The Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) and the Indonesian Navy (TNI AL) are co-hosting the inaugural ASEAN Maritime Security Information-Sharing Exercise (AMSISX) from 8 to 10 Jul 2012. Chief of Navy Rear-Admiral (RADM) Ng Chee Peng and Chief of Naval Staff of the Indonesian Navy Admiral (ADM) Soeparno officiated at the opening ceremony of the exercise at the Changi Command and Control Centre earlier this afternoon, with navy chiefs from Brunei, Malaysia and Thailand in attendance.

About 60 personnel from the ASEAN navies will be participating in the inaugural exercise, which is conducted from the Changi Command and Control Centre as well as various naval operations centres in the region. This is the first time that ASEAN navies are coming together for an exercise to enhance maritime information sharing. The participants of the exercise, based in Singapore and their respective countries’ operations centres, will be linked up through the ASEAN Information-Sharing Portal (AIP). Launched during the opening ceremony, the AIP provides a common platform for all ASEAN navies to share maritime security related information in the region and enhance information-sharing procedures among the ASEAN countries. The development of the AIP, which involved the ASEAN navies, was led by the RSN and the TNI AL.

The AMSISX aims to enhance regional maritime security and promote information-sharing among the ASEAN navies. The exercise will see participants sharing information to tackle various maritime security scenarios such as piracy, sea robbery and maritime terrorism. The participation of the ASEAN navies in the exercise reflects their strong commitment to multilateral cooperation and the promotion of regional maritime security.

Later today, Head Naval Operations RADM Jackson Chia and Assistant to Chief of Naval Staff for Operations RADM Didit Herdiawan will be signing the Arrangement between the RSN and the TNI AL Concerning Submarine Rescue Support and Cooperation. The signing will be witnessed by RADM Ng and ADM Soeparno. The arrangement will lay the foundation between the RSN and the TNI AL in the area of submarine rescue support and cooperation and also reaffirms the close and long-standing cooperation between the two navies.