The Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF; (ABDB) Jawi: ) is the official organisation and collective term for all of the military forces or service branches of the sultanate of Brunei Darussalam. The RBAF consists of three primary military branches; the Royal Brunei Land Force (RBLF / TDDB), the Royal Brunei Navy (RBN / TLDB), and the Royal Brunei Air Force (RBAirF / TUDB).
The supreme commander of the RBAF is held by the Sultan of Brunei, currently Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, holding the rank of field marshal. Its professional head is known as the Commander of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces, holding the rank of major general, its incumbent is Haszaimi Bol Hassan. The RBAF are controlled and managed by the Ministry of Defence Brunei Darussalam (MinDef), from their headquarters within Bolkiah Garrison.
The forerunner to the RBAF, the Brunei Malay Regiment, was formed on , with British military support, and has continued to include officers on loan from the British military. 31 May is annually marked as Armed Forces Day.
History Brunei Malay Regiment The forerunner to the Royal Brunei Armed Forces was originally called the Brunei Malay Regiment (BMR), (AMB), Jawi: . It faced a significant challenge during its establishment, due to the Brunei revolt on the night of 7–8 December 1962. This uprising highlighted the need for stronger national security, prompting the government to expedite the development of a more robust defence force. Despite this urgency, the trained Brunei Malay Regiment members were restricted to their camp during the insurrection, missing the chance to prove their effectiveness. In response, the United Kingdom deployed its own forces, including the Gurkhas, to Brunei Darussalam.
Brunei Malay Regiment personnel continued their training in the Federation of Malaya during 1963 without issues. Malaya Deputy Prime Minister Tun Abdul Razak hoped Brunei Darussalam would send more soldiers, enough to form a battalion. Recruitment for additional enlisted soldiers, aged 18 to 25, took place in May, and Brunei Darussalam also called for volunteers for short-service commissions in December. Selected candidates from Segenting Camp at Port Dickson underwent a six-week officer cadet training programme at the Federation Military College in Sungai Besi. By the end of 1963, the regiment's strength had reached 410 personnel. When Brunei Darussalam declined an invitation to join the Federation of Malaya in August 1963, Malaya withdrew its personnel from Brunei Darussalam, affecting the capability of the Brunei Malay Regiment. Additionally, the abrupt withdrawal from Malayan training sites also posed some issues for Brunei Darussalam, although backup plans were in place.
By early 1964, it became clear that the Royal Malay Regiment could no longer provide officers, trainers, or services for Brunei Darussalam. Despite this, the initial phase of Brunei's Berakas Camp was nearly complete. Lieutenant Colonel D.M. Fletcher replaced the Malayan commanding officer of the Brunei Malay Regiment. British Army troops on secondment filled the adjutant (Adj) and regimental sergeant major (RSM) positions. On 2 May 1964, the Brunei Malay Regiment moved from Segenting Camp to their new permanent headquarters at Berakas Camp. By the end of the year, the Brunei Malay Regiment was ready to take on many internal security duties previously handled by British Forces Brunei (BFB) personnel. Although specific details were not disclosed, Major General Dato Walter confirmed on 11 July 1964, that the Brunei Malay Regiment was now operational within the state. Mid-year, the Sultan named the new encampment Bolkiah Camp, designed to house the Brigade Headquarters, support troops, and accommodate 700 to 800 personnel.
Royal Brunei Malay Regiment In 1965, the Brunei Malay Regiment was further strengthened and officially became the Royal Brunei Malay Regiment (RBMR), (AMDB), Jawi: . On 31 May 1965, the Sultan bestowed the title 'Royal' () at its fourth-anniversary parade. The Royal Brunei Malay Regiment's expansion continued in 1966, despite Malaysia's temporary halt in providing military training to Brunei Darussalam. However, rifle companies did train in Kota Belud in February and March. During the regiment's fifth-anniversary celebrations in Brunei Darussalam, it was presented with the Royal Colours, which remained until 31 May 1971, when they were replaced. Around this time, British officers began transferring some of their duties to local officers, with Captain Mohammad being appointed as Adjutant. In October, soldiers from the regiment's number 6 and 9 platoons conducted small-scale operations in Bukit Belalong, Temburong District, capturing four North Kalimantan National Army (TNKU) members who had infiltrated from Sarawak. The following year, on 18 April, the Sultan honoured several troops, including Second Lieutenant Musa and Second Lieutenant Hussien, at an investiture ceremony at Istana Darul Hana.
In 1967, the headgear emblem and shoulder titles of the Royal Brunei Malay Regiment were updated from black and white backgrounds to new green and gold colours. Operational dress code changes included adopting the olive green (OG) shirt and trousers design from the British Army, with flashes worn on jungle helmets instead of company colours. A new advancement policy for Brunei Darussalam commissioned officers, modelled after the British Army system, was implemented. Three local officers, Captain Sulaiman, Captain Awangku Ibnu, and Captain Mohammad, attended a three-month advanced course in small arms and tactics at the School of Infantry in Warminster, Wiltshire, England. Upon completion, they were to attach to an infantry brigade in England, and then spend a month each with three different British Army of the Rhine (BAOR) battalions in West Germany.
On 7 April 1969, the Royal Brunei Malay Regiment established a Training Wing, marking the beginning of significant growth. By the end of the year, the regiment had reorganised and expanded to 928 soldiers. Bolkiah Camp became home to an independent training facility, with administrative components of Berakas Camp combined under a new headquarters wing. A trial army cadet programme in secondary schools was introduced, turning these schools into a source of prospective recruits. On the regiment's fourteenth anniversary, the 2nd Battalion Royal Brunei Malay Regiment (2Bn RBMR) was formed after nearly two years of training. In 1976, a major recruiting campaign was launched to fill the ranks of the specialised Gurkha Reserve Unit (GRU); created from former British Gurkha troops. Additionally, in 1981, the Women's Company (, literally 'Women's Soldier Company') of the Royal Brunei Malay Regiment was established, with Pengiran Isteri Hajah Mariam serving as its Colonel-in-Chief.
Due to Britain's planned military withdrawal, Brunei Darussalam's defence strategies evolved significantly from 1979 to 1984, leading up to its independence from the United Kingdom (Brunei Darussalam then became a member of the British Commonwealth in 1984). The British withdrawal was scheduled for 1979, marking a critical juncture with the signing of the 1979 Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation between Brunei Darussalam and the United Kingdom. In response, Brunei Darussalam accelerated the acquisition of advanced military weaponry, and increased military spending to strengthen the Royal Brunei Malay Regiment and prepare it for independence from British rule.
Royal Brunei Armed Forces On , the Royal Brunei Malay Regiment officially adopted its now current name, the Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF), (ABDB), Jawi: , coinciding with Brunei's independence from the United Kingdom. Brunei Darussalam reorganised its military administration and bureaucracy, placing oversight of the defence system under the Ministry of Defence Brunei Darussalam (MinDef). By 1984, the Royal Brunei Armed Forces comprised 3,900 enlisted ranks personnel, an increase of 400 from 1982. The RBAF unified its land, sea, and air forces into a single, cohesive management organisation. The RBAF's training and support services included the Women's Company, the Training Centre, Medical and Dental Services, the Logistics Depot, the Procurement Branch, Engineer Workshops, the Provost Unit, the Fire Service, and the RBAF band. In 1987, the establishment of the Royal Brunei Malay Reserve Regiment (RBMRU / ASMDB) significantly bolstered personnel numbers.
In the late 1990s, defence spending in Brunei Darussalam declined from its previous peak levels, but stabilised at around 3% of gross domestic product (GDP). As of 1 October 1991, the Royal Brunei Armed Forces was structured into five major formations; three traditional combat military branches (army, navy, and air force), and two military support units, those being: the Royal Brunei Land Force (RBLF), the Royal Brunei Navy (RBN), and the Royal Brunei Air Force (RBAirF), together with the RBAF Support Services (RBAF SS), and the Training Institute RBAF (TI RBAF). By the fiscal year ending in March 2002, Brunei Darussalam had spent B$1.5 billion (US$870 million) on British-made weapons, making it the second-largest buyer of such weapons outside the Middle East, and spending nearly five times more than Malaysia. In May 2001, the Royal Brunei Armed Forces introduced its mission statement, 'Vision in the 21st Century', coinciding with the 40th anniversary of its formation. Despite having only around 5,000 soldiers, Brunei Darussalam's defence spending remained disproportionately high at the beginning of the millennium.
Organisation Service branches Overseen by Joint Force Headquarters, Royal Brunei Armed Forces (JFHQ RBAF; ), headquartered at Bolkiah Garrison, the RBAF consists of three primary service branches operating within the sovereign nation of Brunei Darussalam.
Royal Brunei Land Force
The Royal Brunei Land Force (RBLF), (TDDB), , is a brigade-sized army formation. Headquartered at Berakas Garrison, it consists of three operational battalions (First Battalion RBLF, Second Battalion RBLF, and Third Battalion RBLF), along with a fourth Support Battalion RBLF. The role of the Royal Brunei Land Force is to maintain the security of Brunei Darussalam, and to defend the sovereignty of the country. Its main responsibility is to oppose any threat from within or outside the country, and to maintain peace and security in the country. The Royal Brunei Land Force is the largest of the three armed service branches of Brunei Darussalam.
Royal Brunei Navy
The Royal Brunei Navy (RBN), (TLDB), , is the naval defence force of Brunei Darussalam. It is a small, but relatively well-equipped maritime force, whose main responsibility is to conduct search and rescue (SAR) missions, and to deter and defend the Bruneian sovereign waters against attack mounted by sea-borne forces. Headquartered at Muara Naval Base, , the Royal Brunei Navy has an operational inventory of twenty ships or similar surface vessels; the RBN does not operate any submarines or submersibles.
Royal Brunei Air Force
The Royal Brunei Air Force (RBAirF), (TUDB), , is a small, primarily rotary-wing aircraft-based air force, which is tasked with supporting the other branches of the armed services, defending Bruneian air space, and carrying out search and rescue (SAR) operations. It was originally created in 1965, as the Air Wing of the Royal Brunei Malay Regiment (RBMR / AMDB), and was established as an independent air force on 1 October 1991. Headquartered and stationed at Royal Brunei Air Force Base, Rimba, the RBAirF main inventory consists of a range of helicopters; formerly ten Bell 212, four Sikorsky S-70A-14 (now transferred as a gift to the Royal Malaysian Air Force), and a solitary Bell 214ST. The Bell 212 and S-70A-14 aircraft were replaced between 2013 and 2015 by twelve Poland-manufactured Sikorsky S-70i Blackhawk. Two Bell 206 helicopters are used for rotary-wing training.