U.S., Brunei Airmen Strengthen Cooperation Through PACIFIC ANGEL 26-1
RIMBA AIR BASE, Brunei Darussalam -- U.S. Air Force and Royal Brunei Air Force (RBAirF) personnel opened PACIFIC ANGEL 26-1 at Rimba Air Base, Brunei Darussalam, Aug. 31, 2026, beginning bilateral training to prepare both nations for search and rescue and regional disaster response.
“We hope to enhance our operational capacity and operational readiness in search and rescue operations, as well as humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations through this exercise,” said RBAirF Maj. (Udara) Izdihar Imran, 11 Squadron commander and PACIFIC ANGEL 26-1 deputy co-director.
Brunei Darussalam is hosting the exercise Aug. 31–Sept. 4, following previous bilateral search and rescue and humanitarian/disaster relief training as part of PACIFIC ANGEL 23-1 in 2023.
The exercise brings together U.S. personnel from active-duty Air Force, Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve units, alongside personnel from five RBAirF squadrons and Royal Brunei Land Forces medical services.
Participating aircraft include one U.S. Air Force HC-130J from Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona, and RBAirF S-70i Black Hawk helicopters and C-295MW transport aircraft. U.S. pararescuemen from the 48th Rescue Squadron will train with the RBAirF Black Hawks, practicing coordinated search and rescue operations.
The exchanges draw on expertise from both nations. U.S. aeromedical personnel will share aircraft configuration and patient-loading procedures, while Bruneian-led sessions will include aircraft familiarization and perspectives from civil aviation and civilian search and rescue personnel. Together, these discussions connect military training with the wider network of responders involved in an emergency.
“The Royal Brunei Air Force brings valuable experience operating in maritime and jungle environments,” said U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Jamal Miqbel, 79th Rescue Squadron HC-130J loadmaster. “Learning how they operate gives us experience we don’t typically get at home.”
Medical instruction will focus on practical skills, including triage, bleeding control, airway management and preparing patients for evacuation. These tasks support a shared objective: moving an injured person from the point of rescue to further care.
“Our medical teams are here to collaborate and learn alongside our partners in the Royal Brunei Air Force on responding to mass casualty events and preparing patients for evacuation,” said U.S. Air Force Maj. Madison Chilton, Pacific Angel 26-1 lead medical planner. “Practicing together expands our ability to collaborate during times of peace and respond effectively in the instance of a real-world emergency.”
Later in the week, participants are scheduled to apply those skills during a simulated mass-casualty scenario and aeromedical evacuation training. Planned activities include transferring simulated patients from RBAirF aircraft to the U.S. Air Force HC-130J, allowing teams to practice the handoffs required when personnel and equipment from different nations work together.
Search and rescue training will also include personnel and equipment airdrops over land and water, complementing the medical exchanges.
“We’re looking forward to working with the U.S. Air Force and hopefully continue this partnership for many more years to come,” Imran said.
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