Thursday, August 9, 2018

Singapore's National Day Parade 2018



5 December 2022 update: 

Pukul Habis: Available from Amazon sites that serve your location. "Look Inside" function on some sites shows sample pages.

Singapore: https://bit.ly/3XJzInH

Australia: https://amzn.to/3ViaX0i

Canada: https://amzn.to/3VkjqQP Look Inside

France: https://amzn.to/3uenBS5 Look Inside

Germany: https://amzn.to/3XLcJc0 Look Inside

Japan: https://amzn.to/3gS2Loz Look Inside

Spain: https://amzn.to/3OSfi7S

Sweden: https://bit.ly/3GWq7UI

United Kingdom: https://amzn.to/3EZ6clA Look Inside

USA: https://amzn.to/3Ui3Eo1 Look Inside



Amazing isn't it?

Singapore island, aka the Little Red Dot, seen from the perspective of the Singapore Army's crack Red Lions Commando parachute display team. This photo mozaic was stitched together from a video that shows the commandos rehearsing for this evening's 53rd National Day celebrations in Singapore.

On the far right (east) of the landmass is Changi. To the left (west) is Jurong and Tuas, with Pandan Reservoir visible as the glistening patch near the top left. The green patch of the central catchment area with the freshwater reservoirs can also be seen.

From east to west, about 50km. North to south, a mere 22km.

You are looking at the most densely defended country in Southeast Asia. Within the field of view of the Red Lions, the city-state has the:
Most number of armoured fighting vehicles in Southeast Asia.

Heaviest concentration of tube and rocket artillery.

Biggest number of combat engineer bridging rafts.

Deepest underground ammunition depot.

Largest fleet of fast landing craft.

Extensive naval sealift.

More combat warplanes, hunter-killer submarines and MBT types than the neighbours.

Region's highest density of SAMs.

Neighbourhood's only counter rocket artillery and mortar (C-RAM) system.

Unrivalled military training arrangements globally.

And yet, critically vulnerable. See for yourself:
No strategic depth.

A currency backed by no natural resources.

Open border with the home shore minutes away from the world's busiest sea lane.

Exposed to artillery, special forces and rapid deployment parachute forces.

Lack of economic hinterland.

High density of ageing population.

Virtually no room to manoeuvre on home ground.

Heavy reliance on open access to sea and air trade routes.

Your back towards the sea any way you face.

Sleep well at night?

Many of us do, blissfully unaware of Singapore Armed Forces and Home Team units serving as the city-state's sentinels whose sensors watch above and beyond the border, and can see beyond the obvious.

We thank them all. :-)