Brunei Outlines Modernisation Moves
BRUNEI has established the Special Operations Command as the command and control centre that would coordinate special operations within the Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF) Special Forces Regiment. Brunei’s King His Majesty Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah consented to the matter during the RBAF 65th anniversary celebration at the Royal Brunei Air Force (RBAirF) base in Rimba on May 31. His Majesty added that it is a highly significant strategic step in ensuring that the nation’s defence policy and planning continue to be aligned with regional and global geopolitical developments.
The Special Operations Command will coordinate special operations between the RBAF Special Forces Regiment as the Tier 1 force, together with Tier 2 Special Forces units within the RBAF, namely the Commando Force of the Royal Brunei Land Force, (RBLF) the Maritime Special Task Squadron of the Royal Brunei Navy (RBN), and the Special Forces of the RBAirF, effective from May 31.
In line with the strategic direction outlined through the Defence White Paper Update 2026 and the Force 2035 initiative, supported by key documents such as the Force Structure Review, Defence Posture, and Capability Development Plan, His Majesty noted that the RBAF will continue to grow with the establishment of several new units that will further enhance its credibility and capabilities.
“For the Royal Brunei Land Force, I have consented to the establishment of the Combined Arms Training Centre (PULGAT), which integrates all branches of training for operational competency under a single command,” His Majesty said.
Meanwhile, early next year, the Joint Force Headquarters of the RBAF is expected to commission the Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (C4ISR) system, which is currently undergoing active upgrades. In line with a comprehensive defence approach, from the perspective of Defence Diplomacy, this year is particularly significant with the Golden Jubilee celebration of defence relations between the RBAF and the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF).
Before the end of April, the RBAirF received their its final two C295MW aircraft from Airbus Defence and Space, successfully delivered to the RBAirF Rimba Air Force Base. The first two aircraft had been delivered in January 2024. Following that, the first pair of aircraft were subsequently introduced into service on February 14 that same year.
According to the Sultan, the RBAirF is set to receive the first batch of H145M multi-role helicopters also produced by Airbus Defence and Space. Signed in May 2024, the deal for six H145Ms would provide a broad range of mission capabilities and replace the retired Bolkow BO105 helicopters formerly flown by the RBAirF. In a statement from Brunei’s ministry of defence, the helicopters would “significantly enhance the RBAF’s operational capabilities for missions such as close air support (CAS), Aerial Observation, and various other operations.”
In a grand celebration, six partner air forces participated in the Air Capability Static Display alongside the RBAirF’s own assets such as the new C295MW, with a Boeing P-8A Poseidon from the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), an Airbus A400M from the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF), a Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) FA-50PH fighter aircraft from the Philippine Air Force (PAF), an F-16C/D and Airbus H225M from the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF), H145M from the British Army Air Corps (AAC), C-17 Globemasters from the Royal Air Force (RAF) and US Air Force Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) in addition to an MQ-9A Reaper unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). After that, the celebration continued with an aerial display from the RMAF Sukhoi Su-30MKM, RSAF Airbus A330 Multi-Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) and the Indonesian Air Force (TNI-AU) Jupiter Aerobatics Team.
In the first landing of its kind, the USAF’s MQ-9 Reaper touched down in Brunei to participate in the celebration. According to the US Embassy in Brunei, it was “the largest remotely piloted aircraft to land in Brunei”.–-shp/adj/dl (Pix:BN MINDEF, PAF, US EMB)