Navy holds final training exercise of the year for personnel in Sabah

Navy personnel were committed to executing the exercise.

KOTA KINABALU: Navy personnel in Sabah closed 2023 with Ostex East Series 3/2023, a large-scale operational sea training exercise from its naval base here and in the South China Sea.

The five-day exercise, which ended on Friday (Dec 22), was a way for the Navy to improve the preparedness of its eastern fleet.

It involved ships under the Eastern Fleet Command and the Naval Region Two (Mawilla 2) based in the east coast Sandakan district.

In a statement, the Eastern Fleet Command’s strategic communications division said this was the last of the three Ostex East series of exercises this year.

It said the exercise maintained the main mission of training and prepared the fleet to execute dual-threat maritime operations.

“The exercise was implemented via field training exercise, involving six vessels led by the KD Selangor,” the statement said.

An AW319 chopper, an Unmanned Aerial System Scaneagle and a CB90-class fast assault craft were also used in the operation.

The exercise was split into three phases, namely docking, maritime and post-exercise stage.

The Royal Malaysian Navy’s Eastern Fleet Commander, Vice Admiral Datuk Muhammad Ruzelme Ahmad Fahimy, officiated at the opening and closing of the exercise at the Sepanggar naval base near here.

The Navy’s strategic communications division said it was continuously exploring the space and opportunities in which it could maintain the readiness of its personnel and assets.

“The continuity of these series of training, which was implemented without any incident, reflect the professionalism, capability and preparedness of the Royal Malaysian Navy’s eastern fleet,” it said.