Senang Diri

Royal Malaysian Air Force to send largest contingent of warplanes to Singapore Airshow

2012-01-24T17:00:00.003+08:00

Show time! An RMAF twin-seat MiG-29UB lines up for takeoff at Langkawi International Airport for LIMA 2011's air display segment as a single-seat MiG-29N waits its turn. Image courtesy of RX from the Milnuts group.

The Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) is set to send its largest contingent of fighter aircraft to next month's Singapore Airshow when six RMAF MiG-29 Fulcrum warplanes fly into town, reports defence journalist Dzirhan Mahadzir from Kuala Lumpur.

RMAF Chief General Tan Sri Rodzali Daud revealed the air force's intention to participate in the airshow during an interview with Dzirhan last week.

The Malaysian warplanes are due to perform daily at the airshow - marking another first for Malaysia as its warplanes have never flown at the Singapore Airshow before - though not all MiGs will fly at the same time.

The Singapore Airshow will be held from 14 to19 February 2012, with flying display participants using Changi Airport's Runway 3. The first four days of the show are open only to Trade visitors.

Defence diplomacy

While the Singapore Airshow serves mainly as a shop window for weapons makers and commercial aviation companies, host nation Singapore uses the biennial airshow as a tool for advancing defence diplomacy as the large number of visiting defence big wigs makes it an invaluable platform for formal and informal catch-up sessions.

These include events held on the sidelines of the airshow such as courtesy calls between defence officials, cocktail receptions as well as defence-themed conferences. The main organiser for such defence diplomacy interactions is the Foreign Military Liaison Branch (FMLB), which comes under the Joint Intelligence Directorate at the Ministry of Defence.

Warplanes and helicopters from regional air forces such as Australia and the United States have been regular participants at the Singapore Airshow, which was first held in 2008. This event took over where Asian Aerospace left off in 2006. The airshow's organiser decided to move the show to Hong Kong after holding it 13 times in Singapore.

RMAF warplanes visit Singapore occasionally for Bersama Lima air combat exercises held under the auspices of the Five Power Defence Arrangements (FPDA). Set up in 1971, the FPDA commits Australia, Britain, Malaysia, New Zealand and Singapore to jointly consult one another in the event of an external threat to peninsula Malaysia.

Low key presence

Malaysia has maintained a low key presence at previous airshows in Singapore, keeping its participation principally to contingents of ATM officials who fly in for the event.

The sole fixed-wing participant from Malaysia comprised a RMAF Aermacchi MB-339AM which took part in an Asian Aerospace edition in the 1980s as a static exhibit.

Giving his take of the RMAF's presence at the Singapore Airshow, Dzhirhan said:"I don't think it indicates anything really. It just happened that the timing is right and we do have aircraft free to fly.

"Before the Su-30MKMs reached IOC last year, the MiGs were restricted from flying overseas as no other frontline aircraft were available for duties then."

Readers should realise that the RMAF has commitments over East and West Malaysia, as well as Malaysian territorial waters in the air-sea gap in the South China Sea between peninsula Malaysia and Borneo.

"The RMAF has always wanted to reciprocate Singapore's participation at LIMA (the Langkawi International Maritime & Aerospace show in Langkawi, Malaysia), just that budget and circumstances prevented so."

Rail security matters for Singapore: Questions to mull over

2012-01-21T13:51:00.004+08:00

There must be many anxious hearts in SMRT hoping that the electric mass rapid transit (MRT) train system will behave itself over the four-day Lunar New Year long weekend from today till Tuesday.

The holiday season from pre-Christmas till now has not been a happy one for Singapore's largest train and bus operator, SMRT Corporation Ltd.

Hapless train commuters who experienced the pre-Christmas SMRT train breakdowns could say the same.

As we wait for the Committee of Inquiry (COI) set up by the Singapore government to tell us more, all parties involved in the matter must align themselves to the common objective of ensuring better transportation safety, security and reliability for the city-state's MRT system.

Any attempt at grandstanding the media and public to score points (political or otherwise), corporate bullying and selective release of facts and figures to gain public relations (PR) mileage will do nothing to help us pin down the root cause(s) of the train breakdowns. We must work towards the objective of making Singapore's transportation security protocols not failure-proof (because this is an ideal state that cannot realistically be achieved), but less failure-prone. We can only do so if we focus time, energy and resources to serving commuters better, rather than setting up others for the fall.

Key questions that we need to ask include:

1. How are our transportation security protocols calibrated to handle civil emergencies?
The Singapore Armed Forces (SAF), Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) and Singapore Police Force (SPF) have put their forces through dress rehearsals involving a terror attack on Singapore's MRT system.

If the causal factor(s) leading to a train outage is not scripted in the CE response protocol, who makes the decision whether SAF, SCDF and SPF forces should be marshaled and deployed to handle the kind of transport chaos we witnessed 10 days before Christmas?

If the end result is the same, i.e. trains stopped in their tracks and people unable to get anywhere, would it be prudent to ensure that the steady flow of people milling in and around MRT stations does not result in people ponding which could endanger lives? It is a stampede risk, not to mention a safety hazard to vehicles when the people ponding spills onto busy roads during rush hour.

There is concern whether our CE protocols are so finely defined that the absence of a clear and present danger to lives/property, explosive devices and/or fire risk makes a train breakdown - however severe - unworthy of being deemed as a civil emergency. Perhaps mindsets need to be rewired?

2. What should SMRT and commuters do in future situations?
In my mind, SMRT's crisis management could have been better executed.

But as we castigate the company for not doing things better, we should realise that it would take an inordinate number of buses activated for bridging services to move every passenger affected by a system failure.

Let's work out the numbers. It has been estimated that 127,000 commuters were affected during 15 December 2011 system failure. Buses activated by SMRT to provide bridging services to move commuters between stations with stalled trains could each carry 80 to 120 pax. Even with around 90 buses plying the bridging service, this leaves a backlog of tens of thousands of commuters running out of time and patience. Mind you, they were stranded not on any Thursday night but during a holiday period 10 days before Christmas.

Evening rush hour, plus pre-Xmas shopping crowd, plus larger population thanks to the surge in immigrants plus more people obeying the call to use public transport either by choice or because of sky high car prices, plus a train system that is a radial line along a one-way street (Orchard Road) - SMRT couldn't ask for a more perfect storm.

Sure, more buses could be activated if we were playing a table top exercise. But how realistic is this? Would it not end up choking Orchard Road - a one-way street already congested during the evening peak hour - with even more vehicles?

For commuters to help themselves in future situations by walking away - as many Londoners did after the Tube bombings - people need accurate, relevant and timely information on the extent of the delay, the number of stations involved and the estimated duration to remedy the situation.

Fog of war - Dealing with imprecise information
Alas, the fog of war also affects peacetime situations and SMRT grappled with understanding the magnitude of the breakdown.On Thursday 15 December 2011, the first SMRT train was unable to move after losing power at around 6:47pm. By 6:55pm, three trains had stalled. Trains stalling are not unknown and it takes around five to 10 minutes for the train operator (TO) - usually the sole SMRT staff onboard a train that can carry 1,200+ pax - to run through safety checks and train restart protocols before the six-carriage train can resume its journey.

It is worthwhile assessing how TOs and controllers in the operations control centre, where train movements are directed and monitored, can build a better rail situation picture from fragmented and sometimes conflicting information trickling in from stalled trains. It appears some TOs radioed in to report stalled trains as the emergency lighting kicked in. But there was at least one train with three train cabins fully lighted (because the shoes could still collect power from the third rail) and the last three darkened cabins lit by emergency lighting. As luck would have it, the powered cabins were closest to the TO, so he reported that the train had stalled but was still drawing power. Other than the fact that the train was unable to move, all looked fine.

Another train is said to have limped from the Orchard area to Braddell, with internal lights flashing on and off as the train shoes struggled to maintain contact with the third rail which supplies the train with electricity. Power supply eventually died near Braddell. So this sort of conflicting information does nothing for OCC controllers who were saturated with data while trying to figure out what was happening on the ground.

This incident makes a compelling case for SAF information managers to collate, sort, prioritise and make sense of tactical information from frontline units to form a comprehensive, best effort picture to penetrate the fog of war.

3. How can mass media be better employed to share time critical information?
For reasons too technical to explain and too sensitive to mention, Singapore's short messaging system (SMS) run by local telcos cannot broadcast SMS alerts to everyone at the same time. We're talking about a subscriber base of several million mobilephone users.

A better way might be through radio and television. As with the CE issue raised above, newsrooms need to better calibrate their sensitivity to breaking news, particularly in situations with no deaths, no bomb or fire. The reality of the transport business is that mechanical things do break down. The trick is not making the broadcast decision regime too sensitive and crying wolf all the time.

4. What impact, if any, did SMRT's fourth generation trains have on the rail network?
The fourth generation trains of the C151A model used today are some 20 tonnes heavier than the lightest SMRT trains and around five tonnes heavier than the 3rd Gen Kawasaki trains.

The 4th Gen trains were made in China. As China-made products have a tarnished image for shoddy workmanship, poor QC and substandard materials, questions have been raised over the choice of the C151A rolling stock.

The fact that the 4th Gen trains came from Chinese factories concerns me less than the question of whether the heavier rolling stock was vibration tested? If not, then why not?

It is understood that in the immediate aftermath of the 15 December outage, China-made trains were withdrawn from the North-South Line as a precaution. The N-S Line is the stretch on which the trains were stalled. These C151A trains have since been reintroduced on the N-S and East-West Lines, but run at slower speeds over certain stretches of the tracks.

5. Give the public the background to all statistics.
Numbers released in Parliament point to an increase in disruptions on the SMRT North-South and East-West lines that were timed between five and 10 minutes long.

In 2007, there were 213 such incidents clocked. In the first 11 months of 2011, 217 disruptions were recorded. In and by itself, this rising trend does not look great. The conclusion that there is something inherently wrong with SMRT's maintenance regime is therefore natural and not unexpected.

I believe Singaporeans deserve to know just how many of these incidents were contributed by the installation of half height platform screen doors at elevated MRT stations. In my opinion, it is wrong to regard disruptions caused by lack of synchronisation between train doors and newly installed half height screen doors in the same way as train breakdowns arising from the loss of motive power.

The release of data sets without any context ends up tarring the reputation of SMRT employees, particularly its engineers who have been working behind the scenes to make things right. Worse, it does not make Singapore's transportation security any safer because people may jump to the wrong conclusions based on such data. Looking further downstream, which young engineer would want to join a company that is seen as technically slack? In the mid to long-term, SMRT's rail expertise will be hurt if engineers look elsewhere for employment, to the detriment of us commuters because rail engineers sit at the core of SMRT's system reliability, safety and efficiency as a people mover.

There are indications that SMRT lines that were shutdown for overnight checks after the second outage on Saturday 17 December 2011 could have been reopened earlier, if not for additional checks imposed on SMRT engineers.

Just what were these checks and were they in any way related to the dislodged claws holding up the third rail which trains tap motive power from?

In my opinion, the delay in reopening SMRT stations that Sunday ended up making the company's rolling stock team look inept and technically incompetent in delivering what they had promised. But in hindsight, is this impression fair?

I am hopeful the additional checks were introduced on the grounds of caution and that there was nothing sinister behind this.

There are many people tracking this investigation, not just the COI. All parties should therefore perform their duties honorably and professionally.

First Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) training death for 2012

2012-01-10T18:13:00.001+08:00

Death of Singapore Armed Forces Operationally-Ready National Serviceman
Posted: 10 Jan 2012, 1640 hours (Time is GMT +8 hours)
Source: Ministry of Defence, Singapore

A Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) Operationally-Ready National Serviceman, Corporal (CPL) (NS) Li Hongyang, 28, a security trooper from 62 Combat Service Support Battalion, fainted at 8.38am on 10 January 2012 after completing his 2.4km run during the Individual Physical Proficiency Test (IPPT). He was undergoing his In-Camp Training at Kranji Camp III.

An SAF medic on site attended to him immediately and evacuated him via a safety vehicle to the Kranji Medical Centre where an SAF doctor attended to him at 8.43am. CPL (NS) Li was sent via an ambulance to the Khoo Teck Puat Hospital (KTPH) at 9.00am and arrived at KTPH at 9.20am. The SAF doctor continued to resuscitate him in the ambulance en route to the hospital. CPL (NS) Li was pronounced dead at 9.40am at KTPH.

The Ministry of Defence and the SAF extend our deepest condolences to the family of the late CPL (NS) Li. MINDEF is assisting the family in their time of grief and is investigating the incident.

Lieutenant-Colonel (NS) Gan Fong Yin, Commanding Officer of 62 Combat Service Support Battalion, said: "Hongyang was a cherished member of the battalion. His demise is definitely a loss to the battalion. We will miss him and our hearts go out to his family."

Last updated on 10 Jan 2012

Letter in Today newspaper dated 7 January 2012

2012-01-07T14:15:00.000+08:00

The letter in today's edition of the Today newspaper, "When foreigners are treated as Singaporeans" by David Boey, was not written by me.

As for social media signatures, I'm not on Facebook or LinkedIn. I prefer to keep in touch with all of you via this blog, email or personal contact.

Exercise Wallaby 2011 war machines return to Singapore after intensive war games in Oz

2012-01-07T01:20:00.016+08:00

How many types of armoured vehicles can you identify from the image above?

These Singapore Army war machines were part of the air-land integrated live fire manoeuvres, codenamed Exercise Wallaby, that took place in Australia last year. They were observed in Singapore after they were shipped home from Australia aboard a commercial roll-on/roll-off car carrier.

Tank nuts may notice that at this range, the BX2 Command Post vehicle and BX2 infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) are virtually indistinguishable. Special thanks to Hans Johnson for this contribution and field report.

It is interesting to compare the Bionix Launched Bridge (BLB) and Leopard 2 Biber armoured bridgelayer in the foreground of the vehicle park.

Do note that the Ultra OWS. Rarely seen in Singapore these days, the M-113s upgraded to Ultra standard and armed with a 25mm Bushmaster cannon mounted in a Rafael Overhead Weapon System are being replaced by Bionix 2 IFVs.

The number of Bronco VSAT vehicles ("coffin carriers") that were involved in the exercise is also noteworthy. Their strong presence points to the level and intensity of networking done by the Singapore Army during the war games held in the Shoalwater Bay Training Area in Australia's Queensland state.

This blog would like to put on record its thanks to the military enthusiasts who watched Ex Wallaby take shape at Rockhampton Airport. Many of their images and trip reports are found on the Central Queensland Plane Spotting site which is found here.

Your contributions allow defence enthusiasts to see, understand and appreciate the logistical challenges involved in staging the war games 5,750 km from Singapore. Please keep up the splendid effort.

Update to Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) website

2012-01-03T18:05:00.001+08:00

Dear Friends,
The typo is finally fixed. Took them awhile though.

Best Regards,

David

Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) training safety in 2011

2012-01-01T13:00:00.002+08:00

Three Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) personnel died during military training in 2011. These fatalities include two full-time National Servicemen (NSF) and one air force Regular.

SAF training deaths in 2011 break the fatality-free year in 2010, which was the safest year for military training since compulsory National Service began in 1967.

Although SAF training deaths rose three times in 2011 in year-on-year terms, last year's record is lower than the 10 training deaths reported for 2009.

The tally for 2011 brings the SAF safety record back to the level in 2006 when three military training deaths were declared that year. Compared to 10 years ago, the year 2001 also saw three SAF training deaths. The figure for 2002 was also three deaths.

The ten years from 2001 to 2010 saw 42 Singaporeans die serving the SAF.

Friday proved the deadliest day for the SAF. From 2001 to 2010, 14 SAF servicemen died on a Friday. Could the promise of a weekend out of camp make SAF personnel let their guard down on the last day of a work week? Records show that the deaths of Second Lieutenant Nicholas Chan in 2009 and Lance Corporal Wee Yong Choon Eugin last January took place on a Friday after they were knocked down by reversing MID vehicles.

The second deadliest day was Wednesday. Nine SAF personnel died mid-week during the period.

As Saturday is book out day for the majority of SAF personnel, you probably will not be surprised by its record as the safest day from 2001 to 2010. Naval rating LCP Mar Teng Fong, 20, was the only servicemen to die on a Saturday although technically speaking, he died in hospital from injuries sustained the previous Wednesday aboard his tank landing ship.

June proved the deadliest month with eight deaths from 2001 to 2010 while May came a close second with seven fatalities.

The safest months - February, March, August and December - were tied with one death each during the past decade.

Compare these statistics with the training deaths reported by the Singaporean Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) for 2011:

28 January 2011 (Friday) - Lance Corporal Wee Yong Choon Eugin, 20, was hit by a reversing Unimog while unloading stores at Jurong Camp 1 at 0700 hours Hotel. He was pronounced dead at NUH at 0759 hrs H.

11 June 2011 (Saturday) - Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) Regular Major Toh Tze Wah Edi, 49, collapsed at 0911 hrs H collapsed midway during his Individual Physical Proficiency Test 2.4km at Tengah Air Base. He was pronounced dead at NUH at 10:24 hrs H.

2 August 2011 (Tuesday) - Specialist Cadet Ee Chun Sheng, 21, was found unconscious at about 17:11 hrs H while participating in a navigation exercise in the Ama Keng Training Area in Lim Chu Kang. An SAF medic went to the site and tried resuscitating SCT Eee at 17:15 hrs H. He was evacuated to the medical centre at Tengah Air Base where doctors attended to him after the safety vehicle arrived at 17:39 hrs H. At 18:05 hrs H, SCT Eee was rushed to NUH. The ambulance arrived there at 18:32 hrs H. He was pronounced dead at NUH at 21:03 hrs H.

During the year, MINDEF also reported that SCT Percy Toh Cheng Kai, 21, was injured on 31 July (Sunday) after a 40mm round exploded prematurely in a 40 AGL (automatic grenade launcher). He was injured on his chest, right arm and right cheek. SCT Toh was discharged from hospital in August 2011. The significance of this incident can be seen by the death that hit the training school just two days later. The proactive steps taken by its commanders to manage morale of SCTs in the school are commendable.

To the best of our knowledge, there were no unreported SAF training deaths in 2011. We are satisfied with the level of transparency by MINDEF/SAF when reporting training incidents last year. However, BOI and COI findings should be shared in an open forum as lessons picked up from such investigations will do much to reinforce safety awareness in our citizens armed forces.

All NSFs, Operationally Ready NSmen and SAF Regulars are urged to make training safety a personal commitment and team effort in 2012 and beyond.

45 Years of National Service: NS defaulter's homecoming for National Museum concert

2011-12-30T23:44:00.002+08:00

45 Years of National Service 1967-2012.

This blog will mark the 45th year of NS in 2012 with a series of articles on defence matters Singaporeans can relate to. Your story ideas are, of course, welcome.

In a year that will mark 45 years of National Service (NS) in Singapore, one of the first classical concerts for 2012 will feature a piano recital by someone whose name is inextricably linked to national disservice.

Yes, ~~Singapore-born British pianist~~ convicted NS defaulter, Melvyn Tan, is coming to town.

His case was mentioned in Parliament in January 2006. His name was flamed by netizens in numerous discussions on NS obligations for Singapore-born males.

And in a bizarre example of freaky coincidences, his name appeared in a membership recruitment advertisement by SAFRA, the government-linked club for Operationally Ready NSmen (i.e. reservists) and full-time NSmen, in December 2005. Till today, I fail to see the humour of this ad. Maybe it's just me but I believe some defence issues are no laughing matter. The use of Melvyn Tan's name is a hideous example of black humour that parents of NSmen who gave their lives for their country will not find amusing. Please click on the image below and look at the name on the mock Safra card. It may have passed the spell check but the sanity check on this ad was sorely lacking.

Melvyn's homecoming next week, some six years after he triggered the most intense debate on NS defaulters in recent memory, is a timely reminder that time will heal most wounds. He has been elevated from the status of social pariah to a foreign talent courted by Singapore. Good for him.

Indeed, the newspaper article (see opening image) in the 29 December 2011 edition of the 90 cents newspaper sings praises to Melvyn without a single mention of his central role in triggering the debate on NS defaulters. The omission of this fact from an article published by a newspaper of record is interesting to mull over. He must be pleased as punch that his name now graces the national broadsheet under more cheerful circumstances.

Apparently forgiven by Singaporean authorities (because he has paid his fine?), forgotten by Singapore's mainstream media (because the writer did not check Newslink?) and overlooked by netizens who kicked up such a fuss in 2005, Melvyn is due to play at the National Museum of Singapore Exhibition Galleries. The duration of the event from 5 January to 27 January 2012 probably means he will be in Singapore to celebrate the Lunar New Year with his loved ones.

People who followed the Melvyn Tan saga probably recall that he was fined S$3,000 by a Singaporean civil court in 2005 for evading NS 28 years ago. The Tan family also forfeited the S$30,000 security deposit - in then-year dollars a princely sum - coughed up by Melvyn's parents in 1974 when he flew to London to study music.

When this amount of money is spread over a 10-year training cycle that most NSmen undergo and with the 2.5 years of full-time NS factored into the calculus, the penalty that the system extracted from the Tan family is in my opinion a small price to pay. It works out to a sum of S$2,640 a year for every year of NS Melvyn avoided, or just S$220 a month. Pocket change for well-heeled Singaporean families.

In exchange for this fine, the media attention and (apparently transient) cyberspace notoriety, Melvyn kept 2.5 years of his youth (NS was reduced to two years of full-time service in 2004) and was spared the kind of training Singaporean males are put through to keep the city-state safe.

While he chased his dream in London in flagrant disregard for his promise to return to serve NS, his loved ones back home slept safe and sound under the security umbrella carried aloft by every Singaporean son who answered the call to serve their country. His parents will never know the anguish that Singaporean families - especially mothers - experience when their sons and loved ones enter NS.

It is cruel comfort to families of NSmen who died that a defaulter ended up losing a hefty bond and fined by the system. In the past 45 years, a sizeable number of teenage soldiers and middle aged NSmen have died in the course of duty, each one an irreplaceable loss to a society whose birth rate is rapidly in decline.

If Melvyn really wants to put the past behind him, perhaps he could dedicate his performance to the NSmen who died serving their nation while he was away. It would inject meaning to his performance in a year in which Singaporeans will be reminded of how generations of NSmen have served with pride, dedication and distinction.

There must be pockets of Singapore's expatriate community with Singapore-born sons in the same boat as Melvyn who have calculated the possible impact of evading NS. All sorts of schemes and means will be tapped to keep their sons out of uniform. Some families may look at his imminent homecoming with relief and a sense of assurance that the system is able to forgive and apparently forget as grave a transgression as running away from the Singapore Armed Forces.

The Singaporean Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) had better update its tip sheet for National Education discussions on "The Case of Melvyn Tan" because scheming minds may conclude that the price of defaulting NS isn't that onerous afterall.

It appears that if one pays the penalty for defaulting NS, then the system and Singaporean society will someday forgive, forget and say: let's move on.

Update to Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) website

2011-12-24T01:13:00.017+08:00

Good to see the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) website refreshed on Tuesday 20 December 2011 with information on rebranded air force squadrons. The revamp is commendable.

But the website team should watch out for typos, especially those that can be caught by a spell check. Poor QC affects the credibility of the platform and messaging.

See if you can spot the glitch by clicking on the image above.

I know it's neither easy nor straightforward because this blog has its fair share of typos and grammatical errors. Get another pair of eyes to proof read information before anything goes online.

If website information is intended to tell our air force's side of the story during an infowar, the presentation and text must be top notch.

See how the experts do it here.

Don't let your IOs down.

A rail security threat: SMRT's failure to heed wake-up call from London Bombings, learn lessons from Exercise Northstar V

2011-12-18T12:30:00.013+08:00

Please take part in the latest polls. Your opinions matter.

Six years after train and bus commuters were killed by terrorist bombs in the City of London, Singapore's largest train operator, SMRT Corporation, has yet to heed that wake-up call.

If SMRT's top management does not change its mindset, it may be time for a new broom to sweep clean because the stakes are too high and apologies are wearing thin.

The company's complacent attitude towards transportation security was laid bare in the most public manner imaginable during Thursday evening's train breakdown when rush hour commuters were stuck in trains for as long as 78 minutes.

All that while, hapless commuters were left - some literally in the dark - with no information and were running out of patience, time and fresh air. SMRT is lucky nobody died.

On Saturday morning, the SMRT train system in the heart of the Orchard Road shopping belt broke down again.

The impact on Singapore's economy through lost retail and food & beverage receipts is not insignificant, considering this is the holiday period for many heartlanders.

SMRT should consider itself lucky the system did not fail during the school examination period weeks ago as there would be hell to pay if students missed their papers.

In my view, the damage to public confidence from these breakdowns is more important than monetary losses from lost sales. It is also harder to quantify (hence the poll). Singaporeans must be wondering what more can be done to improve corporate governance in SMRT. Do we need to see people die on our trains before decisive action is taken?

We used to be so proud of our MRT system. People took trains from Toa Payoh to Yio Chu Kang for their first ever ride - when they had absolutely no agenda in the vicinity - just to ride the trains. Even as litter bugs defy government fines elsewhere, our trains were kept litter and graffiti-free years after they were commissioned into service. Train mishaps, like the two trains bumping one another at Clementi MRT station in August 1993, drew sympathy from heartlanders, not fury and spiteful comments we see today.

Even before SMRT opened for business, medals for bravery were won by engineers who were building MRT tunnels. The engineers used their construction know-how to bore into the debris of Hotel New World in March 1986, creating rescue shafts for our then-new Singapore Civil Defence Force.

That was the SMRT I grew up with.

Have complacency, avarice and sheer arrogance ("People can board the train, it is whether they choose to.") now become enshrined as corporate values for today's SMRT Corp?

This post will address the security aspects of the MRT breakdown and assess the information management during the episodes. There are already many sites in cyberspace railing against SMRT, so our assessment will focus on two themes:
1. Causal factors versus consequence management
2. Medium versus message for mass communications

Causal factors versus consequence management
Red flag: Failure to learn and internalise lessons from the Northstar series of public transportation exercises, particularly Northstar V on 8 January 2006 which involved four MRT stations.

Things do break down.

To use a Rumsfeldian phrase: "There are known knowns; there are things we know we know. We also know there are known unknowns; that is to say we know there are some things we do not know. But there are also unknown unknowns – there are things we do not know we don't know."

There are many reasons why a train network could fail.

Some causal factors are well known to the railway industry because rolling stock has been ferrying people underground for more than 100 years. Some factors, like terrorism, are new. Some are hideous like suicides. And some will catch us blindsided despite all the horizon scanning we may do. Live with that fact.

But there is a difference between being blindsided and failure to make the system more robust by dealing with any fallout, whatever the causal factor. The shambles we witnessed on Thursday evening emphasize how much more SMRT has to get its act together.

Whether due to mechanical fault or human error, the end result for a transport operator would be the same: A surge in the number of commuters, longer wait times and shorter tempers. In many respects, the surge can be estimated mathematically because passenger loads on typical days and the frequency of trains/buses can be guesstimated from passenger throughput statistics.

Mind you, SMRT had a dress rehearsal six years ago during Exercise Northstar V. This was Singapore's first civil emergency exercise that tested the readiness of train and bus operators, first responders and government authorities should terrorists mimic the playbook for the London/Madrid bombings.

Why was knowledge management so poor that lessons from that exercise could not be applied, tested and refined in the past six years?

Was Northstar V merely a wayang (Malay word for stage play)?

Looking at SMRT's December debacle, it is worrisome to think that our transportation security apparatus has been taking us for a ride all these years.

Minister for Transport Lui Tuck Yew put it succinctly when he told the media: "You see, our exercises are perhaps very scripted - we know what the scenario is, we know what is happening from one time period to another, and therefore people are geared to respond in a certain way."

Anyone who has served National Service in Singapore would probably nod in agreement.

Mr Lui is well qualified to make such as statement. Before entering politics, he served the Singapore Armed Forces, leaving the military as Chief of Navy with the rank of Rear Admiral.

Even if Northstar was a public relations circus, a serious after-action review (AAR) would have exposed areas in which SMRT should pay close attention to.

Was a proper AAR done after Northstar V or was the exercise a waste of tax dollars?

At a minimum, it should have identified a need to put shuttle buses on short notice for bridging services between train stations that are taken out of service (whether due to known knowns or unknown unknowns). In the Singaporean military, standby units are assigned are assigned a NTM and have to be ready to move within a specified time.

To be sure, placing a shuttle bus operator on a 30 minute NTM seven days a week would cost a chunk of change.

But in a city state where citizens are discouraged from owning cars, isn't such an investment worthwhile? Is the profit motive for SMRT such an overriding concern that they are happy to bet against Murphy's Law?

SMRT's beleaguered chief executive, Saw Phaik Hwa, may not realise this but she has several high-ranking former SAF officers in her management team. These include SMRT's senior vice-president for communications and services, Goh Chee Kong, who retired from SAF service with the rank of Colonel. As an Armour officer, NTMs would not be alien to COL Goh.

When I interviewed SMRT officials several years ago, I met a combat engineer who retired as a Lieutenant Colonel prior to joining the company. Among other things, this officer had taken part in SAF operations in UNAVEM. I am not sure who writes his pay cheque these days, but the point is that SMRT has a number of former military personnel the company can count on during a crisis.

I worry for the SAF if the training these officers received was discarded the moment they stepped into civvie street.

Being Malaysian born, Ms Saw may not fully appreciate the value that SAF personnel bring to her boardroom.

Any inquiry into SMRT's December debacle must look into the management style in the company. In particular:
1. How many of the SMRT personnel who took part in Northstar V in 2006 are still with the company today? What has been done to preserve institutional memory?
2. Why is SMRT's knowledge management so piss poor? What lessons were internalised from Northstar V? Prove it through documentation.
3. How often are emergency procedures practised, whether on table top exercises or full-troop exercises involving mock passengers?

A Red Team, given the mandate and authority to ask difficult questions, would help SMRT protect its stakeholder interest with a more robust consequence management plan.

As things stand, we heard SMRT's Goh say they could not cope with outages at more than four stations - which, interestingly, matches the number of stations involved during the Northstar V practice. On Thursday, some 4,000 people were trapped in trains during the breakdown at 11 stations.

So SMRT only "fights current" and never practices "fighting future" by scaling up its SOPs to cope with larger and more complex scenarios for consequence management? No wonder Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong cut short his holiday...

Medium versus message
Red flag: Failure to provide accurate, relevant and timely updates on the situation. Failure to empower SMRT train drivers to speak to commuters. Lack of credibility in reporting the situation.

The company's failure to tackle crisis communications exacerbated the situation, fraying tempers and derailing the credibility of SMRT's corporate mouthpiece.

The seed of doubt was planted before Thursday's massive system failure when SMRT reported that some 1,400 commuters were affected by the fault on the Circle Line between Marymount and one-north stations from 6am and 11:45am. Why were so few commuters affected?

Second, the SMRT spokesman claimed lights and ventilation kicked in when trains lost power. But first person accounts and images of commuters standing in the dark paint a different picture. If there were no emergency lights, was there back-up ventilation? Even if ventilation was provided, would this be sufficient for a crush load of passengers? Was it prudent to keep passengers sealed in the train for up to 78 minutes?

Third, the picture of SMRT's vice president for rail operations playing the part of usher is unfortunate. Was this staged for the media to show that SMRT's management is hands on? After three outages in four days, shouldn't a VP's time and energy be better applied? Are there no reports to analyse, no engineers to interrogate, nothing in the back office to attend to? Will the system fix itself? If the system is so short of manpower they need a VP to play usher, SMRT is in deeper ~~shit~~ trouble than you and I can imagine.

If the events played out this past week were scripted for TV drama, the result would probably be rated as a black comedy or a B-grade farce.

That "Income opportunity" alert to taxis that went viral: Why are mass broadcast messages not read and rechecked before the send button is pressed? Can you imagine the furore if the breakdowns were caused by terrorists?

Going onto Twitter and Facebook will not innoculate SMRT against crisis communications woes. Instead of adding more tools to its tool box, it should focus not on the medium but the message it wants to convey to stakeholders.

The value of the content and timeliness of information dissemination is more important than boasting how many social media channels you maintain.

To be sure, it is easy being an armchair analyst with 20:20 hindsight spouting all sorts of gibberish on things that need fixing. So easy being wise after the fact.

This is precisely why we started a Risk Assessment and Horizon Scanning (RAHS) system some years ago. It helps identify problem areas and shows how upstream factors can impact elements downstream. In the case of SMRT, the RAHS would indicate how multiple outages reported at the 11 stations on Thursday would affect road and bus transport after the commuters are left stranded with no train services.

Is SMRT even aware we have such a system? It should now that Colonel Patrick Nathan has joined the company as its director of security and emergency planning. As an RSAF officer and one of the principal staff officers at the National Security Coordination Centre, he should know what resources SMRT can call into play.

The mainstream media should also do its part to help restore public confidence in Singapore's rail network. In doing so, trying too hard to manage public opinion would cause more harm than good.

A classic example would be Friday evening's story by ChannelNewsAsia, aired on its 9:30pm news bulletin. Its main premise was that not everyone felt the SMRT CEO should resign. Four commuters were interviewed and the standuppers for two of them were repeated twice, so we saw the two blokes appear four times. You can probably guess that the interviewees voiced the opinion that her resignation is not necessary.

Such stories fuel ridicule in cyberspace because ground sentiments are very different from the Orwellian reportage presented on state television. Why bluff ourselves? If people are angry, so be it.

Check out the segment from 6:00 mins onwards. Compare and contrast this with comments you read elsewhere. Are we on the same planet?

To do better, the broadcast journalist should have reported results of a street poll involving a respectable sample set (say 100 commuters) and spliced footage from the interviewees to reflect results of this poll for a balanced story.

Former Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew was famously quoted saying in 1992 that 99 per cent of Filipinos are waiting for a telephone and the remaining one per cent for a dial tone.

We make sympathetic noises when the Singaporean media reports on brownouts or mismanaged public infrastructure in regional countries.

Now, tables have been turned.

As Singaporeans watch SMRT swing into damage control mode, how do you think our neighbours are reacting to our woes?

Related post:
Security breach at SMRT Bishan depot: A rail security headache. Please click here.

Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) should pay closer attention to info ops

2011-12-18T01:18:00.039+08:00

Singaporean warplanes made a positive and decisive impact during the Forging Sabre live-fire exercise - striking assigned targets within minutes - but the same cannot be said of its info ops apparatus that manages its webpage.

Two months after the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) renamed some of its units, the RSAF webpage has yet to be updated to reflect the new nomenclature.

Accurate, relevant and timely information-sharing with netizens is evidently not a priority for the RSAF.

If the scenarios played out during Exercise Forging Sabre were to take place for real, the Third Generation RSAF will find itself scrambling to catch up with an enemy better prepared, better staffed and fully committed to winning the battle for hearts and minds.

As the Israelis learned during various operations across their borders, those at the receiving end of air strikes will let fly with a barrage of accusations that non combatants were killed, religious places desecrated and disproportionate military force was used.

The international media loves this sort of stuff because it makes wonderful newspaper copy and is a Made for TV moment.

It would be totally idiotic for us in Singapore to learn this the hard way when there are ample examples that make a clarion call for info ops to complement military ops.

It is therefore baffling and disappointing to see a half-hearted attempt at cobbling together facts and figures to inform and educate netizens about what is arguably the most powerful air force in South East Asia.

Many defence buffs who have visited the RSAF website end up disappointed. And so they take their eyeballs elsewhere.

The failure to build up and grow its market share is regrettable.

Young Singaporeans keen on building a career with the RSAF would probably make the website their first stop before making a decision of a lifetime. Having dated information on the website sours the organisation's corporate identity. It sends a negative first impression to these youngsters when the Air Force could have made a lasting impression from the first click.

Being first with the news is vitally important too during situations like this.

Above all, defence analysts from friendly and potentially hostile locations must be persuaded that the website is well worth visiting.

To those who know, there are individuals in AOD who have gone the extra mile to make sure commentators understand what the RSAF is all about. In many respects, I believe their effort has not been in vain. This is why I find the disjoint between the work of these info ops professionals and the half-baked website somewhat intriguing.

Maybe the website is outsourced to the lowest bidder? Or the job of updating the site assigned to people at the bottom of the pecking order (i.e. overworked NSFs)? Could budgets be so strapped that the trickle of funds from the billions spent on defence can't even raise and sustain a website with eye-popping pictures and engaging stories?

One would hope they get their house in order and do so quickly. If the RSAF is not careful, it could end up in a situation like this.

At the current state of play, one can trawl up much richer and more useful information on the RSAF from fan sites and, indeed, Wikipedia, than the paltry data presented almost as a token on the RSAF's home page.

Why must this be so?

RSAF datalinks put through stress test at Exercise Forging Sabre

2011-12-10T14:00:00.016+08:00

Eagle strike: A Boeing F-15SG Strike Eagle pays compliments to a ground target during Exercise Forging Sabre with a 500-pound JDAM bomb. The warplane is flown by a Republic of Singapore Air Force detachment located in Idaho for an intensive work up.

The job of defending Singapore's skies in wartime is a complex one.

Doing the same in peacetime is complex too.

At the Exercise Forging Sabre war games now taking place in the American state of Arizona, Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) warfighters practice drawer plans for complex air operations against simulated air and ground threats over a battlespace many times the size of Singapore island.

Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) war machines now gathered at Luke Air Force Base in Arizona tell only part of the story.

Also serving a pivotal role is a datalink that will be tested during the intense air activities on and above the expansive Barry M. Goldwater Range. This piece of defence electronics is arguably less photogenic than a F-15SG Strike Eagle with wall-to-wall bombs or an AH-64D Apache gunship loaded to the hilt with rocket pods and anti-armour missiles.

But the datalink is an advantage RSAF aircrew want to fight with, as Forging Sabre has apparently demonstrated.

The exercise enables the RSAF Air Combat Command (ACC) to test, validate and refine its concept of operations for wielding airpower in the defence of Singapore by fighting for and securing air superiority in the SAF's projected area of operations.

When deployed against a threat(s) armed with high performance warplanes and over a battlespace infested with anti-aircraft teams, ACC battle managers know that such air superiority cannot be assumed nor guaranteed.

Battle managers: Republic of Singapore Air Force and Singapore Army warfighters execute an integrated strike mission from the Exercise Command Post during the Forging Sabre war games.

During Exercise Forging Sabre, Team RSAF and their friends from the Singapore Army's Special Forces are being put through intensive hard fighting in contested airspace, day and night.

Commander ACC and XFS Exercise Director, Brigadier-General Lim Yeong Kiat, told The Straits Times that the war games are "as real as it gets".

BG Lim said:"Previously, we focused separately on the tactical development of troops, setting up and fine-tuning the command headquarters and testing new weapons.

"We're now ready to bring everything together in more realistic missions... We want to train the way we fight."

Airpower begins with us: A Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) armourer loads a live 500-pound Laser JDAM onto a Boeing F-15SG Strike Eagle flown by the RSAF. At the core of Team RSAF's ability to generate and sustain airpower is the synergistic relationship forged between aircrew, groundcrew and ACC battle managers during exercises such as Forging Sabre.

The air combat manoeuvres are more than shadow boxing. About 40 precision-guided munitions such as Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) bombs and Hellfire missiles will be lobbed, dropped or fired during simulated combat missions that RSAF defenders will unleash day and night to crunch down enemy forces.

This includes Laser JDAMs that Singapore bought to meet and greet moving targets such as enemy tanks.

Away from the fireworks, datalinks have been working tirelessly to keep their masters informed and aware of the situation in the air. It is a stress test like no other because of the number of warplanes up in the air, the distances at which they fly, live ordnance carried and the duration of some sorties during Forging Sabre.

Such prescience gives RSAF defenders a crucial advantage in understanding what is going on around their aircraft and decide how best to fly and fight the enemy.

Describing the exercise scenario, BG Lim told cyberPioneer:"We will simulate a war game scenario where we have a "red" team acting as the opposition, as well as a "blue" team which will have to develop an operational plan against them. The "blue" force will have to contest for the airspace, and fight and win air superiority. They will also have to conduct dynamic targeting to destroy military targets such as enemy capabilities as well as dent their will to continue to fight with us."

Somewhere out there over the Barry M. Goldwater Range are aggressor warplanes looking for trouble. The RSAF aircrew could not see them as the enemy lurked far beyond visual range. Thanks to the datalinks, the aircrew knew where hostile threats were and could decide and act accordingly.

Air threats were not the only items displayed on the cockpit multifunction displays - flat screens on the instrument panel that show icons of friendly, hostile and unknown elements in the battlespace.

The locations of enemy air defence sites allowed aircrew to weave their way into contested airspace while avoiding the range rings of anti-aircraft gun and missile units.

At the same time, these anti-aircraft units and other hostile ground forces could be assigned as targets and demolished with concentrated firepower till the threats were neutralised, to use the clinical lingo of RSAF mission planners.

After viewing the integrated live-firing, RSAF Chief of Air Force Major-General Ng Chee Meng (above) said that Exercise Forging Sabre 2011 provided an excellent opportunity for the SAF to validate its integrated strike capabilities in a realistic and challenging environment.

CAF said: "I am very impressed by our people's combat proficiency, professionalism and dedication. I saw for myself today how our airmen and soldiers worked to bring together a sophisticated suite of both sensors and shooters, like our F-15SGs, F-16C/Ds and Apaches, to effect an integrated strike against a variety of targets, including mobile targets. This in itself is a very complex operation and I think they have done very well."

The irony is that the number of targets assigned to the shooters will grow as the SAF's sense-making improves.

Adding datalinks tightens the sensor-to-shooter process. To understand what this means, imagine the steps taken from the time something (eg a tank, ship or plane) in the battlespace is detected, identified and assigned as a hostile entity to the moment when the SAF assigns a shooter (eg a tank, warship, warplane or weapons team) to engage that threat.

When everything has to be done manually and verbally, the process naturally takes a longer time. The longer this takes, the more the data "ages" because a moving target may no longer be where it was when first detected. And we haven't even addressed the impact of the stress of battle, human error or mechanical failure.

Before datalinks, the process of coordinating an air battle was no different from Second World War days when voice communications were used to marshal and deploy RSAF fighter aircraft.

The noise of shrieking jet engines, the stress of keeping a vigilant watch against aerial threats and garbled voice comms diluted the pilot's ability to process the tracks shared by a ground controller vectoring a GCI or even a E-2C Hawkeye airborne early warning aircraft.

Pilots had to pay close attention to what was said and mentally calculate the location, height, heading and speed of the tracks rattled off by the controller to figure out who was flying where. All this while flying the aircraft and trying not to get shot out of the sky.

Even for high performance aircraft such as F-15SG Strike Eagles, misunderstanding ground cues could result in wrong actions. This was seen during a National Day Parade Combined Rehearsal this year when a flight of F-15SGs had to abort their flypast when a cue to "hold" was misinterpreted and the flight missed its ingress datum.

Datalinks cut the chatter, presenting the data visually, securely and in real-time.

Studies by the United States Air Force (USAF) have proven that in two-sided air-to-air tactical engagements, the side that wielded information as a weapon racked up lopsided kill ratios against the one that did not fight with datalinks.

Exercise Forging Sabre is likely to demonstrate similar results to RSAF umpires charged with scrutinising how the air battles are fought, won or lost.

And these results are likely to be cascaded to RSAF squadrons on home turf, half a world from the largest and most complex air defence exercise intended to keep ACC poised and ready.

Past postings on Forging Sabre:
Reflections on Exercise Forging Sabre 2009: Every round counts. Click here
Practising the art of war at Forging Sabre. Click here
Forging sabres, forging knights: Making the most of battlefield experiments. Click here

This piece is dedicated to the people who will never win a Best Unit trophy, not because these warfighters are no good but because they do not officially exist. I have the highest admiration and respect for you.

All images are from the Singapore Ministry of Defence (MINDEF).

All US-based Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) Air Combat Command detachments set to converge on Arizona for major war games

2011-12-03T15:01:00.007+08:00

At a time when Singaporean families are enjoying the year end festive spell, several military families from Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) units based in the island Republic and the continental United States (CONUS) have their sights on Exercise Forging Sabre - the largest and most complex air-ground war games involving CONUS-based warplanes and helicopters.

Said to unfold in Arizona in the coming week, Exercise Forging Sabre (or Saber if you prefer American spelling) will unleash Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) warplanes, attack and heavy-lift helicopters over a simulated battlespace more than eight times the size of Singapore.

Exercise Forging Sabre (XFS) is also expected to feature the largest number of Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) bombs dropped during an SAF integrated warfare exercise to prove that the air force can create a big bang wherever within the RSAF's strike radius and whenever SAF mission planners dictate within.

Unfettered by tight airspace restrictions over and around Singapore (which will be lifted in times of hostilities), RSAF air warfare planners and their Singapore Army counterparts have scripted war games that will pit XFS participants against simulated enemy targets in the air and on the ground.

The exercise hardware represents the tip of the spear for the RSAF's Air Combat Command (ACC), which is the air force organisation responsible for keeping Singapore's airpower poised and deadly for air operations round-the-clock in all weather.

War machines include the F-15SG Strike Eagle (the RSAF's most advanced all-weather strike aircraft), the F-16C/D Fighting Falcon, as well as AH-64D Apache attack helicopters and CH-47SD Chinooks.

This blog understands that the Singapore Army is expected to have boots on the ground too. The small size of Army ground surveillance teams is out of proportion to the damage these soldiers could inflict when they call in loitering RSAF warplanes.

It is understood that their insertion into simulated hostile territory will be aided by RSAF Chinooks. These choppers will fly as assault transports, screened by gun and rocket-armed Apaches and guarded by top cover from fighter planes as the Chinooks push deep into contested battlespace to insert Commando long range reconnaissance patrols.

Working far from the JDAM impact points are ACC weapon specialists and aircraft engineers. They will be responsible for keeping flying machines mission ready as well as bombing up F-15SGs, F-16s and arming Apaches with a range of munitions.

It goes without saying that thirsty fighters need to be fuelled and onboard stores such as chaff/flare decoys replenished before the next ~~flight~~ fight.

During XFS, RSAF air warfare planners are expected to be challenged as they practice planning, assembling, despatching and recovering strike packages that could contain warplanes and attack helicopters with different flying characteristics and weapon loadouts.

The complexity of this task is best understood when one remembers that there about 500 different ways to hang things onto an F-16's wing tips, wings and belly.

RSAF air warfare planners are expected to be assessed under time pressure as they pick the right mix of weapon stores, sensor/target designation payloads and fuel tanks of various capacities for every aircraft/helo in the strike package. At the same time, they have to right-size strike packages to fight and survive in contested airspace and plan their ingress/egress routes.

It is arguable that against an enemy out to kill you, there is no such thing as too much firepower. But as friendly forces fend off the simulated enemy onslaught in XFS round-the-clock, RSAF war planners must pace the tempo of their missions judiciously. This will ensure that they can dish it out to the enemy even when a flood of orders arrive.

With combat-proven American warfighters curious to see how all this is orchestrated by the SAF and with HQ RSAF eager for updates several time zones away, this will add to the pressure of an already complex exercise involving several tons of live ordnance, thousands of gallons of highly flammable jet fuel and multiple sorties by high performance (read: expensive) warplanes and helicopters.

Above all, every XFS participant needs to be kept safe till the show is over.

The addition of JDAMs will add a fresh dimension to XFS. In the previous exercise in November 2009, laser-guided Paveway bombs were used to change the landscape as the air force and Army HIMARS rocket launchers blunted enemy movements with coordinated air-land counterstrikes.

This year, satellite-guided JDAMs allow RSAF aircrew to hit more precisely and with greater autonomy than the Paveways, which need a ground or airborne laser to help the sensor in the bomb's nose home in on the laser beam (which is why it is called a LGB).

A single F-15SG orbiting hostile territory could, theoretically, take out multiple targets in one pass while its pilot, weapon systems officer and all the odds lumps and bumps on the Strike Eagle keep an eye out for enemy combat aircraft out to molest the warplane.

Speaking of lumps and bumps, another critical component of XFS are the black boxes so crucial for tightening the SAF's sensor-to-shooter loop.

XFS is expected to stress test datalinks that allow SAF air and ground units to build a clearer air situation picture. But we'll save that for another post as XFS gets underway.

Check Six!

Letter in Today newspaper, 28 November 2011

2011-11-28T22:30:00.002+08:00

The letter in today's edition of the Today newspaper, "From transparency to opacity" by David Boey, was not written by me.

1/3 empty or 2/3 full?: Suggestions for sensing the commitment of Singapore Permanent Residents towards National Service

2011-11-27T10:19:00.006+08:00

Without a shot fired, Singapore lost the services of 4,200 male Singapore Permanent Residents (SPRs) who could have made a substantial addition to its defence manpower in the past five years.

In the same period, some 8,800 SPRs served two years of compulsory National Service (NS) with the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) or Home Team agencies such as the Singapore Civil Defence Force or Singapore Police Force.

So is the glass one third empty or two thirds full? Both interpretations are valid and accurate.

The absence of more data, however, makes trend analysis and attempts to measure the commitment of SPRs to Singapore's defence impossible.

Data shared by Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen last Tuesday (22 Nov'11) in response to a parliamentary question could have helped frame discussions on the matter more effectively if it stretched further back in time.

For a long time, heartland chit chat has suspected that SPRs pay lip service to NS and make a beeline for the exit when junior is due to be conscripted. The figures show this to be true: one in three SPRs liable for NS cops out after enjoying years of subsidised education and assorted benefits Singapore dishes out to foreign talent.

The explanation on NS was not just brief. The response was more like a g-string: skimpy, barely there yet still covering the vitals.

This sort of half-hearted reply shows that the system has some way to go before it hits the sweet spot when engaging the public. The system's speech writers ought to consider substance over form and not throw the bare minimum of statistics to queries from Members of Parliament.

This sort of appeasement does nothing for commitment to defence (C2D).

Indeed, it only stokes further debate in the heartlands, online and offline, on SPRs and National Service. There are Singaporeans who wonder if SPRs are taking us for a ride, using this island nation as a springboard before relocating to places such as Australia, New Zealand or the United States.

It's easy to criticise, so here are some ways in which the issue could have been better handled.

First, the data should have gone as far back as our national records allow. In our statistics-obsessed bureaucracy, these numbers would surely reside in the portals of some ministry somewhere.

Sharing year-on-year changes would help heartlanders understand and appreciate how SPRs have supported NS. It would build mindshare and far outweigh any risks to national security because SPRs who served in the 1980s and 1990s would have long completed their NS liabilities.

Let's be frank, the Malaysian Army or Indonesian Marines are not going to march into town just because they know how many SPRs failed to enlist for NS in years long past.

It may well be that in some years, the drop out rate is far smaller than the one in three seen over the past five years. If that is the case, we should try to understand why this was so.

Second, the discussion would be more meaningful if we were told which type of SPRs have a tendency to renounce their PR status. Presenting raw data without any elaboration only contributes to gossip and nagging suspicions that SPRs who hail from certain countries tend to have parasitic tendencies.

This is not xenophobia.

This country puts in a lot in terms of money, effort and attention to groom every SPR student. If we are being taken for a ride by calculative minds who migrate here, enjoy subsidised education and the security umbrella that Singaporean familities provide by supporting NS, we need to know. And the sooner the better.

The data sets are there. By not sharing it, the system is surrendering the initiative to discussion leaders who may - out of ignorance and not ill will - take the discussion to ~~the lunative fringe~~ areas that may hurt C2D.

Third, the manpower deficit from SPRs who dropped out over the past five years translates roughly to the loss of a Singapore Army division-minus. At a time when birth rates are declining, this is a real and substantial shortfall.

We were told to welcome foreigners because their offspring would stay, serve NS and sink their roots in Singaporean society. We were told our forefathers were immigrants too, so we should open our doors to new Singaporeans who want to start life here.

Alas, the SPR-NS figures show the price Singaporeans are paying for this policy.

We now need to know how to read the drop out rate. For example, is the shortfall within Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) estimates? How has the loss of a division-minus over five years impacted the operational readiness and order of battle of the SAF?

The lack of clarity is likely to make most of us interprete the data much like we would read school examination results. The 60% retention rate (8,800 out of 13,000 SPRs liable for NS) is still a pass, not quite a distinction (>75%) and overall probably a B-. Is this the way defence manpower figures should be read?

If not, educate and inform Singaporeans or you risk losing the initiative.

Fourth, Singaporeans need to understand why the SPRs are afraid of or do not want to serve NS. After all the flag-waving sing-alongs during National Day and sweeteners for new Singaporeans, if SPRs remain uncommitted, we need to know why.

Are exit interviews or any kind of engagement surveys done with SPR families before they scoot? What are they saying about NS?

Fifth, utmost efforts should be made to plug the leaks among SPRs. At the same time, MINDEF should reassure Singaporeans that their support for NS will never be taken for granted nor assumed.

Singaporeans and SPR families who send their sons for NS need assurance that they are not being taken for a ride.

What is to stop an SPR male from avoiding conscription, returning to his home country to change his name and get a new passport and coming back to the Republic to start life afresh? If you visit discussion sites frequented by SPRs and foreign talent, you may be amazed/disappointed/shocked by the candour with which they discuss how NS can be skirted or cheated. Their descriptions of full-time NSmen are also largely unflattering.

Is our system smart enough to detect such schemers? Is the effort worth it, really?

Sixth, if social ideas that underpin the huge intakes of SPRs in the past decade are not supported by NS enlistment numbers, should this policy be modified or dumped? Are Singaporeans supporting a weak attempt at social re-engineering?

In my opinion, the money, time and effort that was wasted on the 4,200 SPR men could have been better spent on book grants to deserving Singaporean students. But hindsight is always 20:20.

Lastly, data like this should be audited by an outside entity such as a defence-linked think tank to reassure skeptics. If even drug statistics can be misreported, we need assurance that the headcount for something as important as National Service is credible, accurate and presented in a timely manner.

Losing the support of one in three NS-liable SPRs is a loss that can be measured from annual enlistment numbers. But we should not fret over the loss of uncommitted SPRs because they are likely to make poor soldiers, policemen or civil defence rescuers.

More damaging is the loss of support from the wider Singapore population if MINDEF fails to explain the issue properly in future.

This damage can also be measured when ballots are counted....

In power in the real world, out of favour in the virtual one: Why the PAP has few friends in cyberspace

2011-11-19T23:06:00.006+08:00

Singapore's political elite are treated differently in the real world and in the virtual world.

In the real world, the People's Action Party (aka Men in White) has been kept in power since independence by winning the popular vote, thanks to support from six out of 10 voters in this year's General Election (GE).

In the virtual world, the MIW appear to be less popular. Almost every news item about Singapore on Internet news sites (Yahoo News) or discussion forums (hardwarezone) generates scorn and ridicule bordering on outright hostility towards the same party that rules our island nation.

This love-hate relationship has immediate and direct relevance to the defence of Singapore because citizen soldiers who do not support or respect the party in power are less likely to respond to a call to arms.

So why won't the majority of Singaporeans who voted for them speak out to defend the MIW?

Perhaps it is because the strength of this silent majority has been consistently over-stated through optimistic projections that they exist as a latent vote bank: Quiet, unassuming, not prone to theatrics (or hysterics, unlike the lunatic fringe), dependable and staunchly loyal to the end.

It is naive to think that this vote bank can be counted on, time after time, at every GE.

Indeed, some who voted for the MIW could have done so at odds with their personal convictions about the party. From anecdotal accounts, this group includes civil servants and Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) regulars who cling to the impression that marking an "X" against the party is tantamount to career suicide.

But ground sentiments over the cost of living and red hot topics such as the pace and direction of the immigration policy are not sweet. All that pent-up angst must go somewhere.

And so it surfaces during lunchtime chit chat when former civil servants castigate the system. It appears in cheeky email chains circulated by former SAF personnel (some very senior, mind you). It stokes lively debates in the virtual world where the MIW become the lightning rod for criticism for everything you can think of from pet ownership in the heartlands to weightier affairs of state.

The size and strength of the silent majority is also eroded through own goals and collateral damage from government decisions.

For example, it would be interesting to find out how residents in Rochor Centre would vote in a hypothetical replay of this year's GE, now that they know their homes will be torn down to make way for a new expressway. You don't have to be a political scientist to figure this one out.

The own goal that came close to killing the goalkeeper includes the remark that residents in Aljunied would have five years to repent if they voted for the Opposition. They did so anyway.

Another reason for the reticence of the silent majority may be this group's unfamiliarity with the Internet.

The generation of Singaporeans who lived through independence in 1965 is thinning out. This group of voters may genuinely value the MIW's contributions. But their impact on online discussions is limited to non existent because the vast majority are simply not net-savvy.

The MIW's Janus-like persona in the real and virtual world is compounded by lack of guidance from top party leadership on how exactly the social media beast should be tamed. They appear to have entrusted the social media campaign to younger cadres, perhaps believing that good looks and a winsome smile are all it takes for engaging younger voters and the Gen Ys.

But is this mission placed in good hands?

In my opinion, some cadres seem unready and unqualified to take on the scale and intensity of a social media campaign. There was this young candidate - undeniably photogenic - whose spoke about her desire to engage the young through the Internet (which is commendable) during her maiden press conference. But nothing much is seen or heard these days from this MP. Her initiation into the hearts and minds battle was also brutal as she had overlooked the most basic - repeat basic - task of cleaning up her Internet footprint before chasing her political ambition. Worse, the candidate deleted personal pictures after they had gone viral - adding fuel to the fire through an ultimately futile task. So this sort of novice is leading the MIW's charge in cyberspace? Good luck.

Like a one-song band singing the same tune, their strategy appears to hinge heavily on Facebook and Twitter, as if this is the answer to winning the hearts and minds of Singaporeans.

When I was allowed to shadow a MIW team during their May Day walkabout this year, I was surprised by the lack of ideas from one senior MIW candidate when he quizzed a journalist for ideas on how young Singaporeans could be engaged. The team eventually won their seats, but the impression that they are out of touch remains etched in my mind and is replayed whenever I read about the party's PR blunders.(For the record, I have a clip of the conversation which is interesting to watch.)

Mind you, not all youngsters have part of their psyche permanently plugged into cyberspace. A good number value good old face-to-face debates. But during townhalls held with certain MIW big wigs, varsity students reacted with disappointment when the system required students to submit their questions before the event. How does this sort of mindset help engagement with the young?

In recent days, we're starting to hear that the MIW's youth wing may introduce more stringent checks on its members. This is a move to get to know prospective members better so as to avoid getting sucked into PR gaffes when inappropriate material posted online goes viral.

Now, tie this in with the censored Q&As and screened guest list during townhalls, steps taken to ban Facebook members or sanitise their comments after their remarks strike a nerve, and the system's legendary intolerance for people who speak up and you get a better idea why the party that won the popular vote is not so popular in cyberspace.

Almost every blogger and discussant who uses social media has his or her own hobby horse. This runs the gamut from neighbourhood cats to saving Bukit Brown cemetery, the arts, gender matters, transport, housing to defence and security. The list goes on. The system's knack for demonising and opening an account with those who speak up is regrettable. All it does is create conditions for a perfect storm when commentors for all sorts of issues, who have been taught a harsh lesson for speaking up, end up unfriending the MIW. To use a military analogy which many of you will understand, the MIW needs to fix its IFF as its blunt handling of critical voices cannot tell friend from foe.

There will come a day when the MIW has to cash that cheque. When that day comes, they will discover (belatedly?) that their failure to cultivate goodwill comes with a price - none of the chastened spirits in the virtual world will speak out for them.

Now in belly gazing mode, the MIW appear to be trying hard to craft a grand strategic plan to engage citizens and netizens better. If such effort is meant to shore up confidence in and support for the MIW come election time, it follows by the same logic that a failure to do so puts re-election campaigns on tenterhooks.

Their best answer may come with letting go of their control freak mentality in the virtual world and engaging citizens/netizens in meaningful debate. Mindsets also need to be rewired to stop villifying people whose point of view may not agree with the party's. We all carry the same passport at the end of the day.

If and when they are ready to do so, Singapore's political elite may be pleasantly surprised to discover that Singaporeans are not as politically naive, irrational or unreasonable as they appear to be.

During times of national crisis, like the SARs emergency in 2003, all of Singapore looked towards the MIW for strong leadership and for their technocrats to steer this island nation clear of the crisis. They did not disappoint.

Internet blogger Alex Au chose his words well when he was asked on his blog (click here for the discussion) why the popularity of alternative media for political news has not resulted in more Opposition votes. Mr Au replied: "Because having a better understanding of Singapore politics and the issues before us does not automatically mean rejecting the PAP."

Power for the People: Security implications from importing electricity

2011-11-12T11:32:00.005+08:00

While a bright idea, the suggestion that Singapore could import electricity from its neighbours should not cast a shadow over the island nation's goal to be self-reliant in critical resources such as power and water.

The suggestion has already created a buzz among Singaporeans who wonder if all the effort weaning Singapore off Malaysian water will be negated by future reliance on Malaysian or Indonesian electricity.

The buzz was generated by a remark by Second Minister for Trade and Industry S Iswaran on 31 October 2011 when he officiated at the opening of the Singapore International Energy Week.

The minister said that by the end of 2011, Singapore's Energy Market Authority (EMA) would start asking the public for feedback on how electricity might be imported and how electricity from foreign power stations could be sold in Singapore.

As far as is known, nothing has been cast is stone. The EMA still has to mull over feedback from its forthcoming public consultation exercise, so it's early days yet before consumers get to see any new electricity tariff tables.

Observers have noted that a critical element was missing from the minister's remarks: The amount of electricity Singapore may import.

Any assessment on the feasibility of this project from a national security standpoint cannot be written until one knows how much Singapore will rely on foreign-sourced electricity.

For example, there is a big difference between a proposal to bring in 10 per cent of Singapore's average daily consumption and a plan to import, say for example, 30 to 50 per cent of our electricity requirements.

There is a nagging concern that over dependence on foreign-generated electricity may put the Republic at risk should the foreign government decide to flick the switch off for whatever reason.

Singaporeans who lived through the episode when then-Israeli President Chaim Hertzog visited Singapore in 1986 may recall protests by angry Malaysians chanting "Potong! Potong!" (potong means cut in the Malay language) when demanding that the Malaysian government signal its displeasure by cutting off the water supply to Singapore. Back then, about 60 per cent of the water Singapore used in a day was supplied by raw water from the Malaysian state of Johore.

Fast forward to 2011. Singapore's strategy for developing four National Taps - expanding local water catchment areas, reprocessing waste water from sewers as NEWater, setting up desalination plants and importing water from Malaysia - has reduced our vulnerability to such theatrics.

Importing electricity is not the same as importing fuel for power stations. So while 80 per cent of the electricity generated in Singapore comes from natural gas fields in Indonesia, such reliance can be hedged by importing the same fuel source from another country. This explains why Singapore is investing in a liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal with an in-service date set in 2013. When fully operational, LNG tankers from other suppliers could dock and unload the fuel, which will then be piped to powerplants here.

Singapore learned the hard way how raw materials for its economy, such as sand and granite, are vulnerable to what can be politely termed as supply disruptions. Though it may sound illogical to ship sand/granite from farther afield when there are quarries closer at hand, such extraordinary measures are an Economic Defence measure to hedge against undeclared embargoes. The policy of diversifying the sources of supply has been reinforced by stockpiles comprising giant pyramids of sand/granite set up around Singapore that are intended to help local industry withstand supply disruptions for a certain period of time.

The rice stockpile with four months' worth of the grain is another example of Economic Defence in action.

We also have a petroleum stockpile and an ammunition stockpile of warshot - both of which are best not discussed here. Just know that we have it.

Turning the spotlight on importing electricity, it may sound astonishing that a country that can think out of the box (NEWater) and plan years ahead before imported water from Malaysia runs dry in 2061 would lose its strategic foresight when it comes to electricity. This is not how the system we know plans for the future.

These are the likely scenarios regarding electricity imports:
First, the amount of electricity Singapore may import is likely to be small, possibly in the low teens percentage-wise or even less. Such access is a hedge against unforeseen systemic failures in Singapore's national grid. For example, a turbine fault could cause a localised brownout and the extra boost from a foreign power station would then serve as a lifeline during such situations.

Second, the EMA's public consultation trial balloon could underline the importance of maintaining a level of national self-reliance in power generation.

With the inherent perils of relying too heavily on neighbours who may flick the power on or off, this may advance the argument for a powerplant fuelled by clean energy with the capacity to meet current and projected demand (for example, by the desalination plants) for years to come.

That source of clean energy would be - you guessed it - a nuclear powerplant.

Letter in Today newspaper, 9 November 2011

2011-11-09T22:30:00.001+08:00

Just wanted to clarify that the letter in today's edition of the Today newspaper, "Subsidies for private citizens who pursue degree at private institutions?" by David Boey, was not written by me.

What are the chances of having a somewhat active letter writer with the same uncommon family name?

Well, after 3.5 years with a gaming company, one begins to realise that even razor slim, longshot odds do come out tops once in awhile!

Sing govt's pledge to engage citizens will face tough tests in 2012

2011-11-08T22:00:00.004+08:00

Whether or not those dark clouds on the horizon will result in an economic storm next year, the system's public relations (PR) professionals better belt up for a hectic 2012.

It won't be business as usual and stock replies plucked from the time-tested PR stylebook are likely to fall flat because the game has changed in three major ways.

Firstly, corporate disclosure in 2011 was cheered by report cards that reflected a global economic recovery. After the financial crisis of 2008, this year was no annus horribilis thanks to the recovery that kicked in last year. The report card tabled by Singaporean sovereign wealth funds and government-linked companies therefore showcased respectable performance figures and nice sounding text that describe the growth story.

This may not be the case in 2012. The benchmark set this year with full page, full colour ads in the mainstream media will expose the system's PR professionals to brickbats when the numbers don't look so rosy. Steering clear of publicising the results in major newspapers will not help as people would read it as a retrograde movement that unravels the benchmarks in corporate disclosure set this year.

When one's portfolio of investments is bruised, the standard response that investments are, ahem, "long term" may not go down well with heartlanders who have heard it all before. This may be true. This may indeed reflect a financially sound and prudent approach to coaxing maximum value from one's investment war chest. But outsiders may not share the same long term vision, especially when the dollar amount of losses (realised or paper losses) is trailed by many zeros.

The volume and intensity of criticisms in the real world and cyberspace will go hand in hand with the extent of losses reported - the higher the sum, the greater the fury.

Corporate disclosure is a double edged instrument. This means that whether the report card is good or bad, a poorly-written media statement or unconvincing sound bite may come back to haunt the system the next time Singaporeans head to the polls.

Secondly, one needs to recognise that world opinion on matters of national concern to the Singaporean government, such as nuclear energy and National Service, will make it more challenging explaining such matters to people on this island.

The days when the system's spin doctors could reinforce an argument with a string of first world countries who made similar decisions is fast slipping away. In the case of nuclear energy, one will be hard pressed to argue the case for nuclear power when industrial heavyweights such as Germany and Japan appear to be turning away from nuclear power to other sources of clean energy.

The challenges in explaining the need for and importance of National Service (NS) are similar to that faced by nuclear energy proponents because the number of countries who maintain conscript armies is dwindling. Taiwan is the latest example.

The old chestnut that NS is needed for citizens in the Lion City to sleep well at night will lose its appeal at a time when our neighbours are all smiles and courtesy. Furthermore, the lack of depth in defence discussions here coupled with the general reluctance by the Singaporean Ministry of Defence to foster such debate may prompt people to rationalise that the Special Operations Task Force, rather than armed teenage soldiers, are Singapore's best defence against transnational terrorism.

Thus far, foreign deployments spearheaded by the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) have all relied on professional arms such as air, naval and special forces, raising a poser in some minds whether NS is still relevant in this changing strategic milieu.

If you think about it, the publicity generated by the Occupy Wall Street movement in the United States may prod people in Singapore to likewise ponder over the issue of corporate payscales. More to the point, heartlanders may see an oblique link between the restiveness shown by Americans towards payscales on Wall Street with the hot potato issue of ministerial pay scales. Mind you, both issues are explosive and unresolved.

The paradigm has changed. Standard PR lines for damage control or consequence management that may have worked wonderfully well in the recent past need to be recast to reflect changing world opinion.

Lastly, the success (of lack thereof) of the system's spin doctors in handling the PR challenges of 2012 will indicate whether or not Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's call to engage Singaporeans and be more open has been taken to heart... or given mere lip service.

One can obviously follow the old PR playbook with the same old standard responses repackaged for local consumption.

But there is a price to pay for half-hearted explanations of a fait accompli in government decisions. There is a penalty incurred for reacting to feedback from citizens rather than proactively championing the same, and a cost for typecasting cynics and critics of a particular standpoint as dangerous radicals out to tear down the house.

To a defence-aware audience, the word "engage" has two meanings.

One is the warm, fuzzy, consultative spirit that PM Lee surely had in mind when he urged MPs in the 12th Parliament to engage their constituents better.

The second meaning is the kind of engagement the SAF is used to. In this instance, to engage means to kill (in the context of hearts and minds, this is a metaphor).

One hopes the system can tell the difference between the two and engage Singaporeans properly.

Forging sabres, forging knights: Making the most of war games and battlefield experiments

2011-11-06T04:54:00.010+08:00

Just as important as forging sabres is the process for forging knights who will wield those proverbial sabres.

In this regard, military war games will be just that - time wasting, cash burning military outings - unless warfighters embrace the right mindset to maximise the time spent outfield.

One should never expect things to unfold according to plan. Nor should the result of any two-sided engagement be a foregone conclusion against a thinking enemy.

Losing a mock battle and failing to extract the lessons from such situations defeats the purpose of two-sided engagements. Failure-averse officers who cannot see value from bloodless combat might as well have toyed with war games on plasma or stayed at home.

In a situation where warfighters are trained and indoctrinated in the same system, it is not difficult to anticipate how opposing staff officers might marshal and deploy their forces for the simulated battle. The structure and organisation of opposing units would be a known entity, as would the combat capabilities of war machines in the order of battle.

More importantly, shrewd staff officers who can read their opponent's personality may be able to guess how his forces may be deployed in the field along with the tempo at which he will push his subordinate commanders.

Reservists may be viewed as softie, city boy soldiers. But many of their commanders have chalked up more experience in field exercises than regulars. And it would probably surprise most regulars who have yet to spend a day in a corporate boardroom how much strategising actually goes on in profit-driven enterprises. An ably-led and motivated reservist unit is therefore not to be underestimated - as some regulars have found out at war games.

Remember too that when manoeuvres take place over axis overlaid on terrain that the command staff have fought over since they were junior officers, this sucks the realism out of the war games.

The spirit of aggression driven into the psyche of manoeuvre forces is also muted by the fact that everyone knows that whatever the outcome, everyone will emerge unscathed when the exercise is cut.

This may embolden commanders to risk forces in situations which they would not do, or hesitate just a little longer, in real life. It could also prompt commanders to lead with more dash and aggression that they actually have, if the bullets were real and the body count permanent.

When tempered with the right attitude, full troop exercises (FTX) give war planners a crucial opportunity to frame a battle and think through the various permutations for their command decisions.

It exercises not just options but underlines the consequences of poorly-executed command decisions.

To be sure, war games for manoeuvre forces can logically be conducted on plasma. It is certainly a cheaper and faster way of testing drawer plans and assessing tactical options than sending warfighters long distances to flex their muscles.

With a FTX, however, the friction inherent in planning, organising, deploying and supporting large bodies of troops - say for example one brigade versus another - in the field becomes obvious. Add in the air support elements (i.e. warplanes, tactical support aircraft and helicopters and UAVs) as well as assets that map out the enemy's electronic order of battle and the land battle grows into a more complex operation in multiple dimensions and with far greater depth than one's own frontage.

Having forces deployed in the field also shows the vulnerability of such units to enemy action. Even when inactive behind the line of departure, large bodies of troops and military vehicles need to supplied with rations, fresh water, ammunition and POL. When immobile, such military assets become military liabilities.

You only have to see a brigade in the field to realise what a plump target all those troops and vehicles look like from the perspective of enemy commanders with the reach and rules of engagement for firing at coordinates beyond line of sight.

Command decisions are not only hampered by Redcon 3 units that plod lethargically across the plasma at a subpar rate of movement. War games demonstrate that military planning, already a complex process at the best of times, may be complicated by an opposing command staff that is determined to observe, orientate, decide and act faster than one's own command apparatus.

Even worse that wincing from a battle lost "unexpectedly" (because only a fool goes to war fighting to lose) is scripting war games such that opposing forces are primed to fail.

In such situations, everyone merely goes through the motions for fear of upsetting the rhythm of the war games whose end result has already been decided before troops and vehicles move into action.

When warfighters fear losing face more than losing a war game, that's when you realise people are not getting the most out of their field training.

Five Power Defence Arrangements (FPDA) celebrates its 40th year; warplanes from all FPDA signatories fly into Singapore

2011-11-01T23:59:00.021+08:00

Typhoon warning: Royal Air Force Eurofighter Typhoon from 6 Squadron enters the landing circuit at the Republic of Singapore Air Force's Changi Airbase (East) on 1 November 2011. The RAF sent a contingent to the RSAF airbase to take part in a static display to mark the FPDA's 40th year. The Typhoon was last seen in Singapore skies during the Next Fighter Replacement Programme (NFRP) flyoff that saw the RSAF pick Boeing's F-15SG Strike Eagle as the A-4 Skyhawk replacement.

The Five Power Defence Arrangements marked its 40th anniversary in Singapore this afternoon with a display of airpower at Changi Air Base (East), off Changi Airport.

Supporting the display were warplanes from all five FPDA signatories, viz Australia (RAAF F/A-18A Hornet), Malaysia (TUDM F/A-18D Hornet), New Zealand (RNZAF P-3K Orion), Singapore (RSAF F-15SG Strike Eagle) and the United Kingdom (RAF Typhoon).

We span the ocean: The open weapons bay doors and EO device under the nose of this Royal New Zealand Air Force P-3K Orion maritime patrol aircraft from 5 Squadron RNZAF are perhaps the only hints that this turboprop has teeth. Despite the lack of fast jets, the RNZAF is one of the world's leading proponents of blue water surveillance, having honed its crews on long range, long duration missions over the unforgiving southern oceans. New Zealander Orion crews routinely fly 15-hour missions over featureless ocean with two engines shut down (!) to maximise mission endurance.

The warplanes are deployed to the region for FPDA war games codenamed Exercise Bersama Lima, which pits air and naval forces from the five nations against a simulated attack by conventional forces against peninsula Malaysia and Singapore.

Heavy air activity over West Malaysia and Singapore island provided Singaporean plane spotters with a bonanza of aircraft spotting opportunities. This includes flying activity this past weekend from the Republic of Singapore Air Force's Paya Lebar Airbase, which had a busy time sending up and recovering multiple strike packages comprising F-15SG Strike Eagles and C-130 Hercules sorties.

This morning, attention was centered on Changi's Runway 3 as FPDA warplanes came in to roost at the RSAF's Changi Airbase (East).

Lenses were trained on warplanes rarely seen in Singapore skies such as the Royal Air Force (RAF) Eurofighter Typhoon, which was supported for her Far East deployment by a VC-10K tanker. The Typhoon's appearance at Bersama Lima is significant as it is the type's first appearance in the Far East since Typhoons were engaged in combat operations over Libya. Experience gained from operations over Libya are likely to have fuelled many war story sessions in aircrew messes in Malaysia and Singapore.

Storm warning: Not a typhoon but a thunderstorm. A Royal Air Force Eurofighter Typhoon from 6 Squadron is framed by a approaching thunderstorm as Changi Airbase (East) secures itself for Cat 1 lightning risk conditions. The Cat 1 condition put an end to the ground viewing of the aircraft after just 10 minutes. Out of frame is the RSAF safety officer, a one-woman crowd control party, who was busy shepherding everyone off the open area before the storm broke.

The visit to CAB was ruined by an incoming thundercloud that imposed a lightning risk of Cat 1 on the airbase. As such, we had just 10 minutes at the Transport Apron to literally shoot-and-scoot and there was no chance to loiter. :-(

It was ironic that the secondary effort ended up contributing the motherload of images (some of which you see here) when the point of main effort inside the base was scuppered. Well, no plan survives first contact with the enemy.

Unsung hero: Royal Air Force deployments to the Far East depend heavily on tanker/transports such as the VC-10, which is flown by 101 Squadron RAF. Apart from tanker support which gives warplanes longer legs, such converted airliners also carry groundcrew, spares and equipment for first line maintenance work - the lack of which will crimp any air force's ability to generate and sustain airpower during deployments far from home.

Proud heritage: Royal Australian Air Force F/A-18A Hornet wearing special anniversary livery to commemorate 75 Squadron's 70th year. Defence buffs might remember that RAAF 75 SQN has a special link with Singapore because the unit's Mirage IIIO interceptors used to be based at Tengah Airbase years ago.

Double trouble: A pair of Boeing Hornets flown by Five Power Defence Arrangements (FPDA) partner nations, Australia and Malaysia, grace the Transport Apron at Changi Airbase (East). The Royal Australian Air Force F/A-18A wears a special colour scheme to make 75 Squadron's 70th anniversary (1942-2012) while the Royal Malaysian Air Force F/A-18D from 18 Squadron wears darker warpaint almost similar to the grey on RSAF F-15SGs.

Acknowledgements: Many thanks to the RSAF Air Operations Department, the Public Affairs Directorate at the Ministry of Defence, Singapore, and the team at Changi Air Base (East) for facilitating this rare spotting opportunity.

Sing Govt's pledge for more openness requires rewiring the system's sensitivity to feedback, removal of vindictive mindset for views it dislikes

2011-10-30T18:00:00.002+08:00

In some countries, openness between a government and its people is a given.

In Singapore, the government's pledge to be more open makes Page One news (ST, Govt pledges to be more open, 21 October 2011) - which says a lot about the current state of affairs.

This well-intentioned move will not gain traction without a concerted effort to rewire the system's regard for, reaction to and treatment of Singaporeans who raise feedback.

It is one thing to call for better government-to-people communications. It is quite another dealing with the impression that the system harbours a grudge against people who actually make the effort to speak up. However grand the intention, the first point will not succeed if the impression that the system is small minded, hyper sensitive and vindictive lingers.

When playwright Alfian Sa'at had his application as a relief teacher rejected by the Ministry of Education in June 2007, netizens suspected it had more to do with the tone and subject matter of Mr Sa'at's writings than his qualifications as an educator.

When Opposition supporter Geraldine Soh lost her customer service officer job at a town council in May this year, opinion was split over whether this move was triggered by work performance issues or whether it had something to do with her volunteer role at an Opposition rally.

There are other examples. Not all involve Singaporeans. This includes the 2004 case involving SPR Ryan Goh, who was an SIA pilot.

Such incidents resonate with Singaporeans who have experienced the system's wrath personally. They fuel the impression that the system has low or no tolerance for people with a different social outlook/point of view and is prepared to hit Singaporeans where it hurts most - their rice bowls.

I get the same impression whenever I hear media professionals bemoan how access to certain newsmakers can be switched on and off, depending on whether the tone of the story is acceptable. Such Pavlovian-like social conditioning will damage our country in the long run because the system is signalling that it does not accommodate news that could hurt its ears.

In many specific cases analysed, it is a certain individual or group of influential mandarins in a ministry/stat board/GLC who take a dislike to the choice of words or editing style - rightly the perogative of a news editor - rather than the accuracy of a report. When miffed, they withdraw or hold back access to indicate their unhappiness. Heaven only knows whether the MIW's political appointee (i.e. the Minister) is suitably appraised of such action, but I would guess that Ministers have better things to do than meddle with five cents/10 cents issues such as the day-to-day running of press relations.

In 2009, I paid the price for writing a letter on training safety in the Singapore Armed Forces to a local newspaper and for offending the then-DPA with my online comparisons between MINDEF's Public Affairs Directorate and the Army Information Centre. For as long as I live, I will never forget that episode.

Such punitive action is a blunt instrument that cuts down the well-meaning and malicious alike. It breeds a dysfunctional culture where bad news is swept under the carpet or sugarcoated because an honest, clear and concise appraisal of the situation may offend sensitive bosses.

Worse yet, ambitious individuals may know which buttons to press to advance their career and enhance their CEP because the rewards for towing the line can be tangible and are indeed not insignificant. These Machiavellians are the enemy within that the system has to watch out for because they put self interest over that of the organisation they serve.

I harbour the impression that there is a deliberate effort to blacklist individuals and create a cordon sanitaire by excluding these blacklisted individuals from certain life options.

By extending this exclusion zone all over the island, over time and over a myriad of issues that Singaporeans care enough about to speak up on, such an approach could poison Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's call for building heartware with Singaporeans (more to the point, the GE 2016 voters).

It also creates conditions for a perfect storm when bad feelings are built up in various arenas of public debate and the system has fewer champions to defend it or explain its point of view.

Whether it is in *insert your topic of choice*, this rice bowl wrecking combo of exclusion plus retribution in our tiny city-state gives rise to ever increasing numbers of people who turn their backs on the MIW (Men in White, the colloqial term for ruling People's Action Party) out of frustration or sheer disillusionment with the system.

Are you then surprised that the MIW come under fire whatever topic comes up for discussion on online forums like Yahoo news?

It is ironic that when I catch up with individuals belonging to or allied with the MIW, I can sense that their commitment to serve is neither fake nor self-serving. But there seems to be a serious disjoint between the MIW leadership's inner thought processes and how Singaporeans at large perceive these individuals.

This image disjoint - for example when things are good the MIW takes all the credit and during a recession it's the fault of the global economy - is regrettable because these individuals have their hearts in the right place. They just don't seem to know how to project themselves better, short of Facebook postings and grip-and-grin opportunities in the mainstream media.

Remember that in a city-state with a small population, the number of people who are articulate and prepared to share their views is finite. We are an Asian society and the ones prepared to step up and speak up are the exceptions, not the norm.

When feedback is handled with a heavy hand, this sort of vindictive behaviour will trip up efforts in consensus-building because those who speak up will quickly realise we're all ~~forced~~ encouraged to sing the same tune.

The less articulate and less gutsy won't even bother making their presence felt, but will lurk and continue to snipe anonymously in assorted online platforms.

Those whose rice bowls have been broken will continue to fight on, perhaps with sharper criticism and stronger determination than ever before because they have nothing more to lose, really.

We do not feel the full effects of the perfect storm now. This is simply because the causes people are passionate about are disparate (example: the Bukit Brown greenies may not care what military nuts are passionate about and vice versa) and the various commentators have no reason to cross paths.

It would take a national event such as a GE for you to see the perfect storm in action. That's when almost every issue the MIW had a hand in becomes a lightning rod for criticism online and offline.

At a national level, more openness and better communications may be a strategic ideal.

Alas, Singaporeans who have spoken up know that the system is hardwired to respond in a certain way. These tactical responses kick into play way below the pay grade of the PM and will take some effort to counteract because it is an attitude that has been ingrained - maybe even tacitly encouraged? - over decades.

I bet that if you trawled every grid square on the Singapore map from Changi Point to Tuas, you will find many more individuals with stories similar to Alfian Sa'at and Geraldine Soh that never made the news.

Every one is a lost opportunity at building heartware and a potential obstacle to the vision of engaging Singaporeans.

In this case, the potential roadblock to PM Lee's vision is the system itself.

Bangkok floods: Impact on food security in Singapore

2011-10-27T23:07:00.001+08:00

In early 2008, before I gave up my MICA press pass to hitch my wagon with a then-unknown company that was building an Integrated Resort on Sentosa, I had the opportunity to tour a Singaporean government rice warehouse during a media update on rice supplies.

The publicity plan, rolled out to assure Singaporeans that the city-state had adequate stocks of rice, could come in handy in coming weeks as concerns over rice shipments from Thailand may spark panic buying.

A replay of the 2008 situation this year would be instructive on the following counts:

Firstly, data miners would be given an opportunity to update their files and spreadsheets on rice supplies, sources of supply and local stockpiles. You can expect to see this sort of data, which is so relevant to defence and security watchers, paraded in the mainstream media should authorities wish to avert a run on rice supplies.

Until 2008, I did not know that rice was stockpiled in several locations in Singapore. I considered the opportunity to look inside the fenceline of one such site a real treat. The locations of these sites - one of which is sited close to a Republic of Singapore Air Force base - also suggested how such protected places might benefit from an increased security presence from nearby military facilities during a Period of Tension.

Secondly, any replay of the 2008 rice crisis would test the effectiveness of the communications plan that was hammered home in the mainstream media 3.5 years ago.

If Singovt assurances were credible and people still remember that Singapore has stockpiled enough rice to satisfy several months of domestic demand without external resupply or rationing, then the 2011 comms plan would have passed with flying colours.

If local consumers are rattled by fears of a rice shortage all over again, then government PR experts should ask why such messages have poor staying power in the minds of Singaporeans. What would it take to build stronger mindshare, not just for assurances over rice stocks but other strategic, Total Defence-type of messages?

The comms plan in 2008 wavered from the purely rational - we have x months of rice supplies - to messages that bordered on scare mongering for rice hoarders (the story that rice kept for more than three months could breed weevils being a good example).

Lastly, looking at the issue from a broader perspective, lessons from the rice stockpile comms plan has direct and immediate relevance to other strategic resources. These include fresh water, fuel and other food stocks such as protein sources (meat, fish, eggs) and to a lesser extent, vegetables. Remember how the price of onions - a staple item in Indian kitchens - triggered a political crisis in India in the recent past.

It would be instructive to see how the 2011 rice comms plans will change (or perhaps stay unchanged?) from the 2008 incarnation.

Will present-day staff officers simply dust off old files and follow the same script (like MINDEF, see here)?

Will newsmakers rehash the same quotes (the quote by National Day Parade Commanders who say they practice parade commands by shouting in the car while driving has been reused for at least three NDPs) and will social media be somehow mixed into the melting pot of ideas?

It looks likely we will soon know. Anyone who has seen recent satellite images of the Thai capital would realise the enormity of the problem Thai authorities face.

When you put things into perspective, the fact that rice in Singapore may cost more pales in comparison with what Thai people have to endure during this flood season.

Chinese Junk

2011-10-27T22:00:00.000+08:00

Something different for a change.

A seaworthy junk will arrive in 2012 and will be available for harbour cruises and sunset parties. :-)

Exercise Wallaby 2011 update

2011-10-22T22:18:00.000+08:00

Intrepid Australian plane spotters have uploaded yet more images of the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) Exercise Wallaby detachment on the Central Queensland Plane Spotting site. Please click here for more.

Pictured above are four Apache AH-64D attack helicopters from 120 Squadron at Rockhampton Airport in Queensland. Two AHs have the Longbow search/target designation radar with another pair without, which is no handicap for the AHs without radar as the data stream can be shared among the Apaches. Tail numbers as follows: 063, 065, 066, 067.

If the media plan for Wallaby 2011 follows that for previous exercises, we are likely so hear about the following:
1. News release on Defence Minister's courtesy call in Canberra
2. News releases on Ex Wallaby
3. Photo opportunity of DM's interactions with SAF servicemen and reflections after viewing the live-fire phase.

MINDEF's National Service disruption list must be matched by swift and sincere engagements with Singaporeans

2011-10-22T11:19:00.005+08:00

The move by the Singaporean Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) to share the names of citizen soldiers allowed to disrupt their full-time National Service may open MINDEF to more scrutiny than it can handle.

Citizen soldiers do not need MINDEF to tell them of cases of unusually long disruptions. Case in point: the discussion online and offline regarding the 12-year disruption granted to Dr Patrick Tan, who is the son of President Tony Tan. We found out about this without MINDEF intervention.

What Singaporeans deserve is a credible corporate communications posture from MINDEF and the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) that can address and allay concerns quickly, credibly and proactively.

With 20:20 hindsight, MINDEF/SAF should have provided greater clarity on Patrick Tan's NS service record when online chatter cast the spotlight on the then-Presidential hopeful's son in July 2011. Before the online rumours were typed, many Singaporeans (myself included) did not know who Patrick Tan was or how he served his NS. Someone familiar with Patrick obviously did and his 12-year disruption (1988-2000) became a talking point months ago.

It has taken something like three months for MINDEF to tell us that there was indeed a second (unnamed) NSF who was allowed to disrupt his compulsory military service for 12 years to study medicine.

The time lag is regrettable. MINDEF's decision to keep mum in the past few months left the initiative in the hands of commentators who theorised how Patrick's blood ties to a former Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence had somehow gained him preferential treatment.

The impact on commitment to defence is plainly evident.

To be fair, all of the MINDEF/SAF current bigwigs in the Defence Policy Division were junior officers in 1988. Staff officers tasked to look into the matter were not even born yet. This means that MINDEF/SAF probably needed time to compile its statement of facts concerning Patrick Tan's NS record.

In a vast bureaucracy that sees some 20,000 Singaporean males enlist every year and with records for NSFs who served in the late 1980s yet to be computerised, it must have taken MINDEF's staff officers some time to gain a full and thorough appreciation of the situation.

With this in mind, we may understand why MINDEF's comments on the matter in July 2011 sounded suspiciously like motherhood statements.

The 90 cents newspaper report on 30 July 2011, titled "Tony Tan rebuts online rumours about son", said: "The Ministry of Defence, in response to queries from The Straits Times, said Patrick's posting as a defence medical scientist was done 'in accordance to vocational guidelines'."

The report added: "MINDEF also told The Straits Times that it allows disruptions of full-time National Servicemen (NSFs) to obtain their medical degress before serving out their NS liability

"Prior to 1992, those who were admitted into selected universities overseas were also eligible for disruption, it said, adding that MINDEF records show that 86 NSFs were allowed that disruption for overseas medical studies."

The question on many people's lips - was Patrick Tan's 12-year disruption the longest ever - was not answered till the Parliament debate on Thursday.

If MINDEF/SAF needed more time to compile and cross check its data and process this as useful information, it should have said this in July and assured Singaporeans that a thorough reply was in the works.

Singaporeans were instead made to wait. Net chatter waned and threads on the matter eventually died out on various online discussion sites. What could have been a useful dialogue that enriched the field of knowledge on NS matters became a one-way monologue with MINDEF issuing terse and seemingly robotic responses to media queries.

If this glacial pace of attentiveness to defence matters of public concern is not fixed, MINDEF will surrender valuable opportunities to address nagging public concerns that will chip away at commitment to defence over time. These are own goals MINDEF should not score.

The embers to the Patrick Tan discussion were rekindled this week with the pledge by Minister for Defence, Dr Ng Eng Hen, to publish an NS disruption list once a year.

This annual list must be matched by a willingness and adroitness to identify and tackle public feedback and Internet "noise" quickly.

In addition, the list will do nothing to quell suspicions of string-pulling in NS for sons of the wealthy, influential or privileged.

Now that we have a list of NS disruptees, would we then see a Version 1.0 listing all NSFs given clerical jobs to show that the offspring of the good and the great do not end up in cushy NSF jobs? Will there be another version for SAF scholars, yet another for all those selected for Officer Cadet School (OCS) and perhaps an annex for SOH winners?

The point to remember is that any list by itself will be just a piece of paper whose usefulness and credibility in the eyes of Singaporeans depends heavily on MINDEF/SAF's success in engaging its own citizen soldiers.

MINDEF/SAF planners also need to factor in unplanned PR scenarios and quirky situations. For example: What would happen if by sheer coincidence, all the disruptees come from families with the same surname? Would this stoke suspicions of collusion?

You may laugh, but years ago when a UK-based NS defaulter named Melvyn Tan earned the ire of Singaporeans for wanting to come back to Singapore for a piano recital, there was a gaffe in a newspaper ad by SAFRA, the association for NSmen. The ad promoted a membership drive and had a mock SAFRA card complete with a member's name. By quirky coincidence, the name on the card was - you guessed it - Melvyn Tan. What are the odds?

On 1 April 1975, the Republic of Singapore Air Force was formed after the Singapore Air Defence Command was renamed. On 3 April 1975, the world's newest air force was caught offguard when a C-130A Hercules sneaked into Paya Lebar Airport from South Vietnam unannounced with 56 passengers and crew. (For more on the incident, please click here.)

And just look at coverage of the May 2011 General Elections. Some mainstream media stories theorised why Raffles Institution ended up producing more MP candidates than any other school.

The point is that weird and unplanned events may cloud MINDEF/SAF's best intentions.

Once the list is out, you can bet people will sift through the names and come up with data sets and theories that may prove to be PR embarrassments. The decision to share the NS disruptions means MINDEF/SAF will open a Pandora's box because any attempt to go back on its promise will spur Singaporeans to ask why the ministry is backpeddling.

The once-a-year appearance of the list may also be too slow to address topics that flare before/after the list is out. The defence eco-system should prepare itself for a faster reaction time throughout the year and not imagine that the list will innoculate the organisation against brickbats.

As things stand, MINDEF PAFF can certainly do better. Even the Addendum to the President's Address took some time to appear on MINDEF's own website when such an upload could have been easily preprogrammed.

As with all ventures, the mission intent for the NS disruption list must be crystal clear. It should be backstopped by a sincere commitment to engage citizen soldiers and their loved ones.

If managed well, the NS disruption list could convince Singaporeans that the NS system treats everybody fairly, that all who must serve cannot evade their duty and that citizens soldiers are serving an important national need.

Israel traded 1,000 prisoners for one of its NSFs. What is the price of an SAF National Serviceman worth in a Gilad Shalit kidnapping scenario?

2011-10-20T18:54:00.002+08:00

The deal to swap Israeli full-time National Serviceman Gilad Shalit for 1,027 Palestinians speaks volumes of how much Israel treasures the life of an Israeli citizen soldier.

If Singapore is placed in a similar crisis, what do you think the price of a Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) soldier will be worth? One price for a heartlander NSF with a White Horse worth potentially more? How far would Singapore go to win the freedom of a captured NSF?

Make no mistake, the 1:1,000 exchange rate may work wonderfully well for the battle-tested IDF and Israeli society. But such a calculus, if applied in the SAF's area of operations (AO) during a doomsday scenario, will only put more Singaporean lives at risk.

SAF mission planners who train to fight with full spectrum capabilities should add soldier swap exchange ratios to their tool kit. This is a scenario they need to think about and address long before boots hit the ground and bullets start flying.

As part of scenario planning, the Singaporean Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) and SAF need to mull over hard questions about the amount of effort that justifies securing the life of a captured Singaporean warfighter.

Whether the SAF serviceman or servicewoman is captured during a hot war or during an operation other than war (OOTW) will be irrelevant to the loved ones of any captive warfighter. What matters to them most will be the safe and expeditious return of their son or daughter.

For the family of Gilad, the journey home for their 25-year-old son took five long years after he was captured by Hamas gunmen and spirited away to the Gaza Strip. Israel is a country born in battle after centuries of diaspora. The strategic situation of Singapore - a fragile accidental nation - militates against such a long drawn impasse.

This explains why defence planners should mentally prepare for unexpected emergencies where captured soldiers are used as bargaining chips in strategic gamesmanship.

When hostile forces start viewing SAF personnel not as a deterrent nor as targets but as valuable negotiation tools, their vulnerability to snatch-and-grab operations will increase correspondingly.

Should diplomacy and deterrence fail, this vulnerability will rise in direct proportion to the amount of time the SAF will spend as an occupation force in hostile territory.

Knowing full well that the SAF will aim for a swift and decisive victory, an opponent who captures SAF servicemen for ransom (monetary or non monetary) can throw such drawer plans off-balance. So long as their captive has a heartbeat, the captors will wield the strategic initiative when dictating terms to the occupation force. The payoff for kidnappers is thus very high indeed.

It doesn't take a rocket scientist to imagine the pressure on homefront support for SAF operations that the kidnappers can exert.

Singaporean parents already fret over their sons on peacetime NS duty. What more during a hostile takeover of another country's territory when conflict termination is at best delayed and at worst, unattainable on Singaporean terms?

With such situations in mind, it is clear that SAF war games should induct Regulars, NSFs and NSmen to the possibility of nasty incidents during a hot war. Citizen soldiers need to know hard truths behind the SAF's game plan should they be tasked to execute manoeuvres practised repeatedly during war games such as Exercise Wallaby, now in full swing in Australia's Shoalwater Bay Training Area.

As the Internet matures and new forms of social media emerge, the likelihood that captors will exploit cyberspace to weaken or destabilise commitment to defence is very real.

Instead of following Israel's example in securing Gilad's freedom, MINDEF/SAF should focus its energy on conflict termination in the shortest possible timeframe.

This includes articulating the end game clearly to strengthen homefront support and make it unambiguously clear to hostile forces how a protracted armed struggle is not to their interest. At present, Singaporeans know the SAF has ample war machines to defend the Lion City, but few have any idea how conflict termination could be reached after the SAF's full force potential is uncaged.

In a hot war scenario, the pain of losing one captured SAF warfighter must be balanced by the cold reality that an Israeli-style prisoner swap (1: 1,000 ratio) could endanger Singapore's security in the absence of a lasting peace. In our context, a high exchange ratio may also underline the city state's low appetite for war by demonstrating it is weak and malleable during negotiations when the stakes are too high.

It is crucial for Singaporeans to understand and accept the painful reality that many more SAF lives could be placed at risk (or lost) when hostile forces, emboldened by any soldier swap calculus, proceed to expand their business with fresh meat.

A possible drawer plan against kidnappings might be for the SAF to use its capability overmatch until the said SAF serviceman is returned safe and sound.

Civilian elements should also be held responsible for any act of aggression by their clan. The response could include designating the premises of the surviving family members of perpetrators or safe houses they are known to have used as legitimate entities for the SAF's sensor-to-shooter network to work with.

In the event of a hostage taking, SAF mission planners should be granted full freedom to translate hostile premises into end point coordinates for RSAF precision guided munitions, Mark 20 CBUs and improved conventional munitions and cargo rounds employed by the Singapore Artillery.

In like manner, the value chain of whistle-blowers should be protected. This would incentivise whistle-blowers to point out hostile elements in their neighbourhood, therefore strengthening hearts and minds outreach efforts by the 800-series battalions. If necessary, special action groups should be set up to motivate civilians to cooperate with the SAF.

The preventive detention of people of Japanese origin by the United States government during World War Two is an example of how a responsible government should do whatever it takes to protect its populace.

A hostile entity that does not respect the rules of war cannot expect to exploit the boundaries and constraints set by the rules of civilised conflict.

And as the language of force is often the only signal hostile minds can process, the intelligence preparation of the battlefield by SAF mission planners should include a thorough, impassive and realistic appraisal of the enemy's value chain and entities they hold dear.

Options to address the enemy's value chain - forcefully, relentlessly and without remorse - if Middle Eastern snatch-and-grab tactics are attempted in the SAF's AO must be prepared, tested, refined and updated as part of scenario planning.

Hostile forces must know that if they open an account with the SAF by copying the Hamas playbook, the SAF will settle that account at a time, place and method of its own choosing. The escalation ladder starts from .308 Lapua rounds fired by SAF Commandos for a brain stem kill and goes all the way to the heavy stuff you hang on F-15SGs that can reconfigure a hostile neighbourhood.

If hostile elements declare open season on the SAF with no bag limit, then they must realise that such self-declared ground rules come with a hefty penalty and the IDF does not hold a monopoly on the creative use of combat power.

Understanding Defence Creep

2011-10-17T21:25:00.000+08:00

The magic touch at workplaces: Pets, By Sophie Hong, mypaper 17 October 2011

With a mischievous twinkle in his eye, Mr Song, who is from Sarawak, said that he added personal touches to his office through "stealth", bringing in one plant first, before bringing in more.

Then came a fish tank.

"I've been with the firm for quite a while now, so I guess they (my colleagues) are used to it," said Mr Song with a laugh.

He noted that none of his colleagues objected when the fish tanks "became bigger over time".

By then, they were so used to the kampung-themed decor that none of them batted an eyelid when he added a finch to his office six months ago.

"Some of my colleagues didn't even notice the bird. They thought that the noise was coming from my mobile phone's ringtone," said Mr Song. - From mypaper, 17 October 2011

The above extract reminded me so much of the defence creep concept and it brightened up my Monday morning.

The idea goes back decades, it seems. It has helped Singapore's combat strength creep up incrementally after initial purchases desensitised the neighbourhood to certain war machines or military capabilities.

Noteworthy examples include Singapore's decision to keep its F-16A/Bs in the United States till the Royal Thai Air Force had received its F-16s. The Lion City thus let go of bragging rights to being the first air force in Southeast Asia to operate the combat-proven interceptor in the mid-1980s.

Then we had the Sjoormen-class diesel-electric submarines bought from the Royal Swedish Navy and extensively refurbished to as-new standard to see if Singapore really needed submarines.

The CH-47D Chinook heavy-lift helicopters were explained as assets for extending search and rescue (SAR) coverage in Singapore's flight information region, which extends over the South China Sea. Till this day, I have yet to see a single Chinook in SAR colours....

GCE A Level Exams: Pivotal period for young Singaporean students and SAF Scholar aspirants

2011-10-15T12:09:00.008+08:00

It is hard to imagine a period more pivotal to a young Singaporean student's life than the A level examinations that will take place in the coming weeks.

For students who eye a Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) scholarship, the Advanced Level General Certificate of Education examination is their make-or-break moment.

In the words of an SAF scholar who reached the rank of Brigadier-General, his A levels were the most important exam papers he took in his life.

A stellar result puts you in the queue line for a scholarship interview. Impressing the interview panel puts one on the fast track in the SAF. A high CEP and opportunities to be groomed for higher appointment are almost guaranteed so long as the young scholar doesn't flunk out of university.

So the pressure to perform can be intense for SAF scholar wannabees from the class of 2011. In the very near future, they will sit for the General Paper, a mother tongue paper, maybe a third language, four A Level subjects, possibly two Special Papers. While A level exam preparations get underway, they have to juggle leadership positions in a CCA and volunteer activities for good measure.

Add to that the ability to speak English well (I have yet to meet a Singlish-speaking SAF scholar) with poise and confidence (so as to impress the interview panel) and one can easily whittle away the vast majority of potentials to a core group of outstanding pre-university students numbering in the dozens.

Those who make it know they extend the idea sown decades ago by then Deputy Prime Minister Dr Goh Keng Swee's Project Wrangler. The project aimed to raise, train and sustain a pipeline of high achievers with the potential to be groomed as future leaders for Singapore's citizens armed forces.

By and large, Project Wrangler has been a success.

Fast forward to 2011 and the pressure felt by SAF scholar aspirants is akin to the anxiety felt by SAF Regular officers whose respective career trajectories are not in the same orbit as the scholars.

A friend who served at OPC recounted how he regularly fielded calls from concerned young officers (i.e. twenty-something SAF Captains) who asked when they would be scheduled for a certain command and staff course that was a prerequisite for higher command.

For an organisation which forces one to bear one's rank openly, the feeling of being bypassed or sidelined for promotion by young officers is a real one indeed.

A former Colonel, a scholar who was among the first batch trained by the Australian Defence Force, explained that self esteem is an intangible construct that becomes very real in a uniformed organisation. And the blow becomes more apparent the day one has to salute a higher ranked officer from one's same cohort at OCS.

Whenever I stir coffee with active or retired military personnel, I inevitably ask them two questions once a certain comfort level is reached in our conversation:
First, what made you sign on with the Service you chose?

Second, what made you leave?

Answers to the first question are as varied as the personalities I encounter. A Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) officer said it was fighters or nothing. He fulfilled his boyhood ambition when he became a fighter pilot and ended his career commanding the RSAF. An Armour officer wanted to follow the footsteps of his father, who commanded an Armour brigade, so Armour was the logical choice. The son outdid his father's military career and is now an NS BG who works for a bank.

The second question applies only to those who left the SAF before their career had run its full and theoretical lifespan. They are usually officers in their late 20s or mid 30s. Most end up in assorted careers in the private sector.

A former Armour officer, Tommie Goh, recounted how he loved the Army and even encouraged his nephew to sign on as a Regular. For Mr Goh, his eureka moment came the day his young nephew surpassed his rank and he realised the limitations of his own career runway.

Mr Goh quit the SAF to form a contract manufacturing company called JIT Holdings - supposedly for just-in-time - which I had the privilege to write about while covering the electronics and tech sector as a Business Times journalist. He is today a self-made millionaire and made his name in partnership with an SAF Armour officer who left the Army after bagging the coveted Best Armour Unit prize. They may not have stayed to see the 3G SAF realised, but their 2G set up - named after the first letter in their family name - did handsomely well.

Had Mr Goh stayed away from striking it out on his own for the security offered by an SAF career, it is unlikely he would be able to give his family the opportunities in life now open to them.

Over the years, I have heard many human interest stories from personnel from the three SAF Services to be convinced that the SAF picks its people well.

To be fair, there have been duds. These include the Andover Prize winner who had leadership issues, but by and large the SAF Officer Corps is staffed by good people. They may not be able to articulate the differences between leadership, management and command in an essay but these officers can punch above their weight class and do not drop the ball when faced with unexpected situations like SARS or the post-9/11 injects such as Ops Bascinet.

If there is one shortcoming in human capital management, it is how the system's fixation in making the scholarship programme work ends up causing collateral damage when the aspirations, feelings and rice bowls of everyone else is affected. And we haven't even started talking about the WOSE or MDES career plans.

There is an impression, even among military officers, that SAF scholars are shielded from events or projects that could stymie their careers if things don't go according to plan. A former SAF BG observed that the commanders of some of the SAF's most trying overseas operations and peace support deployments in the 1990s were non scholars who could be relied upon to deliver the goods.

This mindset may be wrong as the situation may have indeed changed today. But historical baggage from early operations lingers in many minds and continues to cloud the system.

Just as MINDEF devotes an entire department at Depot Road to nurture SAF scholars, one cannot overemphasize that late bloomers in the military are also a critical source of human capital.

They may have botched their papers in the O, A levels or even N levels, but if they shine later in life in their chosen professions, they should be allowed the latitude to expand their career horizons and grow to the best of their ability.

Indeed, many of the world's combat proven and war-winning commanders would not make the cut had they been assessed based solely on paper qualifications and criteria used to cherry pick SAF scholars. What do you think is the average A level grade for Taliban commanders, Hezbollah fighters or the Viet Cong? Can they even pass a PSLE paper? Does it matter?

There is a general feeling among the non scholars that their careers are limited by a glass ceiling, that no matter how hard they slog or how well they perform, someone else's higher CEP will always put them in the vanguard of the annual promotions list.

Even among scholars, there are the elite and the also-rans. Cream of the crop are those awarded overseas scholarships at prestigious universities. The also-rans study on home ground under the local study award.

These young officers may not sense their place in the pecking order till years later, when they enter the SAF after their studies and are cycled through a couple of ranking and banding exercises.

They will then see first hand that SAF scholars come in different calibres and that in a system of equals, some are more equal than others.

Best of luck to all A level students from the class of 2011.

Non Line-of-Sight N-LOS missile video

2011-10-10T23:45:00.000+08:00

Worth watching.

Interesting line up of IDF UAVs, Skylark and Heron.

Exercise Wallaby 2011 airhead at Rockhampton Airport

2011-10-08T21:20:00.003+08:00

Off to work: Apache attack helicopter Redhawk 65 from the RSAF's 120 Squadron taxis past an RSAF C-130H from 122 Squadron on Friday 7 Oct 2011. The RSAF detachment was noted practising for the First Frame for this year's Exercise Wallaby war games, held at the Australian Defence Force's Shoalwater Bay Training Area.

Dependable: RSAF C-130H 733 from 122 Squadron prepares to unload passengers and cargo at Rockhampton Airport on Friday 7 Oct 2011. Note the long-range underwing fuel tanks, essential for the long flight over the great continent.

Australian plane spotters who happen to be at Queensland's Rockhampton Airport at the right time continue to provide firsthand reports of the airhead for the Singapore Armed Forces' (SAF) Exercise Wallaby land warfare manoeuvres.

The Central Queensland Plane Spotting site provides images of Republic of Singapore Air Force 122 Squadron C-130H 733 touching down at Rocky along with pictures of 120 Squadron AH-64D Apache attack helicopters preparing for the First Frame of Exercise Wallaby. Please click here for more images taken on Friday 7 October 2011.

Meanwhile, additional Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) servicemen are understood to be preparing to depart for the Shoalwater Bay Training Area (SWBTA) next week aboard chartered Singapore Airlines flights. It is understood that these military charters typically push back from Changi Airport Terminal 3 in the early afternoon (around 1430 Hotel, Singapore time) and arrive in Rockhampton around midnight local time.

Here are images of recent SQ charter flights seen upon arrival in Rockhampton. We thank the Australian military nuts for their vigilance. You guys might want to get those airband scanners out, mates. G'day all!

Singapore Airlines charter flight SQ 8931 (9V-SQB) arrives at Rockhampton on Sunday 25 Sep 2011.

Singapore Airlines charter flight SQ8931 (9V-SQE) unloads palletised cargo upon arrival from SIN on Tuesday 27 Sep 2011.

Singapore's 12th Parliament: Gearing up for the Defence Budget debate for Work Year 2012/13

2011-10-08T16:39:00.004+08:00

We're just months away from learning how much Singapore will spend on defence for its 2012/13 financial year, which begins on 1 April 2012.

Defence planners now punching out the sums can expect their budget estimates to be closely scrutinised not just by noise-making netizens but also by an increasingly vocal public who will speak its mind.

This past week, we saw a parent question the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) over the $2.50 surcharge each guest had to pay for refreshments at an air force graduation parade.

Such attention is not all bad because it beats apathetic citizens with zero commitment to defence.

If the Singaporean Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) and SAF calibrate their defence messages astutely, questions on defence spending can do much to strengthen awareness of, appreciation for and support towards our island nation's defence needs.

This will be a tall order in 2012. Next year's defence budget is expected to crown the S$12.08 billion defence budget for FY 2011/12 and the hike in spending will come amid harsher economic conditions and increasingly likeable neighbours.

Explaining why tax payers have to cough out more for guns over butter at a time when jobs are scare and pay checks are hardly growing will be a major challenge for MINDEF/SAF. Support for a citizens armed forces from Singapore citizens and SPRs is therefore a mindset MINDEF/SAF must work hard to gain, first and foremost.

This challenge will come amid increasingly warmer ties with Malaysia, Indonesia and the rest of our ASEAN neighbours. This is the second challenge for defence budget script writers because our chumminess with Malaysia, Indonesia and stronger support from powerful forces from the United States will make it tougher for MINDEF/SAF to explain big ticket purchases.

If the threat of outright invasion is remote or theoretical, why arm ourselves to the eyeballs with guns, bullets and bombs?

At the same time, calls for this island nation not to let down its guard against transnational terrorism may in turn trigger calls to scale down the SAF's conventional defence posture in favour of a purely homeland defence/counter terrorism force. It will be cheaper, less manpower intensive and more relevant to the security environment.

If this theme sounds familiar, it is because we heard the idea raised during the 2011 General Election by some Opposition candidates. Expect an encore if we experience a recession and spike our defence spending.

MINDEF's budget planners must be aware that debates in Parliament over defence spending, known formally as Committee of Supply (COS) debates, will take place in a House with an unprecedented presence from Opposition parties.

The COS statements tabled by MINDEF's three political appointees must therefore be robustly road tested before they are read out in the House to avoid being caught wrong-footed when the debate is in full play.

Defence-related public relations flops include the National Service Recognition Award (NSRA) and MINDEF's attempts at explaining the White Horse issue. That we hardly hear a squeak about the NSRA these days points to the lost opportunity at using this expensive scheme to cultivate better C2D. The NSRA is a good idea gone bad because of poor PR positioning, it has become the bastard child of defence PR that is best not talked about. What a shame.

What we are seeing these days is a concerted effort by MINDEF to showcase the new Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen, Minister of State for Defence Lawrence Wong Shyun Tsai and Senior Parliamentary Secretary Dr Mohamad Maliki bin Osman to citizen soldiers through the mainstream media.

They appear at every grip-and-grin photo opportunity in front of cameras and will get another PR platform at Exercise Wallaby in Australia.

Initial feedback that has trickled back to this blog from citizen soldiers who were part of the media opportunities is positive. The trio appear competent, well-briefed, able to hold their ground when meeting Operationally Ready National Servicemen (i.e. reservists) who may not have voted for the MIW in the first place.

Time will tell whether the PR coaching and behind-the-scenes TV screen tests will result in political appointees who can explain the sensitive topic of sky high defence spending in a convincing manner, not just to skeptical Singaporeans but also to neighbours who may rightly ask what all those war machines are meant for.

Defence planners who are shaping the Third Generation SAF must also ask themselves if the growth of SAF capabilities must continue on a linear basis with a newer war machine replacing an outdated weapon platform or weapon system.

Innovative solutions to defending Singapore may be a wallet-friendly alternative aside from simply renewing the SAF's arsenal when the life-of-type of weapon platforms and systems approach their respective use by dates.

When the Polish army went to war in September 1939, its cavalry regiments were acknowledged as among the best in the world. These had been developed and honed through the centuries and Polish lancers and other horse-borne soldiers were considered the apex of this capability development.

But German invaders broke tradition by investing in the panzer. Breaking the rule book on positional warfare, the German General Staff combined its panzer regiments with dive bombers, which they used as flying artillery, and airborne spotters orbiting the battlefield in prop-driven Fieseler Storch light planes whose incredible short takeoff/landing performance made them as versatile as today's helicopters.

More recently, Hezbollah fighters in southern Lebanon have shown they do not have to match the Israeli army tank for tank to draw blood.

Hezbollah's mastery of their home ground, use of fortified primary, secondary and alternate firing positions, liberal use of guided munitions to target armoured vehicles and awareness of the limitations of omni-present Israeli UAVs (most of which scan the battlespace in black and white imagery with a limited field of view) made Hezbollah fighters credible opponents against the Israelis.

Armour deficient with no warplanes or combat helicopters and no naval combatants, Hezbollah fought the Israelis to a bloody stalemate during the Summer 2006 war.

We also have to be aware that our vigilant defence posture does not end up breaking the bank. There are indications that the United States deliberately emphasized its space defence effort, dubbed Star Wars, to lure the Soviet Union into investing in weapon development on an unsustainable basis. We could fall into a similar trap if we mindlessly raise, train and sustain a numerically superior army without backing this with a credible public position on how such forces can win a war.

The relevance of these examples to an SAF intent on growing its capabilites year-on-year is clear.

SAF equipment due for replacement include the Super Puma/Cougar medium-lift helicopters, M-113 Ultra and Bionix 1 armoured fighting vehicles and Fearless-class Patrol Vessels. Fast landing craft are also needed to ferry the SAF's third MBT type, the Leopard 2SGs.

Our wish list is long and our pockets may be deep, but our threats are difficult to see or explain without ruffling the feelings of our neighbours or alarming the populace with a seige mentality.

Therein lies the challenge for MINDEF's FY2012/13 budget planners.

Whatever the case, the COS debate next year should be a show-and-tell well worth following.

Fire at 1 Pulau Bukom underlines need to protect vulnerable economic infrastructure

2011-10-02T11:33:00.002+08:00

If it took more than 100 firefighters 32 hours to put out the industrial fire at Royal Dutch Shell's largest oil refinery on Pulau Bukom, imagine the resources needed to control a blaze initiated by hostile action.

The stubborn oil refinery blaze underlines the vulnerability of petrochemical complexes on Pulau Bukom and Jurong Island should these complexes appear on the target list of any aggressor(s).

These highly flammable facilities and the tankers that service them are the soft underbelly of Singapore's economy. Such assets cannot as yet be protected from an aggressor that takes the first shot.

Though the 32-hour fire on Pulau Bukom was put out at 9.18pm on Thursday, some 100 Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) firefighters, 13 fire engines and 21 support vehicles remain on high alert on the island should the blaze flare up again.

During a hot war when people on mainland Singapore and offshore islands must brace themselves for enemy action, the SCDF will be hard-pressed to allocate such resources to one emergency - because there will be many conflagarations island-wide.

The insurance that comes from hardening Singapore under a Total Defence masterplan will take time to achieve.

Homes are being hardened gradually under building rules that call for all new homes to include a household shelter. But it will take several decades more before the masterplan's goal of having a household shelter in every home and work place is reached. And this assumes property developers do not attempt to skirt round this law through a liberal interpretation of building laws.

The Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) has also taken steps to protect vital infrastructure through camouflage, concealment, dispersal at its army, air and naval bases.

However, some military assets such as radars cannot be hardened. Such emitters need to scan large volumes of battlespace 24/7 to give battle managers a good sense of their battlespace. Retract these radars into hardened silos and the emitters would be shut down - thereby saving the enemy the trouble of targetting these sites in the first place. The enemy wants the SAF to fight blind.

Those of you who have endured traffic snarls along Singapore's expressways will probably agree our transport nodes are another weak link that need to be addressed.

All it takes is one fender bender to close just one lane during rush hour and traffic could be backed up several kilometres from the accident vehicles.

Expressways and arterial roads choked with bumper to bumper traffic will hamper SAF efforts at mobilising its full force potential. The vulnerability of Singapore's road network to saboteurs or conventional artillery attack should therefore be obvious to defence watchers.

Those of you who have seen a Singapore Army division on the move on mainland Singapore during war games such as Exercise Mousedeer would realise the sheer number of tracked and wheeled vehicles in the division's orbat. In any lead up to hostilities, a clear passage for SAF divisional units cannot be guaranteed especially if aggressor forces such as special forces are determined to interfere with road movements.

Singapore is a fragile nation.

The scenarios sketched out above are, however, less dire when one assesses the advantages that a nimble intelligence apparatus and defence technology can bring to the SAF.

Combat proven systems are available to alert, detect, track, target and destroy rocket artillery broadsides before damage is done.

Though arguably expensive and resource-intensive to field, such systems enhance Singapore's ability to soak up a first strike should our intelligence network and deterrence fail.

To be sure, the technology to detect and track incoming tube and rocket artillery munitions has existed for decades. Firefinder radars such as the TPQ-37 with 24 SA can already do so.

What the SAF lacked was the muscle to kill such munitions before the end of their journey.

Assuming Republic of Singapore Air Force weapons officers and specialists are not asleep at the switch, the protection afforded by quick-reaction counter fire units will negate any military advantages of firing first.

Indeed, a miscalculated first shot by any aggressor(s) would reinforce the Lion City's international position should the decision be made to defend this island with terminal intensity.

It is said that the RSAF is revamping its gun and missile-armed air defence units to ensure these units keep pace with military developments.

Older systems such as the radar-directed 35mm Oerlikon twin cannon are said to be on their last legs.

A rumoured incoming system will be a game-changer if it works as advertised.

No defence shield is 100% leak-proof. But if the effectiveness of a massed rocket artillery salvo can be blunted and backed up by a response plan to hunt and destroy not just the assets that fired those rockets but blow out the brains behind that hostile act, this plan will enhance Singapore's deterrent posture.

Steps should also be taken to explain to Singaporeans and friends abroad why the new system will be a game-changer.

For Singaporeans, the new system would represent more than just another war machine to be gawked at during an RSAF Open House. It would, for the first time, give Singapore's citizen soldiers the ability to knock down incoming rocket artillery with precision. If properly calibrated, public communication messages can shore up commitment to defence because our erstwhile vulnerability against such munitions would have been addressed.

For neighbouring countries, the new system would strengthen the security landscape because the SAF would no longer be held hostage to the need to strike first and hit pre-emptively under its rumoured drawer plans. In a period of high tension, the SAF can demonstrate maximum restraint as politicians and SAF battle managers who are aware of such a system will know the effectiveness of a surprise first strike can be negated.

As with any war machine, the introduction of a counter measure against a certain munition (counter-fire missiles versus rocket artillery) can trigger a counter-counter measure.

The SAF must therefore stay watchful of such dynamics in arms purchases, and keep its battle managers alert always.

Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) stages massive 5,750km air and sealift to Australia to deploy forces for Exercise Wallaby

2011-09-25T20:50:00.003+08:00

The first two Singapore Airlines B777 charter flights packed with several hundred Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) personnel are expected to arrive tonight in Rockhampton Airport (ICAO code: ROK).

Some 20 more B777s charter flights are expected to wing their way from Singapore to ROK - a distance of some 5,750km - in the coming days as the build-up of forces for this year's Exercise Wallaby gathers pace.

Pre-flight: RSAF ground crew from 120 Squadron assemble an Apache AH-64D attack helicopter at Rockhampton Airport as preparations for Exercise Wallaby swing into high gear. Note that the Oakey-based Super Puma in the foreground has had its floatation gear removed.

Tiny Rockhampton Airport in Australia's Queensland State is looking more like a military airfield as the Singaporean military pumps more war machines into the area.

Ten Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) helicopters are already there, according to Australian plane spotters who are keeping tabs on air activity in and around ROK.

The latest arrivals are four AH-64D Apache attack helicopters from 120 Squadron. The Apaches were transported there on Tuesday 21 September aboard a Polets Airlines Antonov AN-124-100 heavy-lift (RA-82075, Flight POT4762) transport aircraft. The Polets Airlines Antonov left ROK on Wednesday. For more, please visit the Central Queensland Plane Spotting site here.

The Apaches join six Super Puma/Cougars which flew there from the Australian Army's Oakey Army Aviation Centre, where the RSAF maintains a helicopter detachment.

~~These rotary-wing assets from the RSAF Participation Command will soon be joined by fast jets from Singapore.~~ (27 Sept'11 Update: Sing sources clarified no fast jets for Ex Wallaby 2011. Helos only.)

The war machines are due to participate in Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) manoeuvres in the Shoalwater Bay Training Area (SWBTA) held as part of Exercise Wallaby - an umbrella term that embraces several component war games.

The SAF build-up has proven to be somewhat of an attraction for Australian military buffs, some of whom drove several hundred kilometres to catch the action at ROK.

Plane spotter Damian Freiberg said:"Local spotters enjoy the extra action - it also brings out a lot of local visitors who enjoy watching all the heavy jet action! Other Australian spotters travel to Rocky to take photos too."

Acknowledgements: This blog appreciates the efforts of Australian military nuts in keeping an eye on things in ROK. We will keep you informed of departures from SIN so you can catch them at the end of their flight. Check Six!

Fitted for but not with: Up-arming the Singapore Armed Forces during a Period of Tension

2011-09-24T22:42:00.007+08:00

War ready: Bronco variant known as the Warthog built for British Army operations in Afghanistan.

Show ready: Singapore Army Bronco tasked for joyride duty during an Army Open House at the SAFTI Military Institute.

Which version of the Singapore-made Bronco all-terrain tracked carrier (above) would you choose as your battle wagon?

It's a safe bet most of you would pick the uparmoured version in desert warpaint which serves the British Army as the Warthog.

The Singapore Army's troop carrier variant (70313 MID) can be uparmoured too as the tell tale attachment points all around the cabin clearly indicate. This Bronco lacks teeth, but a pintle-mounted 7.62mm GPMG can be rapidly added along with the bolt-on composite armour panels before it trundles into operations.

Hopefully, Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) war planners have drawer plans to add a proper shield and softmount for embarked, belt-fed automatic weapons because the lack of such protection would make Bronco gunners exposed from waist up bullet bait.

The Bronco is just one example of an SAF war machine fitted for but not with hostilities only war material.

Several other examples abound in the Army, Republic of Singapore Navy and Republic of Singapore Air Force.

Betting that a Period of Tension (POT) would buy war planners precious time to scale up the SAF to its full force potential is a delicate guesstimate. This strategic assumption demands timely, high quality strategic intelligence to guarantee the SAF does not get caught wrong-footed.

This guesstimate is all the more risky should the SAF face an all-regular force that is essentially at full mobilised strength during peacetime. To the all-regular force, wars are come-as-you-are affairs as the regulars already have what they need in their arsenals.

It is different for a citizens army like Singapore's. To mobilise for action means pulling manpower needed to drive the economy. Such a decision cannot be made frivolously. A crafty enemy who knows this can play around with trigger points to the extent that MINDEF/SAF may be flummoxed as to whether the threat situation warrants a full, partial or no SAF mobilisation during a phoney war scenario.

The same reasoning extends to the Home Team agencies, which are never 100% equipped for their full force potential and also have procedures for mobilising reserve manpower.

The window of several months preparation for a hot war expected to last less than two weeks is a scenario that can elicit endless comments from armchair strategists and staff college students.

If the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) and SAF are robbed of this preparation window, SAF warfighters and war machines are likely to go into operations without the touted benefits of all the bells and whistles.

With the defence budget already taking the lion's share of the national budget, keeping special order items for a hot war reduces the pressure on defence spending. The reasoning behind this is that essential items would be purchased and fitted on a just-in-time basis ahead of a shooting war.

This approach has practical benefits for war machines such as armoured vehicles. The additional weight from add-on armour would increase wear and tear during peacetime training, resulting in worn out vehicles and a higher maintenance bill.

It also preserve operational security as hostile forces are likely to be surprised by stuff that appears only during operations.

Mind you, the vanilla Bronco can still do the job. But without additional armour and close-in protection, the embarked infantry would be unable to respond during an ambush (the Bronco does not have firing ports and soldiers have to open the doors to fire their small arms).

The scenario that a POT would buy Singaporean strategic planners the window needed to crank up war preparations to full defence readiness may not come true if a wily enemy knows your playbook and executes countermeasures to catch the SAF off-balance.

The trick is calibrating the SAF with the right amount of firepower during peacetime without blowing the budget, without wearing out men and machines or scaring the sarongs of its neighbours.

War planners would do well keeping their powder dry by having drawer plans for hostilities only equipment that can be quickly delivered to the city-state during a POT.

This delivery window assumes that the entity responsible for the POT would be compliant (or stupid?) enough not to ring the city-state with an air and naval blockade which would deny the city-state access to essential war material.

It also assumes that home forces would pack the readiness, reach and firepower needed to escort overseas shipments into Singapore. The demand for round-the-clock patrols during the build-up to (assumed) hostilities, plus additional vigilance by an in-country counter attack force to guard against pre-emptive attacks by saboteurs is likely to strain the SAF the longer the POT stretches.

The re-arming of the SAF during a POT could also compromise or erase any diplomatic efforts to steer clear of war. This strategic conundrum arises because the other side cannot be expected to sit idly by while SAF war machines are brought up to full war standard. Its intelligence planners are likely to recommend precautionary deployments of their regular forces and such deployments run the risk of forcing the SAF into strike mode in which the time for talk ends and the shooting starts.

During a POT, RSAF escort flights or naval patrols for HVUs represent sensitive flashpoints that could quickly shrink months of anticipated POT to a heightened state of tension within days if any side miscalculates.

It is not a foregone conclusion that a POT would culminate in war.

The decision to move from peace to war posture is a political one and all that training and preparations could count for nothing if politicians vacillate and cannot reach a decisive decision point during a POT.

Weak-willed politicians may also hold back the SAF's drawer plan response. There are few things worse in strategic decision planning than curtailing the SAF into limited action where target sets are hit incrementally in pin prick attacks rather than in a massive autostrike blowout repeatedly and ruthlessly delivered day and night till the target sets no longer exist.

In such situations, a hostile army that moves quickly could dash Singapore's hopes of a "swift and decisive" response if it brings the city-state within the range rings of its artillery before the SAF can mobilise. Anyone who has seen the SAF mobilise large units would realise that mobilisation centres are a target rich environment teeming with citizen soldiers making the transition from civilian to soldier (sailor or airman, as the case may be). The mobilisation centres are a legitimate target under the laws of war. Spread over several hectares, these premises are also an area target ideal for imprecise artillery barrages fired by rocket artillery units.

With the resolution of ownership of Pedra Branca and increased efforts to reduce Singapore's dependence on Malaysian fresh water supplies, Singapore has cut down its list of potential casus belli by two scenarios.

The irony is that the less likely a shooting war, the more vociferous will be the calls for Singapore to explain the need for and relevance of the SAF.

Missing elements in Singapore Armed Forces war games

2011-09-21T22:19:00.001+08:00

It's exercise season for Singapore's military!

In the past week alone, the Singaporean Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) churned out three news releases (Exercise Matilda, Ex Suman Warrior, Ex Valiant Mark) on war games involving the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) and warfighters from at least five other countries.

More's to come when Exercise Wallaby is launched in Queensland, Australia, next week.

There's one critical element missing from all these muscle-flexing outings by the SAF: civilians.

Watch the snazzy video clips screened by MINDEF. Examine the images of the combat manoeuvres and you will see a sanitised battlespace devoid of civilians.

This will not be the case in real life should deterrence fail.

Non-combatants numbering in the millions will be found in the SAF's area of operations if push comes to shove and Singapore's war machine puts into practice war craft drilled during war games such as Ex Wallaby.

If SAF Armour is to advance over distances clocked in the Shoalwater Bay Training Area in Rockhampton, it cannot realistically expect to do so in an AO emptied of civilians as in the Aussie outback.

Allied forces learned this the hard way during the opening phase of World War Two when British and French troops found roads leading to the battle area in the Low Countries clogged with civilian vehicles and refugees.

The same situation could upset carefully crafted drawer plans that have been rehearsed and replayed on computer and on military training grounds where map overlays mimic distances and objectives the SAF could be tasked to capture and hold in a hot war scenario.

If the SAF's advance crawls to a halt or fails to unfold with the promised "swift and decisive" effect, Singapore's war planners may find themselves in a fix as the city-state cannot sustain a long slugfest.

Adding to the difficult task is the likely presence of stay behind forces deliberately inserted to cause maximum damage on the SAF's combat service support (CSS) units. These units are the soft underbelly of the SAF - literally so because the SAF's armoured spearhead will be supported by logistics units that ply vulnerable supply routes in unarmoured vehicles, driven by combat unit rejects of dubious motivation, carrying highly flammable and combustible war material in an AO with long supply lines, no FEBA and uncountable ambush spots.

Matched against special forces fighting on home ground, the result of a clash between SAF loggies and special forces operatives determined to draw blood is not difficult to forecast.

It may be improper to inject war games such as Ex Orion and Ex Wallaby with such a high level of realism because doing so would alarm observers. It would also make the playbook obvious to trained eyes. And if the presence of huge numbers of civilians - real or simulated - really slows down the fighting units, the drag on morale from citizen soldiers who realise the enormity/futility of the task at hand may be difficult to manage.

Such mission scenarios are best fought in the virtual world, on plasma where computer algorithms can simulate to some degree of realism how the presence of non-combatants in an AO can blunt the advance of SAF manoeuvre forces.

It's high time that MINDEF/SAF upgrades the SAF's combat service support units to ensure they can do the job.

Soft-skinned B vehicles should be junked for armoured cargo carriers with excellent on and off-road capabilities. Protection against IEDs and mines should be a basic requirement. Remotely-controlled weapon mounts with a high degree of accuracy, day/night sights and ample ammunition should replace pintle-mounted GPMGs with no armour protection. Tempered glass should be replaced with armoured glass.

SAF planners need to plan and execute supply runs the same way an Armoured Battle Group is deployed for a thunder run. The supply convoys should have eyes-in-the-sky to probe and investigate the road ahead. Fire support should be ready on call. MSRs need to be treated the same way combat commanders view the battlespace. This is not a milk run but a combat operation in Indian country where the natives are hostile.

Above all, the heartware of SAF CSS units - the logisticians, drivers, aerial delivery pallet riggers and so on, need to be infused with the right fighting spirit and mindset of their mission and expected threat levels. For way too long, officers and WOSEs assigned to CSS units tend to be seen as the Cinderellas of the Singapore Army.

This mindset is perpetuated by MINDEF/SAF itself which likes to reserve media engagements and photo opportunities for the Defence Minister with teeth arms such as Armour, Artillery, Commando and Guards units. When was the last time you saw a Minister for Defence posing for newspaper photographers with Army truck drivers, clerks or water purification specialists?

Till now, CSS units have tended to survive on hand-me-downs. In the pecking order of priorities, the logistics units are usually at the bottom of the heap. They are the unloved orphan child who is last in the list of priorities, the ones whose budgets can be cut and whose wish lists remain so.

In the age of the M-16S1 5.56mm assault rifle, some CSS units were still armed with ancient AR-15s from the Vietnam War or unwanted SAR-80 assault rifles. They later progressed to M-16s when the rest of the Singapore Army transitioned to SAR-21 assault rifles.

The Third Generation SAF would send a strong deterrent message indeed if CSS units were overhauled from top to bottom.

It would take a bold SAF staff officer to argue that Army drivers should be armed with weapons such as the P90 5.7mm submachine gun. And why not? The Belgian gunmaker that designed the P90 made it a compact weapon designed to be carried by helicopter pilots and truck drivers.

But in the SAF, the P90 has been elevated to a weapon for crack Commando LRRP teams, who value its compactness and killing power of 5.7mm rounds designed to punch through body armour. Don't our SAF drivers deserve the same hitting power in an ambush?

With SAF teeth units transformed to fight a 3rd Gen battle, it's time to shift the spotlight to CSS formations and other GS Command units.

It is no point making a big show of war games such as Exercise Wallaby when defence observers look at the tail in the SAF's tooth-to-tail ratio and realise where the weak links are.

The weak links in the chain are the ones hostile forces will gun for.

National Day Parade 2012, Singapore: Some random thoughts

2011-09-18T11:50:00.009+08:00

The planning cycle for National Day Parade 2012 (NDP 2012) has begun but has yet to reach a design freeze.

Next year's parade will be the fifth held at The Float@Marina Bay after NDP 07, 08, 09, 11. The event is being organised by Headquarters Guards, the parent formation for the Singapore Army's heliborne infantry known as Guardsmen.

The Guardsmen work closely with rotary-wing elements from the Republic of Singapore Air Force's (RSAF) Participation Command to plan, prepare and execute airmobile operations and regularly test such CONOPs during war games such as Exercise High Noon and Orion.

Combat support elements from the Singapore Artillery such as the 155mm Pegasus lightweight howitzer, which can be airlifted by a Chinook heavy-lift helicopter, serve an important role in providing Guardsmen with concentrated artillery fire in their area of operations.

Specialised heli-portable gun or missile-armed Light Strike Vehicles (LSV) such as the Flyer and Spider (the vehicle, not the munition) are integral to Guards-led spearheads designed to provide flank support for the Singapore Army's heavy manoeuvre units formed by Armoured Battle Groups (ABG).

Essentially light infantry after they have landed, Guardsmen use 40mm Automatic Grenade Launchers (40AGL) or wire-guided Spike anti-tank missiles with a launch and update capability to harass hostile forces en route to meeting engagements with SAF ABGs.

Guardsmen can also capture and secure key transportation nodes such as expressway interchanges or river crossing points as manoeuvre forces fight their way towards the objective from land or from a coastal hook beach landing.

With this background in mind, let's look at how HQ Guards can revamp the Dynamic Defence Display (D3) for NDP 2012.

1. Airmobile column
Stage an aerial flypast that displays the airmobile capability of the Third Generation Singapore Armed Forces (SAF). Singaporeans have seen numerous NDP flypasts and get to see the Mobile Column of war machines once every five years. An Airmobile column comprising underslung 155mm Pegasus guns, LSVs in various fighting configurations (40AGL, Spike, 120mm SRAMS mortar), with Chinook heavy-lift helicopters and Super Puma/Cougar medium-lift helicopters escorted by Apache attack helicopters with assorted ordnance would add a new and visually captivating element to NDP.

Do watch this video to see what a massed formation (from 3:10 onwards) of helicopters might look like. This formation was filmed in Singapore.

2. Chinook with naval divers
This display should be updated with the Chinook landing on the water to launch a dinghy with naval divers. The one we saw this year with naval divers jumping off a Chinook has been repeated several times already. Not many people realise the Chinook can land on water and the calm conditions in the freshwater reservoir (less corrosive than a water landing in seawater) are ideal for such a demo.

The flight demo you see below was flown by Spanish pilots. Imagine watching this in Marina Bay.

3. Recognise 45 years of National Service
The year 2012 will mark the 45th year of National Service. This milestone should be built into part of the D3 show, perhaps using the well-known Open Mobilisation logo and all codewords flashed over the past decades during Open Mob exercises. This would show spectators the number of units that have gone through mobilisation practices in past years - and there have been many.

It will be clear that the Chinooks have a big part to play in the Airmobile column and D3 show.

Their contribution would be timely as the number in their official designation, CH-47D Chinook, coincides with the 47th year of Singapore's independence.

:-)

Goodbye Borders Parkway :(

2011-09-17T23:10:00.001+08:00

The Borders bookstore at Parkway Parade shopping mall is on its last legs and probably won't see another weekend as a going concern.

During its heyday, the Borders military book collection (complete with mis-spelt sign, see above) was a magnet for defence buffs as its amply stocked collection always promised a fascinating outing.

The writing was literally on the wall once bookshelves started to get noticeably bare some months ago.

With online bookstores offering hard-to-beat rates (including shipping) and insane currency conversion rates used by booksellers in Singapore, sticker prices at Borders were no longer competitive.

Worst was to come when people treated the place like a library rather than a bookstore.

And so it died a slow and agonising death as packed bookshelves were depleted and no longer restocked.

I will treasure the titles I bought from Borders in the past.

My last purchase at Borders today was a reference book on Greek and Roman mythology.

Admittedly an arcane subject but it's a handy reference for finding out about characters such as Heracles who lent his name to a naval radar and an interesting project.

Thank you Borders team members for the many years of happy memories.

Singapore Armed Forces military deaths and training safety: Telling it like it is

2011-09-10T17:55:00.007+08:00

The public relations message that the Defence ministry is doing all it can to keep military training safe yet realistic is as old as National Service (NS) itself.

Singaporeans have heard it all before, indeed ever since conscription began in 1967. As social media platforms mature, defence-themed PR messages need to be better calibrated as Singaporeans keep defence matters on their watch list.

This is why the Singaporean Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) and Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) need to raise, train and sustain a credible PR machinery to win the hearts and minds of Singaporeans and shape opinions in defence matters.

The increasing number of conscripts from families of New Citizens who will enter NS in coming years puts added pressure on MINDEF/SAF's Public Affairs Directorate because these households do not have the benefit of exposure to the NS system that most Singaporeans have. But more on that later.

However large the PR bureaucracy, Rule Number One is telling things as they are and not as you wish they should be. Doing so will earn you credibility and respect. Doing the opposite will build misgivings which could poison years of goodwill.

The above article from 1984 is a good example of how things could have been explained better. You may not realise this when you read the story and take things at face value without any basis for comparison.

But the statistics on military deaths in the article do not, in my opinion, match the reports on training incidents in the period mentioned. In my opinion, the article could confuse defence-watchers rather than clarify questions over training safety. The mismatch in death statistics could provoke more questions than reassure Singaporeans.

According to the article, only one of the 250,000 men trained by MINDEF "last year" - presumably 1983 - died in an accident.

I may have misread the situation but in my mind, the record of SAF training deaths for 1983 appears to tell a different story. According to open source newspaper reports, there were at least seven SAF deaths reported in 1983. With the benefit of the Internet, anyone keen on data mining the paper of record's archives would probably have noted the following fatalities. In my opinion, incidents 1, 3, 5 and 6 appear to be accidents.

Feb 1983: Lieutenant (LTA) Ang Cheng Sing, 20, and LTA Tio Sio Ngee, 19, died when their UH-1H helicopter crashed.

April 1983: Recruit Christopher Rayney, 20, from the School of Basic Military Training (SBMT) died of a viral infection.

May 1983: Private Chin Jee Yat, 20, from 25 SA died when a tyre exploded. Correct: 25 SA, since disbanded.

May 1983: Recruit Tham Wai Keong, 18, from the Infantry Training Depot (ITD) died on Pulau Tekong (Tekong island) during a route march.

June 1983: Private Lim Siang Kang, 19, from 35 SCE died in a crane accident.

June 1983: Commando Sergeant Yeo Soon Seng died several days after a diving accident.

If MINDEF/SAF had a different way of computing such statistics, it should have made this clear to newspaper readers. In my mind, the ministry did not. Try as I might, the numbers could not be reconciled.

The article also mentioned that in the first seven months (Jan to July) of 1984, only two SAF personnel had died.

However, the five SAF training deaths noted for the same period in 1984 are:

Feb 1984: Officer Cadet Lee Marn Wye, 19, found dead in a pond after he went missing during a map reading exercise.

April 1984: LTA Koh Mean Wan, 23, from 38 SCE died in Sungei Gedong. No further details.

April 1984: Recruit Sim Keat Kee, 19, died during a 2-km run.

April 1984: Recruit Bak Yow Hock, 17, died in a pool accident.

May 1984: Hunter pilot Captain Tan Seng Hui, 26, went missing over the South China Sea.

If you can match these tragedies to MINDEF's statistic of two deaths in the January to July 1984 period, please teach me how.

Whichever way you want to count the tragedies, families and loved ones of the dead will mourn their loss forever. In press articles from more than two decades ago, parents of yesteryear voice the same pain that parents of recent tragedies expressed.

Internet resources provide a wealth of data for defence-watchers with the time and energy to build their own records. MINDEF must recognise that the ability for netizens to datamine from one's desktop using net-based search engines means netizens are likely to countercheck every and any statistics that emerge from Gombak Drive. This capability was unavailable to newspaper readers back in the early 1980s and most people were probably none the wiser.

The bitter reality is this: So long as military training continues, the list of SAF fatalities will grow in coming years. As unpalatable as it may seem, this grim statistical fact underscores why a credible information management posture is so vital in the social media era.

Today's cohort of full-time National Servicemen (NSFs) who form the Third Generation SAF come from families whose menfolk weathered a harsher NS life. Stories of cover-ups during the late 1960s and 1970s - whether true or pure urban myth - can be easily passed onto the 3rd Gen SAF warfighters if MINDEF/SAF is not careful.

With the full panoply of social media gadgets at the fingertips of Gen Ys, the longevity of urban myths in era of the 3rd Gen SAF should be obvious.

MINDEF's PR challenge is compounded by New Singaporeans, many of whom hail from foreign countries where the military is best avoided, if not despised. Even if caste-based social groups envy martial traditions, the way New Singaporean families look at NS is little different from those of Singaporeans in the 1960s who viewed the SAF with skeptical eyes.

The impact of negative newsflows on New Singaporeans makes the PR task more complex. Newbies to the Lion City, unbloodied by military service, can be expected to react differently from homegrown Singaporean families who have felt the collective sense of loss many times before. When Death visits, as it will one day, the shock effect on the New Citizen family will be magnified.

I trust MINDEF/SAF had good intentions in sharing the death statistics with Singaporeans during the press engagement in 1984 or a solid basis for its calculations.

If the ministry had a more rigid definition of how it counted the deaths, this was not made clear in the story. The ambiguity that is apparent when one compares official rhetoric with numbers drawn from a file of death reports is unsettling, in my opinion.

There are several other striking examples of an apparent ~~contradiction~~ disjoint between records compiled from open source literature and the version of events from officialdom. But I believe I have made my point and will stop here.

The defence PR strategy may have worked 27 years ago when our island nation was younger and her citizens less discerning.

Alas, PAFF must realise by now the situation today is very different.

Singapore's energy options: Relooking the nuclear energy option

2011-09-03T11:48:00.006+08:00

Please take part in the poll on nuclear power Many thanks! -->

A power struggle of sorts is developing between Malaysia and Singapore to be the first to build and operate a nuclear powerplant.

Singapore must keep its eye on nuclear power options because the strategic disadvantages of being second to market could imperil the city-state's energy security.

In the post-Fukushima era, nuclear power is hardly a vote-generating idea. Japan and Germany have both pledged to reduce their reliance on nuclear power after the March 2011 tsunami in Japan contaminated parts of Japan with radiation from damaged nuclear power plants.

Whether we like it or not, natural gas fields that fire up turbines in Singapore's power stations are expected to be exhausted in about 20 years' time. This is a blink of an eye when seen in terms of the planning cycle needed to introduce an alternative form of energy, be it from a renewable (solar, wind, tides) or non-renewable source (oil, coal, gas).

To sit back and do the politically expedient by steering clear of the nuclear question would bring back the same strategic problems posed by the water problem.

With Singapore gradually weaning itself of dependence on freshwater from Malaysia's Johor state, botched planning in energy security could drive Singapore once again towards Malaysia for a strategic resource. In this case, energy.

The first country to add a nuclear power station to its power grid will guarantee its citizens a stable and safe source of energy. Cut through the screaming rhetoric from greenies and you will realise that post-Fukushima nuclear reactors are designed with more fail safes and with a far higher standard of reliability and mean time between failure for critical components than the 1970s-vintage reactors installed at the Fukushima facilities.

Depending on the power-generating capacity of the reactors installed in the Sin-Mal-Indo triangle, the first to market could end up selling surplus power to its neighbour at an unbeatable price per kilowatt hour.

The appeal of such pricing will rise as the last cubic metre of natural gas is sucked out of the earth.

A Singapore government in a state of decision paralysis about nuclear energy may indeed be forced to hitch the city-state's energy grid to Malaysia's nuclear powered Tenaga Nasional someday.

When that day comes, a flick of a switch up north is all it takes to get this little red dot to behave.

Singapore has walked the nuclear energy road before. In the 1970s, the government sent a young physicist to England to study all he could about atomic power. The individual carried the future of Singapore's energy security on his shoulders and knew he was charting Singapore's future with the paper of recommendations he would help pen for the government.

To his credit, he wrote off his own future by recommending that Singapore steer clear of nuclear power. It is understood he did so because the 1970s era nuclear power was still being refined. Years of training in atomic power had thus been redundant. But it did not matter as the paper he wrote was for the long-term good of his country.

That selfless individual was the late Dr Tay Eng Soon - in my opinion an underrated politician who gave his all for Singapore in more ways than Singaporeans can imagine or appreciate. I have the highest respect for him.

Our country must once again face the nuclear question.

We should do so united, with our eyes scanning the far horizon and with our hearts in the right place.

We must address this topic with the same discipline demonstrated by Dr Tay.

Options in terms of real estate must be made ready even as the go/no go milestone has yet to be reached.

Opting for nuclear power means more than having enough juice to power up your computer screen years from now.

Our increasing reliance on desalinated water will suck up huge amounts of power to convert seawater into potable water for us to drink and to sustain our industries. Until someone can reinvent the desalination process, we must be prepared to crank up our national grid well in time for the expiry of the water agreement with Malaysia in 2061. Not to do so would be strategic lunacy.

Nuclear energy will also mean the Singapore Armed Forces and Home Team agencies such as the Singapore Police Force and Singapore Civil Defence Force must up their game substantially, quickly and professionally.

Our intelligence services must do so likewise and have another pot to watch.

We may need to train, organise, equip and support our version of the United States Nuclear Emergency Support Team (NEST) that can guarantee the safety of nuclear fuel. Specialised arms and equipment will need to be sourced and adapted to our tropical climate, along with SOPs for meting out deadly force on entities who may want to interfere with Singapore's nuclear energy cycle.

We need to upgrade our Police Coast Guard into an open-water force to accompany and escort nuclear fuel ships from fuel source to waste dump.

Infrastructure-wise, Singaporeans need not worry that a nuclear power station will be built next door.

This blog understands that Singapore has a site in mind for a reactor under Jurong Island. It is tunnelled some 130 metres below sea level in granite bedrock and is said to have chambers some 27 metres tall - three times the height of Resorts World Sentosa's 9-metre high car park for those of you who have been to there.(If you haven't, please visit to take a look.)

Energy planners must therefore stay the course and decide what's best for Singapore.

If and when the go signal is given, infrastructure should be ready and so should our security services.

This imponderable may test the mettle of the current government's persuasiveness with heartlanders and that outreach must start right now with the MIW being more open and consultative with its people.

Their biggest hurdle is whether the average Singaporean - this means you and I - will be mentally prepared to accept a nuclear reactor on our soil.

Are you?

Further reading on nuclear power on the blog:
The nuclear option for Singapore. Click here.

S'pore's new energy source: A nuke on your doorstep. Click here.

Nuclear energy for Singapore: A look at Singapore's information management and PR strategy for nuclear energy. Please read Part 1 here and Part 2 here.

The Government and the Media in Singapore

2011-09-02T18:47:00.001+08:00

Interesting article about the 90 cents newspaper.

WikiLeaks: Significant gov’t pressure put on ST editors

By Yahoo! Singapore

SingaporeScene – A senior staff member of Singapore's largest newspaper admits there's "significant pressure" on its editors to follow the government line, according to a newly released WikiLeaks document.

As a result, reporters within the paper are "increasingly frustrated" with the restrictions on what they can report and often seek overseas postings where restrictions are less.

The document, which appears to be a written minute taken in 2009 at the Singapore Embassy, highlighted the private views of two Straits Times journalists and a then-journalism student.

Chua Chin Hon, who is currently the paper's US bureau chief, was quoted as saying that reporters have to be careful in their coverage of local news, as Singapore's leaders will "likely come down hard" on anyone
who reports negatively about the government or its leadership.

Without naming names, he also recounted how several ministers at the time "routinely call editors" to ensure that media coverage of an issue "comes out the way they want it."

Chua also said that ST editors had been vetted to ensure their "pro-government leanings" and that while local reporters are "eager to produce more investigative and critical reporting... they are stifled by editors who have been groomed to tow the line."

In the WikiLeaks cable, Chua pointed out how there is extensive media coverage before the government intends to push out a certain policy, adding that some articles read like "Public Service Announcements".

He cited how during the 2008 collapse of Lehman brothers, there was a spate of articles writing about the retirees who lost money in the mini-bonds in a sympathetic manner, and this was followed by the government's decision to assist those retirees.

Singapore's largest newspaper has often been criticised for its pro-government stance.

Another reporter, Lynn Lee, who is currently the paper's Indonesian bureau chief, confirmed the restrictions on local media, highlighting the internal editorial debate over the covering of the opposition in Singapore.

An example she gave was the conflict over the amount of coverage that the paper would dedicate to opposition icon J.B. Jeyaretnam (JBJ) following his death in September 2008, saying that while editors agreed with reporters' demand for extensive coverage of his funeral, they rejected reporters' suggestions to limit the amount of coverage devoted to eulogies provided by Singapore's leaders.

In the end, the leaders' statements took up a significant portion of the allotted space, Lee said.

In addition, Lee revealed that self-censorship was a common practice for reporters.

She said that she would never write about any racially sensitive issues, citing the case of a journalist in Malaysia who was arrested for reprinting a politician's racially charged comments.

In contrast to the limitations imposed on local reports, Chua said that the paper's reporters are more free to write about international events. Chua said he enjoyed a great deal of freedom during his stint as China Bureau Chief.

The leaked cable also contained the views of then-journalism student Chong Zi Liang, who said he could see himself working locally for one or two years before going off somewhere else, because he thought it was too "stifling" to remain in the country.

The document is part of a collection of 251,000 unedited and confidential US diplomatic cables that can be found on the whistle-blowing WikiLeaks website, founded by Julian Assange.

In the latest batch released online, several more can be found about Singapore.

One talks about the state of Singapore's opposition in 2004 and another on how the government actively co-opts talented Muslims to become Members of Parliament.

Last year, WikiLeaks revealed what key Singapore diplomats thought of neighbouring Asian leaders as well as what former leader Lee Kuan Yew thinks about North Korea.

Presidential Election 2011: Close of polls

2011-08-27T20:00:00.003+08:00

Polling stations for the Presidential Election have just closed.

Results of today's poll would prove or disprove the value of online opinion polls such as the ones posted regularly by Yahoo Singapore on hot topics du jour.

If real world matches virtual world, campaign strategists from all interest groups would likely sit up and take notice.

If there's a disjoint, then it would show that sentiments expressed on the Internet do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the so-called silent majority. The impact of such a result on hearts and minds strategies would be significant because they are likely to desensitise the system against Internet chatter.

Prior to the 7 May 2011 General Election, the MIW tended to discount virtual world feedback as unreliable, mischievious and unworthy of attention as the vast majority were penned anonymously. Go look at discussion threads in Hardwarezone and Yahoo Singapore, click on the profiles and you will be hard pressed to find any netizens who write in their real name.

The vote swing against the MIW made them reconsider this point of view. Post GE 2011, the word "engage" suddenly became a catch phrase among the MIW.

Before the next sunrise, we will find out if opinions expressed during the run up to the PE has resulted in campaigns won or lost.

In my opinion, the ground has not been sweet for Dr Tony Tan - the only former Defence Minister to make a bid for the highest office in the land.

If Dr Tan's vote count puts him first past the post, this victory would likely embolden the MIW to downplay, belittle or ignore the Internet as a feedback channel.

Like a one song band, they are likely to continue using Facebook to engage you on your side of the computer screen. The MIW's FB presence serves as a pressure valve, allowing netizens to vent their spleen on a host of issues. But as Maplewoods residents have learned, it would otherwise be business as usual.

Dr Tan's mathematician mind has probably worked out the permutations of a four-horse race and one hopes his election machinery has given the former Deputy Prime Minister a credible assessment of street talk.

Dr Tan will be hard-pressed to win this election as Dr Tan Cheng Bock is likely to give him a hard fight. This is based on ground sensing this past week.

Mistakes include what I see as a mishandling of the White Horse issue. After all is said and done, netizens want to know if the 12 years it took for one of Dr Tan's sons to complete his full-time NS was unprecedented. If it wasn't and other mother's sons also enjoyed this opportunity, the TT camp and the Singaporean Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) should have just said it, backed the statement with figures. Thus assured, most Singaporeans would have moved on.

No amount of counter arguments issued by Dr Tan's sons can match credible statistics on deferments which would kill vicious Internet chit chat over what some Singaporeans see as a World Record deferment (i.e. 12 years to complete full-time National Service).

From an information management standpoint, Dr Tan's sons should realise that the vast majority of Singaporeans (this blogger included) have never heard of them nor their career milestones prior to the PE. Now, we do.

So who spilled the beans?

Someone close to, or familiar with, their social circumstances must have been responsible. The Tan brothers, now grown up, need to reflect deeply on how they carried themselves since their NS days and ask themselves hand-on-heart if their mannerisms and social behaviour had offended Singaporeans along the way. Their friends and frenemies would know that answer.

In defence-speak, their OODA loop has been compromised. In my opinion, the Tan brothers should have brought things back on track by convincing Singaporeans that their respective NS stints not only fulfilled NS to the letter of the law but also to the spirit of laws governing NS.

In my view, their two replies danced around the three fundamental tenets of NS which are equity, universality and critical national need. Please read this landmark speech on NS delivered on 16 January 2006 by former Defence Minister Teo Chee Hean here.

Dr Tan is outraged political capital has been made from the White Horse issue. But so are many netizens who want and are entitled to know that the system they support treats every Singaporean son fairly.

By all means shoot the messenger(s) for bringing up the White Horse issue, damn them for trying to sabotage Dr Tan's PE bid but never overlook the heartlanders who have been following the issue and feel the replies on the White Horse issue failed to address nagging concerns.

Without proper closure and in the absence of reasoned debate, this issue will continue to haunt Dr Tan. Regardless of whether TT becomes our next President, MINDEF must be prepared to soak up collateral damage whenever netizens go on the war path.

We could go on and on about hits and misses in the former DPM/DM's election campaign or catch some shut eye ahead of the poll results.

Let's go for the latter and regroup later.

Note: This commentary was written before polls closed on 27 August 2011 and has been timed to go "live" at 2000 hrs Hotel. Comments on your polling day experience are welcome, as always.

Singapore Presidential Election 2011: First Ladies in waiting

2011-08-21T23:16:00.003+08:00

Your vote for Singapore's Elected President is a two-for-one offer.

This is why you have Mr President and the First Lady staring at you whenever you visit any government department.

The spouses of Presidential Election candidates must be prepared to step up to the status befitting a First Lady. This is different from being a politician's wife, who can stay safely out of reach of the paparazzi or busybody journalists.

The New Paper on Sunday, 21 August 2011, Page 4

The decision by Dr Tony Tan's camp to stay out of The New Paper's Sunday feature on the four women who could be our next First Lady is not an enlightened one.

In mature democracies, the First Lady serves a hugely important role in society and in supporting the office of the President, both in domestic and international affairs.

I am sure many of you have heard of Barbara Bush, Hillary Clinton, Laura Bush (top, meeting Singaporean children and doing the same with American students) and Michelle Obama and their role in American statecraft.

My personal favourite is Eleanor Roosevelt, whose public appearances during the Depression era brought much cheer to American workers. It is said that her visits to frontline troops in the Pacific during WW2 did the same and helped raise morale immensely.

Wives who aspire to support and strengthen their husband's PE campaign chances must realise the status of First Lady in a First World Parliament comes with duties and responsibilities that entail personal sacrifices.

Signalling that one is not ready for the role sends a wrong message to potential supporters.

The last thing I want in a First Lady is a perfect stranger who comes out of hibernation during Istana open houses for that grip-and-grin photo opportunity, only to slink away into the corridors of power when no longer needed.

You must project self-confidence and a readiness to stand by and serve Singaporeans in good times and especially in bad times. How would Singaporeans know you are willing and able to do so if they do not know you better?

With campaigning for the Presidential Election at the halfway mark, the TT camp must quickly reappraise its campaign strategy to reassure Singaporeans that their First Lady aspirant is ready for the job.

The ground is not sweet and Dr Tan will need every vote he can get.

Security breach at SMRT Bishan depot: A rail security headache

2011-08-21T22:33:00.001+08:00

The finger pointing between transport company SMRT and Evtec Management Services, a private security company hired to patrol its Bishan train depot, should be settled without delay.

A check with Evtec's terms of reference would settle the question of whether its guards had failed to patrol the fenceline where an intruder allegedly entered the protected area to vandalise SMRT rolling stock.

If Evtec lapsed, then withdraw the SIRD licenses of its guards and let the firm go belly up.

If SMRT doesn't even know where its out of bounds areas are, then we have a real problem with rail security.

SMRT's complacency is disappointing and a dangerous mindset that puts the lives of thousands of rail commuters at risk every day.

Rail security should have been raised immediately after 9/11 when it became apparent that foreign operatives had conducted a video reconnaissance of Yishun MRT station with a view to bombing the place.

Then came 11/3/2004 Madrin train bombings and the 7/7/2005 London bombings of the city's bus and Underground system.

Our security planners reacted the way most generals do: By planning to fight the last war.

And so with great fanfare and publicity, Exercise Northstar V was staged in January 2006. The exercise scenario was modelled after the tragedies in London. That wet weekend, Singaporeans had to endure minor disruptions at key transport nodes in the city state.

Amid reassuring statements by security gurus, the security of our train depots went under the radar. We had tackled a London Bombing Redux and Singaporeans were persuaded they could all sleep well at night.

It took a train vandal to expose flaws in rail security.

Enter Oliver Fricker, a 33-year-old Swiss national who trespassed into SMRT's Changi depot to spray paint train carriages there in May 2010.

We now hear that history has repeated itself at the SMRT depot in Bishan.

Having vandals express their artistry on train carriages is a minor irritation compared to the possibility that hostile elements might infiltrate the said depots to plant time bombs on rolling stock.

With the kind of mindset SMRT has displayed time and again, we would probably have to wait for terrorists to turn SMRT trains into coffins on tracks before the company stops pushing out excuses and takes proactive action.

Is this how things are done in this country? That it takes someone to die before people take action just like it took the death of one Indonesian teenager before months of delays in putting up drain railings were finally resolved?

The rail security headache is one that warrants urgent attention, not platitudes we have heard before.

Hostile elements itching to strike the Lion City, whose reputation as a hard target raises its attractiveness as a trophy target, would probably be cheered by this weekend's news of the Bishan security breach.

A decade after 9/11, there are weak links they can exploit. And it's only a matter of time before they succeed.

How many wake-up calls does SMRT need before it does something about rail security?

Singapore's Presidential Election 2011 to road test Freak Election Result theory, George Yeo Effect

2011-08-20T17:55:00.019+08:00

Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) personnel should take more than a passing interest in the Presidential Election (PE) campaign because the Tan they will swear allegiance to will be voted in exactly a week from today.

This campaign is likely to road test the Freak Election Result theory. Indeed, a recent Yahoo poll showed that the candidate implicitly backed by the MIW did not come out tops.

You have to be living on another planet not to realise by now that the four PE candidates appear to fall into two distinct camps in a one-versus-three arrangement.

However hard they mouth their declarations of independence, the career legacy that is the basis for them standing in the first place is also their bugbear.

Dr Tony Tan's camp must have read and mulled over sentiments expressed on the Internet about his candidacy. The former Deputy Prime Minister's intimate links with the MIW continue to stoke online calls that the PE should be used to send yet another signal to the system that all is not well following the General Election this May.

If this theory pans out, four in 10 voters would likely turn their backs on Dr Tan.

How the remaining 60% of the electorate vote next Saturday is a surefire way to start a conversation with strangers in the heartlands.

Supporters from the other three camps, viz Dr Tan Cheng Bock, Mr Tan Jee Say and Mr Tan Kin Lian, have used their underdog image as a war cry for Singaporeans to vote in a President who can bring a fresh set of ideas to the Istana (To foreign readers, this is the President's office off Orchard Road).

Dr Tan's prospects are not helped by the fact that Singaporeans know the MIW government will remain in power for the next five years, whichever candidate they support. Flawed or not, matching such logic to the poor awareness of what the President's job really entails gives the Freak Election Result theory more traction.

Furthermore, the scenario of a rogue government spending the reserves is theoretical and unlikely under the 12th Parliament. And if a second key is needed to unlock reserves, logic would state that the key master shouldn't be cut from the same piece of cloth.

The fence-sitters during GE 2011 who cast a vote for the MIW because of selfish self-preservation (fear of losing a promotion if the system "finds out" they voted against the MIW) or out of fear that they might wake up to an alternative government no longer have to worry about this.

Which box they cross next Saturday makes voting patterns for this watershed PE too complex to call even for the bookies.

This is no GE as the government will remain intact whoever wins. But lingering resentment from GE 2011 has made some Singaporeans wonder if the system needs another wake-up call.

To be sure, the MIW have, in my sense of the matter, scored several own goals since the May election. The party Whip must rein in members to avoid stupid episodes such as Penny Low's implausible excuse after NDP 2011 (where, pray tell, is the FB entry?) and foot in mouth situations by Dr Lim Wee Kiat (over minister's pay) and Vikram Nair's baffling remarks over election results.

Above all, screen the MPs carefully and ensure outgoing MPs do not end up compromising newbies by sacking grassroots members days before a GE. Outgoing MIW MP Chan Soo Sen did just that in Joo Chiat and this upset grassroots members who volunteered their time to serve him. It poisoned ground support and the MIW very nearly lost that seat.

Some people feel the PE is a waste of time and public money. We already have a competent government and fully operational civil service, bloodied and tested in crisis of yesteryear like SARS and economic recessions, to formulate and roll-out public policy. Singaporeans therefore find statements by PE candidates who want to be a shadow Minister for Whatever baffling, if not redundant and self-serving. No prizes for guessing how they will vote.

Like it or not, PE results will mirror how people feel towards the MIW since GE 2011.

Check the winning votes. Whoever wins might end up with the dubious reputation as the least supported Elected President in Singapore's history.

And check the percentage of spoilt votes too. What would this figure signal?

Unresolved questions over the National Service (NS) record of Dr Tan's son, Patrick, and the tactic by candidates like TKL to use National Service as a talking point to draw attention to his candidacy are some of the defence themes that will come our way during the PE.

As Dr Tan previously held the Minister for Defence portfolio, the other three Tans must know that questions raised over defence matters, particularly hot potato issues like the need for and duration of NS, may dim the former DPM's election prospects.

Dr Tan could also fall prey to what I call the George Yeo Effect.

Some voters may be convinced that Dr Tan is the best man for the job. They may believe that his character, credentials and potential are rock solid. But as in the case of former Minister for Foreign Affairs George Yeo, who lost his seat in the five-seat Aljunied Group Representation Constituency (GRC), the electorate's clamour for someone to champion their views may outweigh all other considerations.

The other three Tans must be streetwise enough to realise this. We can therefore expect them to harp on their independent and somewhat renegade streak during their campaign speeches.

One thing's for sure: Whoever wins will get a front row seat to the SAF Day Parade next year when Singapore marks 45 years of National Service.

P.S. For those who are wondering, I have not decided who to vote for as of today.

Singapore's Defence ministry replies to mother's concerns over National Service (NS)

2011-08-16T18:11:00.003+08:00

The Straits Times Forum

http://www.straitstimes.com/
Published on Aug 16, 2011

Safety of national servicemen a top priority: Mindef

THE Ministry of Defence (Mindef) shares Ms Looi Pek Hong's concern ('National service: A mother's constant worry'; last Friday) and the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) will do all it can to ensure the safety of national servicemen.

Their safety is a top priority. We have a robust system built on internationally accepted guidelines to ensure high standards of safety.

Each commander knows that he has the direct responsibility to ensure the safety of his men in the midst of realistic training. They have to comply with safety procedures, which are prescribed for every training activity and reviewed regularly.

As safety procedures cannot cover all contingencies, individual servicemen have also been taught to remain alert to their own health and surroundings, and to take personal action to safeguard their own safety and that of their buddies during training.

Each time an incident occurs, procedures and precautions are thoroughly reviewed at many levels to improve our safety system.

Mindef and the SAF will strive continually to improve our safety record and we appreciate the commitment and dedication of our servicemen and their families to national service.

Colonel Desmond Tan
Director, Public Affairs
Ministry of Defence

MediaCorp Channel 5 News

2011-08-15T21:56:00.000+08:00

Anyone knows what happened to tonight's (15 Aug'11) News on Five at 21:30hrs?

ST Forum Page Letter on National Service

2011-08-12T14:19:00.000+08:00

Next year marks the 45th year of National Service (NS) in Singapore.

Time flies. I still recall, somewhat vividly, reporting on the opening of the Army Museum during the 40th year of NS.

The letter below on NS from Ms Looi Pek Hong is worth reading and reflecting upon. I am quite sure Ms Looi isn't alone in nursing such sentiments.

One hopes that the Singaporean Ministry of Defence and Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) will engage NS stakeholders with meaningful activities. These could include dialogue sessions and camp visits as Singaporeans need an opportunity to clear up unfinished business on NS matters such as the White Horse issue and NS deferments.

The Straits Times
http://www.straitstimes.com/
Published on Aug 12, 2011

National service: A mother's constant worry

By Looi Pek Hong (Ms)

As a mother of a full-time national serviceman (NSF) who is nine months into his national service and who has just graduated from the Specialist Cadet School, I feel the pain of the parents of Third Sergeant Ee Chun Sheng ('NSF on training exercise dies'; Aug 3).

Each day, since my son began fulfilling his NS obligations, I have lived in fear of the telephone ringing, or of a soldier in uniform calling at my house, to break some painful news.

We can live with the sores and cuts that he comes home with, but we fear the day we will never see him come home again.

Every year, thousands of our boys leave their homes, their studies or their jobs to fulfil their obligations to the nation. All they and we, their parents, ask for is their safe return two years later.

Why are there fatal accidents involving our NSFs almost every year? Why do they happen even after inquiries and investigations reveal that procedures were followed and safety measures were in place?

The Defence Ministry should correct this distressing record. Let us, the parents of current and future NSFs, live and sleep in peace.

National Day Parade 2011: Celebrating the Singapore Spirit

2011-08-09T16:44:00.001+08:00

NDP 2011 will start soon.

Follow the "live" telecast of the parade by clicking here from 18:10 Hotel Time (10:10 Zulu).

Appreciate your thoughts on the NDP 2011 coverage by the print, broadcast and Internet media.

Happy National Day everyone!

Defence Minister Dr Ng Eng Hen's first press call at military exercise: More creativity needed in MINDEF/SAF defence media relations

2011-08-06T23:00:00.003+08:00

Same old, same old: 2 August 2011, Pulau Sudong

1 August 2003, Pulau Sudong

Eight years after storming the hell out of a beach on Pulau Sudong, the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) were at it yet again on Tuesday (2 August 2011).

War games were staged on the island off Singapore for the new Minister for Defence, Dr Ng Eng Hen, to make his first press call at an SAF exercise.

It was an impressive setting as the exercise was about as tri-Service as one could ask for. Army, navy and air force elements were conveniently composed in one frame, with the action suggesting the brown water power projection capabilities of Singapore's war machine.

Though the SAF has made great strides in its people, war fighting concepts and defence technology, the media plan for Dr Ng seemed ~~disappointingly~~ faintly similar to the one rolled out for former Defence Minister, Teo Chee Hean when he made his first press call. Mr Teo is now Deputy Prime Minister, Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs.

On 1 August 2003, the Singaporean media was invited to the same beach to watch the same landing sequence, albeit without attack helicopter support as our Apaches were then still with Peace Vanguard in the United States.

Rather than repeat what defence watchers have seen before, Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) spin doctors should have used the opportunity to showcase a new, improved and more lethal SAF.

A strong deterrent message could have been sent to the ~~Malaysians~~ ~~Indonesians~~ ~~Taliban~~ potential threats with a command post exercise that integrated manoeuvre elements at one location in Singapore with live-fire elements say at the SAFTI Live Firing Area and aerial support over the Delta areas in the South China Sea.

If one wanted to be more ambitious, the manoeuvre elements could be tracked during an overseas exercise with the live-fire elements on another continent.

The amount of C2 and coordination such an enterprise demands would speak volumes of the SAF's defence readiness.

It would also offer shutter bugs from the mainstream media a new setting rather than having them capture how Sudong's treeline has aged in the past eight years.

It is infinitely easier to run the same PR gig all over again. But defence watchers on the Singapore desk in regional countries who are trained to pick out trends and highlight capability developments would surely notice the rehashed camera angles and talking points.

The deterrent effect is blunted further when informed observers realise that the beach landing tactics are little changed from WW2 amphibious landing tactics.

Watching the Sudong beach landing sequence, Singaporeans who recall the opening scenes of the block buster Saving Private Ryan might be horrified at the thought of impending casualties when they are supposed to feel reassured at the vigilance of our men and women in uniform.

Imagine then what foreign defence observers might think.

Singapore Armed Forces OPFOR training ground

2011-08-05T18:07:00.002+08:00

ST Life 4 August 2011

Was pleasantly surprised to see that photographer Ang Song Nian was allowed to take pictures of the oil palm plantation on Pulau Tekong, Singapore's largest offshore island which is exclusively used by the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF).

I have yet to see such a direct reference between oil palm plantations in an SAF training area and those in Malaysia. The SAF also maintains rubber plantations on Tekong and mainland Singapore for its ground forces to stage war games.

The pictures will be part of an art show titled Imagine Malaysia.

The text of the Life! story reads:"Award-winning photographers Robert Zhao and Ang Song Nian both depict the uneasy relationship between the two countries through photographs laden with strong visual puns and symbols.

"Zhao's work features a lion and tiger while Ang's photograph diptych features what look like similar images.

"But one is a Malaysian oil palm plantation, the other is Pulau Tekong, the training site of Singapore's pool of soldiers in the event of war."

Singapore Armed Forces training safety in the spotlight once again

2011-08-04T00:01:00.002+08:00

Military training was suspended for a day on Wednesday after the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) reported one fatality out of two training incidents over the past three days.

Singaporeans who are tracking the SAF's safety record may ask why such time-outs, which allow the SAF to review and reassess safety protocols, only seem to be triggered after training incidents take place consecutively.

In June 2008, the Singaporean Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) and SAF announced a three-day "time-out on physical and endurance training" after suffering two deaths in as many days.

In March 1997, the SAF halted training temporarily after three full-time National Servicemen died in two fatal incidents. Two NSFs were killed when their FH-2000 155mm heavy artillery gun blew up in New Zealand because of a defective Made in China fuze. One NSF was killed in Singapore after an unexploded warhead from a misfired Armbrust light anti-tank weapon picked up by infantrymen blew up. Five others were injured, including a Lieutenant who lost his arm.

But no training halts were reported in 2009 eventhough the 10 deaths that year is the highest on record. Do you wonder why?

Taken at face value, people might nurse the wrong idea that training deaths spread out over time have less impact on SAF safety awareness compared to a string of deaths over a compressed timeframe. Such logic may be flawed, but this is what defence watchers may conclude after trying to figure out when an incident merits a training halt and when it does not.

SAF training halts are discussed at length in a previous blog entry here. An audit on SAF training safety for the 2001 to 2010 period by this blog can be found here.

With the latest incidents both involving Specialist Cadets, unit morale is likely to take a hit. The loss is probably keenly felt among budding Specialists. SAF commanders and Specialist Cadet School instructors must therefore step forward to help the young soldiers cope with the loss of one of their own during this trying time.

Superstitious minds - and there are many of all races out there - who have theorised that these incidents could be linked to the Hungry Ghost month, which started on Sunday, are wrong.

During the decade just past, the month of August emerged as one of the safest months along with February, March and December with one fatality logged for each of these months. August usually coincides with the Chinese Seventh Month, which is also known as the Hungry Ghost month.

For the record, the deadliest month from 2001 to 2010 was June, with eight deaths during the period.

Internet chatter over the training deaths show once again that Singaporeans will demand, and are indeed entitled to, a clear and frank appraisal of the SAF's training safety record.

Telling Singaporeans realistic training is necessary and that training fatalities may occur despite all best efforts is of cold comfort to those with loved ones in uniform.

Whether MINDEF/SAF chooses to shares such statistics or not, Singaporeans will form their own ideas anyway.

And if people are going to do so, the system should help them make up their minds on the basis of accurate and reliable statistics, not street talk and wild rumours.

Mastering the art of social media communications: Substance over form, message over medium

2011-08-03T00:01:00.005+08:00

If your message is worth sharing, you can trust netizens will do the job for you.

The more valuable or interesting the content, the faster it will spread. And when the message blazes through cyberspace like wildfire, your message would have gone viral.

A good example is the picture of the maid who carried the fullpack of a Singaporean full-time National Serviceman (NSF). Many of you would have seen it. No need to repost.

Here we have the example of an image with no author, subjects still unnamed, a picture with no caption, and material with no press officer or media plan.

Still, it went viral and made the news in the city-state and abroad.

Mainstream print and broadcast media reported on that now-infamous image. The number of eyeballs that single image attracted in the virtual world and the impact it made in the real world exemplify the pervasive reach of social media.

Mastering the intricacies of social media goes beyond understanding the technical aspects of every function on Facebook, every iPad app or having the largest number of followers on one's Twitter account.

Newsmakers who want to master the art of social media should concentrate on the basics. This means paying attention to substance over the form, message over medium. Let the blogosphere do the rest.

This may sound simple, indeed commonsense. But doing so will demand a mindset change from control freak newsmakers who cherry pick the reporters allowed to show up at their press conferences.

Some are even known to go to the extent of underlining key paragraphs of their speeches or press communiques so journalists won't miss the news point.

Substance over form also means ditching stunts such as being the fastest to respond on Facebook or answering queries on one's Facebook discussion wall in the wee hours of the morning. This pace cannot be sustained. When it drops, netizens will notice and your lack of attention will come back to haunt you.

Ignore journalists who spin stories like these because being quick on the draw is meaningless if the content of your message says nothing or is choked with motherhood statements.

A friend once mentioned that he found it amusing how officers in the Defence Ministry tended to add all sorts of bells and whistles to their Powerpoint presentations - animated text, pictures, video clips etc - instead of keeping the messages clear, easy to understand and remember.

In the social media realm, it is all to easy to get obsessed over every function that a virtual medium offers, rather than focus on what you really want to tell your audience.

Remember too that a Facebook presence does not equate to an effective social media presence. Facebook may be today's flavour of the day and medium of choice for social media advocates. But so was Friendster and ICQ not so long ago.

If one concentrates on ensuring messages are shared proactively and ground sentiments heard and addressed, then that message will spread whatever medium may excite us today or years from now.

What we're seeing today is the tendency for certain political figures to use their Facebook pages to connect with people. These virtual updates are then dutifully reported by the mainstream media, which is the reverse of how government media relations officers are trained to run the show.

Never ditch the traditional media for the gimmicky, 24/7 reach of virtual world communications.

Your communications strategy on red hot talking points, such as housing prices, could just as well be explained with the time-tested combo of background briefings for reporters/editors, a clear and concise news release plus fact sheet, a door-stop interview, with a news story and commentary piece written for good measure to give the background to the news. Commentaries allow your advocates to shape hearts and minds by injecting opinions and viewpoints that could subtly influence readers.

Avoid theatrics such as one-time only online chats. If one's grassroots intelligence and feedback mechanisms work as they should, one need not rely on the brutal candor gleaned from such real-time virtual chats. The worst they can do is make netizens feel used as a PR prop, with their queries amassed like virtual tributes to show how engaged and plugged in the newsmaker is.

Listening and engaging netizens demands a certain tenacity to accommodate viewpoints that run counter to one's point of view (POV).

The "noise" generated during discussions, especially when people can mask their identity with fake personas, means you should be ready to hear all POVs. Yes, even contrarian ones from what one MP calls the "lunatic fringe".

In the real world, half your battle is won by using the MICA press accreditation system to screen your scribes. This does not work in the virtual world.

Seeking a semblance of control, some have taken to driving hecklers and unfriendly voices from their websites. The act of sanitising comments on one's Facebook page by purging hecklers who get on one's nerves is not recommended. It will show you have low or no tolerance for dissenting voices or an impatience at consensus building with well meaning netizens who may hold stubbornly to their POV through lack of knowledge or insufficient guidance.

All it does is cull your discussants to ~~suck ups~~ confederates who tell you what you want to hear. This will leave you blindsided at a time when accurate, relevant and timely ground sensing of the thoughts, feelings and concerns of heartlanders is much desired, yet hard to obtain.

And as residents from the Maplewoods condo will tell you, the art of effective communications requires active intervention at all junctures when your residents' living space will be affected.

If you can't hide a hole in the road big enough to accommodate a tunnel boring machine, tell residents what to expect before the excavators move in.

Holding belated town hall sessions and presenting them a fait accompli, and putting the residents on a guilt trip for delaying national infrastructure by a month is a sure way of damaging goodwill. If there's even one road traffic accident despite official assurances, how do you think the Maplewoods residents will react?

With Singapore's 12th Parliament elected during the 2011 Generation Election (GE 2011) due to hold its first session on 10 October, netizens are already talking about the rematch during GE 2016.

Singapore's ruling People's Action Party has evidently taken heed of the impact of social media during GE 2011.

Former party chairman Lim Boon Heng said on 22 July during an appreciation dinner for retired MPs: "Whoever masters the art of communication gets his message across to the people. No one has matched founding Secretary-General and our first Prime Minister in speaking at public rallies. He mastered the medium of the day, first radio, then television. Today there is a new medium - social media - that has to be mastered."

Substance over form, message over medium is what your ~~netizens~~ ~~voters~~ citizens would appreciate, please.

Anything with more PR spin would be a virtual world version of Chinese street opera known as wayang - old school and entertaining in a quaint way, but a dying art.

In the hot seat: Learning points from the National Day Parade 2011 stray fireworks projectile incident

2011-08-02T13:48:00.003+08:00

ST 1 August 2011

The headline writer for this advertorial in the 90 cents newspaper was spot on as the area around Fullerton Hotel was in the beaten zone for the Parade Preview's "pyromusical" staged on Saturday.

SYT 31 July 2011

Not to belabour the point about effective information management, as I hear the National Day Parade 2011 Executive Committee (EXCO) is on top of the issue, but Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) personnel tasked with media relations should never feel pressured to answer a media query even when the journalist's print deadline is looming.

Cue tables show that the pyromusical was set to take place around 8:05pm. Assuming the newsroom was contacted soon after, the EXCO had under four hours to respond before the paper went offstone, which is press jargon for sending the paper to print.

When I read the denial in The Sunday Times, I felt something was not right as investigations are seldom wound up in so short a time.

ST 1 August 2011

Suggested learning points are as follows:
1. Never comment when investigations are underway.
2. A holding statement that underscores the EXCO's commitment to get to the bottom of things and assure the public will suffice. Something like: "It is premature to comment as investigations are ongoing. Checks will be thorough as the safety and security of NDP spectators and participants are our top priorities."
3. Institutionalise learning points for future committees so younger officers will learn from this episode. It is not a show-stopper but should not be repeated in future as it robs MINDEF/SAF of its credibility: one day deny, next day admit.
4. The MIDAS programme in 39 SCE could be used to plot and predict the debris field from the fireworks display. This would indicate the range rings for the safety zone and also the beaten zone under varying wind conditions.
5. Finally, an environmental impact assessment should be conducted in Marina Bay to ensure water is not polluted by years of repeated fireworks displays. The colourful fireworks are created by adding heavy metals to gunpowder and we need to check what impact such displays might have on water quality in the reservoir.

White horses in the Singapore Armed Forces: A personal experience

2011-08-01T00:01:00.006+08:00

The surname Boey is not a prolific find in the telephone directory.

Combine rare family name with the time when the Singapore Army was led by a general with the same surname and you can guess the questions on my family background that I received during my full-time National Service. It did not help that my father has "Tak" in his name too, just like the then DCGS (Army).

The first query came during Basic Military Training at Pulau Tekong Camp 1, Delta Company, Platoon 15.

Just days into NS, I was summoned for a chat with the Platoon Commander (PC) - an oldish Lieutenant career officer in a camp where Captains were kings and the camp commandant, a Lieutenant Colonel, walked around the camp with an entourage in tow and was treated with almost imperial courtesy.

After the usual greetings, the PC cut to the chase and asked if I knew who or what a DCGS (Army) was. I had read Pioneer magazine since I was 12 and knew the Army's chain of command. Army acronyms were no sweat.

And so I spelt out the title in full and gave him the name of the BG.

Even at that age, unseasoned by years of interviewing strangers which my future career would require, I had a knack for reading body language and sensing what was on people's minds before they said anything. My PC had been reading the dockets of his new recruits and had his curiosity aroused when he came across the rare surname and father's name. Hence the chat.

It did not take a social scientist to figure out where the interview was leading to when the PC mentioned that since my dad also had "Tak" in his name, was I related to Singapore's army chief?

I replied "no" and the PC pressed the point home with a "are you sure?" before I was dismissed and returned to the Company line.

If I got a dollar from everyone who asked me that BG Boey question, I would have left NS with a chunk of change after my 2.5 years as an NSF.

I suspect that when my career as Defence Correspondent with the 90 cents newspaper was in full flower, at least some SAF officers with the same surname must have been similarly asked if we were related.

This is not a sign of a dysfunctional system. It was only natural to ask and anyone placed in a similar situation would probably have done the same.

The current debate over whether Presidential Election candidate Dr Tony Tan Keng Yam had anything to do with his son's NS stint has rekindled net chatter on white horses in the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF).

It is an explosive issue in a city-state where NS is compulsory, when the NS experience isn't always positive and almost everyone has a story to share.

It has also led netizens to cite instances when sons of society heavyweights (minister's, CEOs etc) are said to have received special treatment because of their family ties.

From personal experience, the reality of group dynamics in the Singaporean Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) and SAF is that people do make it a point to find out who sits on the upper branches of one's family tree so they can polish the right apples.

I know this for a fact because the BG Boey question stalked me throughout my NS.

I suspect the impact is magnified in a hierarchical military environment where brown nosers up and down the chain of command try to impress or ingratiate so-and-so's father/uncle/god father.

Society heavyweights must be aware this happens because string pulling occurs in the private sector too. They must therefore be savvy enough (to use Dr Tan's choice of words) to take extra care not to allow suspicions of string pulling to crop up in the first place.

White horse debates cause collateral damage to Singapore's national service system when discussants on internet discussion threads bring up stories of alleged abuses of power, privilege or position. Just look at how the ongoing debate over Dr Tan's son has spawned numerous stories from people eager to recount supposed horseplay during their time in NS.

The individuals involved are almost invariably anonymous - some rich man's son, some minister's son, an MP's kid. You get the picture? In most cases, the people who bring up such discussions or jump into the ring with a sarcastic word or two also choose to remain nameless.

Damage is done to NS and commitment to defence because there is no way for officialdom to verify, prove or debunk such hearsay. So the allegations are left hanging in the air and urban myths are born.

I suppose it is too much to ask for discussants to have the intellectual courage that matches the level of their sarcasm and critical views. Doing so would help netizens with the means to do so get to the bottom of things and, if necessary, tear apart people who have been abusing the system.

If, for example, some towkay's son has been receiving special treatment in some SAF camp, wouldn't you want to "out" the bugger to CPIB?

To be sure, our NS system is not fault-free, thanks to apple polishers who spoil MINDEF/SAF's name. We should never desensitise ourselves to such theatrics nor condone it.

But apple polishers in the city-state pale in comparison with show boats in more developed societies where certain companies build their business model on their ability to lobby causes or open doors for a handsome fee. Whichever passport you eventually carry, these brown nosers will exist as humankind has yet to create a worker's paradise anywhere on this planet.

I bet the vast majority of Singaporeans who argue the grass is greener in the land of the free would not survive the hurly burly of real politik in the Washington Beltway and other cities.

It is also easier and less damaging to one's self-esteem to blame missed opportunities in life - didn't get this scholarship, failed to get that internship, couldn't get the dream job - to inequities in the system, real or perceived, rather than on one's own shortcomings.

In Singapore today, there is a family of heartlanders which has done very well for itself. So while internet chatter on white horses is sobering to read and odds are that scions of high society who push their weight around really exist, the real world situation is far from dire.

Three boys who grew up in a HDB flat rose to command appointments in the SAF that even the Lee brothers did not attain. That three brothers made it to the top of their respective Services says a lot about their ability and I would really love to see a cynic have the balls to say infront of their faces that they did not earn their keep.

The brothers are no anomaly or fluke. A Singaporean child has better prospects at raising his/her status in society provided he/she has the commitment and ability to chase his/her dream. Many from humble backgrounds have done so. If anyone has a better way of distributing scholarships or book prizes, please do voice this out.

Everyone is entitled to complain and bitch about life's woes. If venting helps create a better society by rooting out individuals who push their way around or buy favours, then by all means fire away.

But in the vast majority of cases, what we're seeing are anonymous allegations that achieve nothing but chip away at fault lines in society and extract collateral damage on a system which, despite its shortcomings, has kept this country safe.

I really wish MINDEF/SAF would someday declare an open house at Hendon Camp, which is the Home of the Commandos. I wish the complaining citizens would drag their butts to a certain office in HQ Commando and read and reflect on the list of operations engraved onto a wooden plaque bolted to the wall. Many of these operations have never made the news, save for Ops Thunderbolt (storming of SQ 117 in 1991), and the whiners and complaints bureau should spare a moment from their unhappy angst-ridden lives to reflect on why these operations were staged.

The nasties are still there, mind you, lurking beyond the borders in our neighbourhood.

Netizens must be streetwise enough not to play into the hands of mischief makers who mask their identities to push a certain agenda. It is a pity internet discussion boards do not show the IP addresses of posters as this would give one a clearer indication of the diversity of views and from whence they come.

The white horse issue is one that MINDEF/SAF will face time and again.

There is no PR trick or technique the system can use to hedge against people who rail against the system. Let them rail and let every cynical comment serve as a reminder that the system must never take NSFs for granted.

The best defence is a clear and transparent system which can explain to, if not convince, heartlanders that Singapore's NS system is fair and equitable to all, regardless of family background.

If the NS system created to defend the Lion City cannot defend itself from cynics, then people in this fragile city-state deserve the fate they sow.

You make your bed, you sleep in it.

National Day Parade 2011 Parade Preview: Approaching the big day!

2011-07-31T11:58:00.006+08:00

"One more show and we'll be through": Ensigns from the Guard of Honour contingent march towards the Singapore Flyer, where the Colours they bear will be uncased. The next time they pass this route will be on 9 August when they will be on parade for the actual event.

Having performed in front of a "live" audience of more than 130,000 people (CR3 to CR6, plus yesterday's Parade Preview), National Day Parade 2011 participants might feel they have got the show drilled to perfection.

They have good reason for such confidence, but should keep their minds focused on the big day on 9 August.

Everything they have done thus far for NDP 2011 - all the rehearsals, memorised song scripts and practised moves - builds up to Singapore's 46th birthday celebrations. And the NDP team must execute the event with panache, flair and energy not seen at all previous combined rehearsals.

As the event will be televised "live" and webcast to an audience numbering millions of people, anything less than a maximum effort would throw away all the time and sacrifices made these past few months.

These past few Saturdays, NDP participants on and off stage would have seen how thousands of Singaporeans made time to join them at the CRs. CR ticket holders and ticketless, self-invited spectators knew full well the song and dance routines were still being polished, cue tables tweaked and the fireworks discharged only a fraction of those saved for NDP itself. Still, they came.

Thousands more will come on 9 August.

If the shows weren't worth their time, the CRs would attract zero spectators.

As we approach National Day, the anticipation of entering centrestage will be electrifying for NDP participants.

And even as the NDP Executive Committee (EXCO) builds various scenarios into its planning cycle, NDP participants must steel themselves for the unexpected, be prepared to recover quickly and get on with the show.

Will it rain?

What if the fireworks mis-fire? Has happened before... during NDP 2007.

What if the feu-de-joie commands are mis-timed, like in NDP 2000?

Will drawer plans for various emergency scenarios be needed?

Come what may, NDP participants will have thousands cheering them on.

These include their family members who feel a special connection with NDP 2011 because their loved ones are involved in the show. Many family members and friends of NDP participants made time to catch CR3, eventhough the NDP musical was still half-baked and fireworks show only a token.

At yesterday's Parade Preview, the parents of Leopard 2SG tank driver Lance Corporal Boo Li Yan went to Marina Bay how their 23-year-old son had been spending his past few Saturdays.

As the column of vehicles for the Dynamic Defence Display trundled towards the show venue, Raysen Boo, 53, and his wife kept an eye out for Tank 25 from the 48th Battalion, Singapore Armoured Regiment (48 SAR).

The Leopard 2SG was driven by Li Yan, a Ngee Ann Polytechnic graduate who is third in a family of four children.

"We are very proud," said his homemaker mum."He tells us it is the newest tank in Singapore."

Li Yan's parents did not get to see their son as Tank 25 and Tank 16 were driven with hatches closed, but he probably saw them through the periscopes of his Leo2.

Show of tanks: Mr Raysen Boo and his wife pose in front of Tank 25, driven by their 23-year-old son, Lance Corporal Boo Li Yan. The couple stayed faithfully by the Leopard 2SG until it was time for the tank to join the Parade Preview. All this while, they did not even get to see their son - such is the thing that parents do.

The couple were content to snap a picture with Tank 25 in the background and watched as the war machine trundled towards the NDP venue.

Such family support, so natural and unscripted, was heartwarming to witness.

It will be even more heartwarming to watch NDP 2011 unfold on 9 August.

All the CRs build up to that special day, so on with the show!

Acknowledgements: Thanks are due to the NDP 2011 EXCO for the assistance rendered at the Parade Preview, and to Ong Jun Wei and team for pencilling in time during the lockdown at Marina Bay.

National Day Parade 2011 3rd National Education Show: Ready for action on 9 August 2011

2011-07-23T23:21:00.011+08:00

Take Post! Gunners from the 23rd Battalion, Singapore Artillery, man their guns as the self-propelled raft made up of M3G amphibious vehicles from the 35th Battalion, Singapore Combat Engineers, powers its way towards the NDP show venue in Marina Bay. As is self-evident, the toughest part about this assignment is the lack of shelter from rain/sun and no toilet breaks.

Today's National Day Parade (NDP) rehearsal is special because it pushed the number of people who have watched the musical scripted for Singapore's 46th birthday past the 100,000 mark.

With the successful close of the 3rd National Education show (NE3, also known as Combined Rehearsal 6), the NDP 2011 participants and Executive Committee (EXCO) are about as ready as they can be for National Day on 9 August 2011.

Coming close on the heels of 2010's massive parade at the Padang, the NDP 2011 EXCO led by the Singapore Combat Engineers had a tough act to follow.

But they pressed on and have delivered a delightful NDP show plan that is part parade, part theatre musical and all good fun.

Not content with confining the action to The Float at Marina Bay, which is the site of the event's floating stage, show organisers have used Singapore's new skyline at Marina Bay as the backdrop for a light, sound and theatrical spectacular, the likes of which Singaporeans have never seen before. Clever.

There are the over-sized props that trace Singapore's history in song and dance items, the laser show that highlights Singapore's tallest skyscrapers in bright green light visible for miles and of course the fireworks that drew such a crowd tonight that city-bound traffic was backed up along Nicoll Highway all the way to Merdeka Bridge minutes before the main fireworks barrage was released at 8pm.

But what makes NDP 2011 special are the people who make the parade happen. You will see many of them give their all when you tune in to the NDP 2011 telecast come 9 August.

This main cast is supported by hundreds more working quietly behind the scenes to ensure the show hums along without a hitch. Many of them toil so far away from show centre that parade spectators will never get to see them.

Scores of Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) personnel have been detailed to usher, manage and look after student performers and participants from uniformed groups. They make sure headcounts are accurate and water/meals delivered on time. But they will never step foot on the NDP stage during showtime.

Then there's the SJQ gang, faithfully ring fencing NDP 2011 against nasty CBRE hazards, rain or shine.

NDP is sometimes panned by critics as a showpiece for the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) to display new capabilities. One cannot argue against this point of view. But there are unscripted moments when the SAF's capabilities and track record in demanding operations are there for all to see, if you know what you are looking for.

Top honour: I have waited 15 years to get this picture and I consider this image the most precious of all the pictures I took at CR6/NE3 today. This was the first time I was allowed close enough to the Colours to photograph the streamer won by 525 and it produced that lump in the throat moment. Someday, I hope I can write the Timika story. To those who know, the streamer was hard won and I have the highest respect for 525 and those who earned it. Well done.

Unit commendations held aloft as embroided streamers on the Colours of certain SAF units tell of past operations that underscore why the city-state's defence force is a quiet keeper of the peace.

Today, Team NDP went through their routine for the sixth full dress rehearsal. They called it CR6, but labelling it a combined rehearsal is somewhat a misnomer as even professional artistes seldom want to rehearse in front of a real audience.

But NDP 2011 did.

Young and old, professional performers or part-time amateurs, they gave their all. And what a show it was.

Acknowledgements: A word of thanks to the NDP 2011 EXCO for... everything. And to the tireless liaison officers Edward Wee, Ong Jun Wei, Collin Cheong, Li-Ann and Yan Han for putting up with all my nonsense, walking here/walking there from Float to F1 Pit Building up and down umpteen times like I have never seen the CR before. And to the Milnuts for the company during the past CRs.

Faces of the National Day Parade 2011: School of Dance performers breathe life to supersized NDP prop

2011-07-22T11:16:00.006+08:00

Stage fright takes on a whole new meaning for dancers from the School of Dance who will dance their hearts out on Singapore's 46th birthday, but nothing will stop the 46 young dancers from their curtain call come 9 August.

The National Day Parade (NDP) 2011 participants will perform on a tiny 3m by 3m stage seven storeys above the ground with no railings, with the event broadcast "live" to millions of viewers.

Forty six dancers from the School of Dance spent the past few months polishing their routine and are ready to breathe life to the massive cube that will take centrestage at the show venue for Singapore's 46th birthday celebration.

Months of rehearsals and meticulous planning between dance choreographers, the lighting and sound crew and safety officials have produced a show item in one of the largest props ever constructed for a National Day Parade.

The stage can rotate and a lifeline is all that will save an over-energetic pirouette from shooting the dancer out of the cube. So practice and tight coordination between a behind-the-scenes team that will ensure the right cube rotates dancers into view at the right time is essential.

Artistes from the School of Dance have taken centrestage before but nothing beats this year’s dance venue.

Chan Hsin Yee, 15, from the School of the Arts, said she spent many hours practising in a dance studio with fellow dancers said the anticipation was awesome just before her cube was rotated into position for her first rehearsal in front of packed seating gallery during Combined Rehearsal 3 (which was open to family members of NDP participants)

Hsin Yee said: “There’s a lot of adrenalin flowing when I’m performing on the 7th level, which is the highest level of the cube. When you are dancing you can see the entire audience and it’s a really good view. Dancing at such a height is really exciting.”

Her sixth floor dance counterpart, Nanyang Technological University undergraduate Elaine Kim Nevis, 20, added: “It’s different exposure from being in a studio. We just have to do more practice and get used to the feeling of being on stage.”

Catch the cube dancers in Act 2 of NDP 2011.

Front row seats around Marina Bay for ticketless NDP 2011 spectators; Resorts World Sentosa to roll-out National Day perks & special fireworks show

2011-07-20T20:10:00.007+08:00

Good shot: Spectators' view of the Presidential Gun Salute (PGS) 25-pounder guns, seen from the Merlion Park. Five guns will fire 21-rounds as President S.R. Nathan reviews the parade during his last appearance as Singapore's President.(Picture courtesy of xtemujin)

Can't get your hands on one of the 25,000 National Day Parade 2011 spectator tickets?

Then head down to Marina Bay or Resorts World Sentosa to soak in celebrations as Singapore marks its 46th National Day on 9 August 2011. Ticketless spectators can still be part of the NDP action as they can catch the NDP action unfold around Marina Bay from vantage points such as the Merlion Park and promenade near the Esplanade.

However hot the action is, keep in mind 8:10pm as the Pledge Moment and reflect upon why we celebrate National Day.

Lieutenant Colonel Tong Yi Chuen, Chairman of the Branding & Publicity Committee for NDP 2011, said:“Wherever you may be at approximately 8:10pm this National Day, we hope you will join the rest of Singapore in this shared emotive experience of reciting our Pledge and singing the National Anthem together as One People.”

This year, join the Pledge Moment Competition by submitting your YouTube clip of your Pledge Moment. Details can be found here.

In the lead up to 8:10pm, NDP 2011 should whip up the celebratory mode in the real and virtual world. Some 100,000 spectators are expected around Marina Bay and the "live" telecast of the parde should attract millions of eyeballs in Singapore and elsewhere as people catch the action on TV and on the internet.

The Marina Bay area which overlooks the NDP 2011 show venue will bring spectators as close to show centre as they can get without a ticket. Look skyward at around 6:28pm* and try to spot the Republic of Singapore Air Force Super Puma deploy a stick of crack Red Lions parachute display team from the Singapore Army's Commando unit thousands of feet above the bay.

From 6:35pm, expect to see air force helicopters, naval and Police Coast Guard fast craft strut their stuff as part of the Dynamic Defence Display (D3).

Timed to take place from 6:35pm, the D3 show includes an air-sea segment titled "Defending Our Shores". This show item will see a S-70B Seahawk make its NDP debut (6:43pm) and a CH-47D Chinook heavy lift helicopter swoop low over Marina Bay to drop a team of navy divers from the Naval Diving Unit into the water (6:45pm).

Bayside spectators will also see the flypast by a flag-carrying Chinook escorted by a pair of AH-64D Apache attack helicopters (7:03pm) as the choppers snake their way down the Singapore River towards the Float, the NDP venue. This will be followed a minute later by a flypast by five F-15SG Strike Eagles. The jets will roar in from the sea in wedge formation on a south-north flight path.

The fireworks - an all-time crowd favourite - and special laser show (7:56pm) on skyscrapers around Marina Bay, will also be visible to people around the bay. The main barrage of fireworks is set to be launched around 8:05pm. Hang around for the post-parade party as yet more fireworks will be discharged. Shutterbugs should bring a tripod and read up on their digicam's fireworks setting to get the best results.

If you want to catch a special fireworks show away from the Marina Bay crowds, consider heading to Resorts World Sentosa (RWS) to watch NDP 2011 televised "live" on a giant screen. Singapore's first Integrated Resort will also entertain guests with a special fireworks display put together for NDP.

RWS has another perk for NDP 2011. The resort will grant free entry on National Day to 5,000 Singaporeans aged 65 years old and above to the Universal Studios Singapore theme park.(Tickets can be redeemed in person at USS ticket booths from 1 to 5 Aug'11, and on 9 Aug'11. There will be a cap of 5,000 free admission passes for senior citizens aged 65 years and above.)

RWS spokesman Robin Goh said:"RWS is proud to call Singapore home and this year, we show our appreciation to the pioneers who have shaped Singapopre's society during the nation-building years.

"Besides free entry to Universal Studios Singapore for senior citizens on National Day, guests to the resort can also soak in the spirit of celebration amidst a patriotic atmosphere in red and white, which complements a series of National Day-themed events and festivities across the resort. This includes a live-screening of the National Day Parade as well as a special National Day fireworks display."

Lieutenant Colonel Kennedy Lim Kee Khan, Chairman of the Outreach Management and Celebrations Committee, said:"Be it singing the National Anthem, reciting our Pledge, watching the dazzling fireworks or simply enjoying the electrifying atmosphere at the various Celebration hotspots, we hope that Singaporeans of all ages can come down to Marina Bay waterfront and RWS on 9 August 2011 for an extraordinary experience as we mark our nation's 46th birthday with a bang."

* Timings are based on the cue table for NE1. The actual timings on 9 Aug'11 may vary but shouldn't deviate by more than a couple of minutes.

Note to photographers: The Helix Bridge will be closed during parade rehearsals and for the National Day Parade as it will be used by the Guard-of-Honour contingents during the Pledge Moment. The Esplanade Bridge will not be accessible to photographers as it will be covered with hoardings. Do recce the site in advance and pick your spot early.

No tickets needed for NDP 2011's dazzling laser light show

2011-07-18T22:41:00.009+08:00

Light 'em up: Ten lasers mounted on top of the seating gallery at the Float are used to outline the Singapore city skyline. The special effects are best seen from the waterfront promenade in front of the Esplanade.(Picture courtesy of Henry Wong)

You don't need a ticket to this year's National Day Parade (NDP) to catch a dazzling show item.

Just keep your eyes on Singapore's city skyline for a laser show that will outline skyscrapers and trace out a new city skyline - if weather conditions are just right.

The item titled "Lighting of the Skyline" on NDP cue tables is set to take place around 7:56pm. Catch a preview in the following clip:

Mac Chan, a theatre and lighting design consultant who helped put together the show, explained that imaginary skyline (to the right of frame 1:27min to 1:32min in the above clip) is incidental with the help of smoke from low level fireworks. This is because smoke banks produced by the fireworks must drift in the right direction for the laser effects to be seen clearly.

The bright green beams come from ten lasers mounted on the top of the seating gallery that are programmed to aim their beams at the Central Business District (CBD) skyline about 1km away.

"We make sure that the laser beams land only on the building facade and not the glass windows," Mac said."With precision control, the lasers will never shoot into the buildings and spectators in the buildings will not have direct contact with the laser beams."

He explained that the lasers were programmed to trace the CBD buildings using a special graphic programme. Aided by computers, the team matched the pulsating lasers with music to create the light and sound show for NDP 2011.

The green lasers are backed by a supporting cast of searchlights used to backlight the skyscrapers with cones of light.

Asked where's the best spot to catch the show, Mac said:"The laser effect has been optimised for the Float audience perspective, so the seating gallery audience will get the best perspective, but otherwise everyone (around Marina Bay) can see it from any angle."

Note: If you've yet to see it, you only have two more chances to watch the laser show before NDP 2011 on 9 August. The lasers will fire up during NE3 this Saturday and during the Parade Preview on 30 July'11. Fireworks are due around 7:35pm, 7:40pm, 7:56pm (with laser show) and 8:05pm (pyromusical grand finale).

Singapore's citizen soldiers should be engaged on challenges to the Army's vision for defending Singapore as Third Generation Networked Force

2011-07-16T12:45:00.009+08:00

After the line "firepower of the SAF in a backpack" was penned in a commentary for The Straits Times some years ago, Defence Ministry speech writers and certain journalists adopted this catch phrase to describe how our soldiers pack more punch.

That punch will grow on 5 September 2011 when HIMARS rocket artillery batteries are commissioned into service with the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) 23rd Battalion Singapore Artillery. The event at Khatib Camp starts at 15:00 H.

Even as new sensors and shooters such as HIMARS bring the masterplan for a Third Generation Networked Force from concept to reality, we must ensure that improvements to soldier systems are tailored to military requirements and not to national circumstances.

The Singapore Army is a force for war and force elements cannot be drawndown to appease bureaucrats or number crunchers.

Developments in the Singapore Army Infantry Section, which is the smallest tactical unit in the Army's order of battle (ORBAT), illustrate how better equipment, improved CONOPS and more realistic training has allowed our infantry to do their job better than ever before.

The 5.56mm bullets fired by 3rd Gen soldiers may be the same as those used by 1st Gen and 2Gen SAF infantry, but technology allows today's soldiers to sense and shoot with lethal effect while shielding him from return fire and sustaining his mission under demanding circumstances.

But while the Advanced Combat Man System has achieved much, defence planners must avoid becoming infatuated with technology by introducing gadgets which may end up overloading small units with too much information and cumbersome comms protocols.

The staying power of Hezbollah fighters during engagements with the Israelis did not come from superior information alone, but a wily appreciation of the battlespace and an ability to stay one step ahead of predictable responses by Israeli air power and armoured spearheads.

We must be clear that the Singapore Army's specific operational requirements are unique to Singapore's demographics. Also unique is the area of operations that 3rd Gen full-time National Servicemen (NSFs) and Operationally Ready NSmen (i.e. reservists) are likely to operate in during a hot war scenario that calls upon the SAF's full force potential.

The circumstances brought about by dwindling birth rates will result in smaller cohorts of NSFs in coming years. Defence planners must therefore keep their eyes on future enlistee numbers to assess how fluctuations in NSF intakes may affect SAF manpower demands. Just by studying birth statistics from previous years, these planners have a max head start of 18-years to tweak SAF ORBAT tables. They must make the most of such prescience as the headstart for any given cohort is pared down year by year.

Furthermore, changes to the ORBAT must be communicated clearly to citizen soldiers so they will continue to have confidence in the SAF. Defence observers should also be addressed in case they misread units taken offline (1 PDF, 2 GDS, 46 SAR, 20 SA, 22 SA etc) as a desperate move due to the manpower crunch and miscalculate the SAF's value as a deterrent force.

While such national circumstances make it tempting to do more with less, get more bang for buck by stretching every defence dollar, one should not lose sight of operational requirements such as mass, unit cohesion and the attitude of Singaporeans towards defence matters.

The 7-man Infantry Sections are an expedient way of maintaining the number of battalions on paper while dealing with smaller NSF intakes. But one must ask what is the bare minimum of boots on the ground needed to achieve mission success?

On paper, a 7-man Section trained, organised, equipped and supported as part of a 3rd Gen Networked Force is far superior to yesteryear's 9-man Section. No argument here.

But just as the weight of fire and accuracy of delivery has been sharpened in the Lion City, neighbouring armies are doing so too.

How then does one compare the benefits of adding two Matador anti-tank rockets to an SAF Section to the pair of RPG-7 rocket lockers in a Malaysian Army Section? One paper, the small units of both armies have anti-tank weapons. But the ones chosen to arm Singaporean soldiers are single-shot weapons. There is a standing joke that the first few minutes of a hot war with the Singapore Army will be the most intense as LAW gunners fire off their rockets to get rid of deadweight. What happens after that?

The Malaysian RPGs can be reloaded and fired for as long as their Sections are amply supplied with the folding fin rockets. Even if the supply train is interdicted, a Malaysian Army Section can carry a sizeable warload of RPG rockets into operations when first mobilised.

Sure, armchair strategists have all read about how RPGs are inaccurate in a crosswind. Much ado has also been made about the Matador's dual purpose warhead and its ability to be fired in enclosed areas (which RPG gunners cannot do without risk of killing themselves from the backblast).

But one must ask if the killing power of one Matador is worth more than the multi-shot RPG which is an infantryman's artillery? In my mind, the Matador's one-time use is a worrying liability.

As NSmen have noted on this blog and elsewhere, all it takes to whittle down the fighting prowess of a platoon is for a handful of NSmen to report sick or not report for a mobilisation at all - not a foregone conclusion as the Israelis have learned.

Having two teams of three soldiers led by a Section Commander means the Section has no bandwidth to exploit battlefield successes or pursue the enemy. For example, if Team 1 (with three soldiers) is assigned to breach a room with Team 2 and the Sector Commander in support, this Section will lack the muscle to pressure forward and exploit breaches in the enemy's main line of resistance. You can well imagine the difficulty in holding ground, establishing and defending a bridgehead if even one soldier in that Section becomes a casualty. At least one other must attend to the casualty, thus lowering the effective headcount to five.

Our decision to downsize years ago from a 9-man to 7-man Section thus came at a price.

The counter argument is that technology makes small units more vulnerable to detection. Small units risk being betrayed by ground and air sensors that observe and report their every move, day and night. Armed with such logic, some planners argue that a 9-man section adds two more targets to the battlespace. Therefore, small is better.

To be sure, the size, composition and TO&E of all tactical units is at best a compromise. Army planners must thus have the flexibility to deploy infantry units that have the punch and numbers to prevail as a one-size-fits-all orbat may not do the job. Having better educated soldiers and tailoring a training plan that pits warfighters to different situations helps in this regard.

Unit cohesion is another area that needs to be examined. This is the touchy feely aspect involving but not limited to commitment to defence (C2D) and how NSmen feel towards defending the Lion City. The thoughts, feelings and concerns of NSmen need urgent and constant assessment.

At a time when more SAF battalions are turning evergreen, NSmen from these evergreens may find team spirit in their NS units lacking because they served NS at different times. The disjoint in shared experiences robs NSmen of the camaraderie and esprit developed in mono-intake units who enlist, ORD and serve ICT together. This may affect the staying power of NSman battalions particularly during difficult situations when soldiers may have to make stay or fight decisions.

The publicity that ushered in the era of mono-intake units in the 1980s explained all the benefits of such arrangements well. The lasting impressions of these plus points damage today's Army when NSmen are left clueless why the SAF needs to raise, train and sustain evergreen units.

It is high time that the Singapore Army explain why evergreen units were introduced and how they are superior to the mono-intake arrangement. Were evergreen units conceived in response to national circumstances (i.e. the lower birthrate) or are evergreens necessary as they are the best fit for the SAF's new operational requirements?

I may stand corrected but I have yet to find any other National Service system make a compelling argument for having evergreen units where conscripts come and go like elements on a production line. And if war-tested forces have not adopted this approach to handling their defence manpower, what makes Singapore's system superior?

Apart from mass and unit cohesion, creative mindsets will help SAF Infantry fully exploit the benefits of better arms and battle tactics.

This includes asking if the one shot, one kill mantra is relevant in today's context for precision fire. Would a one shot, one wound approach result in killing the combat strength of hostile forces faster as additional soldiers would need to tend to a grieviously injured soldier?

Are less than lethal munitions really worth carrying into war? Should the space be used instead for an additional frag grenade?

And when one talks about lethality, is it really worth risking an SAF Section for room-by-room clearance during Urban Ops? Or can one ignore the bodycount of enemy troops and civilians and employ flamethrowers/fuel-air munitions that can also perform this hazardous task?

As we realise the 3rd Gen soldier, how should sensors and shooters be integrated to shorten the kill chain, maximise damage while reducing fratricide and civilian casualties?

The next logical step for the Singapore Army, which has gained experience operating unmanned aerial and terresterial sensors, is to graduate to unmanned weapons slaved to the sensor network.

Saturating the battlespace with unmanned sensors and weapons would add decisively to the Army's combat edge and usher in a new paradigm in land warfare.

The future may be closer than you think.

Revamped Singapore Army infantry section gives soldiers much punch... and adds to alphabet soup of military acronyms

2011-07-11T19:12:00.004+08:00

ACMS: Advanced Combat Man System. The ACMS is the catch-all term for a range of capability-enhancing projects for Singapore Army infantry warfighters. The Infantry Capability Development Approach calls for improvements under a roadmap driven by the 4 "S" - Shoot, Sense, Shield and Sustain.

BFS: Basic Fighting System, which refers to the battlefield computer carried in a backpack that helps a 7-man infantry Section deploy and fight as part of the Singapore Armed Forces' (SAF) 3rd Generation Networked Force. The Singapore Army's BFS comprises the following: HMD Helmet-Mounted Display that can project maps or camera images to an eyepiece, SI or System Interactor which is a handheld computer keypad/TV remote control, SWC Soldier Wearable Computer, DRM (see below) and PRC 650 for voice and data comms.

CEA: Commander Enhancement Add-on. Function keys and scopes mounted on a modified SAR-21 5.56mm assault rifle with a Modular Mounting System (MMS). The CEA allows Section Commanders to designate targets and send voice, still images or stream video images while keeping the rifle pointed down range towards the threat.

DRM: Dead Reckoning Module. A navigation aid that helps warfighters find their way in urban areas or thick jungle where GPS signals may be blocked.

FSS: Forward Sensor System. Weighing 3kg, a FSS can be sent by wireless link up to 200m ahead of its masters to gather video images of what lies ahead. The FSS wireless link can work in urban clutter and does not need line of sight with its master.

KHS: Key Hole Sensor. A 500g hand-held camera probe that is small enough to snake its way through key holes (hence its name) or bore holes to allow warfighters to see what lurks behind an obstruction.

LORIS NVS: The 325g LORIS night vision system is a monocular that can detect a man-size target up to 180m away, which is 1.8 times further compared to the range of an earlier NVS. It replaces the Mini-N-SEAS (Mini-Night-Single Eye Acquisition System) which could recognise targets up to 100m away.

PRC 650: A hand-held communications device (i.e. walkie talkie) that allows Team Leaders and Section Commanders to talk to one another securely.

RCF: The Round Corner Fire system helps soldiers aim their rifles round a corner, from behind cover or above a trench lip while keeping their bodies out of sight and protected from return fire. The 550g device has a camera that feeds the image from the optical sight on the SAR-21 assault rifle onto a small screen, which can be tilted towards the hidden firer to help the warfighter deliver aimed rifle fire.

TTS: Tactical Throwing Sensor. This is a 550g video camera encased in a rugged, self-propelled and remotely controlled casing. The TTS is designed to be thrown ahead of an infantry Section so that the video camera can send images back to the BFS. The new version of the TTS replaces the camera-equipped ball which made a famous appearance during a COS debate in Parliament some years ago.

Acknowledgements: Many thanks to the HQ 9 Division/Infantry personnel on duty at the SAF Day event at Temasek Polytechnic who fielded queries and helped me piece together this glossary. It is fascinating to see how the Singapore Army's ACMS has grown in scope, capabilities and ruggedness, yet dropped in weight and bulk, since the prototype was unveiled for field trials years ago.

National Day Parade 2011 Fun Pack packers from 30 SCE keep their spirits up as N-Day draws near; packers to handle some 3.75 million items

2011-07-10T00:18:00.006+08:00

The National Day Parade (NDP) Fun Pack doesn't pack itself.

Singapore Army soldiers from the 30th Battalion, Singapore Combat Engineers (30 SCE), have been given the job of packing, sorting and distributing tens of thousands of these sought-after NDP momentoes to parade spectators for NDP 2011.

The job may seem simple. But the sheer volume of Fun Packs that need to be packed, the tight deadlines and the need to shoulder this NDP assignment even as 30 SCE primes itself as fighting fit Field Engineer battalion guarantees that logisticians in the battalion will have their mettle tested to the hilt.

That's because 30 SCE's combat engineers will have handled around 3.75 million individual items by the time NDP 2011 is over.

As these items come from different suppliers who provide keepsakes ranging from the national flag, to light sticks, noise makers and tissue packs, this seemingly simple task of packing bags has to be executed with, ermmm, military precision.

Miss just one item in one Fun Pack and this could ruin a spectator's NDP experience. Miscalculate the amount of time needed to pack the goodie bags and some spectators could go home empty handed; which is a smaller problem than handling the explanation that the Ministry of Defence will probably demand.

The tall order falls on the shoulders of Captain Benjamin Kang, 28, an OC from 30 SCE. He leads a team of around 80 packers from the battalion tasked to slot, drop and secure 25 individual items from books, to fans and snacks into each goodie bag.

When planning started, CPT Kang pencilled in a packing window of two weeks. But the battalion's training schedule and the reality that storing 25,000+ Fun Packs per rehearsal is no easy matter saw his packing window slashed by half.

The shortened packing time adds to the pressure CPT Kang and his team face every week since Fun Packs were first distributed from Combined Rehearsal 3 last Saturday (attended by family members of parade participants) as a fresh batch of Fun Packs have to be packed right after a rehearsal is over.

Fun Pack packer Third Sergeant Gan Yu Meng, 20, said 30 SCE personnel ~~arrowed~~ assigned for the task are taking the challenge in their stride despite knowing they have to pack some 25,000 goodie bags x 25 items x (CR3 Family Day + NE1 + NE 2 + NE 3 + Parade Preview + NDP 2011) = 3.75 million items by the time NDP 2011 is over.

"We have enough manpower and people have their own way to keep themselves motivated,'' said 3SG Gan, a full-time National Serviceman who is a Ngee Ann Polytechnic graduate. "Some of them are a very tight group, very bonded and can push each other on."

Fellow 30 SCE combat engineer, 3SG Adolphius Wong, received his first National Day Parade Fun Pack when he attended his first National Education show as a Primary Five student.

Today, the 20-year-old full-time National Serviceman cannot remember where he kept that pack.

But he is swamped with Fun Packs every week as the packing line pushes out one freshly-packed goodie bag in less than 60 seconds.

At this evening's first National Education show (NE 1), some 25,500 Primary Five students and their teachers enjoyed a sneak preview of NDP 2011, taking home a Fun Pack put together by the 30 SCE team.

The 30 SCE packers, whose job includes distributing the bags to parade spectators, were all gone by the time the screaming kids streamed out of the NDP venue.

Their work stations were all cleaned out and the combat engineers were probably headed back to camp for an after-action review and some rest before resuming their tight packing schedule.

They will have to repeat this routine, week after week for two more NE shows and one Parade Preview, plus the parade for Singapore's 46th National Day on 9 August.

3SG Adolphius may have lost the Fun Pack he bagged in P5, but one thing's for sure - after NDP 2011, the 30 SCE Fun Pack packers will never look at a NDP Fun Pack the same way for years to come as they have earned a healthy respect for the amount of planning and preparation taken to prepare the NDP keepsake.

(Note to School of Dance and Bendemeer Secondary participants, will push out your stories by NE2.)

National Day Parade 2011 organiser relearns copyright issue raised during N-Day 2008

2011-07-07T00:50:00.014+08:00

Watch this obscure video clip made in 2006 from the Japan Ad Council.

Now watch the music video for the theme song for National Day 2008 and focus your attention on the segments with the girl sketching during the art class.

Did you spot any similarities?

Source: The Straits Times 15 July 2008

Concerns over intellectual property (IP) issues raised three years ago could have helped National Day Parade Executive Committees (NDP EXCO) of subsequent years avoid this legal and public relations minefield.

To the best of my research, the copyright issue in 2008 was not properly addressed by the EXCO of that year's parade. Sidestepping the issue could have contributed to the loss of awareness to watch out for and respect copyrights in any N-Day material. It could also explain why a multi-agency NDP EXCO, which prepares for all sorts of contingencies and emergencies, got blasted by netizens over the Fun Pack Song.

An NDP EXCO has at its command a vast array of national resources and a powerful mandate that allows it to close down airspace and shut public roads for NDP rehearsals. Some of these resources should have been spent on policing the IP rights of material such as still, video images, as well as music licenses used during the N-Day season.

A Red Team could also have been formed to rigorously critique plans, procedures and processes involved in handling creative content to ensure the NDP EXCO is not caught blindsided.

This Red Team, which could be drawn from all segments of society, could also be used to road test NDP collaterals before these are unveiled during the PR blitz.

But isn't hindsight always 20:20? So where do we go from here?

As things stand, the reactions of netizens to the Fun Pack Song penned for NDP 2011 has cleared the ditty from the NDP timetable as effectively as a LAMBE mine-clearing line charge can blast its way through a minefield.

The current situation for the NDP EXCO 2011 is this:

* There is time to modify the parade timetable ahead of this weekend's National Education show (NE1), which marks the first display to the public. NE1 will also see Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen chair the Minister's Vetting session for the first time. The session will allow Dr Ng to make go/no-go decisions on certain show matters before the NDP show concept is frozen. Last Saturday's Combined Rehearsal 3 saw the 25,000-seat gallery at The Float at Marina Bay filled with parents and friends of NDP participants; not quite the "real" public.

* Internet storms have a short lifespan. They usually fizzle out two weeks or so after netizens have vented their spleen and said their piece. This means the PR obstacles in the real and virtual world should be cleared in time for Singapore's 46th birthday on 9 August 2011.

* The NDP 2012 EXCO is understudying the current team. If record keeping is thorough, lessons from this Fun Pack Song issue are likely to be institutionalised for future committee members to learn from. One hopes the lessons will be passed on properly to follow-on EXCOs to help future teams avoid relearning valuable lessons in copyright matters.

* Just as a well organised and glitch-free NDP is often held up as a proxy for how well the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) can get its act together, cock ups such as missing the flypast datum call or overlooking IP issues can make observers wonder if the Third Generation SAF is as good as it claims to be. EXCO members must register this fact. Observers recognise that a glitch-free event during an occasion as large and complex as NDP is not possible, but they will also watch how quickly and proactively an EXCO initiates service recovery efforts. Command guidance must rally everyone together to focus their energy on delivering a good show.

* Publicity over the Fun Pack Song is likely to generate and sustain public interest in how the segment will be replaced come 9 August. Thanks to the viral video, many people will be watching to see how this year's NDP EXCO can advance and overcome this issue. I believe they can.

Singapore National Day Parade 2011: Combined Rehearsal 3 - Strengthening the Singapore Spirit

2011-07-03T00:59:00.008+08:00

With combined rehearsals for this year's National Day Parade (NDP) barely at the halfway mark, it is likely some NDP participants are beginning to feel burnt out to some degree - and we don't mean just from the rays of the scorching afternoon sun.

University undergraduate Tan Ming Kwang, 22, certainly felt that way about the combined rehearsals (CR) when he was part of NDP 2009.

Despite calling the rehearsals a "chore", Ming Kwang and two of his Army buddies made time to spend this morning at Kallang to watch full-time National Servicemen (NSFs) from his former combat engineer battalion go through exactly what he did two years ago.

Linking NDP with commitment to defence: Third Sergeant Tan Ming Kwang (standing on ramp, second from left) and Third Sergeant Cai Wensheng (second from right) edge their M3G into position during an NDP practice on the Kalllang River in 2009. Two years later, Ming Kwang and Wensheng visited the same site to watch their former combat engineer unit prepare for this year's NDP. A single M3G in the water is called a rig. A raft is formed by fastening several rigs together.

His battalion's role for NDP 2009 was to ferry the Presidential Gun Salute (PGS) battery of 25-pounder guns aboard M3G ferries. At the time, these amphibious vehicles had never been used to carry the PGS battery to fire the 21-gun salute before. The tight rehearsal schedule and the battalion's immovable and non-negotiable commitment on Singapore's birthday added to the pressure for 35 SCE officers and men to get the PGS executed, safely and with a stately presence befitting the occasion.

It was a tall order. Safety guidelines and training templates had yet to be written and there was zero institutional memory to draw from.

And so Ming Kwang and his fellow combat engineers were made to rehearse their role over and over again as staff officers wrote safety guidelines and deployment procedures for the PGS item from scratch. The unit also worked with defence engineers to add enhancements such as lightning arrestors and additional lighting to the M3Gs so spectators could see the gun crews. Defence engineers also tested the vehicles to ensure they could take the strain of having guns fired while on the water as the M3Gs were not designed as floating gun platforms.

"We must have rehearsed our part more than 10 times," said Ming Kwang, who was then a full-time National Serviceman with the 35th Battalion, Singapore Combat Engineers (35 SCE)."Looking back at my NDP experience, I treasure the memories. It's when I was going through the practices that it felt more like a chore."

With the training schedule imprinted in his memory, Ming Kwang and fellow Operationally Ready National Servicemen (NSmen) from his unit showed up bright and early at Kallang to catch the M3G crews swing into action. They had seen it all before, but watching combat engineers from his former unit gear up for CR3 brought back memories of their army days.

NDP 2011 marks the second time that 35 SCE has been tasked to ferry the PGS battery. As the NSFs who shouldered the responsibility in 2009 have all left the Singapore Armed Forces after completing their full-time NS, the unit has to raise and train a new batch of combat engineers for this role.

With more hours of rehearsals under their belt, the experienced NSmen felt they could deploy and form a ferry faster than the current batch of 35 SCE NSFs they watched on Saturday morning. They also recounted how NDP rehearsals claimed hours of work spent away from the public eye while in camp. These include washing the boat-like M3G vehicles, clearing sand and debris from the impellers of the ferries, as well as cleaning the paintwork to keep the vehicles in near showroom condition.

Gentle giants: An M3G amphibian from 35 SCE is guided through the tree line to its launch spot at the Kallang River. These large vehicles are surprisingly manoeuvrable in confined areas and even more nimble in water.

It is clear from this episode that an NSF's experience with NDP can create lifelong memories - both good and bad. The challenge for NDP Executive Committees (EXCO) is to keep the sum of memories positive as there are bound to be good days and bad days during the CRs.

Coaxing NSFs along as the show progresses from a fuzzy concept to a grand national event helps these young Singaporeans value their contribution to a national event that Singaporeans look forward to viewing every 9 August.

Allowing parents and friends of NDP participants to see firsthand how their loved ones are spending their time during CRs is an invaluable way of telling NSFs that their efforts are appreciated and that no one is taken for granted.

We saw this today when the 25,000-seat gallery at The Float at Marina Bay, the venue for NDP 2011, was nearly filled to capacity as loved ones of NDP participants caught them in action during CR3.

Third Sergeant Sim Qi Xian, now finds himself in the same boat as Ming Kwang was in 2009. The 22-year-old graduate from Ngee Ann Polytechnic maintains a positive attitude towards the demanding rehearsal timetable.

Sharing session: Third Sergeant Sim Qi Xian (seated centre, with cap) from Bravo Company, 35 SCE, listens as First Warrant Ong Kim Piao explains how the M3Gs should be manoeuvred in the water. As 3SG Sim and his fellow full-time National Servicemen are taking part in NDP for the first time, experience shared by SCE regulars helps transfer lessons learnt from NDP 2009 to the young combat engineers.

"I feel honoured because not everybody gets to do this," said the 22-year-old, who is trained to pilot the M3G when it is converted to a ferry.

Among the challenges are keeping the six-bay ferry rock steady as gunners from the 23rd Battalion, Singapore Artillery (23 SA), prepare to fire 21 rounds of blank ammunition to salute the President as he reviews the parade.

Then there are duties, same as those shouldered by the NDP 2009 M3G crews, that guarantee each CR is a long, day/night slog for the combat engineers.

Said 3SG Sim:"We have to prepare the rigs from washing to maintenance every week. The tedious part is washing it because the rigs are so big."

One hopes that when NDP 2011 is done, the present batch of NSF involved in the parade will takeaway their own storehouse of happy memories and forge friendships that outlast the duration of their full-time NS.

Reunion: Master Sergeant Francis Miranda from the Singapore Combat Engineers (centre) and First Sergeant Yu Weishen (white T) meet their former trainees Third Sergeant(NS) Tan Ming Kwang (black T, second from right) and Cai Wensheng (red T). Two years ago, MSG Miranda (then a First Sergeant) helped train Ming Kwang and Weisheng for their part in NDP 2009. Their NDP experience made such a lasting impression that the NSmen came back to watch their unit prepare for this year's parade.

Master Sergeant Francis Miranda, who was Ming Kwang's platoon sergeant in 2009, noted:"I was quite surprised to see them (his NDP 2009 NSFs) this morning. But back in 2009, I also had some ORD personnel drop by at Kallang to visit us."

Ming Kwang, his former trainee, said:"This morning's visit is an eye-opener for me because when I was in the Army I didn't have a chance to take pictures of my equipment. Now that it's over, I feel that NDP 2009 was a memorable experience and I really enjoyed it."

Acknowledgements: I thank the NDP 2011 EXCO for the access to CR3 for a behind-the-scenes look at NDP preparations and to the participants for making time to host these visits. The bonus was coming across ordinary Singaporeans, like NSmen from the NDP 2009 alumni, who were prepared to share their story in an unscripted engagement.

Singapore Army displays new sensors for Urban Operations

2011-07-01T17:16:00.000+08:00

The Singapore Army displayed and demonstrated its latest range of sensors for Urban Operations at an event this morning to mark Singapore Armed Forces Day at Temasek Polytechnic.

It is noteworthy that sensors tested during earlier trials, like the camera ball, have been replaced by new gadgets. Please see the info box above.

More pictures will be uploaded this weekend.