Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III today hosted Brunei’s Minister of Defense II Pehin Halbi for talks at the Pentagon.
The two officials discussed security cooperation, maritime domain awareness, information sharing, and continued growth of U.S.-Brunei defense ties. The United States and Brunei have shared official diplomatic relations since 1984, when Brunei became independent from the United Kingdom.
Last year, the U.S. and Brunei signaled a commitment to continued cooperation by signing two agreements; a new Acquisition Cross-Servicing Agreement in April and a 505 Agreement in December.
“This year, we celebrate four decades of diplomatic relations between Brunei and the United States, and defense cooperation has become a cornerstone of our bilateral relationship over the past 40 years,” Austin told Halbi.
The new Acquisition Cross Servicing Agreement is expected to strengthen U.S. and Brunei cooperation on logistics, Austin said. And the 505 Agreement will bolster U.S. security assistance to Brunei.
“We’re [also] working toward elevating our bilateral relationship to a strategic partnership,” Austin said. “That will improve our corporation across a range of shared priorities.”
The U.S. and Brunei already cooperate in a variety of military exercises and exchanges, including the Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training event, called CARAT. This year marks the 30th iteration of that event. Brunei also participates in the Southeast Asia Cooperation and Training event, called SEACAT and the biennial Rim of the Pacific exercise, or RIMPAC.
Just this month, a U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor aircraft from Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia, along with a C-130 Hercules assigned to the National Guard, visited Rimba Air Force Base in Brunei as part of a subject matter expert exchange. The visit included tours of the aircraft with pilots and maintenance teams and an introduction to the capabilities of the F-22.
Austin last met with Halbi in June during the 21st annual Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore. Ongoing discussions, the secretary said, will continue to strengthen U.S.-Brunei security cooperation.
“I look forward to discussing common challenges and finding new opportunities to work together,” Austin said. “I know that our growing ties will continue to advance our shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific.”
