Circuit breaker Day 43 pix: Singapore Army AMX-13 Light Tanks first National Day Mobile Column

Some of you here have enjoyed tracking the National Day Parade (NDP) Mobile Column rehearsals over the years.

Today, we'd like to share some colour pictures from the first NDP Mobile Column in 1969, which was the first time the Singapore Army displayed its French-built AMX-13 light tanks (above). A column of 18 AMX-13s led the Mobile Column at the parade to commemorate Singapore's 4th year of independence.

The AMX-13s served the Armour Formation for over 30 years. An upgrade by Singapore Automotive Engineering and Singapore's defence engineers gave the AMX-13s a new lease of life under Project Archer. ST Auto (now ST Engineering Land Systems) rebuilt the tanks to SM1 standard at its Portsdown Road workshop. The "new" tanks had better mobility with a new engine and gearbox, which also improved crew survivability as the engine was powered by diesel instead of more flammable petrol. The tank's firepower was improved with a new fire control system and an armour-piercing fin-stabilised discarding sabot round codenamed Spider.

If you've not to seen the Defence Technology Community's 50th anniversary book on Land Systems, please download your copy from this link. Chapter 4 outlines the development of AFVs by defence engineers from the Defence Science & Technology Agency (DSTA), DSO National Laboratories and ST Engineering.

AMX-13s on parade for the first time at NDP in 1969. Note the Mercedes-Benz Unimogs assembled in parade order behind the AMX-13s. Source: National Archives of Singapore

Four years after the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) was formed, the city-state's young defence force also showcased some of its newly-arrived hardware such as mortars mounted on Unimogs (below).

Jeep-mounted US-made 106mm recoilles rifles were also featured at the parade. These weapons served several cohorts of National Servicemen for decades and were replaced by the MILAN ATGM in the 1990s. Some People's Defence Force units continued using the 106 after the MILANs entered service. In trained hands and in closed terrain, the 106 is not a weapon one should discount.  

The b/w image below was probably taken by one of the photographers in the cherry picker. Looks like a sizeable contingent of 106 jeeps followed by marching infantry.

Source: National Archives of Singapore

Not part of the Mobile Column but still impressive and heartwarming to see. The soldiers in this photo would be in their late 60s or early 70s by now. Seen here are mortars (81mm?) man-packed by the mortar team - barrel, base plate, bipod and sight, then the ammo carriers.

Circuit breaker Day 42 pix: Republic of Singapore Air Force RSAF Shorts Skyvan

Eyes in the sky: RSAF Skyvans were modified in the 1990s for the Maritime Air Surveillance role. Note the ventral radar blister on the first aircraft with just inches to spare from scraping the ground.

I've flown with all three types of Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) transport aircraft: the Shorts Skyvan, Lockheed C-130 and the Fokker 50.

All flights aboard military aircraft are memorable. But the one with a 121 Squadron Skyvan was the one that I treasure till today because it gave me a fresh perspective of the aircraft and the squadron that supported it.

For a nervous flier, a trip on an aircraft called the "Skyvan" and one that looked like a flying box with a hunched back (the main wing spar passed over the cabin to maximise space within. Skyvan was designed for practicality, not aesthetics) didn't inspire confidence. Neither did the twin turboprops, whose small size and three-bladed propellors gave the aircraft a somewhat underpowered look. To top it all, the skinny wing was strengthened with a long strut on each side - which was a feature I remember on propellor-driven planes from another era.

The flight took place at Changi Airport in the early 1990s when I was an NSF reporter with Pioneer magazine. As the red and white Skyvan puttered onto the taxiway from the 121 SQN dispersal at the edge of Runway 1, the RSAF transport aircraft looked small and archaic compared to the shiny airliners at the airport.

I remember the Skyvan almost shaking itself to bits as the pilots throttled up to full power, the smell of exhaust fumes invading the non-airconditioned aircraft cabin and the almighty vibration and drone that zinged its way into one's ears despite the foam insert ear plugs.

As the aircraft had a light load - two pilots, an aircrewman in the cabin, two pax from Pioneer magazine - the takeoff run was surprisingly swift and short. You could feel the Skyvan leap into the air, leaving the great broad airport runway behind like a concrete river.

That whining, rhythmic ear-piercing drone from the Garrett AiResearch turboprops was with us throughout the flight, never giving passengers (or nervous fliers) a moment's peace. The Skyvan had no toilet, the boxy aircraft seemed to bounce in the afternoon thermals, and the non-retractable wheels must have added much drag as the Skyvan slowly plodded along towards Pedra Branca, our turnaround point.

Years later, when the RSAF modified its Skyvans for Maritime Air Surveillance (MAS) duty by installing a belly-mounted surface search radar under a prominent black blister, I often wondered how the radar operators endured their long overwater flights in the Skyvan. Like the RAAF Caribous that occasionally used Paya Lebar Air Base in the 1980 and 1990s, one heard a Skyvan long before you actually spotted it.

I never saw the inside of the Skyvans modified for MAS, so have no idea whether they improved the acoustics and passenger comfort. I imagine that a long flight staring constantly at the radar PPI must've been mentally taxing and physically draining, not to mention potentially disorientating. I salute Skyvan MAS crews for their endurance, particularly when the aircraft flew round and round on race track patterns and one couldn't look outside the windows for visual orientation.

My fresh perspective of the Skyvan came with the story I wrote about 121 SQN achieving a certain milestone in accident-free hours. Years after the squadron clocked that milestone, the Skyvans were retired after they surpassed an even higher number of accident-free hours.

So don't let first appearances fool you. As with many things in life, one should make the effort to understand the subject instead of jumping to quick conclusions that are often totally wrong or misguided.

Note:
Am writing this from memory: I think the pilot-in-command for that Skyvan flight was a Captain Baldev (spelling?) Singh. Sorry I can't recall the name of the other pilot or aircrewman. With fliers like that and a dedicated engineering team, you get to understand how 121 SQN achieved its magnificent tally of accident-free flying hours. I still have the 121 SQN milestone badge somewhere in my collection. I'm not an avid badge collector but I do keep patches and squadron badges as momentoes, particularly if the badges remind me of a meaningful occasion. Really good memories of the Gannets and their beloved Skyvans.

The RSAF painted its Skyvans in two colour schemes. Three were in the high-viz red and white livery for Search and Locate duty while another three had green and tan war paint (seen here).

Circuit breaker Day 41 pix: Republic of Singapore Navy RSN Coastal Command Giraffe coastal surveillance radar

This 1990s radar tower served two masters while keeping track of shipping movements in the Singapore Strait.

The VTIS radar is linked to the Port of Singapore Authority's Vessel Traffic Information System 2 while the Ericsson Giraffe served the Republic of Singapore Navy's Coastal Command (COSCOM).

COSCOM's Giraffe radars were deployed on lattice towers at several places on Singapore island and islets offshore, notably Raffles Lighthouse and Pedra Branca.

Before the Giraffe radar was installed at Horsburgh Lighthouse on Pedra Branca, the RSN modified one of its vessels at an offshore radar platform years earlier. The RSN ship was the little-known auxiliary, RSS Enterprise A301.

Giraffe radars have been retired. In its place is a coastal radar and optronic network that offers better situational awareness in realtime, day and night and in all weather conditions.

The RSN has more than 30 years of experience running radar towers around Singapore. The present radar/optronic network has different locations from the Giraffe network.

COSCOM uses the improved coastal surveillance network to build its surface sea situation picture of shipping lanes around Singapore.

Circuit breaker Day 40 pix: Republic of Singapore Navy RSN Floating Bridge System

Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) Endurance-class tank landing ships (LSTs) are designed to carry self-propelled pontoons called the Floating Bridge System (FBS).

These devices were designed and made in Singapore by Singapore Technologies Marine (now ST Engineering Marine). The Endurance-class LSTs, which were first commissioned 20 years ago, are fitted-for-but-not-with a number of novel features like the FBS which will only appear on special occasions.

Using rigid and flexible connectors, FBS pontoons can be interconnected end-to-end or sideways in several permutations: I, T or H-shaped as operational considerations require. The assembled pontoons are designed to serve as an unloading platform or bridging system for the transfer of personnel, vehicles and cargo from ship to shore.

An air-cooled diesel engine powers pumpjets on the FBS. The engine adds to the versatility of the system as it allows the self-propelled craft to be used as a ferry (see pix below) and self-deploy from the mothership without the assistance of tug boats. The system is designed to function even in moderate seas.

Endurance-class LSTs were modified with local inputs more than 15 years ago to carry FBS pontoons on the side of the hull. This method of carriage is similar to the British Mexeflote system. Deployment is via powerful winches which release the pontoons using cables from the side of the LST hull. The next three pictures show the Mexeflote at sea, being deployed and in use as a ferry. The RSN FBS concept of operations is broadly similar to Mexeflote so readers can use their imagination after viewing the next three images.

The picture below shows RSS Resolution being modified to carry the FBS. Note the prominent hull reinforcement strake which will support the platform when it is attached to the hull.

RSS Resolution before (above) and after (below) the modification to mount the FBS. Note the number of FCEPs carried. Photos by Ralf Gierke and John Wilson respectively.

The FBS is operated and maintained by the RSN Naval Logistics Command (NALCOM) and 191 Squadron.

This blog post has deliberately left out facts and figures on the FBS beyond generic descriptions. The system is visible from satellite pictures and can be seen by anyone travelling into Changi Naval Base if you know which way to look on the way in. 

We salute the men and women of NALCOM and 191 SQN for their dedication and professionalism in keeping the Navy's sealift capabilities in top form. The creativity of RSN planners and Singapore's defence engineers in devising the LST's noteworthy landing craft capacity and the FBS pontoons is beyond praise.

We hope the blog posts on Endurance-class LSTs and the FBS have given you a better appreciation of what these assets are capable of, if you look beyond the obvious. The LSTs are now in their 20th year of service and will eventually be replaced by another class of warship which will, likewise, have its unique features developed with local inputs.

Apart from what's visible like FCEPs hanging on davits and attachment points for pontoons, the Singapore navy's Endurance-class LSTs have a few other nifty features better left unsaid. Those who know, will know.

P.S. If you ever see all four Endurance-class LSTs fitted with the FBS and a full load of FCEPs, you know it's time to clear the junk out of your bomb shelter and stock up on toilet paper...

You may also like:

Blog post on sealift capability of Endurance-class LSTs. Click here  

Circuit breaker Day 39 pix: Republic of Singapore Navy RSN Endurance class LSTs

WARNING: If you read this blog post, you'll never look at a Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) Endurance-class LST the same way again because the ships look so underdressed with partially-filled boat davits.

Wow... No WOW!

Notice something special aboard RSS Resolution (208)?

John Wilson's pictures of RSS Resolution in Brisbane show her with a full load of Fast Craft Equipment Personnel (FCEPs) on her davits. Count 'em! Her davits are fully loaded portside too.

These pictures of Resolution with her superstructure festooned with FCEPs are the most impressive we've seen of the Endurance-class LSTs. Most times, you see at most two FCEP landing craft on each side.

Sealift capability
With 10 FCEPs topside and four larger Fast Craft Utility in her well dock, the LST can put one battalion of soldiers ashore in a single wave using her own assets. The ship also has a helideck with landing spots that can take two Super Pumas at the same time or one Chinook. The 141m Endurance-class can carry more landing craft than any other landing ship her size.

With four such LSTs on call, the RSN can land a brigade-sized landing force in one wave. The four LSTs will have up to 40 FCEPs and 16 FCUs to deliver troops and support vehicles from the sea.

Apart from the landing craft, the LSTs have one other asset called a Floating Bridge System (FBS) that can be strapped to the side of her hull. When released, the self-propelled platform forms a floating causeway. This asset deserves a separate post, so we'll feature the floating platform in an upcoming Circuit Breaker post. I have yet to see an Endurance-class LST fully loaded with FCEPs AND the FBS pontoons. Now that the FCEP capability has seen the light of day, am hopeful the LST+FBS combo will some day be unveiled too.

John's pictures were taken from 2016 to 2018 when Resolution sailed to Brisbane to support Exercise Trident, held in Australia's Shoalwater Bay Training Area in Queensland. Do note that Exercise Wallaby 2020 has been cancelled due to the Coronavirus pandemic.

Behold, Reso with a full house on her davits.

Previous RSS Resolution L204

Compare and contrast the first RSN vessel to carry the name Resolution, a County-class LST. Resolution is the last of six LSTs that remains in RSN hands.

Of the five other hulls, four were operational with 191 Squadron: RSS Endurance L201, RSS Excellence L202, RSS Intrepid L203 and RSS Persistence L205. A fifth LST hull was kept in mothballs but was not known to have entered active service. The RSN referred to her as RSS Perseverence.

Resolution is tied alongside at Tuas Naval Base. We hope the Navy has plans to keep her.

Your next blog update:

Circuit breaker Day 38 pix: Virtual tour of old Singapore Artillery mortars and guns at Khatib Camp

Many Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) units maintain their own heritage gallery, which is a sort of private museum that aims to preserve, inform and educate people on the unit's legacy and achievements.

The Singapore Artillery displays its old mortars and guns in a "gun park" at Khatib Camp, Home of the Artillery. Mortars bigger than 120mm are found there along with tube artillery that used to serve Singapore Artillery battalions. I guess we'll eventually find the FH-88 and FH-2000 there too. Scroll down for your virtual tour of this unique outdoor display.

Someday, when the COVID-19 Circuit Breaker is over and we can visit one another again, I would love to visit the Singapore Combat Engineers heritage gallery if given the chance to see the old bridges and ferries.

Soltam 160mm Heavy Mortar
Country of origin: Israel
Crew: 8 gunners
Max range: 9,601m
Rate of fire: 4 rounds per minute

Ordnance Development & Engineering 120mm Standard Mortar
Country of origin: Singapore
Crew: 6 gunners
Max range: 6,500m (Charge 9 at elevation 800 mils)
Rate of fire: 6 rounds per minute

Soltam 120mm Light Mortar (can be man-packed)

Country of origin: Israel
Crew: 6 gunners
Max range: 6,350m (Charge 8 at elevation 800 mils)
Rate of fire: 6 rounds per minute

Rock Island Arsenal M-114 155mm Gun Howitzer
Country of origin: United States
Crew: 12 gunners
Max range: 14,600m
Rate of fire: 4 rounds per minute
Note: The M-114s were bought at scrap metal value and refurbished in Singapore to return them to operational service. The guns served the SAF's first artillery battalions. It was a stop-gap weapon that met the requirement for a 155mm gun while delays in the delivery of the Soltam M-68 were being addressed.

Soltam M-68 155mm Gun Howitzer
Country of origin: Israel
Crew: 12 gunners
Max range: 23,000m
Rate of fire: 4 rounds per minute

Soltam M-71S 155mm Gun Howitzer
Country of origin: Israel; upgraded by ODE in 1992 to M-71S standard with a smaller gun crew, APU and some automated gun laying features.
Crew: 7 gunners
Max range: 23,500m (Standard projectile), 30,000m (Base Bleed projectile*)
Rate of fire: 4 rounds per minute

GIAT Industries LG-1 105mm Light Gun (gunshield removed)
Country of origin: France
Crew: 6 gunners
Max range: 15,000m (Hollow Base), 17,500m (Base Bleed Projectile*)
Rate of fire: 12 rounds per minute

* Base Bleed shells have a gas generator at the base of the projectile. This device vents (or bleeds) combustion gases from burning powder through ports in the projectile base plate (hence its name). The gases fill the vacuum behind the shell to reduce or eliminate drag and turbulence, thereby giving the shell a longer range.

Circuit breaker Day 37 pix: Republic of Singapore Navy RSN surface targets

Bang on target: A electro-optic sight locks-on to a Killer Tomato target buoy. Shell splashes are from the OTO Breda 76mm Super Rapido A-gun aboard an Endurance-class LST. Source: RSN Facebook

From self-made surface targets put together from empty oil drums, broom sticks and radar reflectors, the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) now uses several types of surface targets - including sophisticated ones for challenging target engagements - to test the guns and missiles aboard its warships.

Killer Tomato target buoy

The Killer Tomato target buoy (above) is used for surface gunnery shoots. The air-filled plastic buoy is made in a bright shade of crimson called International Orange and comes in various sizes. The ones typically used for surface target practices are about 7.3m by 3.7m by 5.5m (24 feet x 12 feet x 18 feet). Killer Tomatoes are inflated by one of the participating ships and dropped overboard. The buoys are said to be visible on radar to a range of 10 miles.

Killer Tomatoes are useful for gunnery practices as they do not explode or break up immediately when struck by shells. Punctured buoys can stay afloat long enough for gun crews to have a go at it with "live" rounds several times before it fully deflates and sinks. 

Jolly Roger target barge

A barge in the Jolly Roger series served as missile bait for Fleet RSN. Jolly Roger II is seen above with the stealth frigate, RSS Formidable, in the background. Jolly Roger II has a dark grey hull and white superstructure, with metal shapes that resemble guns and deck equipment painted in grey, white or black. The barge's narrow beam and arrangement of the shapes suggest a generic fast attack craft design. Even when stationary, the target barge is a small, hard-to-hit surface target for RSN sea skimming anti-ship missiles such as the Harpoon. Video cameras and realtime data links track the missile engagement by filming the scene on deck when the missile hits the target barge.   

EP target 
A more unusual target is based on the hull of a Fast Craft Equipment Personnel (FCEP) waterjet-propelled fast landing craft. The target is painted white for maximum visibility and has nets hung above its hull to register near misses.

The Singapore navy's EP-series of surface targets is believed to be remote controlled. This offers challenging target profiles especially if the EP is conned by a skilled operator who knows how to use the FCEP's speed and manoeuvrability to stress out the gun crew. An FCEP can pivot on the spot, attain speeds in excess of 20 knots and come to a sudden crash stop (not recommended with troops on board). The firing ship must know how to open its gun arcs and should preferably have a weapon with a high slew rate or the EP could slip out of the firing arc if the gunner is slow to respond.

The Navy's surface targets are developed, operated and maintained by the Naval Logistics Command (NALCOM).

Here's the view from the bridge of the stealth frigate, RSS Steadfast, as the A-gun fires three 76mm rounds at a Killer Tomato in the South China Sea.