); Malay: Angkatan Bersenjata Diraja Brunei, (ABDB), is the 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 Forces (RBLF), the Royal Brunei Navy (RBN), and the Royal Brunei Air Force (RBAirF).
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The Brunei Darussalam International Defence Exhibition and Conference (BRIDEX), originally Brunei Darussalam International Defence Exhibition, was a biennial defence and security exhibition and conference held in Negara Brunei Darussalam. Involving all three service branches of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces, it started in 2007, and was launched by the Ministry of Defence Brunei Darussalam (MinDef).
No. 1563 Flight Royal Air Force was an independent flight of the Royal Air Force (RAF). The flight formerly operated the Westland Puma HC2 helicopters in Brunei Darussalam. It previously flew tactical support missions for locally garrisoned British Army units, as well as Belize Defence Force units in Belize. Between 1963 and 1972, it was stationed at RAF Akrotiri flying Westland Whirlwind HAR.10 helicopters on support missions for locally garrisoned British Army and United Nations troops.
Halbi bin Mohammad Yussof ; born 22 June 1956, is a Bruneian nobleman, military officer and politician who currently serves as a 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 Royal Brunei Land Forces (RBLF).
IBTE Sultan Bolkiah Campus, formerly known as Sultan Bolkiah Vocational School, is a campus of the Institute of Brunei Technical Education (IBTE), a post-secondary vocational institution in Brunei. It is located in Seria, Belait District. The institution offers vocational courses in the fields of welding and fabrication.
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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 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 14th Commander of the Royal Brunei Air Force (RBAirF) from 2018 to 2020.
Mohammad Sharif bin Ibrahim is the current commander of the Royal Brunei Air Force (RBAirF) since 28 August 2020. He became the first commanding officer of the Officer Cadet School (OCS), Defence Academy Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF), programme manager at the Centre of Science and Technology Research and Development (CSTRAD), and the country's first defence attaché in Washington, D.C., United States.
Shahril Anwar bin Ma'awiah is a Bruneian military officer who became the 13th Commander of the Royal Brunei Air Force from 2015 to 2018. Prior to this, he was also the defence attaché of Brunei to Malaysia in 2010.
Wardi bin Abdul Latip is a Bruneian military officer who became the 12th commander of the Royal Brunei Air Force (RBAirF) from 2012 to 2015. Notably, he was also the Bruneian defense attaché to China in 2007.
Pengiran Abidin bin Pengiran Ahmad is a Bruneian military officer who served as the Commander of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF) from 1997 until 1999.
Jocklin bin Kongpaw is a Bruneian military officer and diplomat who became the high commissioner to Canada from 1998 to 2000, and Australia from 2001 to 2003.