Myanmar Navy holds Combined Fleet Exercise-Sea Shield 2016

Senior General Min Aung Hlaing delivers an address in the Combined Fleet Exercise-Sea Shield 2016.

Navy SEALs march and salute Senior General Min Aung Hlaing.

Combined Fleet Exercise-Sea Shield 2016 is in progress.

Nay Pyi Taw February 28

Tatmadaw has been building itself as armed forces with greater military prowess which can safeguard well the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the State while continuously holding Army, Navy and Air Force military drills for defence capability enhancement. Today Navy conducted its military drills under the code name “Combined Fleet Exercise-Sea Shield 2016” in Myanmar territorial waters (Coco Island region).

As Myanmar is the westernmost ASEAN member state lying between India and China it is located in a strategically important land territory. As regards the marine territory, its waters are in the area where Bay of Bengal and Indian Ocean meet. These land and marine territorial features make Myanmar an important country, calling for ever awareness and readiness in national defence, noted Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Senior General Min Aung Hlaing during his meeting with naval ship commanding officers, officers and other ranks partaking in the Combined Fleet Exercise-Sea Shield 2016.

Wearing the naval uniform in honour of the Navy, the Senior General, accompanied by Joint Chief of the General Staff (Army, Navy, Air) Commander-in-Chief (Air) General Khin Aung Myint, Commander-in-Chief (Navy) Vice-Admiral Tin Aung San, senior military officers of the Office of the Commander-in-Chief (Army), the Yangon command commander, the Southwest command commander, observed the military drills from Aung Zeya, an observation naval vessel, in Myanmar territorial waters (Coco Island region) this morning.

On Military Watercraft-Aung Zeya, the naval force on duty saluted the Senior General. The navy division commander reported on naval exercise and gave offensive verbal order. Then, the navy division commander and commanding officers left for their respective watercrafts and commenced the Combined Fleet Exercise, according to the agenda.

First, Navy SEALs gave a demonstration of raiding an enemy watercraft and rescuing two hostages by using four rubber motorboats and two helicopters, and blowing up and submerging the enemy’s ship. Next, they did exercise in extinguishing a burning trade watercraft with the use of two multi-purpose tow military watercrafts. After the exercise, Navy SEALs marched and saluted the Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services.

Then, the fleet of military watercrafts ran, according to Formation 5. While running, they performed underwater defence exercise in circulation formation, firing at the enemy’s watercrafts in diamond formation and electronic operations in arrow head formation. Finally, they performed exercises in crushing the enemy’s main fleet in cruising formation and battle line formation with the use of canons and missiles on their military watercrafts.

After the exercise, the participating military watercrafts, as a fleet review, marched and saluted the Senior General on Military Watercraft-Aung Zeya.

Next, the Commander-in-Chief (Navy) presented a naval exercise commemorative gift to the Commander- in-Chief of Defence Services and the Commander-in-Chief (Air). The Senior General signed the visitors’ book of Military Watercraft- Aung Zeya and gave a feedback on the Combined Fleet Exercise- Sea Shield 2016.

Reviewing the naval exercise, the Senior General praised the participants for their successful completion of the exercise. He said exercise means improving combat skill, adding that military  operations could not be performed in a hasty manner. Exercise is first and foremost to be familiar with forces, weapons and military skills. The art of defence always requires exercises. In doing exercise, it is necessary to consider not only planned offensive but also impromptu offensive so as to be able to face the enemy that can emerge any time. The Senior General then stressed the need to perform coordinated exercise as well as the assigned duty of naval exercises.

With regard to promoting the navy power, Myanmar territory is 1260 nautical miles and 1450 miles and shares border with Bangladesh for 304.28 nautical miles, India for 592.03 nautical miles and Thailand for 195.32 nautical miles. In addition, about 87 per cent of Myanmar’s major exports and imports are based on the Bay of Bengal and the Indian Ocean. The country has onshore and offshore oil and gas exploration that can generate income for the country and underwater resources such as fishes and marine products. The Navy has been promoting its capability to safeguard the above-mentioned works. In the past, the navy had to buy vessels from other countries and built many military vessels.

The navy continues making efforts to build modern military vessels. With respect to the defence capability, he said the country had to lose its independence due to some disloyal acts. The country may lose its independence within a short period of time. But the country has to pay a high price and take many years to regain the independence. So, high defence capability is of great importance. The existence of a country calls for high capability of political, economic and defence. The country took the first step towards the multi-party democracy system from 2011 to 2015. 

The Tatmadaw steered the country on the right track. Continued efforts will be made for the second term. In doing so, the Tatmadaw will make efforts to ensure peace and stability and end armed conflicts. So the Tatmadaw should have high military might. Since 2014, the navy has been conducting naval exercises. This is the third time. The naval exercises will be conducted every year. He urged all to make efforts to be a better exercise.

Local media covers the fleet exercise on the Flagship Aung Zeya frigate.

Since 2014, the navy has been conducting the fl eet exercises with the aim of ensuring the sovereignty of the country’s maritime and air territory, three points of the readiness of military vessels and to be expert in four military operations. A total of 20 kinds of vessels participated in the fleet exercises named the Combined Fleet Exercise-Sea Shield 2016. Thanks to it, the capability of military vessels and military personnel will improve. (100)

The Myawady Daily