MORE ASSETS TO ARRIVE FOR UPCOMING HADR EX
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Saturday 15 June 2013 – More military assets and personnel are arriving from the countries involved in the upcoming HADR exercise. The miitary assets are comprised of naval, air and engineering assets, followed by Real-Life Support (RLS) assets where logistical and administrative support and assistance are also provided such as rations, transport and accomodation.
The great number of assets contributed by each respective country is a testament to the scale and magnitude of the HADR exercise. The assets ensure that the scenarios played out during the exercise are realistic and mirrors wartime environment as close as possible.
Expected assets yet to arrive to their designated areas include air and naval assets from China and the United States of America. Chinese assets expected to arrive include one Z-8, the Hospital Ship ‘Peace Ark’ and PLA-N Kunlun Shan. Assets expected from the United States of America include T-AKE 9 U5N5 USS Matthew Perry and two Puma aircrafts.
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US AND CHINA SHIPS ARRIVED TODAY
MUARA, Sunday 16 June 2013 – Ships from the United States of America, T-AKE 9 U5N5 USS Matthew Perry and the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN), PEACE ARK arrived today to partake in the ASEAN Defense Minister’s Meeting Plus Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief & Military Medicine Exercise scheduled to start tomorrow, 17 until 20 June 2013.
USNS Matthew Perry (T-AKE-9) is a Lewis and Clark-class dry cargo ship of the United States Navy, named in honor of Commodore Matthew C. Perry (1794–1858), who led the effort to open Japan to trade with the West. The 689-foot-long supply ship serves under the Navy's Military Sealift Command. The ship is capable of delivering almost 10,000 tons of dry cargo and petroleum products at one time to U.S. Navy and allied ships underway at sea.
This ship was one of several participating in disaster relief after the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami. During the 21 days of operations, Matthew Perry completed 17 separate replenishment events and delivering more than 1.5 million gallons (5,700 m³) of fuel and transported relief supplies.
Both USNS Matthew Perry and PEACE ARK’s visit to Brunei Darussalam aims at making contributions to the regional cooperation in non-traditional security, and also at promoting friendship among the ADMM-Plus nations. The PEACE ARK will be open to the public from 9-12 am on June 18th. Visitors can board the ship and have a guided tour.
FACT SHEET ON CHINESE PEOPLE’S LIBERATION ARMY NAVY (PLAN), PEACE ARK
Commissioned in December 2008, the ship carries the hull number of 866. 178m in length, 24m in beam, and 35.5m in height, she has 8 levels and a full-load displacement of 14300t. Her 4000m2 medical service facility is laid out into 5 areas, delivering capabilities of patient transfer, triage, surgery, diagnosis and treatment, and evacuation. Praised as a ‘ship of life’, Ark Peace shoulders responsibilities for the wartime casualty treatment and evacuation at sea, international humanitarian and disaster relief, and military foreign exchange.
The ship bears following special features:
1. Outstanding ocean-going rescue capability. PEACE ARK outstands in seaworthiness, and maneuverability. With an endurance of 30 days and nights, a wind-proof capacity against hurricane, and a maximum speed of 20 knots, the ship steams safely when sea state is phenomenal, showing strong capabilities of ocean-going navigation and underway surgery in heavy seas. The ship also has the capacity for one heli-ambulance.
2. Diversified rescue facility. The ship is equipped with 6 whole-sealing casualty lifeboats. Added with a flexible casualty transfer capability delivered by the heli-ambulance, hanging baskets, and alongside transfer gear, the diversified rescue facility ensures that Ark Peace receives and evacuates the sick and wounded in the most efficient way.
3. Fully equipped medical facilities. PEACE ARK contains 7 medical staff offices, 8 nurse stations, 8 operating theatres, 300 beds, and 2414 sets of medical devices in 217 types. The hospital has 18 departments and facilities including burn wards, BCTUs, ICUs, radiological services such as X-ray, CT, and color ultrasonography, stomatological services, and a medical information center. Equipped with devices like anesthesia respirator and high-frequency electrome, the facilities make the maritime medical platform fully capable as a major hospital on land.
4. Sophisticate supporting systems. A supporting system integrating a telemedicine platform, a medical LAN, and video monitors enables medical staff to involve in long-range consultation via satellite with hospitals ashore, and to perform sophisticate surgeries far away from homeland. A waste and sewage disposal unit can incinerate and package solid wastes, and filter and purify medical sewage to meet the requirements of The International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution From Ships. The hospital facility onboard adopts a clean air conditioning system, which produces air with cleaniness up to international standard.
5. Expertised medical staff. The maritime hospital is staffed with 102 doctors and nurses, of whom 15 are PhDs, and 29 are masters. The 46 doctors are majored in surgery, internal medicine, gynecology, ophthalmology, otolaryngology, and traditional Chinese medicine. 5 of them are domestic lead researchers in gastroenterology, ophthalmology, and TCM. The medical staff is capable of performing a wide spectrum of surgical procedures like skull tumor resection, uterine myomectomy, and cataract extraction, to name just a few, and giving TCM treatment, such as acupuncture, cupping, and acupotomy.
PEACE ARK has actively involved in actions to heal the wounded and rescue the dying, spreading friendship and giving care. Major events seeing the participation of her include the 2009 Medical Journey along China’s Coastline, the 2009 International Fleet Review in celebration of the 60thAnniversary of PLA Navy, the 2012 Russia-China Joint Naval Exercise, and the East Sea Cooperation 2012, a Military-Civilian Joint exercise for Maritime Rights Protection. From August to November 2010, Ark Peace paid goodwill and medical visits to Djibouti, Kenya, Tanzania, Seychelles, and Bangladesh, receiving 12800 outpatients, offering physical examination to more than 2100 persons, and performing 97 surgeries. With a record of 39 successful cataract extraction and intraocular lens implantation surgeries, the ship and her staff was crowned by local patients as “a light bringer sent by the God”. From September to December 2011, the ship steamed across the Pacific Ocean and through the Panama Canal to the Caribbean Area, offering medical service to Cuba, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, and Costa Rico. The medical staff gave outpatient service to 10840 persons, physical examination to 600 persons, and performed successfully 118 surgeries. Also of a special note is the TCM therapy, which gave local patients personal experience of the marvelous Chinese medicine.
As a ship of life carrying humanitarian aid, PEACE ARK will continue to take care of the health of people in the world with sincerity, expertise, and high quality service. Also, as a messenger of peace, she pursues the mission to promote friendship, cooperation and harmony, while presents and contributes to the good image of PLA Navy with openness and confidence.