SINGAPORE – The Republic of Singapore Navy’s Formidable-class frigate RSS Supreme, together with eight ships from other Asean navies, is participating in the second edition of the Asean Multilateral Naval Exercise (Amnex) which started on Friday.
Hosted by the Philippine Navy, the exercise comprises shore and sea phases spanning four days.
Singapore’s Ministry of Defence (Mindef) said on Saturday that the opening ceremony and shore phase of the exercise were held on Friday at the Naval Operating Base Subic in the Philippines. The shore phase also included cultural and sports activities.
Over the weekend, the ships will conduct various exercises such as maritime search and rescue operations, manoeuvring, and communication drills in the waters off Subic Bay.
The exercise will conclude on Monday with a closing ceremony.
Mindef said that prior to the exercise, the RSS Supreme participated in the Asean Fleet Review (AFR) on Thursday, involving a sail-past of participating ships from various Asean navies.
The AFR was reviewed by the officer-in-charge of the Department of National Defence Carlito Galvez Jr, on board the Philippine Navy’s Tarlac-class landing platform dock BRP Davao del Sur.
Singapore’s Chief of Navy Sean Wat Jianwen and other Asean navy chiefs were also on board the BRP Davao del Sur to witness the sail-past.
Mindef said Rear-Admiral Wat also attended the 17th Asean Navy Chiefs’ Meeting (ANCM) on Wednesday, before the AFR.
The ANCM is an annual meeting of Asean navy chiefs to discuss maritime issues and multilateral naval cooperation.
The 2023 ANCM was hosted by the Philippine Navy.
The second edition of Amnex and the 17th ANCM are part of regular defence exchanges between Asean member states that aim to facilitate strategic dialogue and improve practical cooperation between militaries.
Such interactions contribute to confidence-building and the promotion of stable military-to-military relations to enhance regional peace and stability.
The first edition of Amnex was hosted by the Royal Thai Navy in the Gulf of Thailand in 2017.
