Keris Strike 2016

Army Air Wing and US Army pilots and crew posed for a photo with a Blackhawk helicopter. US Army picture.

SHAH ALAM: Even as the RMAF and PACAF is holding their biennial exercise, another military exercise between Malaysia and the US is about to start. This time around its mostly Army-centric, Keris Strike 2016. Keris Strike is an annual exercise between the Malaysian Army and the US Pacific Command, US Army-units.

Having two simultaneous separate exercises with the US is rare thing. It is not because we are getting chummier with the Americans however (if you see the latest news, we might be distancing ourselves actually). Its mostly down to issues relating to the fasting month of Ramadan and the subsequent Hari Raya Aidil Fitri and Aidil Adha holidays.

Keris Strike logo
Keris Strike logo

Cope Taufan was supposed to start in early June but as June 6 marks the start of Ramadan, it had to be pushed back to July 20 and ends on July 29. Keris Strike is usually held in September but as Aidil Adha is to be celebrated on Sept 12, it was apparently pushed forward to July 25 to August 6, at the Sirajuddin Camp in Gemas, Negri Sembilan

For Keris Strike 2016, the exercise will involved units from the 7th Brigade, 3 Division while from the US they will come from the 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division from Joint Base Lewis-McChord. The 7th Brigade is headquartered at the Mahkota Camp in Kluang, Johor.

Keris Strike 2014 participants posed for a group photo. Keris Strike FB page.
Keris Strike 2014 participants posed for a group photo. Keris Strike FB page.

The key objective of the exercise is to strengthen humanitarian assistance and disaster relief capabilities, according to a press release issued by 3rd Division PR unit.

A member of the 9th Royal Ranger Regiment, Malaysian Armed Forces, properly conducts a barrel change on a M240L machine gun during the academics week of Keris Strike 2015. Keris Strike FB page.
A member of the 9th Royal Ranger Regiment, Malaysian Armed Forces, properly conducts a barrel change on a M240L machine gun during the academics week of Keris Strike 2015. Keris Strike FB page.

US soldiers and equipment are already arriving in batches in preparation for the exercise. They and their equipment are being shipped out from the Pasir Gudang port in Johor.

So if you see Humvees and Strykers being driven around Johor and Negri Sembilan for the next one month or so, dont get on the social media claiming the US are invading us or coming to get the Malaysian Number One Official!

Apart from the exercises with the US, Malaysia is also holding an joint exercise with Indonesia – Malindo Latgabma Darsasa 9 AB-2016 from July 21 to Aug 3. The exercise will mostly be held in Tanjung Gelang in Kuantan, Pahang. Some part of the exercise will also be held at Kemaman, Terengganu.

Some 500 Indonesian soldiers and sailors will be involved, 205 from the Army and 105 sailors, mostly those from KRI Banda Acheh landing platform dock. The Indonesian army contingent are mostly from its special forces unit which will conduct exercises with Malaysian armed forces special forces as well.

An Indonesian C-130 Hercules as well two helicopters, a NAS-332 Puma and a Bell 412 EP, will also be involved in the exercise. The 412 is embarked on the Banda Acheh.

— Malaysian Defence

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Shah Alam

9 Comments

  1. I was thinking hard to refrain from doing some 1mdb jokes here but as you started it marhalim, I might just do it after this!

    Btw the 7th brigade is in the process of transforming into a motorised brigade right? What is the difference in equipment and tactics of a motorised brigade compared to a mechanized one? Or it is just a fancy name to a standard infantry brigade?

    About helicopters, have we received the bruneian blackhawks yet? Is the putd involved in this exercise as the Americans bought blackhawks along with them.

  2. And kuantan people don’t panic if they see indonesian ANOA apc running around as malindo dasarsa exercise is also happening now. They are bringing apc’s, lpd ship, super puma helicopters, hercules and a battalion worth of troops.

    Reply
    Yes the Malindo Latgabma starts next week also. Thanks for reminding me, I will update the post to include the exercise.

  3. h
    While in Kuantan, TNI are roaming around Tg Gelang for EX malindo-Darsasa, 21jul-3aug. All 3 branches of TNI are involved, totalling 500 men. Focus is HADR. No mention about MAF contribution to the EX.

    Wonder why no EX involving far-far away foreign forces ever held with 1st Infantry Division. Usual partners are Brunei, Indonesia and once a while the Philippines.

    Reply
    The source of the story – which I deleted due to server issues – is from TNI, so the Indonesian reporters got no input whats going on in Malaysia. Even we have not announced anything about it although the CPX has been going on for a week! Ex with Brunei is usually done in Brunei or KK. No agreement yet on exercise with Indonesia and Philippines on land in Sabah or Sarawak.

  4. ….. – ”What is the difference in equipment and tactics of a motorised brigade compared to a mechanized one?”

    Depends on the army and whether specific units are more focused on a particular area but generally the same. With mechanised units one key difference is that the IFVs are intended to bring the troops into battle or at least into the battle area. As such, when dismounted, the troops will have to work alongside the IFVs, which will provide direct dire support. In restricted areas [where engagements ranges will be shorter on account of terrain, vegetation or buildings] the IFVs will depend a lot on support provided by the dismounted troops.

  5. @ azlan

    What I hear is the motorised brigade won’t have ifv or apc assigned to it. Instead they are mobilised by lorries/4×4’s.

  6. Motorised means mobility ie.trucks, motorcycle while mechanised means armored ie.ifv, tanks.

  7. This month’s Perajurit has a photo of an M-60 on a MIFV [the M-60s originally came with the MIFVs]. This is a surprise as I was under the impression that the M-60s were replaced after the MIFVs got back from Bosnia and that the only GPMG the army has are MAGs.

  8. Marhalim

    Will the lipanbara mrap vehicle mass produced like gempita?

    Any latest procurement news for the RMAF??

    Reply
    Nothing so far about mass production of Lipan Bara. Nothing on RMAF

  9. …… – ”What I hear is the motorised brigade won’t have ifv or apc assigned to it.”

    Although motorised and mechanised units mostly have the same equipment and basic infantry tactics; the difference is that mechanised units [when dismounted] have the training to work alongside the IFVs that carry them into battle and provide them support – troops are intended to work alongside their mounts to achieve their objectives. Motorised units – namely ones that rely on lorries for transport – won’t have that kind of training as their Handalans are only intended to provide them with a means of transport beyond the battle area or its periphery.

    Motorised units off course also include the Condor equipped units but whether those units are trained with the same levels of APC/infantry cooperation as the IFV/infantry cooperation training Adnan and MIFVs units have [or are supposed to have] is unknown.

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