BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Tuesday, 19 September 2023 – The Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) is a yearly bilateral exercise between the Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF) and United States Navy (USN) with the involvement for the very first time, a vessel and crew from the United States Coast Guard Cutter (USCGC) MUNRO.
Joint Force Headquarters (JFHQ) hosted an official dinner at Tarindak D’Seni on Monday, 18 September 2023, followed by a courtesy call to Brigadier General (U) Dato Seri Pahlawan Haji Alirupendi bin Haji Perudin, Joint Force Commander RBAF the next day from Rear Admiral Joaquin J. Martinez de Pinillos, Vice Commander, United State Seventh Fleet (US 7th Fleet) at the Tower Block, Ministry of Defence, Bolkiah Garrison. Also present was the Defence Attaché of the United States of America to Brunei Darussalam, India and Southeast Asia Country Desk Officer for Theater Security Cooperation, along with Staff Officer Grade 1 J7 JFHQ. The Joint Force Commander welcomed and thanked Rear Admiral Joaquin J. Martinez de Pinillos’s and expressed appreciation for the close defense relations between Brunei Darussalam and United States of America.
CARAT 29/2023 comprised a diverse range of at-sea, air and ashore activities. The, Subject-Matter-Expert-Exchange (SMEE) programs included a Legal Symposium, Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA), Medical Exchange, Force Protection Training, Maritime Aviation Practices, Expeditionary Mine Countermeasures (Ex MCM), Women’ Peace and Security Program and Band performances. In addition, a musical outreach and Community Relations programme took place at the Child Development Centre, Kiarong and a public performance at One City Shopping Centre, Salambigar.
The annual CARAT exercise is intended to improve the RBAF and other participating agencies interoperability, professionalism, and proficiency as well as improve collaboration in response to both traditional and non-traditional security challenges. The CARAT 29/2023 Exercise was carried out for eleven days from 9 September 2023 until 19 September 2023.
KUNJUNGAN HORMAT DAN MAJLIS MAKAN MALAM SEMPENA COOPERATION AFLOAT READINESS AND TRAINING YANG KE-29 BAGI TAHUN 2023 (CARAT 29/2023)
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Selasa, 19 September 2023– Eksesais Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) yang ke-29 bagi tahun 2023 adalah eksesais dua-hala diantara Angkatan Bersenjata Diraja Brunei (ABDB) dan Tentera Laut Amerika Syarikat (TLAS) dengan penglibatan buat pertama kalinya daripada United States Coast Guard Cutter (USCGC) MUNRO.
Markas Angkatan Bersama telah menganjurkan majlis makan malam di Tarindak D’Seni pada hari Isnin, 18 September 2023 dan pada keesokkan harinya, Pemerintah Angkatan Bersama ABDB telah menerima kunjungan hormat daripada Rear Admiral Joaquin J. Martinez de Pinillos, Vice Commander, United State Seventh Fleet (US 7th Fleet) di Blok Menara, Kementerian Pertahanan, Bolkiah Garison. Turut hadir bersama adalah Atase Pertahanan Amerika Syarikat ke Negara Brunei Darussalam, India and Southeast Asia Country Desk Officer for Theater Security Cooperation dan Pegawai Turus J7 MAB. Pemerintah AB mengucapkan terima kasih atas kehadiran Rear Admiral Joaquin J. Martinez de Pinillos dan menyampaikan rasa penghargaan atas hubungan pertahanan dua hala yang akrab diantara Negara Brunei Darussalam dan Amerika Syarikat.
Semasa latihan CARAT (29/2023), pelbagai kegiatan di laut, udara dan darat telah dikendalikan. Ini termasuk program bertukar kepakaran (SMEE) seperti Perundangan Tentera, Kesedaran Maritim (MDA), Perubatan, Latihan Perlindungan Pasukan, Maritime Aviation Practices, Expeditionary Mine Countermeasures (Ex MCM), Program Interaksi Wanita dan Pancaragam. Selain itu, persembahan muzik dan titian amal telah berlangsung di Pusat Perkembangan Kanak-kanak, Kiarong dan persembahan awam di One City Shopping Centre, Salambigar.
Eksesais CARAT ini bertujuan untuk meningkatkan interoperabiliti, profesionalisme dan kecekapan kedua-dua angkatan tentera dan agensi-agensi yang mengambil bahagian serta meningkatkan kerjasama dalam memberikan tindak balas dalam menangani cabaran keselamatan tradisional dan bukan tradisional. Eksesais CARAT 29/2022 telah dikendalikan selama sebelas hari, bermula dari 9 September 2023 dan berakhir pada 19 September 2023.