Nay Pyi Taw December 24
The Tatmadaw (Navy) founded on 24 December 1947 has reached its 71st Anni-versary. The ceremony to commission the naval vessels of the Tatmadaw (Navy) to upgrade its naval power and to turn it into a Regional Blue Water Navy was held on its 71st Founding Anniversary at No 3 Naval Wharf in Yangon, graced by Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Senior General Min Aung Hlaing who delivered an address.
Also present were Daw Kyu Kyu Hla, wife of the Senior General, Union Minister for Defence Lt-Gen Sein Win and wife, Commander-in-Chief (Navy) Admiral Tin Aung San, Commander-in-Chief (Air) General Maung Maung Kyaw, retired Commander-in-Chiefs (Navy), retired Commander-in-Chiefs (Air), retired senior military officers, senior military officers of the Office of the Commander-in-Chief, the commander of Yangon Command, commanders of Naval Commands, officers, other ranks and families of Tatmadaw (Navy) and war veterans.
First, Chief of Staff (Navy) Rear-Admiral Moe Aung explained the salient points of the naval vessels. The Commander of Naval Dockyard Command Headquarters handed over the papers of the naval vessels to the commander of the Naval Fleet. Then, the Commander-in-Chief (Navy) presented the scale model of the vessels to Senior General Min Aung Hlaing as gifts of honour in commemoration of the commissioning ceremony.
The different phases of ceremonial procession of the commissioning ceremony – the declaration of the commissioning of the naval vessels by the Chief of Staff (Navy), the raising of the State Flag, the Navy Flag and the commissioning flag, and the ringing of the bell for eight times – were held.
Afterwards, the Senior General and party inspected the 65-metre Floating Dock (Saya Shan-2), 29-metre landing craft utilities carrying armoured vehicles and 26-metre sea-going tow/tug boats.
The Senior General took the salute of the Guard of Honour on the dais on board the Shinbyushin Naval Ship. At that time, war ships Yang Taing Aung and Yan Gyi Aung saluted the Senior General with a 19-gun salute. Then the Senior General inspected the Guard of Honour.
Later led by Frigate Aung Zeya, Frigate Kyan Sit Tha, corvettes Tabin Shwe Hti and Bayint Naung and fast attack crafts saluted the Senior General in Single Line Formation. At the same time, an unmanned helicopter landed on Aung Zeya naval ship in honour of the ceremony.
Then, the Commander-in-Chief (Navy) presented the shell of the first fired gun salute to the Senior General as a commemorative gift.
The Senior General presented gifts of honour to the officers and other ranks of the ships that took part in the naval show and the commissioned ships through the officials. Then certificates of honour and cash awards were presented to officers and other ranks who took part in building the commissioned ships through Commander of Naval Dockyard Command Headquaters Rear-Admiral Thant Zin Lay.
In his address the Senior General said seven ships were commissioned at the today’s ceremony, and the commissioning of the 65-metre Floating Dock (Saya Shan-2), an essential vessel of the Navy is significant. As vessels from naval commands from far distance areas can be repaired at the floating dock, it will have benefits such as saving time, cutting expenditure and ensuring convenient process of tasks. As doing so, the Senior General praised officers and other ranks from Naval Dockyard Command Headquarters for their efforts in construction tasks. The naval dockyard could build various vessels including frigates. Hence, the Tatmadaw (Navy) can take pride of cutting expenditure of the State. The Senior General stressed the need to continue construction of war vessels with higher quality and better capability. In line with the motto of the Tatmadaw (Navy): “We protect Myanmar territorial waters”, it needs to safeguard the territorial water of the State while the Tatmadaw (Navy) must shape itself as the Blue Water Navy in the region. The Senior General took pride of the Tatmadaw (Navy) for its construction capability as today is a milestone of the State and the Tatmadaw. The Senior General urged them to conscientiously discharge the assigned duties in order to shape the qualified Tatmadaw (Navy) in the future and firmly hand down experiences to new generations.
In the evening, the Senior General and party left No 3 Naval Wharf for Ayeyawady Naval Region Command Headquarters by war vessel Yadanabon. The Senior General and wife Daw Kyu Kyu Hla cut the honorary birthday cake to mark the 71st Anniversary of the Tatmadaw (Navy) aboard the war vessel. Next, Commander-in-Chief (Navy) Admiral Tin Aung San presented commemorative emblems as gifts in commemoration of the 71st Anniversary of the Tatmadaw (Navy) to Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, Commander-in-Chief (Air) General Maung Maung Kyaw, retired Commander-in-Chiefs (Navy), retired Commander-in-Chiefs (Air) and retired senior military officers.
The Senior General and wife unveiled the booth to mark the 71st Anniversary of the Tatmadaw (Navy) at Ayeyawady Naval Region Command Headquarters and put signatures in commemoration of the anniversary of the Tatmadaw (Navy). Next, they viewed round the commemorative booths and booths of respective naval region command headquarters. Later, the Senior General and wife presented cash award to the military band of the Tatmadaw (Navy) after watching its entertainment.
The booths in commemoration of the 71st Anniversary of the Tatmadaw (Navy) showcase documentary photos on history of the Tatmadaw (Navy), various items of naval equipment, scale models of vessels, book shop, personal goods manufactured by the Tatmadaw, domestic products and Myanmar traditional foodstuffs.
In the morning, the Senior General and party arrived at Naval Dockyard Command Headquarters where they viewed various items of naval equipment produced by the Tatmadaw (Navy). At the meeting hall of the command headquarters, the Senior General heard reports on construction, upgrade and maintenance of new vessels through Power-Point presentation by the commander of the command headquarters and gave necessary instructions and fulfilled the requirements.
Afterwards, the Senior General explained construction of war vessels by the Tatmadaw (Navy) with the strength of engineers from the Tatmadaw (Navy) at home, upgrading of existing war vessels, the important role of capability of the Tatmadaw (Navy) for security of Myanmar territorial waters, improvement of capability, and extended building of the Tatmadaw (Navy) to become capable, powerful modern Tatmadaw (Navy) to the retired Commander-in-Chiefs (Navy), the Commander-in-Chiefs (Air) and retired senior military officers.
Next, the Senior General viewed round construction of war vessels in the naval dockyard in a motorcade. On arrival at Hydrodynamic Towing Tank in the com-pound of Naval Dockyard Command Head-quarters, the Senior General heard reports by an official on machines installed at the tank and capabilities, tests for building the vessels and the vessels to be built at the Tatmadaw (Navy), and tests for measuring capability of Hydrodynamic Towing Tank and fulfilled the requirements after giving necessary instructions.
Later, the Senior General and party in-spected practical test of vessels at Hydrody-namic Towing Tank.
