SENIOR General Min Aung Hlaing stressed that it is necessary to strive to shape Tatmadaw (Navy) as an Adjacent Force Projection Navy or Regional Navy.

As a gesture of honouring the 77^th Anniversary Tatmadaw (Navy) Day, a ceremony to com­mission warships into service aimed at fully safeguarding the maritime interests of the State and the exclusive economic zone of Myanmar seas was held at No 3 Naval Jetty in Yangon yesterday, graced by State Ad­ministration Council Chairman Defence Services Command­er-in-Chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing.

Speaking on the occasion, the Senior General said that Tatmadaw (Navy) has been up­graded to the Three-Dimension­al Combat Ready Navy to fully protect the exclusive economic zone of the Myanmar Sea.

He continued that it is necessary to strive to shape Tatmadaw (Navy) as an Adja­cent Force Projection Navy or Regional Navy.

He stressed that vessel building must be done with mo­mentum to produce full-power war vessels to enable Tatmad­aw (Navy) to have the capa­bility of covering the adjacent sea areas.

He underlined that Tatmad­aw (Navy) must be capable of readiness for vessels, weapons, weaponry systems and naval men.

The Senior General urged all Tatmadaw (Navy) members to have skills in handling weap­ons and weaponry systems.

Chief of Staff (Navy) Vice-Ad­miral Aye Min Htwe reported on facts about the vessels. The commander of Naval Dockyard Command Headquarters handed over documents related to the vessels to the commander of the Naval Fleet.

The Commander-in-Chief (Navy) presented scale models of the vessels to the Senior General.

The Chief of Staff (Navy) declared the commissioning of the war vessels and performed hoisting the State flag and the na­val flag as well as the flag to mark the commissioning of the vessel, beating the bell eight times and conducting work procedures.

The Senior General and par­ty viewed round two newly-com­missioned 63-metre (about 207 feet) submarine destroyers.

The Senior General from the dais aboard War Vessel Mottama took the salute of the Guard of Honour. Meanwhile, the Senior General was saluted with a 21- gun fire by War Vessels Yan Taing Aung and Yan Gyi Aung.

Frigate Kyansittha, Frigate Hsinbyushin, Covette Tabinsh­wehtee, Offshore Patrol Boat Inlay and Submarine Destroyer Yan Ye Aung led by Frigate Aung­zeya in a single line formation and two war vessels and four fast patrol vessels led by the 49-metre fast attack missile vessel 491 in a lineabreast formation saluted the Senior General.

The Senior General present­ed plaques, certificates of honour, cash awards and gifts to Tatmad­aw members who participated in the activities of saluting the Senior General and construction of vessels.

Also present at the cere­mony were retired command­ers-in-chief (Navy) and their wives, Commander-in-Chief (Navy) Admiral Htein Win and his wife, Commander-in-Chief (Air) General Tun Aung and his wife, union-level dignitaries and their wives, union ministers and their wives, the Yangon Region Chief Minister and his wife, senior Tatmadaw officers from the Office of the Command­er-in-Chief and their wives, the commander of Yangon Com­mand, the commander of Naval Control Command, commanders of naval region commands, war veterans organization members, members of Tatmadaw (Navy) and their families, and guests.

The Senior General left No 3 Naval Jetty for Ayeyawady Naval Region Command Headquarters by naval vessel Yadanabon.

The Commander-in-Chief (Navy) presented medals to mark the 77th Anniversary of Tatmadaw (Navy) and vessel commissioning medals to the Senior General.

At Ayeyawady Naval Region Command Headquarters, the Senior General and party visited the commemorative exhibitions to mark the 77th Anniversary Tat­madaw (Navy) Day with the par­ticipation of relevant naval bases, souvenir shops, traditional food shops, book stalls and personal goods shops of the Tatmadaw and cordially greeted Tatmadaw members and families. — MNA/ TTA