Muara Naval Base

Coordinates: 05°01′56″N 115°04′54″E / 5.03222°N 115.08167°E / 5.03222; 115.08167
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Muara Naval Base
Pangkalan Tentera Laut Muara
Part of Royal Brunei Armed Forces
Muara, Brunei-Muara District, BT1328 in Brunei Darussalam
Muara Naval Base
Muara Naval Base near the mouth of the Brunei River. The blue-roofed building in front of the slipway is owned by Muara Maritime Services Sdn Bhd, a joint venture between Darussalam Assets Sdn Bhd and Naval Vessels Lürssen, to provide engineering support for all vessels of the Royal Brunei Navy.
Muara Naval Base is located in Brunei
Muara Naval Base
Muara Naval Base
Coordinates05°01′56″N 115°04′54″E / 5.03222°N 115.08167°E / 5.03222; 115.08167
Typenaval base, naval headquarters
Site information
OwnerGovernment of Brunei
Operator Royal Brunei Navy
Controlled byMinistry of Defence Brunei Darussalam
Open to
the public		no
Conditionoperational
WebsiteNavy.MinDef.gov.bn
Site history
Built1974; 50 years ago (1974)
In use1974–present
Garrison information
Current
commander		Capt Sarif Pudin Matserudin (acting)
OccupantsFleet 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[edit]

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 (the forerunner to the Royal Brunei Navy), 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 2011 iteration of the Brunei Darussalam International Defence Exhibition), 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 Negara Brunei Darussalam, 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 (18) 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 (20) 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[edit]

Three naval divisions are based in the naval base:

  • Operation Division[22]
  • Administrative Division[22]
  • Support Division[22]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "RB Navy organisation". MinDef.gov.bn. Royal Brunei Navy, Public Relations Unit, Ministry of Defence Brunei Darussalam. 2015. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  2. ^ 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.
  3. ^ Mohamed Deli bin Ahmad (1993). Brunei-Muara District. Department of Information, Prime Minister's Office. p. 18 – via Google Books.[failed verification]
  4. ^ 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.
  5. ^ 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.
  6. ^ "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.
  7. ^ Brunei Darussalam newsletter. Department of Information, Prime Minister's Office. 1989. p. 20 – via Google Books.
  8. ^ 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.
  9. ^ "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.
  10. ^ "GHD Annual Review 2002 / 2003" (PDF). GHD.com.au. GHD Pty Ltd. p. 15. Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 August 2008.
  11. ^ Brunei Darussalam long-term development plan. Government Print. Department, Prime Minister's Office, Brunei Darussalam. 2007. p. 208 – via Google Books.
  12. ^ "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.
  13. ^ 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.
  14. ^ "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.
  15. ^ Hancock, Paul (23 February 2014). "Trans Future 2 – car carrier vs navy". ShipwreckLog.com. Shipwreck Log. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  16. ^ "Ro-Ro ship incident in the Muara Channel". MTIC.gov.bn. Ministry of Transport and Infocommunications. Retrieved 19 May 2022.[dead link]
  17. ^ Waleed PD Mahdini (4 May 2012). "Sultan witnesses culmination of Hikmat Bersatu IV". Sultanate.com. Sultanate. Borneo Bulletin. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  18. ^ "CARAT Brunei kicks off at Muara Naval Base in Brunei". NavalToday.com. Naval Today, Navingo. 11 November 2014. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  19. ^ 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.
  20. ^ 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.
  21. ^ "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.
  22. ^ 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]

External links[edit]

Media related to Muara Naval Base at Wikimedia Commons

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