Royal Brunei Armed Forces military and civilian contractors prepare Banshee Target drones for launch from the dock landing ship USS Fort McHenry (LSD 43). The drones were used as targets during underway gunnery exercises. Photo by JOsn David J. Ham, USN

Dive Training
RBN and U.S. Navy master divers put together a dive plan that focused on the MK21 hardhat diving rig and each other’s emergency procedures. The plan included classroom instruction on beach gear, self-contained underwater breathing apparatus operations, MK21 deep-sea diving hardhat, and emergency procedures. U.S. Navy BMC Eric Dewitt noted, “The training and planning phase is the most important part of any successful diving operation. If one person is not ‘on the same page,’ it could affect the dive plan.”

RBN sailors watch a U.S. Coast Guardsman demonstrate U.S. handcuff techniques during a law enforcement seminar aboard the U.S. Coast Guard cutter Mellon (WHEC 717). U.S. Navy photo by JOC Melinda Larson, USNR

Before diving operations, RBN and U.S. Navy divers viewed each other’s recompression chambers and diving equipment during tours of the RBN diving facility and the USS Salvor (ARS 52). The RBN and U.S. Navy deep-sea divers worked side by side aboard the USS Salvor. The RBN divers dove with the U.S. Navy’s MK21 hardhat to about 50 feet (15 meters). The divers also became familiar with each other’s emergency procedures. Along with training, the RBN and U.S. divers found time to divide into combined teams for a friendly game of football.

U.S. Coast Guard Shares Boarding Tips
Law enforcement officers from the U.S. Coast Guard cutter Mellon (WHEC 717) shared their expertise in vessel boarding with RBN sailors. “Ninety percent of the violations the RBN sees are fishery related,” said U.S. Coast Guard Lt. j.g. Robb Roble. “They board the boats and detain them for the Marine Police.”

Safety is a global issue when it comes to boarding errant vessels and knowing the extreme actions some smugglers might employ is critical. “We send a safety team in first to assess the risks. The team goes through areas of potential dangers to our crews,” said Lt. j.g. Roble. “For instance, it’s important to go down below and pick up deck plates in engineering spaces to make sure there’s no water coming in. Smugglers have been known to sink their own ships.”

The law-enforcement and vessel-boarding seminar provided an overview of techniques applicable to a variety of situations, including showing how the U.S. Coast Guard detains individuals. The RBN sailors were most interested in the handcuffs the U.S. Coast Guard uses. “We use cable ties instead of handcuffs,” said RBN Pvt. Sahdu bin Haji Samid from the RBN’s coastal patrol craft Perwira.