Defending The Nation's Sovereignty
Introduction
1. Wawasan 2035 continues to define Brunei Darussalam’s forward-looking nation-building vision. This vision, which depicts a nation with stability at its core, is reliant upon the development of economic and social factors all of which continue to be underpinned by the maintenance of peace and security. Central to this provision, and working alongside other national security agencies, sits the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) and the Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF) who will continue to provide the defence of the nation and support the security assurance to the people living within Brunei Darussalam. 2021 marks the 60th anniversary of the RBAF’s formation. The publication of this Defence White Paper (DWP) acts as a timely reminder of both the sacrifice and service the RBAF has played in the past six decades, while at the same time also indicating how it will continue to do so in a dynamic and ever-changing security environment.
2. Since the DWP 2011, the geostrategic context in which the analysis and deductions were set has shifted significantly. In order for Brunei Darussalam to navigate an increasingly complex security environment, it is necessary for DWP 2021 to set out how MINDEF and the RBAF will be required to review, reconfigure, and redefine the national defense posture and defense priorities for the future. DWP 2021 will align MINDEF’s and the RBAF’s strategies, capability development, and resources to improve their overall ability to address and respond to the challenges.
3. DWP 2021 has been developed in conjunction with a comprehensive consultative process with other Government agencies. Their inputs are appreciated and deeply valued.
Looking Back Before Looking Forward: Review of Previous White Papers
4. Released in 2004, Brunei Darussalam’s first Defence White Paper “Defending the Nation’s Sovereignty” identified the essential roles and tasks that the RBAF would need to undertake, in accordance with the essential features of Brunei Darussalam’s strategic environment. In broad terms, the defence roles outlined were to: enhance defense diplomacy, provide an efficient and effective defense capability, and contribute to nation-building. While these roles have evolved over time, their fundamental premise remains firm today.
5. The DWP 2004 highlighted the importance of greater transparency in both the operational environment and command and control to maximize the effectiveness of a small force. DWP 2004 also introduced the development of a more holistic approach to the conduct of military operations, by establishing the RBAF as an operational joint armed force. The White Paper also established the foundation for MINDEF and the RBAF to conduct effective defense diplomacy, setting the tone for a range of warm and favorable international defence relationships that Brunei Darussalam continues to enjoy today and will be required to maintain in the future.
6. The 2007 Defence White Paper “Shaping the Force Today” provided a focus for MINDEF and the RBAF to promote robust regional security dialogue and to develop cooperative policies in response to shared strategic challenges. This development paved the way to allow the RBAF’s participation in a number of international missions which have included the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) since 2008 and the Combined Task Force 151 in the Gulf of Aden in 2010. The broad defence roles stipulated in 2004 remained broadly extant, with an addition “to implement defence policy” now being included.
7. DWP 2007 also directed MINDEF and RBAF to conduct several structural changes to allow for its ability to improve the nation’s management of Defence. Developments were made in the areas of human resource development, performance monitoring, safety and compliance, capability planning and acquisition management.
8. In Brunei Darussalam’s third DWP, “Defending the Nation’s Sovereignty: Expanding Roles in Wider Horizons”, published in 2011, the theme of developing and maintaining an integrated approach to national security was further reinforced. Mechanisms to strengthen the joint planning process and capability development through the formation of the Defence Capability Committee were also introduced.
9. In preparation for Brunei Darussalam’s chairmanship of ASEAN in 2013, DWP 2011 also directed MINDEF and the RBAF to heighten and maintain their involvement in regional security efforts and practical cooperation through the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM) and ADMM-Plus activities. This direction marked a milestone in the way in which Defence was to conduct itself and has provided an essential and significant focus of effort since.
10. Since DWP 2011 was published, MINDEF and RBAF have also firmly established a functioning Joint Force Headquarters and developed new approaches to the conduct of joint operations to allow it to better integrate across government, with other security agencies and other nations to provide increasingly enhanced operational output.
Adapting to the Future with the Defence White Paper 2021
11. Since 2011, there has been continued, and in many respects, dramatic shifts in the geostrategic political, economic and military environments. Ever more so, activities that closely lie below the threshold of conventional threats (hybrid threats or grey zone threats) will now dominate Defence’s future approach and delivery.
12. While the past three Defence White Papers have directed and enabled delivery of many significant transformative approaches, mechanisms and capabilities, it will be necessary for MINDEF and the RBAF to enhance their efforts to be ready to respond to the current and future threats in an ever-changing strategic environment.
13. Having assessed Brunei Darussalam’s existing Defence capabilities and outputs, DWP 2021 sets out new strategic direction, in the context of Brunei Darussalam’s Defence external and internal environments, which will ensure the future development of MINDEF and the RBAF can deliver an output that provides an increasingly enhanced operational effect and is conducive with operations under a whole of government approach.
14. Initially summarising the evolving context of the Contemporary Operating Environment (COE), DWP 2021 aims to assess the key security drivers based on indicative potential future threats and challenges facing the sovereign state of Brunei Darussalam. Identifying likely threats and challenges provides the context from which Defence, and this Defence White Paper, will define its Defence Task priorities out to a range of 2035. In many cases, the baseline of threats and challenges identified in the 2004, 2007 and 2011 DWPs remain extant; however, the manner in which they now manifest themselves demands Defence to continuously evolve its approach and capabilities as a counter and to ensure relevancy.
15. Assuring the requirement to generate an integrated approach to national security, DWP 2021 focuses on facilitating the design and delivery of military capabilities across all operating domains (Land, Maritime, Air, Space and Cyber) with a focus on the delivery of joint operations having primacy.
16. Future capability design and development must be focused and balanced across all Defence Lines of Development (DLoDs). Military equipment must be complemented by the other DLoDs to be useful capability. Development should be in the context of examining how the RBAF can utilise modern technologies and innovation to build regional relevancy for the future. This facilitation will come from a series of Defence Tasks.
17. While DWP 2011 identified the utility of defence engagement and facilitated the building of its defence network that was reinforced during its ASEAN Chairmanship in 2013, the RBAF has been able to maintain its ability to engage through various bilateral and multilateral means which have included support to overseas operations, as well as its participation and contributions to ADMM and ADMM-Plus cooperative mechanisms and initiatives. Defence engagement remains fundamental to the provision of Defence and Security for Brunei Darussalam. Therefore, efforts to enhance support activities and operations which seek to deter and counter the proliferation of non-traditional security threats must be improved. This will specifically relate to the areas of peacekeeping and Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) where Bruneian Defence Capabilities have the potential to offer significant niche effects.
18. In this manner, the RBAF will present itself as a contributing nation to regional and international peace and stability. This positioning of Brunei Darussalam as a nation able to protect its sovereignty and territorial integrity, while contributing to the region’s security and stability, is a form of defence in its own right.
19. Given the future contextual outlook and the opportunities that present themselves to allow Brunei Darussalam to continue to enjoy equal regional status within South East Asia, it will be necessary for MINDEF and the RBAF to conduct a period of long developmental and adaptive change by identifying and implementing innovative solutions. Defence must move itself away from traditional or conventional approaches and better position itself to tackle contemporary and emerging challenges. The RBAF will need to retain flexibility and adaptability to ensure that it is ready to counter a multitude of tasks, even when these are not resourced directly. Flexibility and the ability to multi-role remain imperative in capability development for the future.
20. As Brunei Darussalam continues to adapt for the future, there is now more of an inherent need to introduce the concept of self-reliance in the Defence’s approach to defending and protecting the nation. The term self-reliance, which assures resilience, requires MINDEF and the RBAF to maintain force elements at readiness to deliver and sustain current and future operational requirements; at the same time, self-reliance also provides further opportunities to engage, cooperate and collaborate together with current and new partners and friends in the future. Out to 2035, Brunei Darussalam must be seen as a reliable regional partner that other countries can depend on within the remit of its Defence Tasks.
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