Singapore, Indonesia hold joint naval drill Eagle Indopura

The navies of Republic of Singapore and Indonesia are taking part in the joint naval exercise Eagle Indopura which kicked off at Changi Naval Base in Singapore on April 19.

The bilateral exercise aims to enhance the interoperability and professionalism of both navies through anti-surface and anti-air warfare serials, as well as maritime security serials.

For the first time since inception, this year’s exercise will feature a counter-terrorism serial in the maritime environment between the RSN’s Maritime Security Task Force (MSTF) and the TNI AL’s Western Fleet Sea Security Group, GUSKAMLABAR (GKBA).

Both navies exercised information sharing and sense-making to enhance maritime awareness, and joint operational planning to provide responses for regional maritime security contingencies. During the serial, both headquarters collaborated effectively to deploy naval assets to disrupt a simulated terror attack threatening commercial shipping transiting through the Singapore Strait.

This year, the RSN participated with a Formidable-class frigate RSS Formidable, a Victory-class missile corvette RSS Valour, and for the first time, an Independence-class littoral mission vessel – RSS Independence.

The TNI AL participated with two Diponegoro-class frigates KRI Diponegoro (embarked with BO-105 helicopter) and KRI Sultan Iskandar Muda, a Kondor-class patrol craft KRI Pulau Rusa and quick reaction force teams from GKBA, and a CN-235 maritime patrol aircraft.

Held since 1974, Exercise Eagle Indopura is the Singapore Armed Forces’ longest-running bilateral exercise with a foreign military.

The exercise is scheduled to conclude on April 27.