Diggers and Bruneians share tactics

By Cpl Luke Bellman 2 min read
Three people in camouflage uniform hold machine guns, two of them aiming the guns, as they walk next to a cinderblock building.
Soldiers from 1RAR and a Royal Brunei Land Forces soldier conduct urban drills at Lavarack Barracks, Queensland, during Exercise Mallee Bull. Photo: Pte Alli Craig
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Building clearances, two-man assault drills and urban navigation were the focus of what Australian and Brunei troops traded during Exercise Mallee Bull.

From June 24 to July 3, 40 Royal Brunei Land Forces personnel gained an appreciation of Australian tactics while sharing their own elite jungle warfare expertise.

Section commander 1RAR LCpl Matthew Barratt said the training was crucial for how the two nations operated in the region.

He said the sections were fully integrated, comprising an equal split of Australian and Bruneian personnel.

“They also shared knowledge on how they conduct business and survive in dense jungle environments,” LCpl Barratt said.

“The language barrier caused minor confusion during fast-paced tactical scenarios but the Brunei soldiers were highly capable and adapted quickly.”
 
The training culminated in a four-hour full-mission profile that pushed the integrated sections to their limits.

The activity began with an enemy prisoner-of-war stand, immediately followed by a demanding physical store carry.

Three people in camouflage uniform walk in a line with weapons raised past an armoured personnel carrier.
Soldiers from 1RAR and a Royal Brunei Land Forces soldier approach a building during urban training on Exercise Mallee Bull. Photo: Cpl Guy Sadler

From there, they transitioned into casualty treatment and a tactical evacuation to a designated landing zone.

The sections then launched a coordinated section attack to clear an outdoor enemy position before transitioning into the urban environment for a dynamic building-and-room clearance using specialised method-of-entry techniques.

The mission concluded with the troops bumping off from simulated indirect fire and executing a final battle run back to the starting point.

Pte Nelson Milich, who was part of the ‘enemy’ party, said the two nations shared similarities in bush tactics.

“The urban environment offered a unique opportunity for tactical skill-sharing,” Pte Milich said.

He said his main focus as an opposing force was to support the learning process rather than overwhelm the training troops and to ensure the basics of the drills hit home.

LCpl Barratt said building familiarity between forces would strengthen future cooperation.

“Introducing other forces to how we do business will greatly help if something ever happens, and we have to work together,” he said.

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