Soldiers of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF) and the Australian Defence Force (ADF) demonstrated their strong defence skills during the Indo-Pacific Endeavour (IPE) 2022. This is one of the key regional engagement activities coordinated by the Australian Defence Force. This annual activity aims to strengthen Australia’s engagement and partnerships with the regional security forces.
The bilateral exercise began with the two nations’ integrated teams traveling together in small boats of Zodiac and Gemini. Their first task was to demonstrate an assault on an enemy position they already knew. The aim was to destroy an extremely important target. Lieutenant Jack Carroll, one of the platoon commanders of the Australian army, spent the next few days with his team in the jungle. The ADF personnel took part in the navigation training led by the RBAF in this area.
Right from the beginning of the exercise, the defence personnel of both countries coordinated well with each other. During their time in the jungle, they realized they had many things in common. They also saw that their procedures could be adapted quite easily to operate with one another on a variety of missions. The Indo-Pacific Endeavour proved to be an excellent opportunity for the RBAF and ADF to build new professional relationships.
The ADF personnel also had the chance to spend some time with their RBAF colleagues in a more relaxed environment. They explored the local food markets and Brunei’s capital, Bandar Seri Begawan, as a part of the tour organized by the RBAF. It ended at Maura Beach, the location of the Brunei-Australia WW2 memorial. According to Lieutenant Carroll, this was the perfect farewell after building a strong connection between the two teams.