BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Friday, 19 September 2025 – The first phase of the Indo-Pacific Endeavour 2025 (IPE25), held from 12 to 18 September 2025, featured a series of Subject Matter Expert Exchanges (SMEEs) that further strengthened professional and people-to-people ties between the Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF) and the Australian Defence Force (ADF). The SMEEs covered various key areas, namely Religious Interaction, Human Performance and Workforce, International Law, and Cyber Knowledge Sharing. Reflecting the multifaceted scope of cooperation between the two-armed forces, the second phase of IPE25 is scheduled to commence in November 2025, further advancing the collaborative engagements established during this opening phase.
Religious Interactions were conducted on 15 September 2025, beginning with a lecture at Kolej Universiti Perguruan Ugama Seri Begawan (KUPU SB) delivered by Air Force Chaplain Flight Lieutenant Abdul Kader from ADF on “Feel like the Prophet Muhammad SAW felt: Examples of Emotional Intelligence". This was followed by a roundtable discussion between ADF and RBAF Religious Directorate on “Enhancing Chaplaincy Readiness in the Context of RBAF and ADF", alongside operational activities such as a demonstration of Solat Al-Khauf, showcasing how prayers may be performed during combat or emergencies, and a practical chaplaincy-in-the-field exercise. Participants also joined the Seminar Dakwah in conjunction with the Jubli Delima of Pusat Dakwah Islamiah, complemented by cultural and educational visits to the Yayasan Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah School of Islamic Arts and Calligraphy and the Balai Khazanah Islam SHHB (Raudhah Replica).
The program continued with discussions on Human Performance and Workforce on the same day, with the Directorate of Personnel, Ministry of Defence (Dte Pers MINDEF) focusing on the vital role of wellbeing and preparedness in military effectiveness. ADF and Dte Pers, MINDEF exchanged views on human resource management, including recruitment, career progression, retirement policies, and care for injured personnel. This was followed with a visit to the Performance Optimisation Centre at Bolkiah Garrison, offering firsthand insights into facilities supporting peak performance and rehabilitation, highlighting how the RBAF reintegrates injured personnel to maintain operational readiness.
International Law commenced on 16 September 2025, with discussions between ADF and the Judge Advocates General, RBAF encompassing around frameworks governing military operations, including humanitarian law, rules of engagement, and responsibilities in both peace and conflict.
Meanwhile, the Cyber Knowledge Sharing Session between ADF, Cyber Defence Unit, Joint Force Headquarters RBAF and Defence Information Technology Unit, MINDEF underscored the growing importance of resilience in the cyber domain. The exchange highlighted challenges faced in safeguarding information systems, strategies to strengthen cyber defence, and ways to counter emerging threats in the digital domain. The dialogue also paved the way for future cooperation in building more robust capabilities to ensure the integrity of communications and information networks.
The SMEEs under this first phase of IPE25 not only deepened cooperation between RBAF and ADF personnel but also reaffirmed their shared commitment to resilience, interoperability, and mutual respect, as both nations continue to work together in promoting regional peace, stability, and security.
INDO PACIFIC ENDEAVOUR 2025 PERKUKUH KERJASAMA ABDB–ADF MELALUI SMEEs
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Jumaat, 19 September 2025 – Fasa pertama bagi Indo-Pacific Endeavour 2025 (IPE25) yang diadakan dari 12 hingga 18 September 2025 telah berlangsung dengan pelbagai Subject Matter Expert Exchanges (SMEEs) mengukuhkan hubungan profesional serta jalinan mesra di antara Angkatan Bersenjata Diraja Brunei (ABDB) dan Australian Defence Force (ADF). SMEEs tersebut merangkumi beberapa bidang utama iaitu Religious Interaction, Human Performance and Workforce, International Law, dan Cyber Knowledge Sharing, mencerminkan kepelbagaian ruang bidang kerjasama di antara kedua-dua angkatan tentera. Fasa kedua IPE25 dijadualkan bermula pada bulan November 2025, bagi memperluaskan lagi jalinan kerjasama yang telah terbina melalui fasa pertama ini.
Interaksi Keagamaan yang diadakan pada 15 September 2025, menjadi salah satu tumpuan utama, dimulakan dengan ceramah di Kolej Universiti Perguruan Ugama Seri Begawan (KUPU SB) yang disampaikan oleh Imam Support Chaplain (Flight Lieutenant) Abdul Kader dari Chaplains Centre Royal Australian Air Force Williams Australia bertajuk “Feel like the Prophet Muhammad SAW felt: Examples of Emotional Intelligence". Sesi ini diikuti dengan perbincangan diantara ADF dan Jabatanarah Agama ABDB bertajuk “Enhancing Chaplaincy Readiness in the Context of RBAF and ADF", di samping aktiviti operasi yang merangkumi demonstrasi Solat Al-Khauf bagi memperlihatkan kaedah pelaksanaan solat dalam suasana peperangan atau dalam kecemasan, serta latihan praktikal chaplaincy in the field. Para peserta juga menghadiri Seminar Dakwah sempena Jubli Delima Pusat Dakwah Islamiah, diikuti dengan lawatan kebudayaan dan pendidikan ke Sekolah Seni dan Kaligrafi Islam Yayasan Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah serta Balai Khazanah Islam SHHB (Replika Raudhah).
Pada hari yang sama, perbincangan semasa Program Human Performance and Workforce bersama Jabatanarah Keanggotaan (Jbth Kgtn) dan ADF memberi tumpuan kepada aspek pengambilan, pembangunan kerjaya, persaraan serta sokongan pemulihan anggota, termasuk lawatan ke Pusat Optima Kecergasan Tentera di Bolkiah bagi meninjau sendiri kemudahan yang disediakan untuk mengekalkan kesiapsiagaan serta pemulihan anggota yang tercedera.
Program tersebut diteruskan dengan International Law pada 16 September 2025 diantara Unit Perundangan Tentera dan ADF, yang bertujuan untuk meneliti rangka kerja perundangan yang berkaitan dengan operasi ketenteraan, termasuk undang-undang kemanusiaan, rules of engagement serta tanggungjawab sama ada pada waktu aman mahupun ketika dalam suasana konflik, sekali gus memperkukuh kepentingan profesionalisme dan accountability dalam menjunjung prinsip undang-undang semasa operasi dijalankan.
Dalam bidang Perkongsian Pengetahuan Siber diantara Unit Pertahanan Siber, Unit Teknologi Maklumat Pertahanan dan ADF memberi penekanan terhadap kepentingan daya tahan dalam domain digital dengan perbincangan mengenai langkah-langkah melindungi sistem maklumat, memperkukuh pertahanan siber serta menangani ancaman baharu.
SMEEs sepanjang minggu di bawah IPE25 ini bukan sahaja memperdalamkan pemahaman dan kerjasama antara anggota ABDB dan ADF, malah turut menzahirkan komitmen bersama untuk memperkukuh ketahanan, interoperability dalam pelbagai bidang. Penglibatan ini seterusnya menegaskan kepentingan kerjasama yang berterusan dalam usaha memupuk keamanan, kestabilan dan keselamatan serantau.
