Royal Brunei Air Force
The Royal Brunei Air Force (Tentera Udara Diraja Brunei) began in 1965 as a helicopter air wing of the Royal Brunei Malay Regiment, flying doctors into the interior with borrowed pilots and British help, became a separate service on 1 October 1991, and in 2026 is a helicopter-and-transport force of S-70i Black Hawks and four new C295MWs, with no combat jets and a British Gurkha garrison and a Singaporean helicopter detachment on its soil.
The Royal Brunei Air Force story: flying doctors, Black Hawks and a force without fighters
1965–1984: flying doctors, hired pilots and the RAF
Brunei’s air force began as a medical service. According to the published history summarised on Wikipedia, the Air Wing of the Royal Brunei Malay Regiment was formed in 1965 to fly doctors to villages in the interior, first with two Sikorsky S-55s flown by pilots of a contractor, the Worldwide Helicopter Company. In 1966 three Royal Air Force pilots with three RAF Westland Whirlwinds took over. The wing, renamed the Helicopter Platoon, received five Bell 206 JetRangers in 1967. The service itself now counts 2026 as its Diamond Jubilee, its 60th anniversary, which dates it to 1966 rather than 1965; the official pages checked do not explain the difference. For most of its first two decades Brunei was a British protectorate, and the air wing was small, dependent on hired and British pilots, and built for medical and liaison flying rather than war.
The British connection: Gurkhas, Seria and the Army Air Corps
The British connection explains much of the Royal Brunei Air Force. On 8 December 1962 the TNKU, the armed wing of the Brunei People’s Party, rose against Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien III; Gurkhas, Highlanders and Royal Marines flown and shipped in from Singapore, supported by RAF transports and naval helicopters from HMS Albion, put the revolt down within nine days. A British garrison stayed. Since independence in 1984 it has remained at the Sultan’s request under renewable five-year agreements, paid for in part by Brunei: a Royal Gurkha Rifles battalion at Tuker Lines near Seria, a jungle warfare school, and a helicopter flight at Medicina Lines — the Army Air Corps’ No. 7 Flight with Bell 212s, then RAF Pumas from 2022 and, according to Wikipedia, AAC Jupiter HC.2s in 2026. British Army technicians of the REME maintained the Brunei Bolkows until 1993.
1984–2012: independence, a separate air force and the worst day
Brunei took full responsibility for its own defence in 1984, and the air wing grew. An Air Technical Training School opened in 1980; No. 2 Squadron formed with six Bölkow Bo 105s in 1981, the first armed helicopters, able to fire rockets; No. 3 Squadron flew SIAI-Marchetti SF.260 trainers from 1982; No. 2 Wing took over ground-based air defence from 1 September 1983. On 1 October 1991, with the Sultan’s consent, the Air Wing became the Royal Brunei Air Force. Bell 212s carried troops, and a single CN-235 transport, built in Indonesia, is still flying. The low point came on 20 July 2012, when a Bell 212 returning from jungle training crashed at Ulu Rampayoh in the Labi area of Belait district: 12 of the 14 on board, six of them cadets, were killed. A local newspaper called it the worst tragedy in the history of Brunei’s defence, and the Bell 212 fleet was retired within two years.
2013–2022: Black Hawks in, Bolkows out
The Black Hawk replaced it. Brunei ordered 12 Sikorsky S-70i Black Hawks with an option for ten more; the first four were flown in by Antonov on 27 November 2013 and unveiled at the BRIDEX show before the Sultan, and all 12 were due by the end of 2014. By September 2023 the service could report that 51 Squadron had kept its 12 S-70is flying for almost ten years and over 13,000 flight hours without a major accident, and that year Brunei hosted the International Black Hawk Operators Conference. The Bo 105s went on 5 February 2022, after 41 years, 36 pilots and 32,000 flying hours. In 2021 the service took Boeing Insitu RQ-21 Blackjack drones for maritime surveillance over Brunei’s waters in the South China Sea, according to Janes as cited by Wikipedia; a UAS squadron building was begun at Rimba in 2024.
2024–2026: C295s, H145Ms and a force without fighters
The years since 2024 have been about transport and replacing the Bolkow. The first two Airbus C295MWs arrived on 24 January 2024; by April 2026 the fleet had flown 518 flights across eight Southeast Asian countries, including disaster relief to the Philippines after Typhoon Trami in October 2024, and the last two, TUDB 504 and 505, were ferried from Seville and received on 20 April 2026. In May 2024 Brunei ordered six Airbus H145M helicopters for close air support and observation to fill the Bo 105’s role; their delivery was not confirmed on the official pages checked in September 2026. What Brunei does not have is a combat jet: plans for BAE Hawks were repeatedly delayed and a C-130J purchase discussed with Lockheed Martin in 2015 had not materialised by 2024, according to Wikipedia. Air defence rests on Mistral missiles and a radar, and the service’s closest partners, Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand, train with it and, in Singapore’s case, base helicopters in Brunei.
The Royal Brunei Air Force in numbers
Service
- Native name
- Tentera Udara Diraja BruneiThe Malay name; abbreviated TUDB, the prefix painted on the aircraft (TUDB 504, TUDB 505). The service calls itself Royal Brunei Air Force (RBAirF) on its English site
- Founded
- 1965Formed as the Air Wing of the Royal Brunei Malay Regiment in 1965 per Wikipedia; the service marked its Diamond Jubilee, the 60th anniversary, in 2026, which counts from 1966. Renamed Royal Brunei Air Force on 1 October 1991
- Part of
- Royal Brunei Armed ForcesAlongside the Royal Brunei Land Forces and Royal Brunei Navy, under the Ministry of Defence
- Headquarters
- Rimba Air Force BaseOpposite Brunei International Airport in Brunei-Muara district
- Commander
- Brig. Gen. (U) Haszahaidi Ahmad DaudSince 10 January 2025; the 16th commander
- Deputy commander
- Col. (U) Pengiran Hasrul AriffinSince 21 November 2025
Strength
- Personnel
- No personnel figure was found on the official pages checked; none is given here
- Combat aircraft
- NoneBrunei has never operated combat jets; plans for BAE Hawks were proposed and delayed, according to Wikipedia
- Transport
-
- Airbus C295MW — 4
- CASA/IPTN CN-235-110M — 1
The first two C295MWs arrived on 24 January 2024 and the last two in April 2026; the CN-235 is still flying with 15 Squadron
- Helicopters
-
- Sikorsky S-70i Black Hawk — 12 ordered
- Bell 214ST — 1
- Bell 206 — 2
The service reported 12 S-70is in September 2023; Wikipedia lists 16 UH-60-family helicopters, a figure that probably includes older S-70As and was not confirmed
- Trainers
-
- Pilatus PC-7 Mk II — 4
With No. 73 Squadron, Flying Training School, per Wikipedia
- Drones
-
- Boeing Insitu RQ-21 Blackjack — 5
Acquired in 2021 per Wikipedia citing Janes; the operators are with 39 Squadron, No. 3 Wing
Infrastructure
- Air bases
-
- Rimba Air Force Base — all flying units
The only RBAirF flying base; air defence and training units also use Berakas Garrison
- Ground-based air defence
- MistralNo. 238 Squadron with Mistral very-short-range missiles; Rapier was deactivated in 2010, per Wikipedia
- Foreign air units in Brunei
-
- Singapore: Brunei Helicopter Detachment, H225M
- United Kingdom: helicopter flight at Medicina Lines, Seria
The RSAF detachment flew a mixed formation with RBAirF Black Hawks on 10 September 2025
- Flying squadrons
- 4 plus training11 and 14 Squadron (helicopters), 12 Squadron (formerly Bo 105), 15 Squadron (fixed-wing transport) and 73 Squadron (flying training), per Wikipedia and the service’s news
How the Royal Brunei Air Force is organised
A headquarters and numbered wings, with every flying squadron at Rimba Air Force Base. Brunei has never operated combat jets: it flies S-70i Black Hawks, four C295MW transports, a CN-235, trainers and RQ-21 drones, and six H145M helicopters ordered in May 2024 are to take over the armed Bo 105’s role. Ground-based air defence, with Mistral missiles, is an air force task.
Royal Brunei Air Force Headquarters
At Rimba Air Force Base, opposite Brunei International Airport; the service is part of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces under the Ministry of Defence. Brig. Gen. (U) Haszahaidi Ahmad Daud became its 16th commander on 10 January 2025.
No. 11 Squadron, No. 1 Wing
S-70i Black Hawks, the first four of 12 delivered on 27 November 2013, and a Bell 214ST per Wikipedia, which also names a 14 Squadron on helicopters. No. 51 Squadron of No. 5 Wing maintains the Black Hawks; six H145Ms ordered in May 2024 are to fill the role of the Bo 105, retired in 2022.
No. 15 Squadron, No. 1 Wing
Four Airbus C295MWs, delivered between January 2024 and April 2026, and the single CN-235. By April 2026 the C295s had flown 518 flights across eight Southeast Asian countries.
No. 39 Squadron, No. 3 Wing
Boeing Insitu RQ-21 Blackjack drones for maritime surveillance, acquired in 2021 according to Wikipedia citing Janes; the first operator wings were presented in September 2024.
No. 238 Squadron, No. 2 Wing
Mistral very-short-range missiles since 1999, per Wikipedia. A new No. 2 Wing headquarters and a hangar for a medium-range air defence system the air force has not named were begun at Rimba in 2025.
No. 73 Squadron, Flying Training School
Four Pilatus PC-7 Mk IIs and two Bell 206 JetRangers under No. 7 Wing, per Wikipedia.
What the Royal Brunei Air Force flies today
Every type on charge, linked to its Book of Beasts page where one exists. Counts are aircraft on the books, not aircraft available on a given day.
| Type | Role | In service | Since | Units | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sikorsky S-70i Black HawkIn service | Utility and troop-lift helicopter | 12 | 2013 | — | 12 ordered with an option for ten more; the service reported 12 S-70is in September 2023. Wikipedia lists 16 UH-60-family helicopters, probably counting older S-70As; not confirmed. | |
| Airbus C295MWIn service | Tactical transport | 4 | 2024 | — | Four: two delivered on 24 January 2024 and the final two, TUDB 504 and 505, in April 2026. | |
| CASA/IPTN CN-235-110MIn service | Transport | 1 | — | One per Wikipedia. | ||
| Bell 214STIn service | Utility helicopter | 1 | — | One per Wikipedia. | ||
| Pilatus PC-7 Mk IIIn service | Basic trainer | 4 | — | Four per Wikipedia. | ||
| Bell 206 JetRangerIn service | Training helicopter | 2 | 1967 | — | Two in service per Wikipedia; five were received in 1967. | |
| Boeing Insitu RQ-21 BlackjackIn service | ISR drone | 5 | 2021 | — | Five per Wikipedia citing Janes. |
On order
| Type | Ordered | First delivery | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Airbus Helicopters H145MOn order | 6 | Ordered in May 2024 (announced 3 May) for close air support and aerial observation, replacing the Bo 105 retired in 2022.
MoreDelivery dates were not published, and no delivery was reported on the RBAirF site as of 30 September 2026. |
Every type the Royal Brunei Air Force has retired
8 types, from the Sikorsky S-55 to the MBB Bölkow Bo 105. Peak figures are airframes taken on charge over the whole service life, not fleet strength on any one date.
| Type | Role | Peak | Served | Replaced by | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MBB Bölkow Bo 105 | Light armed helicopter | 6 | 1981–2022 | H145M (ordered) | Six at introduction in 1981. | |
| Bell 212 | Utility helicopter | — | — | S-70i | Wikipedia records eight decommissioned in 2014; the total fleet was not confirmed. | |
| Sikorsky S-55 | Utility helicopter | 2 | 1965–1966 | Whirlwind | Two. | |
| SIAI-Marchetti SF.260 | Basic trainer | — | 1982– | PC-7 Mk II | Number not confirmed. | |
| Westland Whirlwind | Utility helicopter | 3 | 1966– | Bell 206 | Three RAF helicopters with three RAF pilots. | |
| Westland Wessex | Utility helicopter | — | — | — | Listed as retired by Wikipedia; numbers and dates not confirmed. | |
| Hawker Siddeley HS 748 | Transport | — | — | — | Listed as retired by Wikipedia; numbers and dates not confirmed. | |
| Piper PA-28 Cherokee | Light trainer | — | — | — | Listed as retired by Wikipedia; numbers and dates not confirmed. |
Where the Royal Brunei Air Force flies from
Black pins are active bases, hollow pins the airfields that have closed. Rimba, which shares the runway of Brunei International Airport, is the Royal Brunei Air Force’s only flying base; the old airfield at Berakas, a Japanese-built wartime runway, closed when the present airport opened in 1974. Medicina Lines near Seria is the helicopter base of British Forces Brunei, not a Brunei air force station, and Anduki is Brunei Shell Petroleum’s private airfield, listed for the landings of December 1962. Entries with no published aerodrome data carry no pin.
| Base | ICAO | Status | Runway | Units and aircraft |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Medicina Lines, SeriaBelait District, Brunei | Active | — |
|
|
| Rimba Air Force BaseBrunei-Muara District | WBSB | Active | 03/213,658 m |
|
| AndukiBelait District, Brunei | WBAK | Closed | 05/23810 m | — |
| Brunei, Berakasold airportBrunei-Muara District | Closed 1974 | — | — |
No air base matches that search.
Who is stationed where in the Royal Brunei Air Force
Flying units by base, current units first. Brunei’s squadrons are numbered within wings — 11 and 15 Squadrons in No. 1 Wing, 238 in No. 2, 39 in No. 3, 51 in No. 5 and 73 in No. 7 — and the British helicopter unit at Medicina Lines is listed too, marked as not Bruneian. Where a squadron or its aircraft rests on Wikipedia alone, the entry says so.
- No. 11 Squadron, No. 1 WingUtility helicopter squadron · active
- Sikorsky S-70i Black Hawk, Bell 214ST
- No. 15 Squadron, No. 1 WingTransport squadron · active
- Airbus C295MW, CASA/IPTN CN-235-110M
- No. 39 Squadron, No. 3 WingUnmanned aircraft squadron · active
- Boeing Insitu RQ-21 Blackjack / Integrator
- No. 51 Squadron, No. 5 WingHelicopter maintenance squadron · active
- Sikorsky S-70i Black Hawk
- No. 73 Squadron, Flying Training School, No. 7 WingFlying training squadron · active
- Pilatus PC-7 Mk II, Bell 206 JetRanger
- No. 238 Squadron, No. 2 WingGround-based air defence squadron · active
- Mistral very-short-range missile (not an aircraft)
- No. 12 Squadron (No. 2 Squadron until the 1990s)1981–2022
- MBB Bölkow Bo 105CBS
- 667 Squadron AAC (7 Flight AAC until 1 August 2021)Jungle support helicopter squadron · active
- Bell 212HP AH1 (to 2022 or 2023), Airbus H145 Jupiter HC2 (from December 2025, per Wikipedia)
No unit matches that search.
Royal Brunei Air Force milestones, 1914 to today
8 December: the Brunei revolt; British and Gurkha troops flown in from Singapore end it by 17 December. A British garrison stays.
The Air Wing of the Royal Brunei Malay Regiment is formed; two S-55s flown by contractor pilots carry doctors to the interior.
Three RAF pilots with three Whirlwinds take over; the service later counts this as its founding year for its 60th anniversary.
Renamed the Helicopter Platoon; five Bell 206 JetRangers arrive.
No. 2 Squadron forms with six Bölkow Bo 105s, the first armed helicopters (Air Technical Training School opened in 1980).
No. 3 Squadron forms with SIAI-Marchetti SF.260 trainers.
1 September: No. 2 Wing is founded.
Brunei becomes independent and takes over full responsibility for its defence; the British garrison stays at the Sultan’s request.
1 October: the Air Wing becomes the Royal Brunei Air Force.
Bruneians take over Bo 105 maintenance from British Army REME technicians.
20 July: a Bell 212 crashes near Labi, Belait district, killing 12 of 14 aboard, the worst accident in the country’s defence history.
27 November: the first four of 12 S-70i Black Hawks arrive.
27 July: No. 3 Wing is inaugurated.
RQ-21 Blackjack drones acquired for maritime surveillance.
5 February: the Bo 105 fleet is retired after 41 years.
24 January: the first two C295MWs arrive. May: six H145Ms ordered. October: a C295 flies relief to the Philippines.
10 January: Brig. Gen. (U) Haszahaidi Ahmad Daud takes command. 10 September: first mixed formation with Singapore’s Brunei Helicopter Detachment.
20 April: the last two C295MWs arrive, completing a fleet of four. The service marks its Diamond Jubilee.
The Royal Brunei Air Force’s operations
Sorties and losses where the record gives them, and an honest blank where it does not.
- Disaster relief after Typhoon Trami (Kristine) 2024 Flew food, medical supplies and equipment to the Philippines after the typhoon; a non-combat operation, listed because the service has no combat record
Everything people ask about the Royal Brunei Air Force
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Read the aircraft the Royal Brunei Air Force flew
Every type with a page in the Book of Beasts, in service first, then by the year it left the fleet.
Every fact, checked
- Ministry of Defence Brunei DarussalamLinks to the RBAirF site.
- Royal Brunei Air Force: home pageNews index, September 2026.
- Royal Brunei Air Force: LeadershipCommander Brig. Gen. (U) Haszahaidi Ahmad Daud since 10 January 2025, 16th commander; deputy and chief of staff from 21 November 2025.
- Royal Brunei Air Force: OrganisationHeadquarters at Royal Brunei Air Force Base; organisation charts as images only.
- RBAirF: Cemetery cleaning campaign in conjunction with its 60th anniversary (30 July 2026)Diamond Jubilee, 60th anniversary, in 2026.
- RBAirF completes C295MW air transport fleet acquisition (21 April 2026)Final two arrived 20 April 2026; first two delivered 24 January 2024; 518 flights across eight Southeast Asian countries.
- Official handover of two C295MW aircraft to the RBAirF (8 May 2026)Transfer of title for TUDB504 and TUDB505, ferried from Seville in April 2026.
- Completion of the first C295MW pilot conversion course in RBAirF (20 February 2025)Four pilots at 15 Squadron, No. 1 Wing.
- RBAirF C295MW aircraft arrives at Villamor Air Base for Philippine disaster relief efforts (27 October 2024)Landed 28 October 2024 after Typhoon Kristine (Trami) with food, medical supplies and equipment.
- Indonesian ambassador visits CN235-110 (12 June 2022)Maintenance by PT Dirgantara Indonesia from 25 May 2022.
- 15 Squadron pilots completed their CN235-110M conversion course (18 June 2023)Two pilots, 15 Squadron, No. 1 Wing, Rimba (from the site search excerpt).
- International Blackhawk Operators Conference Brunei 2023: flight hour and superior maintenance awards (25 September 2023)51 Squadron maintained 12 S-70is for almost ten years and over 13,000 flight hours without major incident.
- Evening reception, International Blackhawk Operators Conference Brunei 2023 (22 September 2023)Names Brig. Gen. (U) Mohammad Sharif bin Dato Paduka Haji Ibrahim as commander (from the site search excerpt).
- RBAirF and RSAF Brunei Helicopter Detachment conduct unprecedented mixed formation sortie (9 September 2025)Two S-70i of 11 Squadron and two RSAF H225M, 10 September 2025.
- Wing presentation ceremony for operators of unmanned aerial system, 39 Squadron, No. 3 Wing (12 September 2024)First UAS operator wings; UAS squadron building foundation laid at Rimba on 20 August 2024 (site search excerpt).
- HeliHub: Brunei accepts four Sikorsky S-70i Black Hawks (6 December 2013)12 ordered, option for ten more; first four arrived 27 November 2013; all by end of 2014.
- HeliHub: Royal Brunei Air Force retires Bo105 fleet (8 February 2022)41 years; six from 1981; REME maintenance until 1993; 36 pilots; 32,000 hours.
- HeliHub: Brunei orders six H145Ms (3 May 2024)Close air support and aerial observation; replacing the Bo105.
- Borneo Post: Brunei air force helicopter crash kills 12, two cadets survive (22 July 2012)Bell 212, 14 aboard, 12 killed including six cadets, returning from jungle training. The article dates the crash to Friday; Friday was 20 July 2012.
- Department of Civil Aviation Brunei Darussalam: eAIPAD 2 documents for WBSB and WBAK; AIRAC effective date 20 June 2026.
- AIP Brunei Darussalam, AD 2 WBSB Brunei International AirportReference point 04 56 39N 114 55 42E, elevation 73 ft; runway 03/21, 3,658 x 45 m, bituminous asphalt, PCN 70; aerodrome chart marks an RBA hangar and a 3rd Squadron hangar. Aerodrome operator: Department of Civil Aviation.
- AIP Brunei Darussalam, AD 2 WBAK AndukiReference point 04 38 15.1N 114 22 56.1E, elevation 2.78 m; runway 05/23, 810 m, asphalt; private aerodrome of Brunei Shell Petroleum, helicopter operations only.
- Royal Brunei Air Force: HistoryThe history is published as an image; no text could be extracted (October 2026).
- Royal Brunei Air Force: site search for "Rimba"Headquarters promotion ceremony at Ruang Rajawali, Rimba Air Force Base (24 July 2026); Medical Reception Service at Rimba (18 September 2026); school visits 2025.
- Royal Brunei Air Force: site search for "Air Movement Centre"Lists the RSAF static display at the Air Movement Centre (30 October 2019) and the SMART system launch there (11 December 2023).
- F-35 fighter jet from United States arrived at the Air Movement Centre, Rimba Air Force Base (4 March 2024)Two USAF F-35s, 1–2 March 2024; the first time fifth-generation American fighters landed in Brunei.
- Royal Brunei Air Force hosted F-22 Raptor from the United States at the Air Movement Centre (8 August 2024)Four F-22s and three C-130Js, 6–8 August 2024, during PACAF’s Iron Blade redeployment from Exercise Pitch Black.
- RBAirF receives visit of F-35A Lightning II from the Royal Australian Air Force at the Air Movement Centre (29 August 2025)Two RAAF F-35As and a KC-30A, 30 August 2025; the RAAF F-35’s debut in Brunei.
- Foundation laying ceremony for air defence capability infrastructure: No. 2 Wing Headquarters, Hangar 238 and MRAD hangar (29 September 2025)Ceremony at Rimba on 30 September 2025; groundwork from 7 May 2025; No. 2 Wing HQ 1,990 m2, Hangar 238 1,323 m2, medium-range air defence hangar 1,500 m2; completion due November 2026; system not named.
- Key.Aero: New designation for Army Air Corps jungle support unit (2021)7 Flight at Medicina Lines, Seria, re-designated 667 Squadron from 1 August 2021; Bell 212 AH1/AH3; in Brunei since 1 November 1994.
- British Army: Army Air CorpsLists 667 Squadron in Brunei (cited from the MiGFlug AAC dataset).
Figures verified 2026-09-30. Order of Battle pages are regenerated from a single dataset; if a number here disagrees with a Book of Beasts page, this page is the more recent of the two.
Photographs: Photo: Pangalau / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Photo: Philippine Air Force (PAF) / Wikimedia Commons (Public domain) · Photo: Capt. R. L. Pearce / Wikimedia Commons (Public domain) · Photo: Bob Adams from George, South Africa / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0) · Photo: Hans Hillewaert / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Photo: Sir James / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 3.0) · Photo: Wikimedia Commons (Public domain) · Photo: Billy McCrorie / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0) · Photo: Matti Blume / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)