Exercise Deep Sabre
Encyclopedia
Exercise Deep Sabre is a multi-national maritime interdiction exercise conducted in August 2005 in South China Sea
.
Launched at the Changi Naval Base
in Singapore
, the exercise is part of the Proliferation Security Initiative
. It involved some 2,000 personnel from the military, coast guard, customs and other agencies of 13 countries, including Singapore, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, the United Kingdom and the US. Ten ships and six maritime patrol aircraft were involved in the exercise that aimed to develop and practice effective procedures to prevent the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction
.
It began with the deployment of maritime and air assets from participating countries to detect, localise and track the merchant ship (simulated by MV Avatar) transporting the illegal shipment of dual-use chemicals. Once located, a request was made for the ship to voluntarily divert to port for a search. When the ship’s master refused, flag state consent was sought, and given, for the ship to be interdicted and diverted to Singapore for the port search.
A team from the Republic of Singapore Navy
’s Naval Diving Unit
(NDU) was the first to board the vessel. After the ship was secured by the NDU team, follow-on forces from the Singapore Armed Forces
Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Explosive Defence Group
, the Japan Coast Guard
and Australian Customs Service
boarded the vessel and conducted a preliminary search and investigation. Following indications of a suspicious cargo on board, the ship was escorted to Singapore’s port for a detailed search by domestic enforcement agencies.
South China Sea
The South China Sea is a marginal sea that is part of the Pacific Ocean, encompassing an area from the Singapore and Malacca Straits to the Strait of Taiwan of around...
.
Launched at the Changi Naval Base
Changi Naval Base
Changi Naval Base is the latest naval facility of the Republic of Singapore Navy and was built to replace Brani Naval Base. Located about 1.5 kilometres east of Changi Air Base and 3.5 kilometres east of Singapore Changi Airport, the base was built on 1.28 km² of reclaimed land, it was...
in Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
, the exercise is part of the Proliferation Security Initiative
Proliferation Security Initiative
The Proliferation Security Initiative is a global effort that aims to stop trafficking of weapons of mass destruction , their delivery systems, and related materials to and from states and non-state actors of proliferation concern. Launched by United States President George W...
. It involved some 2,000 personnel from the military, coast guard, customs and other agencies of 13 countries, including Singapore, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, the United Kingdom and the US. Ten ships and six maritime patrol aircraft were involved in the exercise that aimed to develop and practice effective procedures to prevent the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction
Weapons of mass destruction
A weapon of mass destruction is a weapon that can kill and bring significant harm to a large number of humans and/or cause great damage to man-made structures , natural structures , or the biosphere in general...
.
Sea Phase
The sea phase of the exercise was conducted during 15-17 August 2005.It began with the deployment of maritime and air assets from participating countries to detect, localise and track the merchant ship (simulated by MV Avatar) transporting the illegal shipment of dual-use chemicals. Once located, a request was made for the ship to voluntarily divert to port for a search. When the ship’s master refused, flag state consent was sought, and given, for the ship to be interdicted and diverted to Singapore for the port search.
A team from the Republic of Singapore Navy
Republic of Singapore Navy
The Republic of Singapore Navy is the naval component of the Singapore Armed Forces , responsible for the defence of Singapore against sea-borne threats and protection of its sea lines of communications. Operating within the crowded littoral waters of the Singapore Strait, the RSN is regarded as...
’s Naval Diving Unit
Naval Diving Unit (Singapore)
The Naval Diving Unit is a Special Forces unit of the Republic of Singapore Navy, and is regularly tasked in salvage operations, underwater mine demolition and commando-type warfare.-Recruitment:...
(NDU) was the first to board the vessel. After the ship was secured by the NDU team, follow-on forces from the Singapore Armed Forces
Singapore Armed Forces
The Singapore Armed Forces is the military arm of the Total Defence of the Republic of Singapore; as well as the military component of the Ministry of Defence. The SAF comprises three branches: the Singapore Army, the Republic of Singapore Air Force and the Republic of Singapore Navy...
Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Explosive Defence Group
Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Explosive Defence Group
The Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Explosive Defence Group is a group formed by various Singapore Armed Forces units to enhance counter-terrorism capabilities and provide an immediate response in the event of chemical and biological incidents.The CBRE Group also works closely with the...
, the Japan Coast Guard
Japan Coast Guard
The , formerly the Maritime Safety Agency, is the Japanese coast guard. Comprising about 12,000 personnel, it is under the oversight of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, and is responsible for the protection the coast-lines of Japan...
and Australian Customs Service
Australian Customs Service
The Australian Customs and Border Protection Service is the Australian Federal Government agency responsible for managing the security and integrity of the Australian border, facilitating the movement of legitimate international travellers and goods, and collecting border-related duties and...
boarded the vessel and conducted a preliminary search and investigation. Following indications of a suspicious cargo on board, the ship was escorted to Singapore’s port for a detailed search by domestic enforcement agencies.
Port Search Phase
From Aug 15-19 2005 joint government and military teams searched cargo container in Singapore's Pasir Panjang Scanning Station for weapons of mass destruction.External links
- Singapore hosts multi-national anti-WMD maritime exercise - Channel NewsAsiaChannel NewsAsiaChannel NewsAsia is an English language pan-Asian news network based in Singapore and owned by MediaCorp. Started on 1 March 1999 based in Singapore by Television Corporation of Singapore, it was launched internationally on 12 February 2001 as the international broadcasting arm of Channel...
(15 August, 2005)