Naval ships including two submarines and helicopters conduct naval exercise Sea Shield-2022 involving strategic surface and underwater operations, to enhance State’s defence capability
NAY PYI TAW July 5
The Tatmadaw is conducting Army, Navy and Air military drills continuously to protect sovereignty and territory of the country well and to enhance its defence capability. Naval ships including attack submarine (Minye Thinkhathu) and attack submarine (Minye Kyaw Htin) and helicopters have been conducting a naval exercise Sea Shield-2022 involving strategic surface and underwater operations since 1 July this year in Myanmar territorial waters in Rakhine coastal waters.
Chairman of the State Administration Council Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, accompanied by Commander-in-Chief (Navy) Admiral Moe Aung, Commander-in-Chief (Air) General Tun Aung, senior military officers from the Office of the Commander-in-Chief (Army, Navy and Air), the commander of South-West Command and officials, observed the military exercise.
First, the Senior General and party arrived on board the naval ship (Mottama) in the Bay of Bengal by helicopter to inspect the ships of the naval exercise and was welcomed by Chief of Naval Base HQ Rear-Admiral Htein Win, Officer Scheduling Exercise (OSE) Commodore Kyaw Soe Moe, Naval Commander (Duty) Commodore Kyaw Lin Zaw, senior military officers of the military drill.
The Commander-in-Chief (Navy) reported on the purpose of the Sea Shield-2022 which is in accord with the guidance of the Senior General, and the surface and underwater naval exercise involving surface ships, submarine and helicopters. In response, the Senior General said as the Tatmadaw plays the main role in protecting all the territories of the State, it should always have the security awareness.
It should notice all possible outcomes from the defence point of view, classify and effectively use all information. It must take lessons from such military exercises and fulfill the requirements of the future Navy.
Then, the naval ships of the exercise saluted the Senior General in Single Line Formation.
In the VBSS drill section, the naval ships first spotted a suspicious foreign merchant ship in Myanmar territorial waters while they were sailing to the drill area. In accord with the ROE , Naval ship (Mottama) asked details about the suspicious ship. It also asked the ship to stop for undergoing inspection.
As the ship refused to stop, the procedure of visit, board, search and seizure (VBSS) was conducted.
Officers and other ranks of the naval special ops team boarded the suspicious ship with the help of anchor launchers.
The team checked papers, questioned crew members, and inspected the accommodation area and cargo compartment in accord with VBSS procedure.
As the team found that the ship was carrying illegal cargo, the Tatmadaw (Navy) seized the ship.
According to the drill agenda, frigates Hsinbyushin and Kyansittha conducted the submarine tracking exercise (CA SEX A-2).
The naval flotilla then changed its position into battle line formation and crushed the enemy targets in the enemy area of the sea within the operation zone to protect territorial waters with big guns and cannons.
The Senior General aboard war vessel Mottama viewed practical firing of torpedos, naval artelleries and machine guns to the above and underwater enemy targets after completion of the operation on defending dange of submaine and the submarine operations.
The Senior General delivered a speech to the officers and other ranks who participated in the exercises. Officers and other ranks from submarine Minye Thinkhathu and submarine Minye Kyaw Htin and other war vessels took the speech aboard war vessel Mottama.
Speaking on the occasion, the Senior General said the naval exercises were conducted as the naval and air force combined military exercises in 2009.
These exercises improved year by year. Moreover, natures and characteristics of exercises were thoroughly performed year after year. These exercises aim to enable Tatmadaw members to have friendliness with battle fields and have skills to utilize power of the weapons.
Only when participants in the exercise have good morale and capabilities will an exercise be suffessful.Although the naval exercises were held as naval and air force combined operation in the past, the Tatmadaw (Navy) has been upgraded to the three dimensional combat ready navy at present. Last year’s exercise used only one attack submarine.
This year’s exercise used two different type submarines to have a great exercise experiences.
Myanmar possesses some 1,300 miles of coastal line with more than 144,000 square miles of water territory. Hence, the Tatmadaw (Navy) alone cannot cover the vast water territory.
At present, the Tatmadaw(Navy) is being upgraded to become the Three Dimensional Combat Ready Navy to fully protect the specific economic zone of Myanmar seas for the first phase.
To become a naval troop with combat power, the Tatmadaw (Navy) must have readiness of war vessels, readiness of weapons and systems and readiness of naval men similar to the Tatmadaw (Army). Hence, it is not enough for operating the capable war vessels in three dimensional operation arena but all need to always take training for combat readiness without forgetting the three readiness.
The Senior General presented gifts for officers and other ranks from the exercises to the naval division commander. The Commander-in-Chief (Navy) presented the honorary emblem of the Sea Shield-2022 to the Senior General. The Senior General and party left war vessel Mottama by helicopter.
Then, participants joined the exercises on battle damage assessment, RA S, fire fighting and damage control, search and rescue and towing.
The Sea Shield-2022 was successfully conducted with the participation of 20 war vessels including frigates, submarines and helicopters from the Tatmadaw (Air) amid the bad monsoon season at the exercise area.