Russia, Southeast Asia Conclude First Joint Naval Exercise

WAIT, WHAT? 

IS ASEAN THE NEW NONALIGNED MOVEMENT

Russian ship RFS Admiral Panteleyev (BPK 548) sails during a formation exercise during Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) exercise. (U.S. Navy Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class (EXW) Sebastian McCormack/RELEASED)

Reuters

December 4, 2021

AKARTA, Dec 4 (Reuters) – Russia and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) have concluded their first joint naval exercise, Indonesia’s navy said on Saturday, as the region faces rising tensions with China.

The three-day exercise off the coast of Indonesia’s Sumatra island aimed at increasing interoperability between the ASEAN member states and the Russian navy in the strategic maritime area. It comes amid rising tensions between major powers in the South China Sea, a resource-rich waterway of geopolitical significance.

“The exercise has a strategic impact because it was designed to cultivate friendships between the Indonesian government, ASEAN countries and Russia,” the navy said.

The two-stage drills involved eight warships and four aircraft from Russia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore and Brunei.

Aleksei Bolotnikov, commander of the Russian warship Admiral Panteleyev, was quoted as saying he hoped the next ASEAN-Russia exercise could take place in Vladivostok.

Russia and the Southeast Asian bloc held their fourth summit online in October, a meeting timed with the anniversary of relations between Russia and the 10-member regional grouping.

Philippine Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin urged China last month to “back off” after three Chinese coast guard vessels blocked and used a water cannon on resupply boats headed toward a Philippine-occupied atoll in the South China Sea.

China says the territory falls within its “nine-dash line”, a boundary including almost all the South China Sea that a tribunal at the Hague in 2016 found lacked legal basis.

Reporting by Agustinus Beo Da Costa and Stanley Widianto; Writing by Kate Lamb; Editing by William Mallard

(c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2021.

Singapore navy taking part in first ASEAN-Russia maritime exercise

Republic of Singapore Navy personnel waving to representatives from participating countries on board Indonesian naval ship KRI Lepu at the ASEAN-Russia Maritime Exercise. (Photo: MINDEF)


Aqil Haziq Mahmud@AqilHaziqCNA
02 Dec 2021 

SINGAPORE: A Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) warship is taking part in the inaugural Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-Russia maritime exercise, held from Wednesday (Dec 1) to Friday.

The exercise is being conducted off Sabang, Indonesia, and involves eight ships and observers from ASEAN member states and Russia, Singapore's Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) said on Thursday.

The ships are from Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Russia, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

During the sea phase of the exercise, RSN's Victory-class missile corvette RSS Vigour joined the other ships in conducting communication and manoeuvring drills, a search and rescue exercise, and a maritime security exercise.

As part of the maritime security exercise, the ships tracked the movement of simulated vessels of interest, using alerts from ASEAN international liaison officers attached to RSN’s Information Fusion Centre.

The centre, which helps countries share maritime security information, uses a real-time, web-based system designed for rapid collaboration.

The exercise will conclude with a sail past of all participating ships.

MINDEF said the exercise is conducted in line with the Code for Unplanned Encounters At Sea, a "confidence-building measure" that includes safety procedures, communications plans and manoeuvring instructions to promote maritime security.

The code was adopted by ADMM-Plus navies in 2017 under Singapore and South Korea's co-chairmanship of the ADMM-Plus Experts’ Working Group on Maritime Security.

The ADMM-Plus is a platform for ASEAN and its eight partners – Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea, Russia and the United States – to strengthen security and defence cooperation in the region.

"Singapore’s participation in the exercise reaffirms our support for the ADMM-Plus and our commitment to uphold an open and inclusive regional security architecture," MINDEF said.

The exercise comes after the 4th ASEAN-Russia Summit in October, when Russia and ASEAN member states reaffirmed their commitment to ensuring "maritime security and safety, freedom of navigation and
overflight and unimpeded commerce".

This includes promoting self-restraint, non-use of force or the threat to use force, and resolving disputes through peaceful means in line with universally recognised principles of international law, said a joint statement by the nations.

RSS Vigour's commanding officer Lieutenant Colonel Gavin Cheong said on Thursday that it is important for navies to cooperate with each other to protect key maritime trade routes while ensuring safer seas.

"This exercise allows the navies of ASEAN member states and Russia to strengthen collaboration, enhance understanding and build confidence in our ability to address common maritime security challenges at sea," he added.