British Forces Brunei - RLC Logistic Support

BRUNEI

The Ammunition Sub Depot (ASD), British Forces Brunei (BFB), is located in West Borneo, in the nation state of Brunei Darussalam. The ASD is the only ammunition depot providing second line support to BFB for the storage and supply of live and blank munitions and explosives, and is the only site east of Cyprus serving the broader Pacific region.

Despite the recent severe national restrictions imposed during COVID-19, the team of two RLC Supply Specialists and two Ammunition Technicians have maintained support to the resident infantry battalions - 1 and 2 Royal Gurkha Rifles. Also, other infantry and specialist military units conduct regular arduous training courses in the tropical environment to provide the Defence requirements of jungle warfare.

The ASD is constantly engaged with enabling activities, the depot itself supplying and maintaining the ammunitions stockpile in a highly restrictive climatic environment. Everyone in the team carries out SME roles and responsibilities and performs above the standard to accomplish BFB operational output. Defence engagement with the host nation is frequent. A recent official visit from the Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF) was an opportunity to show and share the British approach to maintaining and storing explosives, and also to build upon the good relations with our fellow logisticians. Early this year, the annual resupply by RORO from Defence Munitions Kineton, comprised nine ISO containers to restock the depot, in-line with provisioning with resident units’ training forecasts. Concurrently, the ASD backloaded almost 80 tonnes of shelf life expired (SLED) ordnance. Brunei’s climatic category plays a vital role in sensitive commodity management and firing performances and specific storage requirements are a constant balancing act. Many stock lines are reduced to a one year life if not maintained in correctly conditioned explosive store houses. Most recently, the ASD worked hard and prepared for the Ammunition and Supply LSA&I simultaneous to the changeover of units within 1 and 2 RGR in 2022. Only now is ASD returning to physical audits, as the assurance team were not able to visit in previous years. Although, after their visit last year, they were thoroughly impressed and satisfied with the ASD’s effective management of the ammunition accounts and ammunition husbandry within the ASD.