Muara Naval Base (Malay: Pangkalan Tentera Laut Muara) is a naval base which serves as the headquarters and main operating base for the Royal Brunei Navy (RBN; Malay: Tentera Laut Diraja Brunei, TLDB).^[1] It is located approximately 4 kilometres (2 miles) from Muara Town, Brunei-Muara District, in the sultanate of Brunei Darussalam.^[2][3] The naval base sits near the mouth of the Brunei River, which flows into the Brunei Bay.^[4]

Quick Facts Coordinates, Type ...

Muara Naval Base
Pangkalan Tentera Laut Muara
Part of Royal Brunei Armed Forces
Muara, Brunei-Muara District in Brunei Darussalam
Muara Naval Base
Coordinates	05°01′56″N 115°04′54″E
Type	Naval base
Site information
Owner	Ministry of Defence
Operator	Royal Brunei Navy
Open to the public	no
Condition	operational
Website	Navy.MinDef.gov.bn
Site history
Built	1974; 50 years ago (1974)
In use	1974–present

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During World War II, then occupied Muara was previously used by the Japanese Navy as a naval base until the country was liberated by the Australian 9th Division.^[5] The Royal Brunei Navy's administration of First Sea Battalion was relocated to its current location in 1974.^[6] The United States Navy (USN) warship USS Robert E. Peary (FF-1073) was berthed at the naval base in 1989.^[7] Brunei ordered three Nakhoda Ragam-class corvettes, and were planned to be based at the naval base in 1991.^[8] Despite that, all three ships of the class were never commissioned into the navy.^[9]

In 1997, the base's upgrade project costed B$140 million, in which it included the construction of a new 314 metres (1,030 feet) long quay, shiplift, and renovation of its existing facilities.^[2] The project was carried out in order to facilitate the three new Darussalam-class offshore patrol vessels.^[10] Between 2007 and 2012, ammunition and explosive storage bunkers were constructed not far from the base, at Kampong Kapok.^[2][11]

Another B$44.6 million project was started in July 2011, to provide new accommodation facilities for the base's personnel, workshops, technical buildings, and car parks.^[2][12] During BRIDEX 2011, the navy celebrated its 46th anniversary at the naval base,^[13] in which twenty-four warships from ten countries were invited.^[2][13]

On 29 May 2013, as part of a state visit to Negara Brunei Darussalam, President of Singapore Tony Tan visited the Muara Naval Base.^[14] On 23 February 2014, a 172 metres (564 feet) long roll-on/roll-off (ro-ro) car carrier Trans Future 2 collided with KDB Berkat (18) and another Ijtihad-class patrol boat while in port.^[15][16] Later in May, Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah landed his Sikorsky S-70 at the naval base in which he visited the KDB Afiat (20) and witnessed a naval exercise.^[17] Later that year on 11 November, the 20th annual Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) between the United States and Brunei began at the naval base.^[18][19]

On 12 November 2018, the 24th annual CARAT began at the naval base, in which it involved several exercises in the South China Sea with USNS Fall River (T-EPF-4).^[20] The 25th annual CARAT was once again held at the naval base on 31 October 2019.^[21]

Three naval divisions are based in the naval base:

• Operation Division^[22]
• Administrative Division^[22]
• Support Division^[22]

• Bolkiah Garrison — main base and headquarters of the Royal Brunei Land Forces (RBLF)
• Royal Brunei Air Force Base, Rimba — main base and headquarters of the Royal Brunei Air Force (RBAirF)