KDB Darulehsan Sails for RIMPAC 2020 Exercise

04 Agustus 2020

KDB Darulehsan 07 offshore patrol vessels (photo : Alchetron)

MUARA, Wednesday – KDB DARULEHSAN set sail to embark on a 67-days deployment to participate in the 27th Rim of the Pacific exercise scheduled to be held in and around the Hawaiian Islands, United States of America (USA) from 17 -31 August 2020.

KDB DARULEHSAN is captained by Commander Haji Edy Jofren bin Pehin Datu Penglima Dato Paduka Haji Abdul Jalil, who will be leading the Brunei contingent comprising of 70 personnels, comprising of officers, crews and technical staffs.

Exercise RIMPAC is renowned as the world's largest multilateral maritime exercise, held biennially and hosted by the Commander of the United States Pacific Fleet (COMPACFLT). The exercise will entail an involvement from more than 22 surface ships, multiple aircrafts and one submarine. KDB DARULEHSAN is scheduled to come alongside at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam on the 12th August 2020. To quell the transmission of the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak, RIMPAC 2020 will only be an at-sea-only construct and there are no plans for social events ashore. The sea phase evolutions will focus on anti-submarine warfare, maritime intercept operation and live-firing training.

This deployment marks a significant milestone in establishing Royal Brunei Navy (RBN) as a reliable maritime partner in the region on both bilateral and multilateral platforms. It is also noteworthy that it would be a great learning experience for officers and crew in achieving KDB DARULEHSAN full operational capabilities. KDB DARULEHSAN is scheduled to return to Muara Naval Base on 27th September 2020. Royal Brunei Navy participated in RIMPAC in 2014 and 2018.

RIMPAC 2020 will be led by Commander US Third Fleet, Vice Admiral Scott D. Conn.

(Bru Mindef)