Singapore Army Pictures

[OPSSG]

SAFKAR INDOPURA: 25 years of friendship (Part 2 of 2)

In a Full Troop Exercise ending at Murai Urban Training Facility (MUTF), the soldiers from both armies worked hand-in-hand to achieve their mission objective. The exercise was brought to a close when General (MG) Ravinder Singh and Chief of Staff of the TNI-AD, General Budiman co-officiated the closing ceremony at MUTF.

Soldiers dismounting from the Terrex Infantry Carrier Vehicle.

SAF and TNI-AD soldiers executing Urban Operation drills

TNI-AD soliders securing a room.

Chief of Army, MG Ravinder Singh and Chief of Staff TNI-AD, Jenderal (General) Budiman reviewing the Singapore and Indonesian contingent during the closing ceremony.

The end of the closing ceremony was an emotive moment for the soldiers of both armies, with many new friendships being formed among the soldiers.

 

[OPSSG]

Exercise Highcrest 2013 (Part 1 of 2)

Exercise Highcrest 2013: Testing our Homeland Security - YouTube

6 Nov 2013 -- Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong visited Exercise Highcrest (HC) 2013 and observed the coordinated response by Government agencies under the National Maritime Security System (NMSS) to simulated terrorist threats from sea and on land. Ex HC is jointly led by the Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of Home Affairs. The successful execution of Ex HC validates the attainment of Full Operational Capability by the NMSS. Held from 29 October to 7 November 2013, Ex HC involved over 1,600 personnel from 20 agencies including the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF), the Singapore Police Force (SPF), the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF), the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA), Singapore Customs, and the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA).

At the NMSS Command and Control Centre at Changi, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Deputy Prime Minister, Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs Teo Chee Hean and other Ministers observed various maritime and land-based agencies sharing information and coordinating operations against simulated terrorist attacks which included:-

(i) storming a simulated hijacked ferry and intercepting a small boat by the SAF's Special Operations Task Force (SOTF), Republic of Singapore Air Force and SPF's Police Coast Guard;

(ii) dealing with the aftermath of the incident by SCDF, MPA and ICA;

(iii) acting against multiple gunmen on a shooting rampage and rescuing hostages on a passenger coach at Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal by SPF's Special Operations Command and SAF's SOTF; and

(iv) rescue and fire-fighting operations by SCDF Special Rescue Unit and SCDF firefighters.​

Above, a simulated hostage taking scenario aboard a bus.

Above, the Special Operations Task Force (SOTF) use a ladder for the hostage rescue. When terrorists threaten Singapore's peace and security, soldiers from the SOTF, and partners from the Home Team, move to swiftly and decisively neutralise the threat.

Above, hostages rescued by SOTF. The SOTF conducted the hostage rescue by arriving in two unmarked civilian vans on both sides of bus (see video, here).

Above, snipers providing support for the SOTF assault.

Above, the bomb disposal squad at work, searching the bus for explosives.

Above, the bomb disposal squad giving the all clear, after using the water-disrupter, to make safe the bomb found on the bus.

Above, an improvised explosive device (IED) planted by terrorists sets a car ablaze, next to a simulated casualty.

 

[OPSSG]

Exercise Highcrest 2013 (Part 2 of 2)

Above, Deputy Commander of Police Special Operations Command, DAC Scott Arul briefing the VIPs. The SAF and the Home Team have important roles in homeland defence for Singapore, which is a coastal port city located in the littorals of South East Asia (see details on Ex. Highcrest, here and here). In a written reply to parliamentary questions on measures to prevent terrorist attacks on shopping malls, the Mr Teo Chee Hean, Deputy Prime Minister, Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs stated the following:-

"The Westgate Mall attack indicates a continuing trend of terror groups attacking soft targets including hotels, malls and schools. Soft targets are by definition assets that are either not protected or not protected to a high level. They are usually open to the public with little access control. As there are numerous potential soft targets in a country, it is neither feasible nor possible for a nation’s security forces to directly protect them all... Our approach is to invest resources in effective and proactive security solutions involving multi-layer security deployment, community engagement aimed at early detection of potential threats, and public vigilance and preparedness programmes...

...MHA works closely with the business community to enhance the security of their buildings and the surrounding areas. Through the Safety and Security Watch Groups (SSWGs), our Police collaborates with the commercial sector to help them fight crime and terrorist threats. Response protocols are implemented to deal with any crisis situation, and table top exercises are conducted to validate and refine the contingency plans. To date, 1,054 buildings are covered under the SSWGs. Building owners can also refer to MHA Guidelines for Enhancing Building Security in Singapore (GEBSS) which is available online. The guidelines provide information on how they can enhance the security of their buildings, such as perimeter security, access control for vehicles and persons, security systems, security lighting, and emergency procedures... We must remain vigilant and do our part to deter and prevent any terrorist attack at all times."​

Above, Singapore Police Force (SPF) anti-swarming teams in action.

Exercise Highcrest 2013 - YouTube

Above, the SPF Special Operation Command engaging multiple gunmen who went on a shooting rampage.

Above, officers from the SPF Special Operation Command taking down a gunman. (see here for pictures from police facebook).

Above, SCDF Snatch Rescue Team members tending to casualties.

Above, SCDF personnel evacuating casualties and dealing with the aftermath of a bus bomb.

Above, the SCDF's Marine Fire Vessels Firefighter 1 and 2 taking part in the exercise.

Above, Maritime and Port Authority's Patrol Craft taking part in the exercise.

MWO Lau Siak Khng had a brief chat with our Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong during Ex Highcrest this week. The 55 year old Training Officer from 180 SQN's Accompanying Sea Security Team (ASSeT) maintains a 2.4km timing of 9.45mins, and can often be seen running laps around Tuas Naval Base with his trainees.

“There's no secret to our training. We train daily. Running, swimming on alternate days. If the pool is closed, we run some more. We don't stop.” MWO Lau said, “The younger guys need people to push a bit sometimes. When they see us older trainers doing better, it encourages them to work harder, faster, challenge themselves to the limits.”​

Above, MWO Lau Siak Khng (in spectacles) is an active Combat Diver, who also graduated from the prestigious U.S Navy SEALs' BUD/S course in 1989, always leads by example, a true leader and inspiration to his men.

Above, the Singapore Navy's 180 squadron's ASSeT, conducting a routine ship boarding in the Singapore Strait.

Above, Patrol Boat PT25 Cownose Ray, from the Police Coast Guard, and RSS Daring, a Patrol Vessel of the Singapore Navy, work together to interdict a boat suspected of criminal activity in Exercise Highcrest 2013.

 

[OPSSG]

Exercise Wallaby 2013 (3 Oct to 30 Nov - Part 2 of 4)
@ Shoalwater Bay Training Area

Below, RSS Resolution participating in the bilateral Australia-Singapore military exercise that has been scheduled more than a year ago. NSmen involved and their employers would have been given notice of the duration they would be away from work to meet their training obligations, at least 6 months ago.

Below, Australians and Singaporeans working together in Exercise Trident while embarked on the RSS Resolution. This exercise also involved NSFs from the 7th Singapore Infantry Brigade (7 SIB) and NSmen from combat service support units.

Below, Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen arrives on board the RSS Resolution.

Below, COL Martin Koh, Commander, 7 SIB, briefing Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen about the HADR exercise scenario on board the RSS Resolution. For example, in February 2011, 116 Guardsmen from the 7 SIB were in the middle of a bilateral military exercise between the NZDF and the SAF, when an earthquake struck Christchurch, New Zealand and Exercise LionWalk become an HADR operation.

Below, LARC Vs and the FCUs serving as ship to shore connectors and thereafter enabling aid to be pushed via trucks into the disaster area.

Explaining the need for a HADR exercise, Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen said:

"Over the last few years…we (have) had more and more challenges for the military to respond to humanitarian disasters in our own region. For example, Aceh and Typhoon Haiyan in Philippines."​

Dr Ng gave these comments during his visit to the exercise, which began at the RSS Resolution, where the planning and coordination for Exercise Trident were being done. Together with Australian Assistant Minister for Defence Stuart Robert, Dr Ng was briefed on the plans and actions the SAF would be carrying out in the next 12 hours, which included despatching a medical company from the ship via helicopter to affected areas. In addition, both ministers observed a medical evacuation mission using a Republic of Singapore Air Force Chinook.

Below, Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen and Australian Assistant Minister for Defence Stuart Robert watching a Heli-Evacuation drill in progress.

Below, Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen having a conversation with NSmen.

Australian Assistant Minister for Defence Stuart Robert said:

"Not only in terms of equipment you bought or the 5,000 combat men and women you have, but your capability to develop these on the ground, coordinated, to have a joint fire effect not just on land, but also in the air is truly impressive. What I've seen today is a truly potent capability."​

Below, Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen (extreme right), Australian Assistant Minister for Defence Stuart Robert and Chief Guards Officer and Commander 21st Division, BG Desmond Tan interacting with soldiers training on the LSV Mk II.

Exercise Wallaby 2013 marks the 23rd year of the SAF's training at the SWBTA, and is a testament to the close and longstanding defence relationship between Singapore and Australia. The SAF and the Australian Defence Force share a long history of military cooperation, with extensive interactions that include bilateral and multilateral exercises, mutual visits, professional exchanges, and the cross-attendance of personnel at professional courses. The two armed forces have also worked together in close partnership in the multinational reconstruction efforts in Afghanistan. In addition to the SWBTA, the SAF also conducts training in other Australian training areas such as Pearce, Western Australia, Oakey, Queensland, and Tamworth, New South Wales.

Below is a table showing the expanding battlefield, which demonstrates the need for a more responsive combat service support (CSS). The presence of RSS Resolution enables the army to provide responsive CSS and to aid in delivering support across longer distances. In this particular case, the ship is used as a platform for logistics support and for command and control.

Cross-border flows facilitate smuggling and intra-island trade in the nexus between the maritime borders of Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines. And in the case of the Philippines, weapons of varying types pervade the southern part of the country, making the tools of violence readily available across these borders. Illicit transfers of money via remittances and cash happen, and there is little capacity to monitor all transactions in the ungoverned spaces of the connected urban littorals. Give that people also move across these borders, it is appropriate to quote an extract of SWJ Discussion with Dr. David Kilcullen on the 'Future of Warfare in a Post-COIN Conflict Climate', which provide the context of why it is important for the SAF to develop its logistics capability in the littoral. It is crucial that Singaporeans develop an understanding of the future operating environment, based on current trends:-

SWJ: Should we expect that when we see all these clustered elements conflict is more likely, the societal environment more conflict prone?

David Kilcullen: ...If we look at this from the standpoint of the military or law-enforcement, then it is pretty clear that we really need to get comfortable with operating in a very littoral, very urban and very highly networked environment because that is where the bulk of the people on the planet are going to live in the next generation. If you are not comfortable operating in such an environment you are not going to be effective. But this doesn’t mean that the solution to this problem is a military one. Seen from the perspective of the city in itself, it is pretty clear that the solution is not to bring the hawk cops in, and apply hard power tools to stabilize the environment. This is often a recipe for disaster. The paradox is that, on the one hand, there are no military solutions, but at the same time there are no solutions at all without security. Someone will provide that security and it is better for it to be the locals, but if the locals cannot do it, then history suggests that we will be drawn into this kind of conflict with about the same frequency as in the past.

SWJ: You emphasized in your book, and also at the New America Foundation launching event that in the future we will face operational continuity and environmental discontinuity. What if the environmental discontinuity can in itself be a variable able to change the operational continuity?

David Kilcullen: That’s possible, to the extent that we have data -- information based on historical patterns... But going back to the 19th century we see a cyclical pattern in American military history where we repeatedly have leaders coming out with this kind of statement and yet we end up doing these kinds of operations anyway, on about the same frequency... If you are going to bet on what is likely to happen, the pattern suggests that we are going to see a specific “conflict climate” (shaped by population growth, urbanization, littoralization and connectedness) within which wars will arise.

SWJ: What does the battle of Mogadishu remind or tell us about the future of conflict?

David Kilcullen: There is a huge number of lessons that we should be aware of. The way I explain Mogadishu in the book is through the lens of Richard Norton’s idea of feral cities. There is an assumption that cities exist because governments sustain them, and if the government falls over, the city will disappear. But as Richard Norton argues, and as I think Mogadishu demonstrates, what a government does is to domesticate a city and when the government collapses, the city goes feral and wild. What happened in the case of Somalia is that the state collapsed in 1991 and the city was taken over by a whole of series of non-state armed groups that were able to preserve the functioning of the systems of the city and thus were able to dominate the population... Overall we tend to understand this sequence of events as first, the state collapsed and then, the city went feral. But what the evidence suggests is that it was the other way around: the city went feral first and then the state collapsed. In fact, what happened was not so different than what we saw in Tunisia or Libya...

The critical tactical lesson of Mogadishu is the need to understand the city itself as a system of flows, a dynamic disequilibrium of patterns. When you go into that environment, the city itself can push back as we saw in the Black Hawk Down battle. Interestingly in the case of the 2008 Mumbai attack the LeT terrorists deliberately attacked the city in order to make it to shut down. In the case of Black Hawk Down the Rangers attacked one house to get specific Somali leadera, but inadvertently poked the city in the eye and the city punched back. There is a lesson here. You need to treat a city like a living organism that has an immune system and a metabolism of its own. In the case of Black Hawk Down battle, the Rangers intersected with the metabolism of a feral city, but they didn’t nest in the city’s natural flow (like LeT in Mumbai), they deliberately ignored it.

The other thing that I am trying to develop in more detail in the book is based on the time that I spent last year in Mogadishu, going out with the Somali National Army drawn from the same militias that fought the Rangers in 1993. Watching how they operated and how they fought Al Shabab, you see that even if the Rangers had succeeded in capturing General Aidid, it may have had no effect on the Somali militias they were dealing with, because Somali militias don’t work that way. Ever since J.F.C. Fuller, in 1918, the foundational concept of maneuver doctrine for the 20th century is not to fight the enemy bit by bit, but to find his headquarters and put a pistol shot into the brain. Fuller talks about finding and killing the enemy headquarters, putting a deep penetration armored unit behind the frontline looking for the enemy headquarters to kill it. That is on what blitzkrieg is based on, it’s what Russian maneuver warfare is based on, it is a fundamental guiding idea for Liddell Hart or Guderian. The scary thing that Black Hawk down tells you is that because of how these guys operate-- with tactics completely emergent within a self synchronizing swarm-- there is actually no headquarters in the Western sense. The guy I sat with. a Somali brigade commander, didn’t have a bunch of guys with radios in a command and control center. What he had, it was walkie talkie and a larger truck than everybody else, carrying a reserve of fighters and ammo. He just listened on the radio and drove around the battlefield to where the fighting was heaviest. He didn’t need to give an order for the attack because the self-synchronizing tactical system didn’t require that. The scary thing that Black Hawk Down tells you is that if the Rangers were able to capture Aidid, it might not have any effect at all. They were going after a headquarters that didn’t exist. ​

Below, 40 SAR in moving out in Exercise Wallaby 2013 for their 3rd Rotational Training.

40 SAR Employed the Armour Live Firing System (ALFS) eliminating the need to conduct rehearsals during the day using blanks. Instead, they undergo a series of preparation exercises and qualification phases before the night live-firing - activities similar to what they would do when preparing for real operations!

Below, a Bionix 40/50 Infantry Fighting Vehicle racing into position.

Below, 1WO Eric Yap, RSM 40SAR, conducting a During Action Review.

 

[OPSSG]

Exercise Wallaby 2013 (3 Oct to 30 Nov - Part 3 of 4)
@ Shoalwater Bay Training Area

Below, RSS Resolution participating in the bilateral Australia-Singapore military exercise that has been scheduled more than a year ago. NSmen involved and their employers would have been given notice of the duration they would be away from work to meet their training obligations, at least 6 months ago.

It is 2030hrs. Troops from the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) are working hard at their military manoeuvres in the Shoalwater Bay Training Area (SWBTA). All of a sudden, they hear news that a tsunami has struck Queensland, Australia. Working together with the Australian Defence Force, the soldiers quickly swing into action to offer whatever aid they can. This was the scenario painted on 18 Nov, as part of a bilateral Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) exercise component of Exercise Wallaby 2013. This was the first-ever HADR component of Exercise Wallaby, and this segment involved 605 soldiers, 232 sailors, 100 airmen and 14 ADF planners and observers. Brigadier-General (BG) Desmond Tan, the SAF Exercise Director for frame three of Exercise Wallaby, elaborated that this was because of the recent increase in natural disasters occurring in the ASEAN region. He said:-

"Australia has a huge coastline and this allowed us to conduct Ship-to-Shore operations which were akin to what we did in Operation Flying Eagle when the tsunami struck Aceh in 2004. Since then, we haven't deployed this level of task force, so we thought we would try to keep our HADR readiness and capabilities current."​

The Chief Guards Officer also added that Exercise Trident allowed the SAF and ADF to exchange ideas and practices, learn from each other and maintain the ability to send their forces to assist any country when disaster strikes. The exercise involved a substantial amount of planning and coordination among the SAF officers from the Army and Navy, as well as the ADF planners. Termed Liaison Officers (LOs), these personnel from both countries gathered information from their respective agencies - the SAF from their ground troops and the ADF from their civilian agencies and armed forces - to update and coordinate their plans with each other, and fed the information back to their agencies so that the operations could run smoothly.

Below, from left: LT CDR Oates, CPT He and Navy LO CPT Kok Hong Yi, discussing the plans for Exercise Trident at the CTF HQ.

For CPT Joshua He, working with the ADF was a valuable learning experience as there were ample opportunities for the sharing of information and processes. The information shared by the ADF also included their knowledge of the local areas and the sea conditions, which made it easier for the SAF to execute the mission effectively. CPT He added:-

"They gave us some tips… and I also showed them how we do things on board our ships. This allowed us to improve our best practices as well as our standard operating procedures."​

Once the initial planning was done, the CTF HQ sent out two teams to survey the site. The Needs Assessment Survey Team (NAST), consisting of engineers and doctors, were flown into the disaster area by a Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) Super Puma to assess the damage while the Beach Survey Team (BST) travelled by Fast Craft Utility (FCU) boats to scout for beach-landing sites. The FCUs and Lighter, Amphibious Resupply, Cargo Vs (LARC-Vs) were then used to ferry 5-tonner trucks containing reconstruction materials and supplies in a Ship-to-Shore operation. These carriers also transported bulldozers which helped to pave the way for the trucks to move with ease to the disaster site and to clear the roads for the ADF to enter. After finding an appropriate location for the set-up of a makeshift medical station, the NAST team gave the go-ahead for the medical team from Combat Service Support Battalion (CSSB) to fly into the disaster area. Despite being armed with limited medical supplies, the Operationally Ready National Servicemen (NSmen) battalion created eight medical stations. With 60 SAF personnel, including five doctors, these NSmen worked on a 12-hour shift in order for the medical stations to be run 24/7. Throughout this time, the team's reaction to various scenarios, such as a mass casualty situation, was tested. Explaining the rationale for the multiple scenarios, Lieutenant Colonel (LTC) (NS) (Dr) Koh Poh Koon said:-

"This puts NSmen in their training mindset…so that when overwhelming casualties happen, they know how to prioritise and issue timely treatment."​

The CSSB Commanding Officer (CO) added that being on a three-week In-Camp Training session and working in an HADR operation allowed the NSmen team to better understand the needs of victims in such situations. Singapore's Endurance Class vessels are versatile amphibious assets that have been used for a spectrum of operations that includes:-

(i) ongoing counter-piracy missions in the Gulf of Aden under CTF-151, in Operation Blue Sapphire. Singaporean boarding teams from the Naval Diving Unit (NDU) have faced off with pirates and sank their attack skiffs in Operation Blue Sapphire (see [nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aY9YPm0L35o&list=PL11834760C9BD2916"]Ep 4: Bravo Zulu - Well Done! (Securing Safe Passage - SAF In The Gulf Of Aden) - YouTube[/nomedia] );

(ii) five deployments of the Endurance Class vessels for the seaward defence of Iraq for 300 days against suicide boat attacks - which included NDU boarding teams conducting routine inspection of ships and dhows for explosives and other threats to protect Iraqi's two oil terminals. The Singapore Navy also trained the Iraqi Navy and helped them extend their operating range by refueling their patrols boats at sea (see this video on SAF in Iraq: [nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IpC4TTkT8Iw"]In The Service of Peace - YouTube[/nomedia] ); and

(iii) conducting disaster relief operations in the near abroad after the Boxing Day Tsunami of 2004, in Operation Flying Eagle. RSS Endurance was the first foreign navy ship to re-establish a life-line to Meulaboh (a coastal town in West Sumatra that was previously completely cut off after the tsunami). Singapore's contributions to Indonesia included the deployment of three Endurance Class LPDs, eight CH-47 Chinooks and four Super Pumas, six C-130s, two F-50s, a mobile air traffic control tower (see this video: [nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jnZVrs5Sjp4#t=436"]Defence Watch (Feb 05) - Operation Flying Eagle - YouTube[/nomedia] ).​

Below, a Navy FCU unloading an Army skid steer loader.

Below, casualty scenarios occur up to three times a day so that the doctors and medics can practise reacting to multiple incidents.

Below, the Combat Engineer's Water Purification Unit (WPU), deployed to Australia as part of Exercise Wallaby 2013, is able to churn out 500 litres of clean water per hour. The WPU plays a crucial role in keeping the 5,000 Singaporeans training in Australia, supplied with water for their daily needs.

In Exercise Wallaby 2013, we see pictures of Singaporeans operating German made, Leopard 2SG tanks and Man 5-ton trucks, working in perfect harmony with American made F-16s, Apaches, Chinooks, and C-130s. To benchmark its training standards, the SAF conducts 46 major exercises in ten countries, including both Germany (eg. Ex. Panzer Strike) and the US (eg. Ex. Forging Sabre, Ex. Daring Warrior, and Red Flag). The key difference between the SAF when compared with all other armed forces in the other ASEAN countries, is that the organisation does not think in terms of buying or acquiring platforms alone; rather, the SAF is in the business of raising, training and sustaining any new capabilities acquired.

 

[OPSSG]

Understanding the Little Red Dot

The "Little Red Dot" is an epithet for the nation of Singapore that used to refer to Singapore in a disparaging manner by former Indonesian President B.J. Habibie. But has come to be used by Singaporean citizens with pride despite the country's limited size.

When life gives you lemons, Singaporeans strive to be the best lemonade supplier in the region.

Below, supported by Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) Apache attack helicopters, the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) delivers a wave of Guardsmen from 1st Guards Battalion (1 GDS) ashore. The mission of the exercise was for 1 GDS to recapture an offshore island that had been occupied by an enemy force.

The opening sequence of the Normandy landing in movies like Steven Spielberg's 1998 movie, Saving Private Ryan, encourage the layman to think of in terms of ‘old school’ or World War II versions of amphibious warfare (where troops storm the beaches in a hail of bullets and artillery fire) or in a force-able entry scenario for the US Marines. In contemporary amphibious warfare, sending Singaporean forces to storm ashore against heavily defended beaches with defensive beach obstacles and layered defences is a fools errant, as the SAF lacks this force-able entry capability. Rather, amphibious operations, conducted by the SAF, seek to exploit the element of surprise by applying the combat power of 7SIB (or such other Guards Brigade appropriately tasked organised), precisely at a location and time that is deemed advantageous by higher command.

The 21st Division, is a rapid deployment force capable of being delivered:-

(a) by heli-mobile means (supported by LSV Mk2s and 155/39mm Pegasus artillery, both designed to be carried as under-slung loads on Chinooks);

(b) by amphibious means (supported by the swim capable CETs, Terrex ICVs, and LARC Vs); or

(c) any combination of (a) or (b),​

to the near abroad, should the forward defence of Singapore be necessary. An amphibious force, when it arrives, arrives with all its heavy equipment, logistics, personnel and combat service support. Coming from the sea means the navy and air force must first deal with the enemy naval forces, minefields, and the enemy air force, before any amphibious landing. Landing swim capable amphibious armour, like the Terrex, confers a mobility advantage for land operations (i.e. to ford rivers), and provides this amphibious force with the ability to conduct further assaults, in follow-on operations, after the initial landing operations.

Below, wave after wave of soldiers, supported by an initial wave of armoured personnel carriers stormed the beaches of Pulau Sudong in a battalion exercise. The exercise involved Guardsmen from 1 GDS, and was supported by elements of the RSN and the RSAF.

Amphibious ships provide Singapore with a basic capability to conduct raids, demonstrations and withdrawals from the sea, in lightly or unopposed landings. Given that 25% of beaches can take landing craft, 75% of coastlines are accessible by hovercraft and 95% can be accessed by small boats, the operational art of contemporary amphibious warfare prefer to land Singapore's forces on beaches in areas with little or no opposition. Therefore, Singapore's four Endurance Class vessels provide the SAF with a capability to conduct manoeuvre warfare in the littorals of the near abroad, in a synchronised manner while utilising its air and naval power to destroy or disrupt enemy C4I, lines of communications, and logistics. This capability enables the army to be relevant and decisive in meeting a range of threats within Singapore's threat matrix.

The Singapore Navy provides the country with a crisis response and amphibious capability that is crucial to a port city located next to a choke-point that connects the maritime commerce of the Indo-Pacific region (i.e. the Malacca and Singapore Straits). More than 3,000 vessels call Singapore every week and Singapore is connected directly with all of Asia’s biggest cities. Dedicated intra-Asia services connect Singapore to many of the smaller ports, whereas the big vessels on the services from North America and Europe represent the main connections not only to the markets outside Asia but also to all the major ports in Asia (i.e. Shanghai, Hong Kong, and Tokyo).

Since Shell set up Singapore’s first oil refinery in 1961, the country has remained a hub for oil & gas (as one of the world’s top three export refining centres) – a sector that contributes 5% of Singapore’s GDP. Reported to have more than S$22 billion worth of investments on it, Jurong Island is one massive port island with jetties butting out from all sides and a vast area of oil storage and refining facilities. Jurong Island is in many ways Singapore’s oil hub. This includes the massive ExxonMobil refinery with a reported capacity of 605,000 barrels a day, and is the world’s 5th biggest. Further, the government seeks the participation and investment by oil majors to increase refining capacity in Singapore, from the current 1.3 million barrels per day.

The expansion of existing refineries and optimisation of refinery operations will enhance the growth of oil trading activities by creating the critical volume of export-oriented refining throughput. Further, the oil industry is not a standalone industry. Refining has been the catalyst for the chemical industry, providing advantaged feedstock as well as other spin offs including oil & gas equipment and oil rig manufacturing sectors. Singapore is also the world’s busiest marine bunkering centre, accounting for 31.5 million tons in 2007.

h/t to The Hantu Bloggers

On 28 September 2011, a fire broke out at the Shell oil refinery on Pulau Bukom (an off-shore island in Singapore) that cost the company S$187 million. It took 120 SCDF fire-fighters and 6 days to combat the intense blaze at Shell's largest refinery. Helicopters, navy fast craft and troops from the SAF were put on standby to support the SCDF's efforts. 13 fire engines and 21 support vehicles were transported by the Singapore Navy and other governmental assets to fight the blaze (see: [nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_HgSQ6UZHg0"]The Pulau Bukom Fire - YouTube[/nomedia] ).

As I have mentioned before, the key to understanding the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) is that Singapore is a status quo rising power, sitting at a major maritime chokepoint (that is interested in limited sea control for specific purposes and supportive of freedom of navigation through the Straits of Malacca and Singapore). The Singapore Navy is a green water navy, with some special features, including being used as a tool for diplomacy. Through the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF), Singapore's land based air power dominates these chokepoints, as a status quo rising power. The hard power that controls the adjacent land to the chokepoint, also controls passage of vessels. The ability to operate via FOBs and disperse forces, gives the SAF flexibility in the conduct of its defence, at a place and time of its choosing.

Having been dealt a geo-strategically disadvantaged hand at the country's formation on 9 August 1965 in the mist of tension with its ambitious neighbours, Singapore has to build military capabilities that it needs, first, and that has been the country's singular focus since August 1967. The SAF is not an expeditionary army, nor is the RSN a blue water navy; but it is the world's smallest country with a tertiary air force. Singapore's lack of depth has resulted in a clear focus on the building the basic force structure for regional over-match, if threatened; and the RSAF's capabilities serve to deter larger powers from acting unilaterally and buys valuable time for the citizen soldiers should they be required to engage in the forward defence of Singapore. Over the years, along with falling birth rates and as the SAF became more capable the duration of service required of Singapore men, as citizen-soldiers, has been reduced. This means the SAF is able to conduct manoeuvre warfare in the near abroad, in a synchronised manner while utilising its air and naval power to destroy or disrupt enemy C4I, lines of communications, logistics; and attack enemy operational reserves.

Below, RSS Endurance at Vivo City, in Singapore.

Below, two Fast Craft Utility (FCU) in the well dock of RSS Endurance.

Below, a solider marshaling a truck onto a FCU used as a ship-to-shore connector for the Endurance Class vessel to land combat engineering assets and deliver disaster relief supplies in support of a June 2013 HADR/MM Exercise in Brunei.

Below, RSN's FCUs at work in support of a June 2013 HADR/MM Exercise in Brunei.

 

[OPSSG]

Exercise Wallaby 2013 (3 Oct to 30 Nov - Part 4 of 4)
@ Shoalwater Bay Training Area

Below, Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen, together with Chief of Staff - General Staff, BG Perry Lim, on board the LSV Mk II which comes in 3 flavours [i.e. (i) a 3 seater version with an the Spike ATGM; (ii) a 4 seater version with a 40mm AGL; and (iii) a 6 seater utility version]: The LSV Mk II - YouTube

Designed to be helicopter-portable and equipped with enhanced networking systems to integrate it with other SAF assets, the LSV MK II’s prowess was showcased in an integrated live-firing demonstration together with two AH-64D Apache Attack Helicopters.

Below, Chinook underslung operations of the LSV Mk II during its inauguration programme.

Below, Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen and Australian Assistant Minister for Defence Stuart Robert proceeded to witness the capabilities of the newly-acquired Light Strike Vehicle Mark II (LSV MK II) on land by the Guardsmen of the 21st Division with a group picture taken of the occasion.

By way of background, one of the missions of the 21st Division is to be the designated headquarters joint task force to plan and conduct Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) Operations when the need arises (the need arose in the aftermath of the Boxing Day Tsunami in 2004, which resulted in Operation Flying Eagle). The 21st Division is the rapid deployment division (in the army's operational reserve), providing the Singapore Army with an additional capability to support Military Operations Other Than War (MOOTW). In Exercise Wallaby 2013, the Guardsmen validated a range of military capabilities ranging from MOOTW to an air assault mission (see this video for some background on what it means to be a Guardsman: [nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f707VXCnTg4"]Ep 3: "Making the Cut" - Guards Conversion Course - YouTube[/nomedia]).

Below, as part of his visit, Dr Ng also affixed a vehicle plate onto one of the vehicles to mark the operationalisation of the platform.

Below, the Spike Weapon System firing at its target 3.3km away during the integrated live firing exercise.

Jet Thrust Aviation Images, has a series of stunning aviation pictures from Exercise Wallaby 2013.

 

[OPSSG]

Fellowship of the Geopolitical Chess Masters (Part 1 of 2)

As Mao Zedong once said, political power grows out of the barrel of a gun. Below, a 1970s picture of two conscripts pointing a M16S1. Hard power, like guns, tanks, fighters jets, warships and submarines, are the chess pieces of the geo-political chessboard in Asia.

Deep Military to Military Ties : Singapore's military to military ties with Germany and the US are built on the sound foundation of firm friendships and private diplomacy between key leaders of these three countries, over the last 40 years. Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong (LHL) for example, received officer training courses in the US (i.e. the Field Artillery Officers’ Basic Course at Fort Sill, Oklahoma and the US Army Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas), when he was in the SAF (from 1971 to 1984), many years prior to joining politics. LHL graduated with a first class honors in Mathematics from Cambridge in 1974, and a Masters in Public Administration from Harvard in 1980. Below, a picture posted by LHL on his facebook page with these comments:-

Had a good exchange this morning with former US Secretary of State George Shultz, together with William Perry (former Secretary of Defence) and Sam Nunn (former Senator). They are here for the Nuclear Threat Initiative conference. In the evening Mr Lee Kuan Yew hosted dinner for Dr Shultz and his wife Charlotte, and invited me and a few others too. My father and Dr Shultz have been good friends for more than 40 years.​

Private Diplomacy : George Shultz was the one who brought all four noted political realists together for the first time in 1982. Helmut Schmidt was still Federal Chancellor of Germany, and Shultz was just named Secretary of State by Ronald Reagan. Shultz brought Schmidt along as his guest to 'Bohemian Grove', a kind of summer camp for America's economic and political elite in California. Henry Kissinger invited Lee Kuan Yew, who was Prime Minister at that time. After the camp, the four drove to Shultz's house on the campus of Stanford University for lunch. As George Shultz noted:-

"All four of us sat around my kitchen table and talked for two, three hours, until my wife and Choo (Mrs Lee) asked us to get up so they could prepare lunch. I was thinking to myself: What a great lesson for a new secretary of state!"​

Singapore maintains strong ties with US officials, from both the Republican and the Democratic parties, beyond their term of office. Michele A. Flournoy, former undersecretary of defense from 2009 to February of 2012, visited Singapore as the 38th Lee Kuan Yew Exchange Fellow. She retains access to Singapore's leadership even after she left office. As Chan Heng Chee, who was then Singapore's Ambassador to the US recounted, on the commitment to show up and maintain these relationships:-

"Mr Lee, then Senior Minister, was told he would have a meeting with National Security Adviser Sandy Berger and President Clinton would do a 'drop-by' for about 15 to 20 minutes. Senior Minister had a conversation with Berger first. Then President Clinton strolled in, Coke can in hand, and sat on the sofa opposite Mr Lee. The back and forth went on and the meeting lasted about 45 minutes. I was told later that President Clinton was so impressed by Mr Lee that he turned to his officials and demanded: 'Why have I not met this man before?'

Later, Bill Clinton came to Singapore a couple of times after he stepped down from his presidency on his lecture rounds and he met Mr Lee again. He invited Mr Lee to the Clinton Global Initiative a few times. Finally, Mr Lee made an effort to attend a CGI in Hong Kong, scheduled from Dec 1 to 3, 2008. This was shortly after his heart surgery on Nov 29 to implant a cardiac pacemaker. He made an effort to show up, against his doctors' orders, because he had given his word. I am told as he spoke, the wound on his arm, where his drip had been, started to bleed. But he kept on speaking and he bled onto the sleeve of his jacket. That's the kind of commitment Mr Lee shows and that is his way."​

As Graham Allison and Robert Blackwill, writing in the Council of Foreign Relations on 13 February 2013, noted:-

[nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hcCWTizN6wQ"]Lee Kuan Yew's Insights with Graham Allison and Robert Blackwill - YouTube[/nomedia]


"Most everyone in Washington has an opinion about the rise of Chinese power and what the U.S. should do about it... too few ask what others more qualified to have thoughtful views think about the issue.

Consider the toughest questions about the rise of China, the future of Asia and the impact of developments there on the U.S. Who is most qualified to have informed, insightful answers? For people in the know, the unanimous first choice is: Lee Kuan Yew. Founding father of modern Singapore and its prime minister from 1959 to 1990, Lee Kuan Yew has served as mentor to every Chinese leader from Deng Xiaoping to Xi Jinping and as counselor to every American president from Richard Nixon to Barack Obama...

...As Henry Kissinger says in the foreword to our new book, “Lee Kuan Yew: The Grand Master’s Insights on China, the United States, and the World”: “I have had the privilege of meeting many world leaders over the past half-century; none, however, has taught me more than Lee Kuan Yew.” China’s new leader, Xi Jinping, calls Lee “our senior who has our respect.” President Obama refers to him as a “legendary figure of Asia in the 20th and 21st centuries.” For former Prime Minister Tony Blair, he is “the smartest leader I ever met.”​

Below, a HIMARS live-firing at Exercise Daring Warrior 2012 in Fort Sill, Oklahoma, USA.

Thanks to the carefully cultivated relationship at the leadership level, the US and Singapore also enjoy an extraordinary military to military relationship (with Singapore included as a Security Cooperative Participant in the F-35 program). This includes the 2005 Strategic Framework Agreement to expand defence and security cooperation in the areas of military training and exchanges, the use of facilities, and defence technology research and development. This Agreement recognizes Singapore's role as a major security cooperation partner of the US.

The first US Navy Littoral Combat Ship (LCS), the USS Freedom is in Singapore as the first of four LCSs to operate out of Singapore.

Below, US Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel shakes hands with Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong at the start of the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, May 31, 2013. Hagel will meet with Asian defense ministers to discuss issues of mutual importance and then continue to Brussels for a NATO ministerial. Photo by Erin A. Kirk-Cuomo (Released)

LHL welcomed the deployment of the LCS and, in a speech to the US Chamber of Commerce on 2 April 2013, LHL set out Singapore’s thinking about the state of maritime security in Asia. Beyond maritime security, LHL also said the following:-

"I certainly recall my year in Fort Leavenworth fondly. Our Chinook helicopter pilots and families in Arizona feel like a part of the local community, and during Hurricane Katrina immediately volunteered to fly sorties to help with relief efforts. Singapore is happy to reciprocate the friendship. US forces are the most frequent foreign visitors to our military facilities, and we look forward to welcoming your first Littoral Combat Ship shortly."​

Below, Singaporean soldiers with 2nd Battalion, Singapore Infantry Regiment stand next to their U.S. Army counterparts from 4th Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, during the opening ceremonies of Exercise Lightning Strike 2013 at Amoy Quee Camp, Singapore, July 15, 2013. Lighting Strike is a U.S. Army Pacific sponsored platoon-sized event that allows Singaporean and U.S. Soldiers to share military techniques and experience. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Justin Naylor)

Below, US Army Pacific, Deputy Commanding General, Army National Guard, Maj. Gen. Gary Hara, stands with Singapore Armed Forces soldiers with 2nd Battalion, Singapore Infantry Regiment, and US Army Soldiers with B Company, 4th Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, during a brief break in training in Singapore, 24 July 2013, as part of Exercise Lighting Strike. Lighting Strike is a US Army Pacific sponsored platoon-sized event that allows Singaporean and US Soldiers to share military techniques and experience. (US Army photo by Staff Sgt. Justin Naylor)

Below, Singaporean Army Col. Dinesh, commander of 3rd Singapore Infantry Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division briefs Maj. Gen. Gary Hara, deputy commanding general of the Army National Guard for U.S. Army, Pacific on exercise Lightning Strike at the Murai Urban Training Facility in Singapore July 24. The exercise is an annual, bilateral exercise with U.S. Army, Pacific and the Singapore Armed Forces designed to promote regional security and interoperability. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Ashley Curtis)

COL Mohamad Fadzully Bin Abas, Commander Infantry Training Institute and Commander 23 SIB, was glad for the participation of the US forces. He said, "We have been most impressed by the professional way in which our counterparts conducted themselves and their forthrightness in sharing their knowledge. We walked away from Ex Tiger Balm more aware of each others' capabilities and knowing that, with each past exercise and many more in the future, we will further enhance the interoperability between both military forces."

Below, German and Singaporean tank crews pose for a group photo on a Leopard 2A6 MBT (operated by the Bundeswehr), in Bergen, Germany, after a bilateral live-firing exercise between the 2nd Company of the 48th Battalion, Singapore Armoured Regiment (48 SAR) and the Bundeswehr's 33rd Panzer Battalion.

[nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MibnrmjUqgM"]Exercise Panzer Strike 2011 - YouTube[/nomedia]

(Left) Dr Ng sharing a lighthearted moment with soldiers from 48 SAR after their joint live-firing exercise. (Right) SAF troops interacting with German soldiers during a platform exchange a day before the exercise. As Dr Ng Eng Hen noted:

"Germany provides us valuable realistic Armour training which we must maximise. Our soldiers understand this. I spoke to the men from 48 SAR and School of Armour. For some of them, this was their first overseas exercise, while others had been to Ex Wallaby in Australia. All of them told me that the gunnery range, especially for tanks in Bergen, provided a particularly valuable experience and gave them confidence about their skills."​

Both armies also worked together to execute tactical manoeuvres on the 12-lane range at the NATO-Bergen Training Area. Exercise Panzer Strike was witnessed by Dr Ng and the State Secretary of the German Federal Ministry of Defence Mr Rüdiger Wolf. 1,300 armour personnel, 14 Leopard 2SGs and 11 Bionix I infantry fighting vehicles were involved in this exercise. Below, CPT Tang (holding a pointer) explaining the movement plan to troops from both the Singapore and German Armed Forces for the exercise.

 

[OPSSG]

Fellowship of the Geopolitical Chess Masters (Part 2 of 2)

As the US faces new challenges in the South China Sea, relationships with key Asian partners and their insights into the dynamic Asian security landscape become even more critical to its long-term national security. On 4 April 2012, the Center for a New American Security hosted Dr. Ng Eng Hen, Minister for Defense of the Republic of Singapore. Dr Ng spoke on "Promoting Peace and Stability in the Asia-Pacific through Stable Military-to-Military Relationships", and the event featured introductory remarks by Jon Huntsman, former US Ambassador to Singapore and at a later stage US Ambassador to China (see: [nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2jUsazLoUtc"]Security in the Asia-Pacific Region: A Singapore Perspective - YouTube[/nomedia]).

Below, US Army Pacific, Command Sgt. Maj. Frank M. Leota addresses Warrant Officers from the SAF at the Senior Warrant Officer School on his experiences as a Senior NCO in the U.S. Army on 2 April 2013 at Pasir Laba Camp, Singapore. See here for more pictures of his visit.

Below, Maj. Gen. Ravinder Singh, Chief of Army and other members of the SAF are given a brief from Capt. Mike Glover, Training Chief, Asia Pacific Counter-IED Center, U.S. Army Pacific on the programs and training provided by the A.P.C.I.E.D. during a visit to Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, 31 July 2012. The visit by senior leaders of the Singapore Armed Forces to Schofield Barracks provided the opportunity for them to meet their U.S. Army military partners and observe training areas and programs used by their American counterparts. See here for more pictures.

U.S. Army Pacific’s newly established Asia-Pacific Counter – Improvised Explosive Device Center provides access to cutting-edge training in the fight to defeat IEDs.

Below, the SAF's Chief of Army, Maj. Gen. Ravinder Singh (left) is escorted by US Army Pacific, Commanding General, Lt. Gen. Francis J. Wiercinski (right) during an Honors ceremony held on 30 July 2012 on Fort Shafter, Hawaii. Singh’s visit strengthens the United States and Singaporean military-to-military relationships. The relationship between Singaporean and United States military continues to be one of mutual respect and holds the promise of continued improvement for years to come. (Photo by Russell Dodson/Released)

Since its inception in 2010, US Army-Pacific and Singaporean army logisticians have shared operational knowledge from 22 to 26 July 2013, during a bilateral logistics subject matter expert exchange. Col Kan Whye Tan, chief supply officer, Singapore Army said:-

“The exchange allowed us to better understand (US Army) logics and operational concepts, while building the partnership and friendship amongst our logistic operations. As each Army develops in its own capabilities, we look at some of these transformational areas and how we can go beyond both in terms of cooperation and professional exchanges. The key is building a very good relationship with each other, between the two armies, so that we can sustain the friendship and interoperability.”​

Public Diplomacy : With these friendships between American, German and Singaporean leaders, it is not surprising that the Singapore's Minister of Defence is often invited to attend the Munich Security Conference (and the office holder of the Minister of Defence has been attending the Munich Security Conference since 2001). In February 2013, Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen was invited to speak at a panel discussion on the topic "The Rising Powers and Global Governance", at the 49th Munich Security Conference; which helped raise European consciousness on the need for an European pivot to Asia.

Above, Dr Ng Eng Hen (left) on the panel along with Brazilian Minister of External Relations Antonio de Aguiar Patriota, Chinese Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Song Tao and Indian National Security Advisor Shivshankar Menon. Later in the Shangri-La Dialogue 2013, all of the 'Big Three' European defence minsters - French, German and British - attended, as well as Swedish foreign minister, Carl Bildt. Catherine Ashton, High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy for the European Union participated for the first time, and spoke in a plenary session, accompanied by the chairman of the EU military committee. The chair of NATO's Military Committee, General Knud Bartels, also attended.

From 22 to 24 April 2013, Dr. Ng visited Germany; and on 22 April 2013, met with his counterpart Dr Thomas de Maizière in Berlin, where they discussed political and security developments in Europe and Asia, as well as bilateral defence cooperation. Dr Ng also conveyed Singapore's appreciation for the German government's support for the SAF's armour training in Germany. With the recent agreement to provide a second training window from 2013 onwards, the SAF will now be able to train in Germany twice a year. Singapore and Germany interact regularly in a range of defence interactions, such as visits, military exchanges, professional courses, policy dialogues and technology collaboration. Both countries signed a Defence Cooperation Agreement in September 2005 and Singapore will acquire two new Type 218SG submarines from Thyssenkrupp Marine System GmBH. These new submarines (with a customised design) are to be delivered by 2020; with ST Electronics, co-developing the combat system with Atlas Elektronik GmbH. As Felix Seidler, has noted in a post on the Center for International Maritime Security blog:-

Why Singapore Needs U-boats

Lately, international attention has largely been on aircraft carriers and, through China’s ADIZ, with air forces. However, Asia’s arms race takes pace underwater as much as it does on the surface. China is expanding its fleet of nuclear and conventionally powered attack submarines in quality and quantity and the U.S. will commission even more new Virginia-class nuclear subs. Japan, South Korea, Vietnam, Indonesia, Australia... all maintain programs to start, modernize, or expand their submarine fleets. South Korea has already been a customer of Germany’s submarines. Especially small countries, who are missing the resources and capacities for large expeditionary fleets, will respond to China’s increasing capabilities by expanding of their submarine forces.

The U.S. and Britain will favor... Singapore’s procurement of top-of-the-line German U-boats, but the purchase will certainly not please China’s navy. All Chinese warships underway to the Indian Ocean by the far-most economic route have to pass the shallow waters around Singapore, thereby coming in range of the barely detectable 218s.

The purchase of a German product also helps keep Singapore’s fleet interoperable with Western navies. For the West this is advantageous in the event that continued Chinese “assertiveness,” spurs the formation of new coalitions in Southeast Asia. Japan is already pursuing that track. Given China’s desire to establish an ADIZ in the South China Sea, at least one aircraft carrier would have to transit to the south of the South China Sea to enforce it. China’s fighter jets lack the range to launch from the mainland and aerial refueling capabilities are too immature. Thus, Singapore’s Type 218s would pose a serious challenge to any Chinese carrier task force.

How far China has advanced in sonar techniques and submarine detection is hard to say. If German Type 212s can make their way through the anti-sub-defense of a U.S. aircraft carrier, the even more advanced 218s should have no major difficulty embarrassing the Chinese navy...

...

Strategic Value for Germany

The announced deal is also a win for Germany. Besides the good deal for the German defense industry, the secured jobs, and the revenue, the deal’s strategic value must also be examined. By purchasing amphibious landing ships, new frigates and the F-35, Singapore, with its central geo-strategic location, is on the way to become a military powerhouse. It is therefore in the interests of a maritime trade-dependent nation like Germany, to have good relations with Singapore, as it inhabits one of the world’s most important ports.​

Thanks to access to American and German technology, Singapore is able to build weapons and weapon systems for both our local use and for export (eg. 115 Warthogs, acquired by British forces for use in Afghanistan). The superior protection offered by the Warthog (also known as Bronco in SAF service) saved British lives.

The Warthog is a modified and better protected version of the Singapore Army Bronco. It is equipped with an upgraded cooling and filtration system, Bowman BCIP 5 communications fit, mine blast protection and Electronic Counter Measures (ECM). Warthog provides Protected Mobility for the infantry with its protection, firepower and mobility. The vehicle is able to operate in a range of environments including the Green Zone and desert areas of Afghanistan. Warthog with its associated communications, ECM suite, mine blast protection, load carriage, crew served weapon system and increased tactical mobility & range is a considerable enhancement to elements of ground manoeuvre capability in Afghanistan.

If you are interested in reading more about ASEAN and the rise of China, please read the three posts on 'Singapore in respect to Select Sino-ASEAN Developments' (Part 1 of 3), (Part 2 of 3) and (Part 3 of 3), in the RSAF picture thread.

 

[OPSSG]

Exercise Southern Katipo 2013

Below, contingents from the participating nations deploying on Exercise Southern Katipo 2013 are welcomed with a powhiri (a Maori welcome) onto the marae at Waiouru Military Camp.

Another picture of the welcome ceremony.

Yet another pciture of the welcome ceremony.

Below, coalition air planners from NZ, France, US and Singapore working together.

Training with coalition forces to provide Air Mobility : As burden sharing partners in numerous coalition operations, air assets and defence personnel from Australia, US, NZ, and Singapore train together to ensure inter-operability. “We came here with the intention of performing to our best ability,” said RSAF Maj. Jeff Lee, detachment commander from the RSAF’s 122 Squadron in Singapore. “I think we achieved our overall objectives and in some cases exceeded our own expectations - it’s interactions such as these that enhance a combined effectiveness.”

Below, troops from Tonga in the foreground providing security, as a RSAF C-130H lands to provide air mobility support for Exercise Southern Katipo.

Below, NZ Forces arrive at Timaru Airport aboard a RSAF C-130H Hercules, during the Air Mobility portion of Exercise Southern Katipo. Both the Australian and the New Zealand transport aircraft were diverted from Exercise Southern Katipo (to respond to Typhoon Haiyan aid efforts), leaving two US Air Force C-17 Globemaster IIIs, one RSAF C-130H and a French CASA 235 from New Caledonia to fly more sorties than planned to provide airlift in support of Exercise Southern Katipo.

Below, NZ and Singapore riggers loading cargo prepared for tactical air drops in support of Exercise Southern Katipo.

Below, service members representing four nations share the burden as they carry a recently-recovered main parachute to an awaiting transport vehicle during a combined cargo air-drop operation at the New Zealand Defence Force Raumi Drop Zone. Recovery personnel from the United States Air Force, Royal Australian Air Force, Republic of Singapore Armed Forces, Royal New Zealand Air Force and New Zealand Army worked side-by-side. Kiwi Flag is a multilateral Royal New Zealand Air Force-sponsored tactical airlift exercise comprising air assets from the USAF, RNZAF, RAAF, RSAF and French Armed Forces of New Caledonia. Kiwi Flag personnel are supporting Exercise Southern Katipo. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Master Sgt. Denise Johnson/Released)

Below, an extraction parachute deploys as it catches the air current, towing a pallet of cargo off the ramp of a Republic of Singapore Armed Forces C-130 Hercules crew during Exercise Kiwi Flag Nov. 14 at the New Zealand Defence Force Raumi Drop Zone near Ohakea, New Zealand. Kiwi Flag is a multilateral Royal New Zealand Air Force-sponsored tactical airlift exercise comprising air assets. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Master Sgt. Denise Johnson/Released)

Below, a Republic of Singapore, Royal New Zealand and United States Air Force Airmen gather for a preflight brief prior to a night tactical-airdrop sortie Nov. 23. The RSAF and RNAF Airmen joined the USAF aircrew for a subject matter exchange on a USAF C-17 Globemaster III familiarization-orientation flight during the tactical-airlift exercise. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Master Sgt. Denise Johnson/Released)

New Zealand, Singapore pilots join U.S. C-17 Kiwi Flag mission.

Below, NZDF's NH90s at Timaru Airport for Exercise Southern Katipo 2013. The overall objective is to evaluate progress towards the NZDF Joint Amphibious Task Force 2015.

The aim is to exercise force elements of the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) in a medium-scale joint exercise, with an emphasis on amphibious operations, within the context of a larger stability and security operation. This includes the incorporation of the command and control, operational planning and execution of a deployed Combined Joint Inter-Agency Task Force (CJIATF). It will also seek to accentuate the integration and interoperability of NZDF's maritime, land, air and SOF assets.

Southern Katipo: Enemy bed in - YouTube

Below, HMNZS Canterbury at Exercise Southern Katipo.

[nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LqmYScgBPew"]Prepping for D-Day - Exercise Southern Katipo - YouTube[/nomedia]


Exercise Southern Katipo involved 2200 personnel from 10 countries, is being played out in South Canterbury towns, ports, and farms - in a scenario where the lower half of the South Island is a made-up Pacific nation called Mainlandia.

The amphibious portion of the exercise being conducted on South Island, New Zealand, with forces being projected ashore from HMNZS Canterbury.

 

[OPSSG]

Training Abroad to Attack Enemy Forces on Land (Part 1 of 2)

Luke Air Force Base is hosting Exercise Forging Sabre 2013 (from 4 December to 15 December 2013), an exercise involving the 425 Fighter Squadron, the 428th Fighter Squadron from Mountain Home AFB, Idaho, and members of the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF). The purpose of the exercise is to provide the SAF with an opportunity to exercise and train its full spectrum of command, control and execution.

Below, Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen (extreme left) interacting with participants of Exercise Forging Sabre 2013. As part of his visit, Dr Ng fired a practice rocket from a HIMARS and interacted with exercise participants as well as servicemen from the RSAF's Peace Carvin II F-16C/D detachment in US. He also viewed a static and aerial display of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter at the invitation of the United States Marine Corps.

11 December 2013 -- Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen visited Exercise Forging Sabre 2013 in Phoenix, Arizona, USA. The integrated strike exercise, conducted from 2 to 17 December 2013, involves about 700 airmen and soldiers from the SAF as well as assets such as the F-15SGs, F-16C/Ds, Apache AH-64Ds and Chinooks, and the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) from the Singapore Army.

Below, the crew of the HIMARS standing before the launchers. Each HIMARS unit requires a crew of just 3: The gunner, driver and launcher commander.

Dr Ng witnessed an integrated live-firing by multiple sensor and shooter platforms, orchestrated by the exercise command post staffed by Active and Operationally Ready National Servicemen from the RSAF and the Army. Also present to witness the live-firing were Chairman of the Government Parliamentary Committee for Defence and Foreign Affairs Dr Lim Wee Kiak, Chief of Air Force (CAF) Major-General Hoo Cher Mou, and other senior SAF officers. This year’s exercise sees a wider range of precision strike munitions employed as compared to past installments, including the Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAMs), Laser JDAMs, Radar and Laser Hellfire missiles, and GBU-12 Laser Guided Bombs, to destroy static and moving targets in day and night mission scenarios. This is also the first time the HIMARS is firing Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS) rockets in an SAF live-firing exercise.

Below, Commanding Officer of 23SA, LTC Huang Miaw Yi (extreme left) explaining the capabilities of the HIMARS to Dr Ng and his delegation.

Below, enemy fighter aircraft have entered the airspace as part of the Exercise Forging Sabre 2013 scenario. And the RSAF scrambles this F-16C Fighting Falcon to perform a defensive-counter-air sweep.

Sweepers refer to warplanes sent ahead of RSAF air strikes to sweep away aerial opposition with air-to-air missiles in a offensive-counter-air mission.

Hammertime is called when RSAF pilots are about to hit an enemy target using one of the 60 precision-guided munitions that will be launched, fired or dropped during the exercise. Below, RSAF ground crew loads a Laser JDAM onto an F-15SG in preparation for hammertime.

Laser JDAMs are a useful tool for the F-15SGs to track and take out enemy targets on the move. Exercise Forging Sabre 2013 allows Singapore forces to fully utilise the capabilities of the Division Strike Centre (DSC) to take-out both stationary targets and targets on the move. For those that are interested in more details, a DSC is responsible for three key roles:-

One, strike orchestration. The DSC conducts strike operations against targets such as artillery platforms, Multiple Rocket Systems (MRS) and Ground-Based Air Defence (GBAD), to shape the battlefield by reducing threats to our land and air assets. For more details on the level of integration in the 3G SAF, see: [nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E3uxPrrRZAA"]Exercise Forging Sabre 2011 - YouTube[/nomedia]


Two, counter-fire capability. Weapon Locating Radars (WLRs) may be deployed to accurately locate artillery projectiles and rockets within seconds. Upon detection, DSC orders counter-fires which are immediately processed and transmitted directly to pre-determined shooter platforms. The entire process, from detection to firing the first shot can be effected within minutes. In particular, I note that Singaporean WLR teams have been on a fifteen month deployment to Afghanistan. See: [nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bSmKJhKzp3s"]Ep 4: Rocket Racket (Ops Diaries - SAF in Afghanistan) - YouTube[/nomedia]


Three, synchronisation with air and naval fires. Besides co-ordinating fire for the Army, the DSC also synchronises with shooters from the Air Force and Navy enable lethal actions. See this 2008 RSAF video on being full spectrum, integrated and ready: [nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k0lyR2mAAzY"]RSAF 40th Anniversary Video - Third Generation - YouTube[/nomedia]​

As LTC (NS) Melvin Chan, Alternate Dynamic Targeting Director in the command post (and one of the seven NSmen taking part in the exercise) said:-

"It's been exciting... you see it from the beginning - the enemy being found, the information passed to us, we do our sense-making, and when we give our authorisation (to fire), we actually see the pilots or the HIMARS striking the targets on the sensor in the command post."​

These air and land strikes emphasized the value of Dynamic Targeting, directed by the Division Strike Centre that allocated and prioritised targets according to their potential danger to Singaporean forces.

 

[OPSSG]

The Ranger Course

SSG (NS) Ganesan s/o Arumugam, a Ranger Cadre, described the duties of a cadre as "a great challenge". He said, "We've to balance being an instructor and a mentor, and that's really not easy to achieve, but nothing beats the privilege of being able to impart my knowledge and values in small unit leadership to new generations of Rangers. That keeps me coming back year after year, whatever it takes."

The Ranger Course is known as the toughest small unit leadership course in the SAF. Held once a year, the 65-day course is open to all medically-fit SAF personnel. Out of those who apply, only a select group who passed the selection test can join the course of which even fewer graduate. Despite being a physically and mentally challenging course, all the trainees agreed that the Ranger Course was worth giving their best for.

Mission planning is essential for any Ranger patrol. Using groundsheets as a makeshift wall, the patrol leader conducts his briefing under the watchful eyes of the Ranger Cadre (seen on the left with a cap).

Out on a patrol.

While the Ranger Cadre induces combat stress and frustration within every Ranger as part of the course, the onus is on every Ranger to stay mentally alert, physically strong and morally straight no matter the fatigue level is.

Ranger trainees setting up a defensive perimeter.

Rappelling down a cliff to get to a mission objective.

Army Training Evaluation Centre

In September 2013, the Army Training Evaluation Centre (ATEC) for reached the mile-stone of evaluating the operational readiness of the 250th unit over the span of 23 years. Thus far, 150,000 soldiers from combat units have undergone the evaluation by ATEC. To provide a realistic and tough evaluation, a reliable opposing force (OPFOR) is necessary, and soldiers with the appropriate skills sourced from the formations. The soldiers that form the OPFOR comes from the respective formations (the Armour Training Institute provides OPFOR soldiers for platform evaluations, while the Infantry Training Institute provides OPFOR soldiers for the Infantry evaluations). CPT Lim Zhenda, Officer Commanding for the Armour OPFOR, emphasises the fundamental training of the OPFOR soldiers in upholding a strong force. He said:

“During training, we would also revise our drills and techniques, tactics and procedures (TTP) to identify weak spots within the Armoured Battle Group and exploit it during evaluations (like ATEC), to allow the unit to take away key lessons and improve thereupon.”​

3SG Hansel Fernandez, Admin OIC from the Armour Training Institute OPFOR, said:

“We follow a simple adage and firmly believe that, “Only a professional opposing force can train a professional Armoured Battle Group”.​

Below, 812 SIR having their Battalion's proficiency at defence being evaluated at ATEC Stage II during their 7th ICT .

821 Singapore Infantry Regiment (821 SIR) - In-Camp Training (ICT) - YouTube​

Each evaluation is now carefully planned to ensure that the respective units are properly tested on their fundamentals and operational readiness. MAJ Ng Boon Seong, a planner in ATEC, said:

“How we plan each evaluation is based on the units’ Battalions Ops Profile. We aim to assess them based on their operational readiness, and how they are prepared to perform when the button is pressed.”​

LTC Maverick Tey Lian Cheong, the Commanding Officer for Infantry Combat Training Centre 1, Infantry Training Institute. LTC Tey, who served as the company umpire for ATEC from 1997 to 1999, felt that the overall mentality of the evaluation process has changed significantly since the introduction of the Action Learning Process (ALP), which enhances the units’ learning process throughout each stage of the evaluation. He said:

“The entire [evaluation] process is now a lot more systemic, and a lot more comprehensive. The introduction of the ALP has also helped us to identify, more acutely, the areas of improvement for each unit. This has helped the units to improve from each time and has also boosted the soldiers’ morale. With a higher sense of confidence, the soldiers can only improve further.”​

 

[OPSSG]

Training Abroad to Attack Enemy Forces on Land (Part 2 of 2)

Even in the most inclement weather, where the RSAF is unable to launch strike fighters to attack targets, the Army's HIMARS battery stands ready to hit the enemy targets. Singapore Artillery's advanced capabilities, including its ability to:

(i) predict the weather and take account of it's effect on the fight of the artillery rounds or rockets (see this video on military automatic weather stations operating in NZ: [nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AcIvR_MXd0Y"]cyberpioneer Weapon Accounting for the weather Apr 11 - YouTube[/nomedia] ); and

(ii) conduct counter-battery fire, with support from its Firefinders from the 24th Battalion Singapore Artillery, who have served a 15-month tour in Afghanistan (where they provided early warning against insurgent rocket attacks in less than 4 seconds). Firefinders from the 24th Battalion Singapore Artillery achieved a 100% success rate in detecting the 27 rocket attacks that took place on their 15 month deployment in Afghanistan, with two SAF officers being awarded the Netherlands Armed Forces Commemorative Medal for Peacekeeping Operations, for providing a capability that saved coalition lives.​

Singapore Artillery's advanced capabilities gives meaning to the formation's motto of 'In Oriente Primus' (or Latin for 'First in the East'). Below, Dr Ng experiencing what is is like to ride in a HIMARS launcher.

Below, a convoy of HIMARS moves towards their deployment site.

Below, rockets away, as the HIMARS fires a precision rocket at an enemy target.

Below, reduced range practice rockets being launched.

Below, with the arrival of additional rocket pods, the launchers can be reloaded and made ready for its next mission in a short time.

Below, the last step in the re-loading process for the HIMARS (see here for more pictures, with more story details here).

h/t to David Boey, the quote below is an extract from his defence blog, Senang Diri, with a link to his blog post provided.

Exercise Forging Sabre 2013 - SAF battle managers practice Dynamic Targeting to deal with air/land targets

The nerves that move the muscle at Exercise Forging Sabre 2013 are directed from this Singapore Armed Forces Command Post set up at Luke Air Force Base in Arizona.
...
Growth of Forging Sabre
Exercise Forging Sabre first made the news in 2005 as the SAF's proof of concept for integrated strike. In 2009, the command post for integrated strike warfare was tested and operationalized, along with the addition of a new heavy hitter, the Himars rocket artillery system. And the last exercise in 2011 saw F-15SG Strike Eagles, the RSAF's most advanced warplanes, obliterate targets in the Arizona desert alongside the long-serving yet agile F-16C/D fighter jets.

At Forging Sabre 2013, the good guys are in for a surprise: The most telling statistic that emphasizes the growth of the war games in realism and complexity comes from the decision by SAF defence planners to upsize the number and sophistication of the simulated enemy.

So while in 2011, the "red" or enemy forces comprised RSAF warplanes sent up to provide token resistance, the enemy has evolved brains and brawn.

Credible enemy
RSAF Senior Lieutenant Colonel Ho Yong Peng - whose initials "HYP" christened him with the callsign Hyper - plays the fictional "enemy" as Red Air Commander. He explained:"We want to ensure the SAF gets realistic training and want to make sure we train as well shall fight. As you know, in war, you will have a thinking, adapting enemy, never staying still and who still wants to strike."

SAF battle managers have to contend with a hostile air force armed with beyond visual range air-to-air missiles and an air defence system that forces RSAF warfighters to fight their way through contested airspace en route to their targets.

SLTC Ho added:"You don't expect the enemy to play fair. We make sure we have plans and tactics to punish them and make sure SAF forces never have an easy day in the field."

His Red Land Commander counterpart, Colonel Andrew Lim, is equally fired up to remind SAF warfighters in Arizona their trip here is no holiday.

To maximise realism, COL Lim said the SAF Wargame Centre uses battle simulations to create enemy land forces on plasma screens that test how SAF battle managers cope with challenging scenarios such as having more targets than assets to strike which forces commanders to prioritise targets.

"This exercise puts a Division Strike Centre through its paces," said COL Lim, referring to the heart of the Army division's command structure where battle orders are planned and initiated.

The simulations SAF friendly forces see on their screens can also simulate events such as the firing of rockets by the enemy or impediments to movement that could arise from having to minimise collateral damage to civilians in urban areas...

<snip>

Exercise Forging Sabre 2013 is also the first time a satellite-guided rocket will be launched. Accurate intelligence provided by Singapore Army Commandos of enemy troops deployments enabled Bravo Battery, 23rd Battalion Singapore Artillery, to provide fire support using GMLRS rockets during the exercise. Bravo Battery and the Firefinders from the 24th Battalion Singapore Artillery, came to gain firsthand experience working the sensor-to-shooter cycle at a combined live-fire exercise. Below, the moment had arrived for Bravo Battery 23 SA to reach out and touch the enemy target, on orders from the Division Strike Centre.

With blast shields protecting the glass windows, full-time National Service artillery gunner Third Sergeant (3SG) Tien Wei Xuan's rocket team initiated several actions prior to opening fire. The NBC overpressure protection system was started so that exhaust gases from the rocket plume would not enter the cabin. He then depressed the fire button. A split second delay and the rockets roared off into the inky darkness. What 3SG Tien and his crew did not see was the response in the Division Strike Centre miles away. As the SAF's first GMLRS soared into space, all eyes in the Division Strike Centre were locked on the screen showing its flight path and another screen that showed what the target area looked like. Both real time images were captured by SAF UAVs.

After successfully firing a live GMLRS rocket, 3SG Tien Wei Xuan, a full-time national serviceman and HIMARS launcher commander, said:-

"I feel that this is really a good time for us to work as a battery, to really show that we have really trained hard and accomplished whatever we have come out to accomplish."​

Below, the Chief of Army visits Exercise Forging Sabre 2013.

Below, SMA, CWO Tang Peck Onn, engaging the troops of 23SA.

 

[OPSSG]

[nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SLPtUh9TebQ"]Singapore Army Video 2013 - Our Soldiers, Our Home - YouTube[/nomedia]


On 23 June 2012, Sergeant Major of the Army, SWO Tang Peck Oon, became the first Singaporean to be inducted into the United States Army Sergeant Major Academy, International Student Hall Of Fame at Fort Bliss, Texas, USA.

Chief of Defence Force LG Ng visited soldiers from 9th Battalion, Singapore Infantry Regiment, this morning. They have been on 24/7 duty - over the Christmas break too - guarding key installations on Jurong Island.

Tonight on New Year’s Eve 31 December 2013, they will continue to stay vigilant and keep Jurong Island, a key economic engine of Singapore, safe.

[nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=twJbIeYMW0o"]Steadfast We Stand - YouTube[/nomedia]


"I pleasantly surprised that CDF and COA came down to visit us. I’m alright with doing duty today because we are helping to protect Singapore, ensuring that business operations can be conducted safely." - CPL Saharudin (Foreground)

CPL Stanley Yap reflected on the vital nature of his job, saying: "Jurong Island is one of the key pillars of Singapore's economy. So safeguarding this island is also safeguarding the economy. My parents are very supportive of what I do, even when I have to miss festive occasions, as they understand the crucial nature of my work."

CPL Khairul Adzhar Zainurdin, together with LCP Ismadi Ismal, doing sentry duty at one of the sentry posts in Sembawang Wharves.

CPL Khairul shared: “It is important for us to stay vigilant especially during this festive period while the other Singaporeans are celebrating because I know the importance of what I am doing.”

 

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How the SAF Transport Formation moves supplies to sustain operations.

(1) Troops in tough terrain impassable to land vehicles are re-supplied through air drops via the C-130 transport aircraft.

(2) The Division Support Area functions as the nerve centre. Apart from planning and coordinating supply operations, it also monitors supply levels and dispatches transport assets to other nodes in the supply network to meet front-line demand.

(3) Civil resource vehicles, such as heavy trucks and cargo vehicles, are used to augment the SAF's fleet of transport assets to carry supplies to the Division Support Area and Brigade Support Areas.

(4) Main stockpile areas hold the supplies which fighting troops need for their operations.

(5) Closer to the front line, the Brigade Support Area provides command and control for re-supply operations to the three forward battalions. From here on, cargo is ferried using SAF Transport vehicles such as the High Mobility Cargo Transporter and 5-ton truck.

(6) The LARC V, which moves on both land and water, is used to carry supplies over water obstacles to a battalion.

The 3rd Transport Battalion's Air Terminal Company at Exercise Wallaby 2013.

Below, the video explains how the Precision Aerial Delivery System (PADS) works. PADS uses GPS and a guidance, navigation and control system to accurately fly itself to a designated location point on the ground. Its gliding ram-air parachute lets it land a significant distance from its point of release, while its guidance allows high-altitude airdrops, from between 5,000 to 25,000 feet, to a single location or multiple locations at one time, within an accuracy of 50 – 75 meters. PADS offers several main benefits, including an increase in the number of available drop zones and an increase in the cargo's precision, which benefits the user. PADS also increases the survivability of the delivery aircraft and its crew because it enable the aircraft can actually drop the load higher and at a good distance away from the drop zone, free of enemy threats which may be near the area where the load is being dropped. Air Supply - Precision Aerial Delivery System - YouTube

Below, the Singapore Army practicing with the multiple container delivery system.

Below, MAJ Chow Wing Cheong, Commanding Officer of 3rd Transport Battalion commending the good work of the riggers at dropzone.

Below, safety brief by SSG Joseph Ho, Platoon Sergeant, Air Terminal Company, before the forklift operation.

Below, a Red Hat Presentation by the Senior Red Hat. The "Red Hat" is a unique headdress worn by aerial cargo riggers who serve as inspectors. This highly visible "Red Hat" helps to mark the position of inspectors at critical locations. More importantly, it sets the inspectors apart from normal riggers and is a symbol of their pride. It represents the professionalism and leadership of these inspectors, who are empowered with greater responsibilities.

 

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On 6 January 2014, Commanding General of the United States Army Pacific (USARPAC), General (GEN) Vincent Brooks, called on Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen at the Ministry of Defence

.
GEN Brooks, is in Singapore on an introductory visit from 5 to 7 January 2014, had called on Chief of Defence Force Lieutenant-General Ng Chee Meng and Chief of Army Major-General Ravinder Singh after inspecting a Guard of Honour.

As part of his visit, GEN Brooks also visited the Multi-Mission Range Complex (MMRC) and Murai Urban Training Facility, respectively.

Above, GEN Brooks going through a round of live-firing at the 100m range during a visit to the MMRC. With US forces drawing down in Afghanistan, the US Army is rebalancing to the Asia-Pacific region and seeking other regional alignments, said Chief of Staff of the Army Gen. Ray Odierno.

Regionally Aligned Forces is the US Secretary of the Army and Chief of Staff of the Army's vision for providing combatant commanders with versatile, responsive, and consistently available Army forces. Regionally Aligned Forces will meet US combatant commanders' requirements for units and capabilities to support operational missions, bilateral and multilateral military exercises, and theater security cooperation activities.

Above, GEN Vincent Brooks was introduced to the interactive targetry system used in the MMRC to hone soldiers and snipers' judgement skills. The MMRC provides 7 ranges across 3 stories and these ranges provide conditions from 50m to 1km, including an urban operations range (with two chambers); and the two multi-tier ranges which allows for soldiers to fire at ground targets from various levels of a simulated building. The Virtual Training System (VTS) combines the advantages of virtual simulation training with the use of live weapons, including pistols, rifles, machine guns and .50 caliber sniper rifles. The VTS allows long range shooting using computer generated imagery to represent targets out to 1000 meters. This unique capability of the VTS allows the SAF to use the MMRC to conduct all live fire exercises and sniper training.

Above, GEN Vincent Brooks signing the guestbook at MMRC.

Above, GEN Vincent Brooks receiving a brief on the capabilities of the Terrex Infantry Carrier Vehicle (ICV).

Above, GEN Brooks in a Terrex ICV at the Murai Urban Training Facility. As early as 1996 Ralph Peters writing Parameters was talking about Urban Warfare and its importance in 'Our Soldiers, Their Cities', where he noted:-

"In fully urbanized terrain, however, warfare becomes profoundly vertical, reaching up into towers of steel and cement, and downward into sewers, subway lines, road tunnels, communications tunnels, and the like. Even with the "emptying" of the modern battlefield, organizational behavior in the field strives for lateral contiguity and organizational integrity. But the broken spatial qualities of urban terrain fragments units and compartmentalizes encounters, engagements, and even battles. The leader's span of control can easily collapse, and it is very, very hard to gain and maintain an accurate picture of the multidimensional "battlefield."

Noncombatants, without the least hostile intent, can overwhelm the force, and there are multiple players beyond the purely military, from criminal gangs to the media, vigilante and paramilitary factions within militaries, and factions within those factions. The enemy knows the terrain better than the visiting army, and it can be debilitatingly difficult to tell friend from foe from the disinterested. Local combat situations can change with bewildering speed. Atrocity is close-up and commonplace, whether intentional or incidental. The stresses on the soldier are incalculable. The urban combat environment is, above all, disintegrative.

...

Urban warfare differs even in how "minor" items such as medical kits and litters should be structured. Soldiers need new forms of "armor;" equipment as simple as layered-compound knee and elbow pads could dramatically reduce the sort of injuries that, while not life-threatening, can remove soldiers from combat for hours, days, weeks, or even months. Eye protection is essential, given the splintering effects of firefights in masonry and wood environments, and protective headgear should focus as much on accidental blows from falls or collapsing structures as on enemy fire, on preserving the body's structural integrity as much as on ballistic threats.

Communications requirements differ, too. Soldiers need more comms distributed to lower levels--down to the individual soldier in some cases. Further, because of loss rates in the give and take of urban combat, low-level comms gear should not be part of the encrypted command and control network. Radios or other means of communication do not need extended range, but they must deal with terrible reception anomalies..."​

 

[OPSSG]

Forgive but NEVER Forget!

On 9 Dec 1963, a bomb went off shortly after 11pm at Sennett Estate. The bomb, placed under a Ford Consul, wrecked the car and killed two men. The blast also caused extensive damage to shops and houses in the vicinity. This was but one of the 42 bomb explosions that happened in Singapore between 1963 and 1965 which resulted in 7 dead and more than 51 injured.

The series of photographs here captured the horror in stark clarity, serving as a reminder that the peace we now have did not always exist.

Let us stand together and remain vigilant, ready to defend our peace, and prepared to deal with emergencies.

During the Konfrontasi, Singapore's two battalions, 1 SIR and 2 SIR were deployed to various parts of Malaysia to fight the saboteurs. As such the defence at home fell to the shoulders of volunteers from the Singapore Volunteer Corps (SVC) and the Vigilante Corps (VC).

The SVC guarded the main island's key installations like the Kallang Gas Works, various telephone exchanges, water filtration plants, Radio and Television Singapore and the Tanjung Penjuru Caltex oil storage stations. They were assisted by the VC, which was created to mobilise men between the ages of 21 and 29. In two short months, the VC's numbers grew to more than 10,000.

This episode spurred a wave of volunteerism in Singapore and saw Singaporeans coming together to defend the nation. Although it was a painful experience, it also showed the resolve and resilience of the people of Singapore to unite in the face of challenges and safeguard the place we call home.

 

[OPSSG]

SAF Participates in Exercise Cobra Gold 2014, in Phitsanulok, Thailand (Part 1 of 2)

Below, US Pacific Commander, Admiral Samuel J. Locklear spoke at the opening ceremony of Cobra Gold 2014. A transcript of his speech can be found, here.

Below, members from various participating nations of Exercise Cobra Gold 2014 stand in formation during the opening ceremony at Camp Akatosarot, Mueang district, Phitsanulok province, Kingdom of Thailand 11 February 2014. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Tyler Meister/Released)

The Singapore Armed Forces (SAF), together with the co-hosts the Royal Thai Armed Forces (RTARF) and the United States Pacific Command (US PACOM), along with four other countries, is participating in Exercise Cobra Gold from 11 to 21 February 2014 in Phitsanulok, Thailand. The 61-member SAF contingent participating in this year's exercise will be led by Chief Guards Officer Brigadier-General Desmond Tan Kok Ming (3rd from right). The command post exercise (CPX) brought together service members from Thailand, the U.S., Singapore, Japan, Republic of Korea, Indonesia and Malaysia in a multinational force team that responded to a simulated scenario, executing a pre-developed operations plan. This CPX included the deployment of US Army Pacific's Contingency Command Post (CCP). A few scenarios planned for included humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, noncombatant evacuation operations and consequence management.

Below, US Navy Adm. Samuel J. Locklear, the commander of US Pacific Command, greets a Singaporean Guards Officer after the opening ceremony for Exercise Cobra Gold 2014. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Luis A. Rodriguez III/ Released)

According to Command Sgt. Maj. Frank M. Leota, US Army Pacific, the benefit of using the CCP during the exercise is that the U.S. is able to share its assets and work in unison with all of the participating countries -- ultimately increasing the interoperability between partner nations should a real-world contingency occur. Exercise Cobra Gold promotes mutual understanding, friendship and professionalism among the personnel of the participating armed forces. Representatives from 11 other countries are also involved in this year's exercise as observers. The SAF has been a full participant of this multilateral exercise since 2000. The joint operations CPX and includes both ground forces and airmen.

Below, dignitaries from US and Singapore (including Brigadier General Desmond Tan, Chief Guards Officer and Commander 21st Division) at the opening ceremony to mark the official start of Exercise Cobra Gold 2014 at Camp Akatosorot in Phitsanulok province, Kingdom of Thailand. (photo by Sgt. 1st Class Crista Mary Mack, U.S. Army)

Below, soldiers and airmen from participating countries at the opening ceremony to mark the official start of Exercise Cobra Gold 2014 at Camp Akatosorot in Phitsanulok province, Kingdom of Thailand. (photo by Sgt. 1st Class Crista Mary Mack, U.S. Army)

Below, Royal Thai and U.S. Armed Forces prepare to land after jumping out of a Boeing C-17 Globemaster III during a combined strategic air drop demonstration during Exercise Cobra Gold 2014 in Lop Buri. The aerial insertion of over 400 combined troops belonging to the Royal Thai and U.S. Armed Forces was held in order to demonstrate forcible entry capabilities. (Photo By: Sgt Artur Shvartsberg)

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Below, Republic of Korea and U.S. Marines stand in formation after conducting an amphibious demonstration during exercise Cobra Gold 2014. The U.S. Marines are with 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, currently assigned to 4th Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force under the unit deployment program. (Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Joy M. Kirch-Kelling)

Below, a Japanese Self Defense Force guard escorts the role playing evacuees at the Non-Combatant Evacuation Drill at Utaphao, Kingdom of Thailand Feb. 16 during Exercise Cobra Gold 2014. Utilizing joint service and multinational training is vital to maintaining the readiness and interoperability of the Thai, Japanese, U.S. and other participating military forces. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Zachary W. Scanlon)

From left to right, Indonesian Air Force airman 1st Lt. Ronny Purnomo, Japanese Self-Defense Force members 1st Lt. Shin Nishii, and U.S. Navy Chief Petty Officer Geraldine Kirk look over a medical chart at a cooperative health engagement in Sukhothai, Kingdom of Thailand, Feb. 13, 2014 during Exercise Cobra Gold 2014. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Luis A. Rodriguez III/ Released)

Below, Ziraphinya Somari, right, thanks U.S. Navy Chief Petty Officer Geraldine Kirk for her help at a cooperative health engagement in Sukhothai, Kingdom of Thailand, Feb. 13, 2014 during Exercise Cobra Gold 2014. Kirk is with the headquarters element of the 3rd Marine Logistics Group, III Marine Expeditionary Force. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Luis A. Rodriguez III/ Released)

Below, Supanson Mahamai speaks with SAF medical professionals at a cooperative health engagement in Sukhothai, Kingdom of Thailand. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Luis A. Rodriguez III/ Released)

Cobra Gold is a series of multilateral exercises conducted in Thailand, focusing on peace support and non-combatant evacuation operations. The SAF has sent observers to this exercise since 1993 and became a full participant in 2000. The SAF Army Medical Service (AMS) began participating in the Medical Civil Assistance Programme (MEDCAP) in 2005, working concertedly with the US and Thai Armed Forces. The scope of participation includes primary healthcare, specialist healthcare (e.g. ophthalmology) and dental care. The SAF's AMS usually deploys a 10-15 men team to participate in the MEDCAP.

 

[OPSSG]

SAF Participates in Exercise Cobra Gold 2014, in Phitsanulok, Thailand (Part 2 of 2)

Below. US Marine Cpl. Tristan Armstrong is handed a brick by a SAF combat engineer at a construction site at the Ban Tabaek Ngam School in Phitsanulok, Kingdom of Thailand, Feb. 7 in support of Exercise Cobra Gold 2014. Armstrong is with Marine Wing Support Squadron 171, Marine Aircraft Group 12, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, III Marine Expeditionary Force. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Leah Agler/ Released)

On the sidelines of the exercise, an SAF team, together with the Royal Thai Armed Forces and personnel from US PACOM, constructed a multipurpose hall for the local population while another SAF medical team will educate local healthcare personnel on disease prevention and proper sanitation practices under a humanitarian civic action programme.

[nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tcu64T2EN1s&list=UU1B1vkHe_ZC54JtwQ8rJJZA"]Marines build school with Singapore and Thai engineers - YouTube[/nomedia]


Below, US Marine Lance Cpl. Willey David and SAF Sgt. Nicholas Yeo prepare to lay a brick at a construction site at the Ban Tabaek Ngam School in Phitsanulok, Kingdom of Thailand, Feb. 7 in support of Exercise Cobra Gold 2014. David is with Marine Wing Support Squadron 171, Marine Aircraft Group 12, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, III Marine Expeditionary Force. Yeo is with Headquarters Army Combat Engineer Group. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Leah Agler/ Released)

Below, service members with the SAF, Royal Thai Air Force, and U.S. Marine Corps and Air Force work together to lay concrete at the construction site at Ban Tabaek Ngam School in Phitsanulok, Kingdom of Thailand during Exercise Cobra Gold 2014. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Leah Agler)

The group of international military engineers who completed the majority of the structure welcomed the chance to have local Thais and the children who will be using the building assist with painting the interior and exterior, according to Lance Cpl. David Willey, a combat engineer with Engineer Company, Marine Wing Support Squadron 171, Marine Aircraft Group 12, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, III Marine Expeditionary Force.

Below, as part of his visit to the construction site, Brigadier General Desmond Tan, Chief Guards Officer and Commander 21st Division talks to Thai students at Ban Tabaek Ngam School, during Exercise Cobra Gold 2014. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Lea Agler/ Released)

Below, students of Wattatakian School in Mueang district play instruments and dance for guests of a dedication ceremony in Phitsanulok province. The school hosted an engineering and civic assistance project during Exercise Cobra Gold 2014, a multinational exercise that promotes regional partnership, prosperity and security in the Asia-Pacific region. The project has seen cooperation from members of the Royal Thai Army, People’s Liberation Army and U.S. Marines to build a new multipurpose building for the school. (Photo by Spc. Tyler Meister)

[nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CCfKQdwI1B4&list=UUMbtR1mBOpqdTeL7rZIKdPQ&feature=c4-overview"]Cobra Gold 2014 Wraps up - YouTube[/nomedia]


Below, a Royal Thai M60A1 battle tank fires its main gun during a combined arms live-fire exercise as part of exercise Cobra Gold in Training Center Ban Chan Krem, Kingdom of Thailand, Feb. 21. Cobra Gold. The combined arms live-fire exercise is a field exercise which consisted of Royal Thai, Republic of Korea, and U.S. Marine infantry, mechanized infantry, and air assets to demonstrate unique capabilities of a multinational force. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Artur Shvartsberg/Released)

Below, multinational dignitaries, representing the participating nations of exercise Cobra Gold 2014, pose for a group photograph after the conclusion of a combined live-fire exercise that marked the end of the exercise at Royal Thai Navy Tactical Training Center Ban Chan Krem, Chantaburi, Kingdom of Thailand, Feb. 21. Cobra Gold. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Matthew Troyer/Released)

Below, Royal Thai, Republic of Korea, U.S. military leaders and distinguished guests watch a combined live-fire exercise demonstration during the conclusion of exercise Cobra Gold 2014 in Royal Thai Navy Tactical Training Center Ban Chan Krem, Chanthaburi, Kingdom of Thailand, Feb. 21. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Matthew Troyer/Released)

 

[OPSSG]

Ex Thunder Warrior 2014

Gunners from 21st and 24th Battalion Singapore Artillery huddle for a Co-ord! This exercise, conducted from 13 to 25 January 2014, involves about 400 personnel from the 21st and 24th Battalions, Singapore Artillery (SA).

Ex Thunder Warrior 2014 brought the two SA battalions to Waiouru Training Area in New Zealand for their integrated Field Artillery Training Evaluation Programme (FATEP). In the FATEP, the 21st SA shooters were aided by the 24th SA Fire Finders (counter battery radar).

In addition, Gunners from the Royal Regiment of New Zealand Artillery, New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) had joined the Singapore Artillery in a bilateral segment of the exercise to operate and fire the Singapore Self-Propelled Howitzer (SSPH). See: RNZA and SAF Gunners Train Together.

An artillery convoy on the move at Waiouru Training Area in New Zealand. In conventional operations, the SSPHs of 21st SA provide shoot and scoot artillery support for Singapore's armoured battle groups (which comprise of Leopard 2SGs and Bionix IIs).

Exercise Thunder Warrior has been conducted annually in New Zealand since 1997, and underscores the close and long-standing defence relations between Singapore and New Zealand.

The SAF and the NZDF interact extensively through a wide range of bilateral and multilateral training exercises, professional exchanges, visits and courses.

Singapore gunners carefully unloading the rounds from a tonner. Each 155mm round weighs around 44kg!

Both armed forces also interact regularly under the ambit of the Five Power Defence Arrangements and the ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting-Plus. These interactions have helped enhance the interoperability and mutual understanding among the personnel of the two armed forces.

Forging Strong Bonds - Ex Lionwalk

New Zealand’s links with Singapore are among its longest-established and closest in Asia. The two countries both have open economies and often take similar views internationally and regionally on trade issues. Singapore provides New Zealand with valuable insights into ASEAN thinking and processes. The bilateral relationship dates back to well before Singaporean independence from Malaysia in 1965. During the Second World War, New Zealand fliers played a notable role in the air defence of Singapore. Post war, New Zealand stationed an infantry battalion and air units in Singapore between 1969 and 1989. Good progress had been made in deepening the bilateral defence relationship since the signing of the Arrangement on Defence Cooperation in May 2009.

Exercise Lion Walk is an annual bilateral exercise between the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) and the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF).

Representing both military forces were servicemen from HQ 7 SIB and Queen Alexandra's Mounted Rifles (QAMR).

During the exercise, over a hundred Guardsmen from the SAF and the QAMR from the NZDF participated in a series of joint missions comprising of a full-troop live firing in an urban and field scenario.

New Zealand and Singapore soldiers training together, to enhance mutual understanding of mounted and dismounted tactics.

Joint training between the NZDF and the SAF further enhances the strong bilateral military-to-military relations (both countries having deployed troops together in Afghanistan and Timor Leste).

COL Martin Koh, Comd 7 SIB exchanging gifts with COL Williams, Comd TRADOC of NZDF.

This Singapore Army picture thread (from June 2010 to February 2014) closed after 100 posts. Look out for Singapore Army Pictures - 2014 Onwards (coming soon or akang datang).