• Today: September 16, 2026

Brunei, US maritime forces begin CARAT Brunei 2026

The Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF) and United States maritime forces have begun the annual Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) Brunei 2026 exercise, aimed at strengthening maritime cooperation and interoperability between the two countries, according to a press statement from the US Embassy in Bandar Seri Begawan,

An opening ceremony was held on Sept 14, bringing together sailors, coastguardsmen and maritime forces from Brunei Darussalam and the United States.

The exercise features the US Coast Guard Sentinel-class fast response cutter USCGC Emlen Tunnell and Independence-variant littoral combat ship USS Canberra, alongside a P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol and reconnaissance aircraft.

Personnel from the US 7th Fleet, Destroyer Squadron 7 and several task forces will also participate.

The US forces will operate alongside a Royal Brunei Navy Darussalam-class offshore patrol vessel, PV-80, and a Sikorsky S-70i Black Hawk helicopter.

Personnel from both countries’ dive and legal teams will conduct subject matter expert exchanges, while the shore phase will include a bilateral sports day, community service activities and cultural exchanges.

An opening ceremony was held on Sept 14, bringing together sailors, coastguardsmen and maritime forces from Brunei Darussalam and the United States. PHOTO: US EMBASSY BSB

Classroom and practical training will focus on capabilities including maritime domain awareness and tactical combat casualty care.

“There is nothing more valuable than the strong partnerships and alliances we have built here in Brunei and across Southeast Asia,” said US Coast Guard Capt Mike Ross, commodore of the Expeditionary Cutter Squadron.

“Maritime stability depends on our ability to learn, train, and operate together, which makes us more capable than what we can achieve individually,” he said.

Chief of Staff, Joint Force Commander, RBAF Col Muhammad Suwardi Ariffin Bin Pehin Datu Laksamana Dato Paduka Haji Abdul Latiff said CARAT had been conducted in Brunei Darussalam since 1995.

“Thirty-two iterations later, CARAT stands as a testament to the enduring friendship, mutual trust and defence cooperation between Brunei Darussalam and the United States,” he said.

The exercise’s tactical, at-sea phase in the South China Sea will focus on combat readiness through a series of complex exercises.

These will include anti-submarine warfare, maritime domain awareness and command-and-control coordination, as well as visit, board, search and seizure tactics to strengthen maritime interdiction capabilities.

CARAT is a long-running exercise series designed to enhance the ability of US and partner forces to operate together in responding to shared maritime challenges in the region.

 

SOURCE/AUTHOR : BORNEO BULLETIN

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