Meeting KRI Bung Tomo for a Passage Exercise

Together, everyone achieves more! Our Navy meets ships from other navies regularly out at sea, and passage exercises (PASSEXes) are a valuable opportunity for us to train together and maintain warm ties.

"OOW Sir, KRI Bung Tomo bears 357!" 

A bridge lookout from RSS Tenacious monitoring the compass bearing of KRI Bung Tomo during the manoeuvring exercise serial.

To the uninitiated, they may just look like colourful flags on a line. But to mariners, these flags can convey messages if you're trained on how to interpret them!

RSS Tenacious' Communication Systems Operator meticulously logging down every radio signal exchanged during the Publication Exercise (PUBEX) serial. Communications serials such as Flag Hoist and PUBEX allow navies to build mutual understanding. It's also a good opportunity to challenge junior operators to hone their skills out at sea!

Whilst en route in the Java Sea, our Formidable-class frigate RSS Tenacious met the Indonesian Navy (TNI AL)'s Bung Tomo-class KRI Bung Tomo for a PASSEX. The two ships conducted a series of communication and manoeuvring exercise serials, and concluded the PASSEX with a sail past.

RSS Tenacious also participated in this year's Exercise Eagle Indopura, a bilateral exercise with the TNI AL, as well as another PASSEX with KRI Diponegoro in June 2021. These continued interactions reflect the warm ties that our navies share, and we wish our TNI AL friends all the best as they continue on after the PASSEX – Fair Winds and Following Seas!

Photos courtesy of LTA Brandon Tan, RSS Tenacious.