August 28, 2023
SINGAPORE – More than 300 servicemen from the Singapore and Indonesian navies took part in a six-day bilateral military exercise in Batam and its surrounding waters.
From Tuesday to Sunday, the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) and the Indonesian Navy (TNI AL) conducted the 27th edition of the Singapore Armed Forces’ longest-running bilateral exercise with a foreign military, Exercise Eagle Indopura.
In a statement on Sunday, Singapore’s Ministry of Defence (Mindef) said sailors from both navies conducted joint planning, professional exchanges and sports activities during the shore phase.
At sea, both navies conducted a series of serials including gunnery firing, as well as air defence, communication and manoeuvring exercises.
Both navies also exercised responses to maritime security threats, leveraging information provided by their respective operations centres and the RSN’s Information Fusion Centre to track simulated vessels of interest, Mindef said.
The exercise ended with a sail-past of the participating ships.
The RSN deployed a Formidable-class frigate RSS Intrepid, a Victory-class missile corvette RSS Vigour and a Fokker-50 Maritime Patrol Aircraft, while the Indonesian navy participated with a Diponegoro-class frigate KRI Sultan Iskandar Muda, with an embarked AS565 Panther helicopter, a Sampari-class fast-attack craft KRI Halasan and a CN-235 maritime patrol aircraft.
Commanding Officer of RSS Intrepid, Lieutenant-Colonel Chua Sheng Hao, highlighted the significance of the exercise in enhancing professionalism and understanding between the two navies.
He said: “Exercise Eagle Indopura serves as a valuable platform for both navies to enhance our mutual cooperation and understanding. The exercise has also allowed sailors from both navies to collaborate, learn from one another, and strengthen warm ties of friendship and partnership.”
Both navies conduct regular professional exchanges, exercises and port calls, said Mindef. They also collaborate through the multilateral Malacca Straits Patrol, which also includes Thailand and Malaysia.
These regular interactions have enhanced the close ties and mutual understanding between the personnel of both navies, Mindef added.