Bionix II Set and Ready to Go

, The new Bionix II Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV) has landed! Armed with better connectivity and superior firepower, the new platform is part of the Army's ongoing transformation to the third-generation (3G) force, one that is leaner and more closely networked. 
 
Minister for Defence Teo Chee Hean was at Lim Chu Kang Armour Training area on 23 Oct to unveil and commission the Bionix II. Before the commissioning, Mr Teo watched a demonstration of the capabilities of the Bionix II in a synchronised assault by 4th Singapore Armoured Brigade. 
 
The new Bionix II IFV is equipped with a 30mm cannon, compared to the 25mm cannon its predecessor, the Bionix IFV, had. This represents an approximate 50 per cent increase in its penetration capability. 
 
Besides boasting a much improved firepower capability, the Bionix II sets itself apart by providing better crew protection and connectivity. 
 
The Battlefield Management System (BMS) of the Bionix II allows it to integrate with an array of platforms, including unmanned aerial vehicles, the Primus Self-Propelled Howitzer and the Bronco Mortar Track Carrier. 
 
The BMS not only enables the prompt sharing of information about the locations and movement of friendly and enemy forces, it also allows commanders to have better command and control. 
 
Instant messages can been sent by commanders to the fighting forces to assign them to counter the advancing enemy forces upon receiving news or information of their locations. 
 
At the commissioning, Mr Teo presented a memento to Major (MAJ) David Lee, Commanding Officer of 42nd Battalion, Singapore Armoured Regiment, to commemorate the battalion becoming the first network-enabled armoured battle group. 
 
Third Sergeant (3SG) Teng Po Yew, who spent half a year handling the Bionix IFV before switching to the new Bionix II, said: “The new Bionix II has a more advanced engine and chassis and on top of that, there is the BMS. 
 
“It provides us with a better awareness of the situation, which in turn increases our confidence on the field.” 
 
Said Mr Teo: “This is the bringing together of many of the things we have been doing in the Singapore Armed Forces. Self-propelled guns, mortars, new vehicles like the Bionix II and most importantly, the BMS that links them all together in a network. 
 
“It's a computerised system that allows force tracking, allows input of enemy data and allows commanders and others in the battalion to share the same picture and to be able to co-ordinate their actions better.”