KUALA LUMPUR: More than 2,300 military personnel from the Five Power Defence Arrangements (FPDA) countries, namely Australia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore and the United Kingdom, are participating in Bersama Lima 2023 (BL23) Exercise from October 2 -- 20.
In a statement today, the public affairs division of the joint force headquarters informed that the BL23 opening ceremony was officiated by Singapore's Chief of Defence Force, Vice Admiral Aaaron Beng Yao Cheng at the Joint Warfare Centre, Camp Al-Sultan Abdullah, Joint Force Headquarters in Kuantan yesterday (October 4).
"This BL23 Exercise is carried out as a Field Training Exercise (FTX) in Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore, including the waters and air space of Malaysia's Exclusive Economic Zone in the South China Sea.
"It is an annual Joint Exercise of the FPDA Armed Forces," it said.
According to the statement, the Malaysian Defence Force chief Gen Tan Sri Mohammad Ab Rahman was given the honour of pinning the BL23 badge on the representatives of the Armed Forces of the FPDA countries.
"The pinning of the badge marks the official start of the BL23 Exercise, which involves seven warships, 40 aircraft of various types and several land assets belonging to FPDA countries," it said, adding that Brigadier General Muhammad Taha Hamdan had been appointed as director of the exercise.
The Bersama Lima exercise is carried out yearly by the Malaysian and Singapore armed forces' on a rotational basis, to train the capabilities of FPDA defence forces in organising, planning and conducting operations at the Combined Joint Task Force (CJTF) level, specialising in combined and joint tactical integration in a multi-threat environment.
Also present at the opening ceremony of the BL23 Exercise were the Australian Defence Force chief General Angus John Campbell, New Zealand Defence Force chief Air Marshal Kevin R. Short, the United Kingdom's Vice Chief of Defence Staff General Gwyn Jenkins and Malaysian Army Chief General Datuk Muhammad Hafizuddeain Jantan. – Bernama