A heart pounding military exercise involving deployment of sophisticated military assets of both land and air for capturing heavily armed terrorists and rescuing hostages was played out yesterday at the Field Firing Area, Binturan Range.

His Royal Highness Prince General Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah ibni His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu'izzaddin Waddaulah, the Crown Prince and Senior Minister at the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), and General of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces observed the exercise as it unfolded.

The exercise was part of the ongoing Exercise Hikmat Bersatu V/2016 (HB V/2016) military exercise that entered the fifth day yesterday.

The media were given access to observe the whole scenario at the Field Firing Area yesterday but only allowed limited photographic opportunity due to military sensitivity.

In the scenario, a group of heavily armed terrorists had taken hostages and made their stronghold in an area.

Special forces were deployed to make interdiction. Interdiction is a military term for the act of delaying, disrupting or destroying enemy forces or supplies en route to the battle area.

During the exercise, a tactical rescue operation was launched by highly skilled special forces and upon a successful rescue operation, other forces were seen moving in to clear all enemy positions, as barrage of guns were fired with sniper elites assisting from the distance.

It can be seen during the exercise that several armoured vehicles were used, including military helicopters making impressive manoeuvres.

Prior to the exercise, His Royal Highness made his landing via military helicopter at the Field Firing Area, Binturan Range, where he was greeted by Brigadier General Pengiran Dato Seri Pahlawan Aminan bin Pengiran Haji Mahmud, Commander of the Royal Brunei Land Forces and Colonel Haji Abidin bin Haji Abdul Hamid, Commandant of Training Institute of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces who is the Deputy Exercise Director.

The operation that took almost half-an-hour involved the Royal Brunei Land Forces and the Special Forces Regiment of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF). The exercise kicked off on April 1 and will end on April 7.

Also providing support throughout the exercise are the First Battalion of the Royal Gurkha Rifles (1RGR), Gurkha Reserve Unit, Royal Brunei Police Force, district offices, as well as a few mukims and villages.

Exercise Hikmat Bersatu held this year is the fifth in a series of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces exercise since its inception in 2003.

The concept of Exercise HB V/2016 is a continuation from the Exercise Perisai Kebangsaan IV/2015 (EPK IV/2015), focusing mainly on Non-Traditional Security Threats.

The exercise aims to provide a comprehensive training opportunity for the RBAF, set in the context of a realistic contemporary scenario, which is a follow-up of EPK IV/2015 conducted in October 2015.

Its objectives are to test the RBAF's current capability to plan and operate within a joint environment at the operational level; to validate RBAF's reviewed Joint Operational Doctrine and Standard Operating Procedures and to identify potential future capability requirements.

The focus of Exercise Hikmat Bersatu V relates to Non-Traditional Security Threats.

After observing the exercise at the Field Firing Area, Binturan Range, His Royal Highness proceeded to Bukit
Agok by helicopter and was greeted by Colonel (U) Shahril Anwar bin Haji Ma'awiah, Commander of the Royal Brunei Air Force upon arrival.

A briefing was delivered by the Commanding Officer No. 2 Wing, Royal Brunei Air Force before His Royal Highness witnessed live firing of the Mistral missile.

Source:
@BRUDIRECT.COM

by BruDirect.com

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