BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Wednesday 30 September 2015 – The Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) bilateral exercise between the United States Navy and the Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF) will schedule it 21st series of exercise this November 2015.
The preparation has been spanning from the Initial Planning Conference (IPC) in May all the way to the Final Planning Conference (FPC) which began on 29 September 2015 and came to a close today. The FPC was hosted by the United States Navy and was held at the Radisson Hotel in Bandar Seri Begawan.
The FPC which was co-chaired by Commander Shamsul Bahren bin Haji Taweh from the Joint Force Headquarters representing Brunei Darussalam and Captain Wyre Walter CTF-73, representing the US, saw participation from unit services of both the USN and RBAF.
During the conference, the participants engaged in working groups and discussed the development of respective units’ Sequence of Events (SOE) and final planning details for the successful conduct of CARAT 2015. Both sides finalized and confirmed their SOE updates, exercise as well as made key site visits. This is to further refine the exercise details in ensuring the objectives of FPC are met since the IPC.
In the closing session, both co-chairs have confidence and strong hope that the professionalism, commitment and hard work given by all participants paid off in setting out a smooth sequence during the exercise.
CARAT exercise 2015 aims to enhance regional cooperation build friendship and strengthen professional skills between the two participating forces. This exercise will be participated by personnel and assets from the Royal Brunei Land Force (RBLF), Royal Brunei Navy (RBN) and Royal Brunei Air Force (RBAirF) and other RBAF units such as the Military Police, Military Legal Unit, Medical Services Unit, and Public Relations Unit.