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​Rimba Air Force Base, Friday, 04 February 2022 – The Royal Brunei Air Force (RBAirF) has retired its entire fleet of MBB Bolkow 105 helicopters after 41 years of service in a ceremony held at the Air Movement Centre (AMC), Rimba Air Force Base. The ceremony of the retirement of the fleet, which had been operated under No. 1 Wing, Operations Group, was attended by officers and personnel of RBAirF, most of whom has served with Bolkow 105.

Present as the Guest of Honour was Brigadier General (U) Dato Seri Pahlawan Mohammad Sharif bin Dato Paduka Haji Ibrahim, the Commander of RBAirF. The ceremony started with a speech delivered by the Guest of Honour. The event proceeded with the signing of a replicate of BAF 707: Change of Serviceability Log, which marked the offical retirement of the fleet. The Commander of RBAirF was then presented with a video montage that included a brief history and journey of Bolkow 105 with RBAirF.

MBB Bolkow 105 was a German-made aircraft and first introduced into No. 2 Squadron, Air Wing in 1981 with an initial total of six units in possession. Before the locals took over in 1993, the fleet was fully administered and maintained by REME (Royal Electrical & Mechanical Engineering), British Army Loan Service.

The helicopter is capable of launching rocket projectiles to ground targets, thus providing air to ground support for ground troops as well as close air support. Equipped with Sura Rocket system, it aims to improve the nation’s defence and organisation’s overall operational readiness and it meets the needs of the armed forces by reducing the risk of collateral damage particularly during combat operations. In 2003, the system was replaced with a new rocket system from Belgium known as Forges De Zeebrugge (FZ Rocket) that travels twice the speed of sound and up to 10 kilometres radius.

Bolkow 105 is a versatile, fast and extremely agile helicopter, hence, the callsign “Stinger”. Not only is it known for its significantly small size, the helicopter also became known for its high maneuverability and extraordinary responsiveness where it was often used by the special force to carry out specific tasks and combat operations that required precision and efficiency such as emergency evacuation, sniper shooting and vehicle interdiction.

Most light helicopters have only one engine but the Bolkow 105 has two of them in which it can be operated by a crew of one in a single pilot operation or two pilots. It plays a very important role in search and locate missions, providing air surveillance of land and maritime borders, trooplift and it also carries out tasks that are vital in ensuring maintenance of national security.

The ceremony then continued with the presentation of memento from 12 Squadron and 52 Squadron to the RBAirF and the Commander of RBAirF.

Since its introduction into the service 41 years ago, a total of 36 pilots have served with Bolkow 105 and the entire fleet clocked a total of 32,000 flying hours. The retirement of MBB Bolkow 105 fleet ceremony was chaired by Acting Squadron Commander No 12 Squadron, Major (U) Mohd Adi Faiz, who maintains his flying currency since 2014 and has clocked a total of 800 flying hours on type.

The ceremony concluded with a tour that showcased pictures of former personnel of 12 Squadron and 52 Squadron and memorial parts of the aircraft followed by a group photo session with the aircrafts and personnel.

MAJLIS PENAMATAN PERKHIDMATAN PESAWAT HELIKOPTER BOLKOW 105

Pangkalan Tentera Udara Rimba, Jumaat, 04 Februari 2022 - Pesawat Helikopter MBB Bolkow 105 milik Tentera Udara Diraja Brunei (TUDB) di bawah kawalan Cawangan No. 1, Kumpulan Gerakan telah menamatkan perkhidmatannya hari ini setelah berkidmat berasama TUDB sejak tahun 1981 iaitu selama 41 tahun. Majlis Penamatan Perkidmatan Pesawat Bolkow 105 telah berlangsung di Pusat Pergerakan Udara, Pengkalan Udara Rimba yang dihadiri oleh sebahagian anggota-anggota yang pernah berkhidmat bersama Pesawat Bolkow 105.

Turut hadir selaku tetamu kehormat pada majlis tersebut ialah Pemerintah TUDB, Brigedier Jeneral (U) Dato Seri Pahlawan Mohammad Sharif bin Dato Paduka Haji Ibrahim yang juga memberi ucapan sempena penamatan perkhidmatan pesawat Bolkow 105 di majlis tersebut.

Sejurus selesai ucapan, Pemerintah TUDB turut mengisytiharkan penamatan perkhidmatan dengan menandatangani replika dokumen BAF 707: Change of Serviceability Log yang merupakan penandatangan terakhir dokumen pesawat tersebut sebelum ianya diisytiharkan tamat dari perkhidmatan. Pemerintah TUDB seterusnya turut menyaksikan tayangan video klip mengenai perjalanan sejarah Bolkow 105.

Pesawat helikopter Bolkow 105 yang didatangkan dari Jerman, mula berkhidmat bersama Cawangan Udara di bawah operasi No 2 Skuadron pada tahun 1981 dengan enam buah pesawat dan ianya dikendalikan sepenuhnya dari segi pentadbiran dan penyelenggaraan oleh REME (Royal Electrical & Mechanical Engineering), British Army Loan Service, sebelum ianya diambil alih sepenuhnya oleh anggota-anggota tempatan sejak tahun 1993.

Dilengkapi dengan sistem Roket Sura yang bertujuan untuk meningkatkan sistem pertahanan negara yang berkesan dengan kemampuan penembakan udara ke bumi (Air to Ground) dan sokongan pertahanan jarak dekat (Close Air Support). Pada 2003, sistem roket tersebut diganti dengan sistem roket baru dari Belgium iaitu Forges De Zeebrugge (Rocket FZ) dan berkemampuan untuk menembak roket berkelajuan dua kali ganda dari cahaya dan boleh mencapai jarak hingga sepuluh kilometer.

Dikenali dengan gelaran atau callsign “Stinger” bukan sahaja kerana saiz yang kecil berbanding pesawat operasi yang lain bahkan juga keunikannya memiliki ketangkasan (agility) dan responsiveness yang sangat luar biasa, pesawat ini terkenal dengan operasi bersama pasukan khas yang memerlukan kecekapan dan kecepatan dalam menangani tugasan sulit seperti pemindahan kecemasan (Emergency Evacuation), tembakan penembak tepat dan penghalang kenderaan musuh.

Mempunyai keupayaan enjin kembar dan boleh dikendalikan oleh seorang juruterbang (single pilot operation), antara peranan penting bagi pesawat tesebut adalah bantuan mencari dan mengesan (Search and Locate), pemantauan sempadan dan maritim, pengangkutan anggota-anggota  dan pelbagai lagi peranan yang ditugaskan bagi keselamatan dan perkhidmatan bantuan yang diperlukan.

Majlis Penamatan Perkhidmatan Pesawat Bolkow 105 tersebut diteruskan dengan penyampaian cenderahati kenangan kepada TUDB daripada 12 Skuadron dan 52 Skuadron dan juga cenderahati khas kepada Pemerintah TUDB.

Hanya 36 orang juruterbang yang dikenal pasti sepanjang perkhidmatan Bolkow 105 dan jumlah keseluruhan (accumulated total) jam penerbangan 32,000 jam direkod bagi kesemua pesawat Bolkow 105. Majlis Penamatan Perkhidmatan Pesawat Bolkow 105 ini dipengerusikan oleh Pemangku Pegawai Memerintah 12 skuadron, Mejar (U) Mohd Adi Faiz, yang masih mengekalkan currency penerbangan bersama Bolkow 105 sejak tahun 2014 dan memperolehi jam penerbangan hampir 800 jam dengan pesawat tersebut.

Sebelum mengakhiri majlis dengan sesi bergambar ramai bersama pesawat dan anggota-anggota Bolkow 105, Pemerintah TUDB dijemput bagi menyaksikan pameran Galeri Kenangan yang memaparkan gambar-gambar serta alat-alat kenangan pesawat Bolkow 105 dan anggota-anggota disepanjang perkhidmatannya di Tentera Udara selama 41 tahun.