LANGKAWI: The Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) said that rapidly developing technologies need to be constantly reviewed to ensure the strength of its fleet remains relevant in defending the sovereignty of the country's waters.
In a statement issued today (December 14), the Navy said based on the increasingly challenging geo-strategic landscape, the Navy played a very important role in the context of maritime defence.
"The Navy is very grateful to the Malaysian Government for being concerned about the Navy's readiness in terms of platform availability, combat power and effectiveness of logistics support.
"The implementation of the Taming Sari Exercise can demonstrate the combat power capability of the Navy while proving that it is still strong in the maritime defence arena, as well as credible and capable of defending the sovereignty of the country's waters," read the statement.
The Taming Sari exercise is a series of missile firing exercises by the Navy combatant assets to test the capability and readiness of the missile system on board the assets as well as the level of competence of 'The Navy People'.
In Series 22 of the Taming Sari Exercise carried out in the northern waters of the Strait of Malacca today (December 14), two Exocet MM40 missiles were launched by the KD Lekiu naval asset which managed to hit the target, while KD Lekir was the reserve vessel.
Former defence minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan, who is now the Foreign Minister, was present as a special guest to witness the exercise from KD Mahawangsa. Chief of Defence Force, General Tan Sri Mohammad Ab Rahman was also present.
Other notable attendees were Defence Ministry secretary-general, Datuk Seri Isham Ishak, Army chief General Datuk Muhammad Hafizuddeain Jantan, Navy chief Admiral Tan Sri Abdul Rahman Ayob, and Air Force chief General Tan Sri Mohd Asghar Khan Goriman Khan.
Based on the concept of Force Integration Training (FIT), it said the aspect of togetherness or 'jointness' was expressed in the exercise through the involvement of 14 surface ships, eight boats and 12 aircraft from the Navy, the Air Force (RMAF) and the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA). --BERNAMA