RIMBA, Friday, 7 December 2012 – With the consent of His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam, 231 Colonel (U) Haji Wardi bin Haji Abdul Latip is effectively taking over the command as the Commander of the Royal Brunei Air Force from 194 Brigadier General (U) Dato Seri Pahlawan Haji Jofri bin Haji Abdullah. The change over ceremony took place at the Parade Square of the Headquarters of Royal Brunei Air Force at Rimba Air Base.

The ceremony was attended by Senior Officers, Officers, Airmen, Airwomen and non-uniformed personnel of the Royal Brunei Air Force. The morning’s ceremony started with the outgoing Commander inspecting the Guard of Honour which was participated by 109 personnel of the Royal Brunei Air Force which was then followed by the delivering of his final speech before signing the certificate with the newly appointed Commander. The newly appointed Commander then proceeded to inspect the Guard of Honour and delivered his speech before ending the ceremony.

The itinerary of the ceremony was followed by a Tree Planting Ceremony outside the Royal Brunei Air Force Headquarters.  Brigadier General (U) Dato Seri Pahlawan Hj Jofri was later paraded along the main road of the Rimba Air Base from the Royal Brunei Air Force Headquarters to Hangar A and made his final flight using the Bell 212 helicopter.

Brigadier General (U) Dato Seri Pahlawan Haji Jofri, the outgoing commander assumed the command as the 11th Commander of the Royal Brunei Air Force with effect on 21st August 2009.  He joined the Royal Brunei Armed Forces in 1981 and graduated from the Royal Air Force College, Cranwell, the United Kingdom in September 1982 as a Second Lieutenant.  He started his flying training at No 3 Squadron, Royal Brunei Air Force in the SF 260W fixed wing aircraft.

Brigadier General (U) Dato Seri Pahlawan Hj Jofri’s first operational assignment was as Bell 212 helicopter pilot in No 1 Squadron, Royal Brunei Air Force.  He graduated from the Qualified Helicopter Instructor Course at the Royal Air Force Shawbury, in the United Kingdom in 1987 and completed the Bell Helicopter Texron Test Pilot Course in Dallas, Texas in the United States in 1989.  He attended various professional courses including the Joint Warfare Royal Australian Air Force Wiliamtown in Australia, Advanced Staff College Course Royal Air Force Bracknell in the United Kingdom, International Diplomacy Course in Singapore and the International Director Intelligence Course in the United Kingdom in 2004.

Brigadier General (U) Dato Seri Pahlawan Hj Jofri has served various appointments both in the Royal Brunei Air Force and Ministry of Defence.  He has served two tours as Officer Commanding Flying Standards, Staff Officer Grade 2 Intelligence & Operations and Commanding Officer Operations Wing from the year 1993 until 2002 before posted to the Directorate of Intelligence, Ministry of Defence in June 2002 as Staff Officer Grade 1 Intelligence.  He assumed the appointment of Director of Intelligence in October 2002 and went to China to attend the Defence Studies at the National Defence University in August 2005.  On his return from China, Brigadier General (U) Dato Seri Pahlawan Jofri assumed the appointment of Director of Operations on August 2006 before posted to Royal Brunei Air Force as Deputy Commander on 1st April 2008.  He took one command as Commander Royal Brunei Air Force on 21st August 2009 from Brigadier General (U) Dato Paduka Mahmud Saidin.

By the consent of His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Negara Brunei Darussalam, he was promoted to Brigadier General on 25 May 2011.

On the 15th of July 2011, His Majesty bestowed the Darjah Pahlawan Negara Brunei Yang Amat Perkasa (The Most Gallant Order of Pahlawan Negara Brunei Darussalam) First Class (PSPNB) with the title ‘Dato Seri Pahlawan’ to Brigadier General (U) Haji Jofri.

In recognition of playing significant role in enhancing the relations between the Royal Brunei Air Force and the Royal Singapore Air Force, Brigadier General (U) Dato Seri Pahlawan Haji Jofri was conferred Singapore’s prestigious military award, the Pingat Jasa Gemilang (Tentera) [or Meritorious Service Medal (Military)], by Minister for Defence of Republic of Singapore, Dr Ng Eng Hen on 4th November 2011.

During his service, he accomplished a number achievements which includes the capability development for the acquisition of the 12 BLACKHAWK S-70i helicopters to replace the current fleet of Bell 212 and BO105 helicopters and the enhance the Royal Brunei Air Force’s rotary wing capacity to meet the requirement for a single wave tactical air lift as identified in the Defence White Paper Update 2007. It was also during Brigadier General (U) Dato Seri Pahlawan’s time as the Commander of the Royal Brunei Air Force that the unit saw the launching of the Royal Brunei Air Force Values – “Service Above Self”, “Teamwork” and “Excellence” on 25th June 2012. The launching of these Core Values signifies the commitment of Brigadier General (U) Dato Seri Pahlawan Hj Jofri in raising the spirit and sense of identity amongst the members who served in the Royal Brunei Air Force.

The new commander, Colonel (U) Hj Wardi assumed the command as the 12th Commander of the Royal Brunei Air Force with effect on 7th December 2012. He was enrolled in the Royal Brunei Armed Forces as an apprentice in Boys Company from 1982 to 1983. He was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in December 1984 upon successfully graduating from the prestigious Air Force Academy, the Royal Air Force College, Cranwell, United Kingdom.  He started his flying career as a student pilot at No.3 Squadron Basic Flying Training School, in the Training Wing of the Royal Brunei Air Force from 1984 to 1986. Upon the completion of the flying training he was posted to No.1 Squadron, Operations Wing of Royal Brunei Air Force as a co-pilot on the Bell 212 Helicopter.  Six months later, he attained his combat Ready (Select) status and served as a fully operational Bell 212 pilot for about 3 years with No.1 Squadron, Operations Wing Royal Brunei Air Force.

Colonel (U) Hj Wardi is one of the few that were selected to undergo the fast Jet Flying Training at Royal Air Force Church Fenton, Yorkshire, United Kingdom in 1989. He went through the training in phases beginning with the Refresher Fast Jet Course for 82 flight hours on the jet Provost Mk5. He then continued the Advanced Flying Training on the Hawk T Mk1 at the Royal Air Force Valley, Holyhead, Wales. He was also selected to pioneer the Maritime Reconnaissance Aircraft Program and was sent to Messey Air University, School of Aviation, at Palmerstone North New Zealand to obtain his Multi-engine Pilot Licence in 1994, In early 1997 he was sent to Halim Pardanakoesumo Air Force Base in Jakarta to do a conversion flying training at No.2 Squadron on the Indonesian Air Force CN-235 Twin Engine Military Reconnaissance Aircraft. After completing this conversion training in November 1997, he flew the first CN-235 Twin Engine Military Aircraft to Brunei and established No.5 Squadron Operations Wing, Royal Brunei Air Force which was officially formed on 12 December 1997.

To date, Colonel (U) Hj Wardi has served the RBAF for 29 years.  Throughout his service he has held various key appointments which include Staff Officer Grade 3 Operation, Staff Officer Grade 3 Admin, Staff Officer Grade 2 Admin, Staff Officer Grade 2 Operations, Squadron Commander of No.5 Squadron, Operation Wing, Staff Officer Grade 2 to the Commander of Royal Brunei Armed Forces, Military Assistance to the Commander of Royal Brunei Armed Forces, Commanding Officer Operation Wing Royal Brunei Air Force, The Defence Attaché at the Embassy of Brunei Darussalam in Beijing, People’s Republic of China, Deputy Commandant of the Defence Academy of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces and his last appointment before holding the role of the Commander of the Royal Brunei Air Force was as the Director of Personnel at the Ministry of Defence Brunei Darussalam.

Colonel (U) Hj Wardi was awarded with several decorations which include SMB, PJP KDYMM, PJP ABDB, PKLPB, PKmdkn, GSM, PCM (PLA Commemorative Medal). He was also awarded with honorary pilot wings by the Massey Air University (1995) and Indonesian Air Force (1997). He was also awarded the PCM at the end of his tour as the Defence Attaché of Brunei to the Republic of China for his contribution towards enhancing the bilateral relationship between Brunei Darussalam and people Republic of China.

PUCUK PIMPINAN BARU TUDB

RIMBA, Jumaat, 7 Disember 2012 – Atas Titah perkenan Kebawah Duli Yang Maha Mulia Paduka Seri Baginda Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah Sultan dan Yang Di-Pertuan Negara Brunei Darussalam, 231 Kolonel (U) Haji Wardi bin Haji Mohd Latip telah megangambil alih pucuk pimpinan Tentera Udara Diraja Brunei secara rasminya daripada 194 Brigadier General (U) Dato Seri Pahlawan Haji Jofri bin Haji Abdullah.

Majlis tersebut telah dihadiri oleh Pegawai-Pegawai Kanan, Pegawai-Pegawai, anggota-anggota tentera udara lelaki dan wanita dan kakitangan awam Tentera Udara Diraja Brunei. Majlis bermula dengan pemerintah yang akan bersara memeriksa Kawalan Kehormatan yang terdiri daripada 109 anggota Tentera Udara Diraja Brunei dan seterusnya menyampaikan ucapan yang terakhir sebelum menandatangani sijil dengan pemerintah yang baru.

Atucara pada pagi itu diikuti dengan Upacara Penamanan Pokok diluar Markas Tentera Udara Diraja Brunei. Sejurus selepas itu, acara diteruskan dengan perarakan Brigadier General (U) Dato Seri Pahlawan Hj Jofri disepanjang jalan utama Pangkalan Udara Rimba bermula dari Markas Tentera Udara Diraja Brunei dan berakhir di Hangar A. Sebelum upacara tamat, Brigadier General (U) Dato Seri Pahlawan menerbangkan pesawat helikopter Bell 212 buat untuk kali terakhir bagi menandakan persaraan beliau.

Brigadier Jeneral (U) Dato Seri Pahlawan Hj Jofri, Pemerintah Tentera Udara Diraja Brunei telah dilantik menjadi Pemerintah Tentera Udara Diraja Brunei yang ke-11 berkuat kuasa pada 21 Ogos 2009. Kerjaya beliau di bidang ketenteraan bermula apabila beliau menyertai Angkatan Bersenjata Diraja Brunei pada tahun 1981 dan kemudiannya tamat latihan daripada Tentera Udara Diraja College, Cranwell, United Kingdom pada September 1982 sebagai Leftenan Muda. Beliau memulakan latihan penerbangan di No. 3 Skuadron, Tentera Udara Diraja Brunei menggunakan pesawat 260W SF.

Tugasan operasional pertama Brigadier Jeneral (U) Dato Seri Pahlawan Haji Jofri adalah sebagai juruterbang helikopter Bell 212 di No. 1 Skuadron, Tentera Udara Diraja Brunei. Beliau tamat kursus “Qualified Helicopter Instructor Course” di Royal Air Force Shawbury, di United Kingdom pada tahun 1987 dan juga telah menghadiri Kursus “Bell Helicopter Texron Test Pilot Course” di Dallas, Texas di Amerika Syarikat pada tahun 1989. Antara kursus professional yang telah beliau hadiri sepanjang perkhidmatan beliau termasuk “Joint Warfare Royal Australian Air Force Wiliamtown” di Australia, Kursus Lanjutan Maktab Turus di Royal Air Force Bracknell, United Kingdom, Kursus Diplomasi Antarabangsa di Singapura dan Kursus Pengarah Antarabangsa Perisikan di United Kingdom pada tahun 2004.

Brigadier Jeneral (U) Dato Seri Pahlawan Haji Jofri telah berkhidmat dalam pelbagai jawatan bukan sahaja di Tentera Udara Diraja Brunei malahan juga di Kementerian Pertahanan. Beliau telah berkhidmat sebagai Pegawai Memerintah Piawaian Terbang, Timbalan Pegawai Turus Perisikan & Gerakan  dan Pegawai Pemerintah Cawangan Gerakan  dari tahun 1993 sehingga 2002 sebelum dipindahkan ke Jabatanarah Perisikan, Kementerian Pertahanan pada bulan Jun 2002 sebagai Pegawai Turus Perisikan. Beliau memegang pelantikan Pengarah Perisikan pada bulan Oktober 2002 dan telah dihantar ke China untuk menghadiri Pengajian Pertahanan di Universiti Pertahanan Nasional pada bulan Ogos 2005. Sekembalinya dari China, Brigadier Jeneral (U) Dato Seri Pahlawan Jofri mengambil alih jawatan Pengarah Gerakan  pada Ogos 2006 sebelum menjawat jawatan di Tentera Udara Diraja Brunei sebagai Timbalan Pemerintah pada 1 April 2008. Beliau mengambil mengambil alih tampuk pemerintahan Tentera Udara Diraja Brunei pada 21 Ogos 2009 dari Brigadier Jeneral (U) Dato Paduka Mahmud Saidin.

Atas Titah Perintah Kebawah Duli Yang Maha Mulia Paduka Seri Baginda Sultan dan Yang Di-Pertuan Negara Brunei Darussalam, beliau telah dinaikkan pangkat ke Brigadier Jeneral pada 25 Mei 2011.

Pada 15 Julai 2011, Kebawah Duli Yang Maha Mulia telah mengurniakan Darjah Pahlawan Negara Brunei Yang Amat Berjasa (PSPNB) Darjah Pertama yang membawa gelaran ‘Dato Seri Pahlawan' Brigadier Jeneral (U) Haji Jofri.

Dalam mengiktiraf peranan beliau dalam memainkan peranan penting dalam meningkatkan hubungan Tentera Udara Diraja Brunei dan Tentera Udara Republik Singapura, Brigadier Jeneral (U) Dato Seri Pahlawan Haji Jofri telah diberikan anugerah tentera Singapura yang berprestij- Pingat Jasa Gemilang (Tentera) oleh Menteri Pertahanan Republic Singapura Dr Ng Eng Hen pada 4 November 2011.

Antara pencapaian yang telah dikecapi sepanjang perkhidmatan beliau memegang tampuk pimpinan Pemerintah Tentera Udara Diraja Brunei adalah pembelian 12 pesawat helicopter BLACKHAWK S-70i pada 2 Disember 2011 yang mana ianya adalah salah satu langkah dalam membentuk pembangunan keupayaan Tentera Udara Diraja Brunei. Semasa pemerintahan beliau juga, Tentera Diraja Brunei telah menyaksikan Pelancaran Nilai-Nilai Teras ABDB – “Komitmen”, “Berpasukan”, dan “Cemerlang” yang telah berlangsung pada 25 Jun 2012. Pelancaran ini melambangkan komitmen Brigadier General (U) Dato Seri Pahlawan Hj Jofri dalam usaha membangkitkan semangat dan kekuatan identiti anggotanya yang berkhidmat di Tentera Udara Diraja Brunei.

Kolonel (U) Hj Wardi mengambil alih pucuk pimpinan sebagai Pemerintah Tentera Udara Diraja Brunei yang ke-12 berkuat kuasa pada 7 Disember 2012. Beliau mula menyertai Angkatan Bersenjata Diraja Brunei sebagai perintis dalam Boys Company pada tahun 1982 hingga 1983. Beliau kemudiannya telah ditauliahkan sebagai Leftenan Muda pada Disember 1984 apabila berjaya menamatkan latihan ketenteraan di Akademi Tentera Udara berprestij, Kolej Tentera Udara Diraja, Cranwell, United Kingdom. Beliau memulakan kerjaya penerbangan beliau sebagai pelatih juruterbang di No.3 Skuadron Asas Sekolah Latihan Penerbangan, di Sayap Latihan Tentera Udara Diraja Brunei 1984-1986. Setelah selesai menamatkan latihan penerbangan, beliau telah ditugaskan sebagai co-pilot bagi pesawat Helikopter Bell 212, di No.1 Skuadron, Cawangan Gerakan Tentera Udara Diraja Brunei. Enam bulan kemudian, beliau memperolehi  combat status (Select) dan terus beroperasi sepenuhnya sebagai juruterbang bagi pesawat Bell 212 Bell dalam tempoh 3 tahun bersama No. 1 Skuadron, Cawangan Gerakan di Tentera Udara Diraja Brunei.

Kolonel (U) Hj Wardi adalah salah satu daripada kumpulan kecil yang telah dipilih untuk menjalani latihan jet pejuang di Royal Air Force Church Fenton, Yorkshire, United Kingdom pada tahun 1989. Beliau melalui latihan secara berperingkat bermula dengan “Refresher Fast Jet Course” selama 82 jam penerbangan menggunakan jet Provost Mk5. Beliau kemudian meneruskan “Advanced Flying Training on the Hawk T Mk1” di the Royal Air Force Valley,Valley, Holyhead, Wales. Beliau juga telah terpilih  untuk menjadi perintis bagi program “Maritime Reconnaissance Aircraft Program” dan telah dihantar ke Messey Air University, School of Aviation, di Palmerstone North New Zealand untuk mendapatkan lessen “Multi-engine Pilot Licence” dalam tahun 1994. Selepas menamatkan latihan ini beliau sekali lagi dihantar untuk menjalani latihan “conversion flying training” pada bulan November 1997. Selesai sahaja latihan tersebut, beliau telah menerbangkan Pesawat CN-235 pertama ke Negara Brunei Darussalam dan menubuhkan No.5 Skuadron, Cawangan Gerakan di Tentera Udara Diraja Brunei yang ditubuhkan secara rasmi pada 12 Disember 1997.

Sepanjang perkhidmatan beliau, Kolonel (U) Hj Wardi telah berkhidmat dengan Angkatan Bersenjata Diraja Brunei selama 29 tahun. Sepanjang perkhidmatan beliau, beliau telah memegang pelbagai jawatan termasuk Penolong Pegawai Turus Operasi, Penolong Pegawai Turus Tadbir, Timbalan Pegawai Turus Tadbir, Timbalan Pegawai Turus Gerakan, Pemerintah Skuadron No. 5 Skuadron, Timbalan Pegawai Turus kepada Pemerintah Angkatan Bersenjata Diraja Brunei, Pembantu Tentera kepada Pemerintah Angkatan Bersenjata Diraja Brunei, Pegawai Pemerintah Cawangan Gerakan, Atase Pertahanan di Kedutaan Negara Brunei Darussalam di Beijing, Republik Rakyat China, Timbalan Komandan Akademi Pertahanan Angkatan Bersenjata Diraja Brunei dan jawatan terakhir beliau sandang sebelum menjadi Pemerintah Tentera Udara Diraja Brunei adalah sebagai Pengarah Keanggotaan di Kementerian Pertahanan Brunei Darussalam.

Kolonel (U) Hj Wardi telah dianugerahkan dengan beberapa pingat dan darjah yang termasuk SMB, KDYMM PJP, PJP ABDB, PKLPB, PKmdkn, GSM, PCM (PLA Pingat Peringatan). Beliau juga telah dianugerahkan dengan Lencana Juruterbang Kehormat oleh Massey Air University pada tahun 1995 dan daripada Tentera Nasional Indonesia – Angkatan Udara pada tahun 1997. Beliau juga  telah dianugerahkan PCM semasa berkhidmat sebagai Atase Pertahanan Negara Brunei Darussalam ke Republik China sebagai pengiktirafan sumbangan beliau ke arah meningkatkan hubungan dua hala antara Negara Brunei Darussalam dan rakyat Republik China.

Photos by Sgt Halimas Hj Mohammad, PRU