Head of the Information Service of the Indonesian Navy Fleet Command (Koarmada) II Navy Colonel (P) Widyo Sasongko stated on Thursday that the exercise aims to improve interoperability, especially in maintaining security and law enforcement at sea.
"This event is a biennial bilateral exercise held by the Indonesian Navy and the Royal Brunei Navy, focusing on improving interoperability between the two countries, containing material to support the implementation of maritime security," Sasongko explained.
According to the Navy colonel, the exercise would comprise two phases: harbor operations at the Koarmada II Command Headquarters in Surabaya and sea maneuvers in the Java Sea.
The Indonesian Navy is preparing two warships -- KRI Frans Kaisiepo-368 and KRI Tombak-629 -- for the exercise.
The RBN will also deploy two warships, namely KDB-Darulaman-08 and KDB Syafaat-19, and a team from the Navy Surface Action Group (NAVSAG) special forces.
In a series of preparations for the joint exercise, Commander of KRI Frans Kaisiepo-368 Lieutenant Colonel (P) Rivo De Havilland presented his plan to Commander of the Indonesian Navy Fleet Command II Rear Admiral Ariantyo Condrowibowo in a meeting at the Koarmada II Command Headquarters, Surabaya, on October 22.
After the presentation, Condrowibowo reminded the ship commander to routinely check the readiness of personnel and defense equipment.
"Security and safety must always be a priority in every assignment," he stressed.
The biennial Helang Laut Joint Exercise alternates between Indonesia and Brunei Darussalam with the previous iteration in Brunei in 2022.
KRI Frans Kaisiepo-368, prepared for this year's joint exercise, also participated in the same exercise in 2015.
While Indonesia and Brunei Darussalam share Borneo's landmass with Malaysia, they do not share maritime borders as Brunei's maritime border mostly faces the South China Sea.
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Translator: Genta Tenri M, Resinta Sulistiyandari
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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