The amount of resources - military and non-military - Singapore mobilised at no-notice after 239 people aboard Malaysia Airlines (MAS) Flight MH370 disappeared without a trace yesterday speaks volumes of the close ties and shared destiny between the Malaysian Federation and our city-state.
Not a single Singaporean soul was aboard that MAS airliner. It does not matter. Singapore's response makes it abundantly clear that Malaysia's national crisis is a seismic event which we will not turn our back to.
As Malaysians count on the Angkatan Tentera Malaysia (ATM, Malaysian Armed Forces) and the Federation's finest to spearhead the search for the missing, it is clear the full weight of the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) is backed by strong political will to assist our closest neighbour in its time of need.
Key leaders from both sides of the Causeway from Perdana Menteri (Prime Minister) downwards have spoken with one another. Service chiefs of our respective air and naval forces have touched base.
These are more than diplomatic niceties during crisis time. It is a signal moment in Malaysia-Singapore defence relations that emphasizes that when it matters, the ATM and SAF can work together in a real and substantive way, with our combined orders of battle offering immense resources for the task at hand.
Yesterday, a Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) C-130 Hercules joined mercy flights flown by Malaysian aircraft and helicopters.
And there's more to come. Things are stirring in the SAF.
Now that defence ministers from both countries have a better grasp of what needs to be done and what Singapore can offer, more SAF assets are being marshalled and deployed to work with the ATM.
Hundreds of men and women in the SAF have had their weekend truncated. Scores of civil servants who imagined a breather after budgets for key ministries were passed in Parliament last week have received a sharp reminder what public service is all about. Many will be at work today, the unseen hands that will push assets northward to join the massive search for the MAS plane.
As the world waits for signs of MH370 and steels itself for news which could swing either way, the combined, coordinated resources of ATM+SAF and multinational forces will help in the search for answers.
In doing so, our respective military forces are reaping the dividends from decades of joint war games, personnel exchanges, visits and courtesy calls between the ATM and SAF.
Make no mistake. We have had moments in our collective history which could have given outside observers the impression that the two bickering neighbours are fated to be forever at loggerheads with one another, always competing and unwilling to give ground - much like soccer night between our national teams.
And yet, at moments like this, Malaysia and Singapore stand shoulder-to-shoulder, eyes riveted on a common mission, hearts driven by a professional desire to get the job done; the Tiger and the Lion demonstrating unity in spirit - semangat bersatu - in this joint endeavour much like how Singapore's state crest captures the essence of togetherness with the national symbols of our two countries.
Malaysia is not alone in this crisis.
Indeed, there are many in the Lion City who absorbed news of the MAS airliner and feel, grief struck, that we lost one of our own.
Sunday, March 9, 2014
Saturday, March 8, 2014
Malaysia Airlines MH370 incident: RSAF C-130 Hercules involved in aerial search
22:00 hrs update
Malaysian Defence Minister Dato' Seri Hishammuddin Hussein has reportedly accepted an offer by Dr Ng Eng Hen, Singapore's Minister for Defence, to deploy the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) submarine rescue vessel, Swift Rescue, in support of Malaysia's search for the missing Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777-200 MH370 (registration 9M-MRO).
Swift Rescue has a helipad for a medium-left helicopter (Super Puma or Seahawk). The search grids for the missing airliner are about a day's sailing time away from Changi Naval Base, where Swift Rescue is usually berthed.
It is possible Swift Rescue will work alongside the Tentera Diraja Laut Malaysia (TLDM, Royal Malaysian Navy) SubMarine Escape and Rescue (SMER) support vessel, Mega Bakti.
The Angkatan Tentera Malaysia (ATM, Malaysian Armed Forces) and the SAF have enjoyed close and meaningful ties recently. Closer defence relations between the two forces have led to cross deployments of warplanes (RSAF F-16s to Kuantan and TUDM Hawks 200s to Changi Air Base) and, more recently, the cross decking of naval helicopters on each other's warships during the Eksesais Malapura naval war games.
Senang Diri understands the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) has placed other assets on a short notice to move. See earlier post below. Stayed tuned for more.
18:08 hrs update:
The next hour will prove critical for search and rescue (SAR) teams looking for the missing Malaysia Airlines airliner Flight MH370.
The approaching sunset, which is estimated at 7:19pm for Kuantan and 7:23pm for Kota Bharu, will make it more challenging for SAR teams once darkness veils the South China Sea.
Searches can continue after nightfall, but darkness will crimp the tempo of search parties even if they are equipped with night vision equipment.
The Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) C-130 sent aloft around noon today can, in theory, stay airborne for several hours past sunset.
But much of its search pattern is expected to take place at low level, with observers looking out from the cockpit glasshouse and possibly, a lowered cargo ramp at the rear of the aircraft for signs of the missing MAS Boeing 777-200.
Having despatched one C-130, it is thought a second (or more) aircraft will be placed on high alert. The second aircraft gives HQ RSAF a standby asset as it takes the place of the first C-130 which is now deployed to look for MH370.
A CH-47SD Chinook, the RSAF's largest helicopter, would also be on standby for flight operations 24/365. The Chinook's 650 nautical mile range (1,204 km) means the helicopter can fly a fair distance into the South China Sea on missions of mercy.
In addition, a Super Puma/Cougar is on standby as you read this, though this bird has shorter legs than the Chinook.
RSAF Fokker 50s have also been despatched for SAR/SAL missions.
Since 2010, Team RSAF has conducted 86 SAR missions.
Should there be a need to conduct an underwater search at Malaysia's request, the Republic of Singapore Navy's (RSN) submarine rescue vessel, Swift Rescue, could be a possible candidate for such a task. The special mini submarine carried aboard Swift Rescue could help search parties scour the seabed at close range. The mini sub is capable of diving to a depth of 500m - which is more than enough for operations in the South China Sea (average depth 80m).
Underwater sensors embarked on the Navy's four Bedok-class Mine Countermeasures Vessels (MCMVs) could also help with such a search. Should the need arise, the ability of the MCMVs to detect and identify underwater anomalies, whether on the seabed or tethered objects, can be applied to non-defence underwater expeditions too.
It is worth remembering that when France embarked on a massive search for Air France Airbus A330 Flight 447, which went missing over the South Atlantic, she deployed a nuclear submarine to help detect signals from the airliner's flight data recorder (i.e. black box, which is usually painted bright orange).
We wish the multi-national search teams well in this last hour of daylight on 8 March 2014.
Our thoughts and prayers are with the loved ones of MH370.
Earlier report posted at 15:06 hrs:
A Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) C-130 Hercules from 122 Squadron took off from Singapore around noon today, tasked to search for and locate the missing Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777-200, which had 239 passengers and crew onboard.
The mercy mission is being coordinated between the RSAF, Singapore Rescue Coordination Centre and the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS).
As its name implies, the SRCC brings together air and sea search and rescue assets that stage out of Singapore, an island republic that sits astride some of the world's busiest shipping lanes and at the heart of air lanes that criss cross the South China Sea region.
Among other things, the SRCC has the expertise to use data on ocean currents and wind direction to predict the spread of the debris field. Such data can help aerial search parties in their mission.
For example, the Air France Airbus A330 Flight 447 that went down over the Atlantic in June 2009 left a floating debris field that included an object as large as the plane's vertical stabiliser.
If an airliner ditches under pilot control, the forced landing can prove survivable for passengers. Examples include the crash landing of Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 767 Flight 961 and US Airways Airbus A320 Flight 1549.
The missing MAS, Flight MH370, was en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing when it disappeared off Vietnam.
The C-130 is a medium range tactical transport that can perform a wide spectrum of roles such as airdropping troops and equipment, air-to-air refuelling, search and locate and medical evacuation missions.
RSAF C-130s can stay in the air for as long as 15 hours and have a maximum range of 4,800 nautical miles (8,890 km). This brings the area in which MH370 is thought to have gone down well within the C-130's search radius.
The RSAF's C-130 fleet is being progressively upgraded by Singapore Technologies Aerospace under Project H to modernise some of the flight deck consoles and enhance the transport aircraft's survivability against MANPADS.
Pilots and aircrew with 122 SQN have flown operational missions in Afghanistan and Iraq, and the Arabian Gulf region.
This is an evolving story. More updates to come.
Malaysian Defence Minister Dato' Seri Hishammuddin Hussein has reportedly accepted an offer by Dr Ng Eng Hen, Singapore's Minister for Defence, to deploy the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) submarine rescue vessel, Swift Rescue, in support of Malaysia's search for the missing Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777-200 MH370 (registration 9M-MRO).
Swift Rescue has a helipad for a medium-left helicopter (Super Puma or Seahawk). The search grids for the missing airliner are about a day's sailing time away from Changi Naval Base, where Swift Rescue is usually berthed.
It is possible Swift Rescue will work alongside the Tentera Diraja Laut Malaysia (TLDM, Royal Malaysian Navy) SubMarine Escape and Rescue (SMER) support vessel, Mega Bakti.
The Angkatan Tentera Malaysia (ATM, Malaysian Armed Forces) and the SAF have enjoyed close and meaningful ties recently. Closer defence relations between the two forces have led to cross deployments of warplanes (RSAF F-16s to Kuantan and TUDM Hawks 200s to Changi Air Base) and, more recently, the cross decking of naval helicopters on each other's warships during the Eksesais Malapura naval war games.
Senang Diri understands the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) has placed other assets on a short notice to move. See earlier post below. Stayed tuned for more.
18:08 hrs update:
The next hour will prove critical for search and rescue (SAR) teams looking for the missing Malaysia Airlines airliner Flight MH370.
The approaching sunset, which is estimated at 7:19pm for Kuantan and 7:23pm for Kota Bharu, will make it more challenging for SAR teams once darkness veils the South China Sea.
Searches can continue after nightfall, but darkness will crimp the tempo of search parties even if they are equipped with night vision equipment.
The Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) C-130 sent aloft around noon today can, in theory, stay airborne for several hours past sunset.
But much of its search pattern is expected to take place at low level, with observers looking out from the cockpit glasshouse and possibly, a lowered cargo ramp at the rear of the aircraft for signs of the missing MAS Boeing 777-200.
Having despatched one C-130, it is thought a second (or more) aircraft will be placed on high alert. The second aircraft gives HQ RSAF a standby asset as it takes the place of the first C-130 which is now deployed to look for MH370.
A CH-47SD Chinook, the RSAF's largest helicopter, would also be on standby for flight operations 24/365. The Chinook's 650 nautical mile range (1,204 km) means the helicopter can fly a fair distance into the South China Sea on missions of mercy.
In addition, a Super Puma/Cougar is on standby as you read this, though this bird has shorter legs than the Chinook.
RSAF Fokker 50s have also been despatched for SAR/SAL missions.
Since 2010, Team RSAF has conducted 86 SAR missions.
Should there be a need to conduct an underwater search at Malaysia's request, the Republic of Singapore Navy's (RSN) submarine rescue vessel, Swift Rescue, could be a possible candidate for such a task. The special mini submarine carried aboard Swift Rescue could help search parties scour the seabed at close range. The mini sub is capable of diving to a depth of 500m - which is more than enough for operations in the South China Sea (average depth 80m).
Underwater sensors embarked on the Navy's four Bedok-class Mine Countermeasures Vessels (MCMVs) could also help with such a search. Should the need arise, the ability of the MCMVs to detect and identify underwater anomalies, whether on the seabed or tethered objects, can be applied to non-defence underwater expeditions too.
It is worth remembering that when France embarked on a massive search for Air France Airbus A330 Flight 447, which went missing over the South Atlantic, she deployed a nuclear submarine to help detect signals from the airliner's flight data recorder (i.e. black box, which is usually painted bright orange).
We wish the multi-national search teams well in this last hour of daylight on 8 March 2014.
Our thoughts and prayers are with the loved ones of MH370.
Earlier report posted at 15:06 hrs:
A Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) C-130 Hercules from 122 Squadron took off from Singapore around noon today, tasked to search for and locate the missing Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777-200, which had 239 passengers and crew onboard.
The mercy mission is being coordinated between the RSAF, Singapore Rescue Coordination Centre and the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS).
As its name implies, the SRCC brings together air and sea search and rescue assets that stage out of Singapore, an island republic that sits astride some of the world's busiest shipping lanes and at the heart of air lanes that criss cross the South China Sea region.
Among other things, the SRCC has the expertise to use data on ocean currents and wind direction to predict the spread of the debris field. Such data can help aerial search parties in their mission.
For example, the Air France Airbus A330 Flight 447 that went down over the Atlantic in June 2009 left a floating debris field that included an object as large as the plane's vertical stabiliser.
If an airliner ditches under pilot control, the forced landing can prove survivable for passengers. Examples include the crash landing of Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 767 Flight 961 and US Airways Airbus A320 Flight 1549.
The missing MAS, Flight MH370, was en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing when it disappeared off Vietnam.
The C-130 is a medium range tactical transport that can perform a wide spectrum of roles such as airdropping troops and equipment, air-to-air refuelling, search and locate and medical evacuation missions.
RSAF C-130s can stay in the air for as long as 15 hours and have a maximum range of 4,800 nautical miles (8,890 km). This brings the area in which MH370 is thought to have gone down well within the C-130's search radius.
The RSAF's C-130 fleet is being progressively upgraded by Singapore Technologies Aerospace under Project H to modernise some of the flight deck consoles and enhance the transport aircraft's survivability against MANPADS.
Pilots and aircrew with 122 SQN have flown operational missions in Afghanistan and Iraq, and the Arabian Gulf region.
This is an evolving story. More updates to come.
Malaysia assembles SAR forces after Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 disappears off Vietnamese coast
16:45 hrs 8 Mar'14 edit: Amended all references to a crash pending official confirmation from Malaysia.
Malaysian authorities have sent two Airbus Helicopters EC-725 Caracal (aka Super Cougar. Caracal is a desert lynx) helicopters and at least one Agensi Penguatkuasaan Maritim Malaysia (APMM, Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency) Bombardier CL-415 flying boat as the vanguard of a search and rescue team taskedfor operations at the crash site of to find the missing Malaysia Airlines (MAS) airliner Flight MH370.
The MAS Boeing 777-200 disappeared over the South China Sea off Vietnam early this morning (8 March'14) en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing The flight was due to arrive in Beijing at 6:30am this morning.
Media reports indicate MH370 had onboard a total number of 239 passengers and crew - comprising 227 passengers (including 2 infants) and 12 crew members.
The passengers were of 14 nationalities - citizens from:
1. China - 152 plus 1 infant
2. Malaysia - 38
3. Indonesia - 12
4. Australia - 7
5. France - 3
6. United States of America - 3 pax plus 1 infant
7. New Zealand - 2
8. Ukraine - 2
9. Canada - 2
10. Russia - 1
11. Italy - 1
12. Taiwan - 1
13. Netherlands - 1
14. Austria - 1
The flight was a codeshare with China Southern Airlines.
Based at Kuantan, the EC-725s serve with the Tentara Udara Diraja Malaysia's (TUDM, Royal Malaysian Air Force) dedicated Combat Search and Rescue unit, Number 10 Squadron.
While Vietnam's eastern seaboard lies outside the area of responsibility for Search and Locate (SAL) coverage provided by the Republic of Singapore Air Force for the Singapore Flight Information Region, we should stand ready to assist Malaysia if need be.
We wish Gading every success in their mission. Stout hearts.
Malaysian authorities have sent two Airbus Helicopters EC-725 Caracal (aka Super Cougar. Caracal is a desert lynx) helicopters and at least one Agensi Penguatkuasaan Maritim Malaysia (APMM, Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency) Bombardier CL-415 flying boat as the vanguard of a search and rescue team tasked
The MAS Boeing 777-200 disappeared over the South China Sea off Vietnam early this morning (8 March'14) en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing The flight was due to arrive in Beijing at 6:30am this morning.
Media reports indicate MH370 had onboard a total number of 239 passengers and crew - comprising 227 passengers (including 2 infants) and 12 crew members.
The passengers were of 14 nationalities - citizens from:
1. China - 152 plus 1 infant
2. Malaysia - 38
3. Indonesia - 12
4. Australia - 7
5. France - 3
6. United States of America - 3 pax plus 1 infant
7. New Zealand - 2
8. Ukraine - 2
9. Canada - 2
10. Russia - 1
11. Italy - 1
12. Taiwan - 1
13. Netherlands - 1
14. Austria - 1
The flight was a codeshare with China Southern Airlines.
Based at Kuantan, the EC-725s serve with the Tentara Udara Diraja Malaysia's (TUDM, Royal Malaysian Air Force) dedicated Combat Search and Rescue unit, Number 10 Squadron.
While Vietnam's eastern seaboard lies outside the area of responsibility for Search and Locate (SAL) coverage provided by the Republic of Singapore Air Force for the Singapore Flight Information Region, we should stand ready to assist Malaysia if need be.
We wish Gading every success in their mission. Stout hearts.
Friday, March 7, 2014
Airbus Defence and Space confirms Singapore order for six A330 MRTTs
Bravo Airbus. Now you can pop the champagne. Next time, try to know your customer better :-)
Opinion: Images on the Airbus A330 Multi-Role Tanker Transport Fact Sheet issued by the Singapore Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) on 6 March 2014 after Singapore Minister for Defence, Dr Ng Eng Hen, spoke in Parliament were apparently chosen to show the MRTT's ability to conduct mid-air refuellings using the boom/receptacle (for RSAF F-15SG and F-16C/D/D+) and hose and drogue methods (for RSAF F-5S/T andF-35B Lightning II "Next Generation Fighter Jet"). DM's speech did not indicate the number of A330 MRTTs ordered. Click here for the MINDEF fact sheet.
Singapore selects Airbus Defence and Space A330 MRTT Multi Role Tanker Transport
Opinion: Images on the Airbus A330 Multi-Role Tanker Transport Fact Sheet issued by the Singapore Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) on 6 March 2014 after Singapore Minister for Defence, Dr Ng Eng Hen, spoke in Parliament were apparently chosen to show the MRTT's ability to conduct mid-air refuellings using the boom/receptacle (for RSAF F-15SG and F-16C/D/D+) and hose and drogue methods (for RSAF F-5S/T and
“We are greatly honoured by the selection of the A330 MRTT by Singapore. The decision confirms the A330 MRTT’s status as unquestionably the world’s most advanced tanker/transport aircraft as well as its pre-eminent suitability for the Asia-Pacific region.” - Domingo Ureña Raso, Head of Military Aircraft, Airbus Defence and Space
Singapore selects Airbus Defence and Space A330 MRTT Multi Role Tanker Transport
Singapore places firm order for six aircraft.
7 March 2014
Airbus Defence and Space has been selected by Singapore to supply six A330 MRTT new generation air-to-air refuelling aircraft for the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF).
The aircraft will be delivered under the terms of a firm contract which has already been signed.
Singapore’s choice of the A330 MRTT makes it the sixth nation to select the type following Australia, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and the United Kingdom which have ordered a total of 28 aircraft, and India which is in the final stages of contractual negotiations for six aircraft. A total of 17 aircraft are currently in service with the first four nations.
The A330 MRTT is derived from the highly successful A330 commercial airliner and proven in-service as a tanker/transport with multi-role capability.
Airbus Defence and Space Head of Military Aircraft, Domingo Ureña Raso said: “We are greatly honoured by the selection of the A330 MRTT by Singapore. The decision confirms the A330 MRTT’s status as unquestionably the world’s most advanced tanker/transport aircraft as well as its pre-eminent suitability for the Asia-Pacific region.”
About A330 MRTT
The Airbus Defence and Space A330 MRTT is the only new generation strategic tanker/transport aircraft flying and available today. The large 111 tonnes/ 245,000 lb basic fuel capacity of the successful A330-200 airliner, from which it is derived, enables the A330 MRTT to excel in Air-to-Air Refuelling missions without the need for any additional fuel tank. The A330 MRTT is offered with a choice of proven air-to-air refuelling systems including an advanced Airbus Defence and Space Aerial Refuelling Boom System, and/or a pair of under-wing hose and drogue pods, and/or a Fuselage Refuelling Unit.
Thanks to its true wide-body fuselage, the A330 MRTT can also be used as a pure transport aircraft able to carry up to 300 troops, or a payload of up to 45 tonnes/99,000 lb. It can also easily be converted to accommodate up to 130 stretchers for Medical Evacuation (MEDEVAC). To-date, a total of 28 A330 MRTTs have been ordered by four customers (Australia, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and the United Kingdom), with one (Saudi Arabia) having already placed a repeat order.
About Airbus Defence and Space
Airbus Defence and Space is a division of Airbus Group formed by combining the business activities of Cassidian, Astrium and Airbus Military. The new division is Europe’s number one defence and space enterprise, the second largest space business worldwide and among the top ten global defence enterprises. It employs some 40,000 employees generating revenues of approximately €14 billion per year.
Thursday, March 6, 2014
The Singapore Armed Forces: Protecting Singapore in 2030
"We build the SAF for an uncertain future with unknown risks and new challenges. But MINDEF is confident that as long as we have the strong support of members of this House and Singaporeans, who are strongly resolved to defend ourselves and willing to invest in building these capabilities, the SAF will be able to preserve our peace and protect our sovereignty." - Dr Ng Eng Hen, Minister for Defence, Singapore
Summarised from DM's statement delivered on 6 March 2014 which wrapped up the debate in Parliament on the FY 2014/15 Defence Budget. Parliament passed the S$12.56 billion budgeted for the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) and the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF).
What are we building up the SAF to be like in the future? Let me illustrate with a schematic of what the SAF might look like in 2030. It will be an SAF with all parts highly connected. Which means that whether it’s the fighter pilot in the air, the sailor out on the oceans or the soldier on land, each will be able to see the big picture, and beyond that, speak to each other to jointly target threats and orchestrate responses. Let me repeat that: Whether it’s the fighter pilot in the air, the sailor out on the oceans or the soldier on land, each will be able to see the big picture, and beyond that, speak to each other to jointly target threats and orchestrate responses. It's sound simple but is very difficult to do. This concept of a networked force is now a reality, and the SAF, a front-runner in realising its full potential.
In 2030, our F-16s will be upgraded with the Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar which are more precise and can see further, and have more precise air-to-ground munitions. Together with the F- 15s, they will be able to defend our airspace. In addition, we would have acquired our next generation fighter aircraft. We are not ready to decide yet because our F-15s and F-16s serve us for the near term and medium term.
We will also have in place air defence capabilities with the deployment of the SPYDER and ASTER-30 Surface-to-Air Missile Systems. In other words, a layered air defence.
Our current KC-135 aerial tankers will have been replaced by the Airbus A330 Multi-Role Tanker Transport (MRTT), which we have decided to acquire. You will be familiar with the A330 because you fly in these commercial planes. The MRTT can hold 20% more fuel than the KC-135 and will extend the range of our fighters through Air-to-Air Refuelling. The MRTT can also double up as a cargo and troop-lift aircraft to deploy troops and equipment to overseas sites further away as we have done in HADR operations.
For our Navy, two Type-218SG submarines will be in operation, together with our two Archer-class submarines. Our Frigates, operating with their Sikorsky S-70B Naval Helicopters, and our new Littoral Mission Vessels, will form the mainstay of our surface fleet. The Naval helicopters have proved to be effective and versatile for a wide range of missions, and have validated their usefulness in the Gulf of Aden counter-piracy missions. The SAF has therefore decided to acquire two more Naval helicopters. The SAF has also found the multi-role Landing Ship Tank to be an effective workhorse in our relief efforts following the Indian Ocean Tsunami. However, even as they were effective, they were limited by their carrying capacity. We are therefore studying carefully the need for larger LSTs that can carry more helicopters as well as more cargo.
The Army in 2030 will certainly be more mobile. In the next 10 years, the number of units that will operate on wheel or track platforms will almost double. So whatever we have, it will be double the number in the next 10 years. This includes more Terrex Infantry Fighting Vehicles, to deal with threats in the increasingly complex urban environment. In addition, we are linking them to UAVs, such as the Heron-1, to ensure that they can see far better and act more decisively. The upgrading of our current Bionixes will also have been completed and this will be operationalized by 2030.
By 2030, we expect that future systems will be part and parcel of the SAF. Possibilities include multiple micro-UAVs for individual soldiers - some of you may have seen on Youtube the gyrocopters that are swarming - or even robotic mules that can carry very heavy loads and follow soldiers autonomously.
We will continue to test these capabilities in realistic terrain and scenarios. For example, in Exercise Forging Sabre 2013, we deployed our widest range of platforms and precision munitions to date, including F-15SG and F-16 fighters, Apache and Chinook helicopters, and the HIMARS.
The following weapon platforms and systems were shown in the infographic on current and future SAF sketched out by defence minister Dr Ng Eng Hen. Note: All hypotheticals, illustrations and renderings of Future systems are for illustrative purposes only and should not be taken as representative of the final fielded product.
Opinion: Enables Singapore Army ground forces from the smallest tactical units to network securely, in realtime and in all weather with sensors and shooters from the army, Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) and Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF). This allows individual combat teams to bring into play the firepower of the SAF decisively, giving SAF warfighters killing power that goes above and beyond their individual weapons.
Type 218SG submarine
Opinion: Two Type 218SG submarines from Germany's HDW yard will serve alongside two Swedish-made Archer-class boats. All RSN subs are expected to feature Air-Independent Propulsion in 2030, which means the boats can run silent and run deep for extended periods of time. This should reduce the likelihood of detection compared to diesel-electric boats which need to snorkel close to the surface periodically to recharge their batteries using noisy air-breathing diesel engines.
Littoral Mission Vessel
Opinion: Eight 80-metre 1,150 tonne LMVs are now being built by Singapore Technologies Marine.
Engines: Two MTU Series 4000 diesel engines driving two propeller shafts.
Guns: One OTO Breda 76mm Super Rapid, one RWS, two 0.5" CIS 50 MGs, two 7.62mm GPMGs
Sensors: Gunfire control system for the A-gun will come from Sagem of France. The integrated sensor mast will mount a Thales Netherlands NS 100 E-/F-band shipborne pulse-Doppler naval surveillance radar.
Stern slip machinery: Boat handling system by Norwegian Deck Machinery (NDM) whose stern slip Launch and Recovery System will serve a pair of RHIBs.
Other equipment: Two water monitors, two long-range acoustic devices (LRAD)
Upgraded F-16
Opinion: The F-16C/D/D+ multi-role fighters are numerically the most important fighter type in the RSAF. Fighters that emerge after a Mid-Life Upgrade (MLU) will carry an Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar which allows each warplane to detect, identify, track and engage contacts in a larger volume of airspace unmatched by mechanically scanned radars. Click here for an earlier blog post on the RSAF F-16 MLU project.
Airbus 330 Multi-Role Tanker Transport
Opinion: Top officials from Airbus were left red-faced at the Singapore Airshow 2014 fielding persistent questions from defence scribes who suspected Airbus was about to announce a MRTT customer (read: Singapour). This stemmed from a weak understanding of the Singapour market, which traditionally leaves major acquisitions for MINDEF/SAF to announce. Such tidbits are never shared during champagne wine and cheese sessions at air show chalets or press conferences.
Six MRTTs are thought to have been ordered. If confirmed, the number is noteworthy as the full force potential of the RSAF's future MRTT fleet should see a 50% increase in the Air Force's ability to refuel F-15SGs and F-16s in mid-air compared to the current fleet of four KC-135R Stratotankers.
If the F-35B is eventually fielded, the MRTTs would also need to mount pods to tank up these fighters which still use the hose-and-drogue method of AAR.
The MRTT, paired with heavy-lifters from civilian contractors, could see the SAF increase its ability to airlift heavy assets overseas over longer distances and in a shorter time. Singapore's response to the Christchurch earthquake in New Zealand in February 2011 was instructive as the rescue team had to wait two days for Singapore Civil Defence Force vehicles carried aboard C-130 to reach the team.
Tactical Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV)
Opinion: More stuff from the labs of Singapore's secretive DSO National Laboratories. A number of drone concepts like NATALEE are known to have taken to the air, launched from land and naval platforms, but have yet to make their public debut even after years of field trials. The innovative LALEE would have been a game-changer but the project was stillborn owing to reluctance from the United States whose defence officials feared Singapore would leapfrog what US firms were then capable of delivering. Pity.
Aster 30 SAM
Opinion: The anti-aircraft missile with the longest reach in the RSAF's Ground-Based Air Defence arsenal, the Air Force's future Aster 30 SAM batteries will complement the anti-air warfare capabilities of Sea-Based Air Defences mounted on six Formidable-class FFS.
By 2030, the RSAF's C-RAM assets should have long been disclosed (hopefully). Networked with Spyder SAMs and future MANPADS, the RSAF's integrated air defence shield in 2030 should continue to pose a potent and effective counter to future manned fighters and UAVs.
Opinion: Otherwise known generally as the Joint Strike Fighter and specifically as the Lockheed Martin F-35B Lightning II, this "Next Gen Fighter Jet" could form the fixed-wing air element for the first RSN warships built keel up as air-capable vessels.
MINDEF/SAF is known to have had paper plans to convert NOL vessels as improvised helicopter carriers since the early 1990s under a concept called HOSTAC, which means Helicopter Operations from Ships Other Than Aircraft Carriers. The plans would be operationalized under the auspices of MINDEF's innocuously-named Resource Planning Office as well as the Defence Science & Technology Agency and local shipyards.
These warplanes will allow the SAF to deliver air power on and from the sea, thereby posing a headache to enemy planners as they would have an additional element to counter apart from swarms of manned fighters emerging from fixed air bases on mainland Singapore.
Next Generation Landing Ship Tank
Opinion: Singapore watchers should be familiar with this proposed piece of kit :-)
Bionix Upgrade
Opinion:
Unmanned Systems:
Opinion: Strange. A strong, credible defence for Singapore is supposed to allow people on this island to sleep well at night. But the many classified projects Singapore's defence scientists and engineers are working on behind the veil of secrecy is enough to keep one up all night in excited contemplation. Here's a glimpse of what's to come.
Micro-UAV
Unmanned Ground Vehicle
Unmanned Underwater Vehicle
Fight Current, Fight Future
By Dr Ng Eng Hen, Minister for Defence, SingaporeSummarised from DM's statement delivered on 6 March 2014 which wrapped up the debate in Parliament on the FY 2014/15 Defence Budget. Parliament passed the S$12.56 billion budgeted for the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) and the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF).
What are we building up the SAF to be like in the future? Let me illustrate with a schematic of what the SAF might look like in 2030. It will be an SAF with all parts highly connected. Which means that whether it’s the fighter pilot in the air, the sailor out on the oceans or the soldier on land, each will be able to see the big picture, and beyond that, speak to each other to jointly target threats and orchestrate responses. Let me repeat that: Whether it’s the fighter pilot in the air, the sailor out on the oceans or the soldier on land, each will be able to see the big picture, and beyond that, speak to each other to jointly target threats and orchestrate responses. It's sound simple but is very difficult to do. This concept of a networked force is now a reality, and the SAF, a front-runner in realising its full potential.
In 2030, our F-16s will be upgraded with the Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar which are more precise and can see further, and have more precise air-to-ground munitions. Together with the F- 15s, they will be able to defend our airspace. In addition, we would have acquired our next generation fighter aircraft. We are not ready to decide yet because our F-15s and F-16s serve us for the near term and medium term.
We will also have in place air defence capabilities with the deployment of the SPYDER and ASTER-30 Surface-to-Air Missile Systems. In other words, a layered air defence.
Our current KC-135 aerial tankers will have been replaced by the Airbus A330 Multi-Role Tanker Transport (MRTT), which we have decided to acquire. You will be familiar with the A330 because you fly in these commercial planes. The MRTT can hold 20% more fuel than the KC-135 and will extend the range of our fighters through Air-to-Air Refuelling. The MRTT can also double up as a cargo and troop-lift aircraft to deploy troops and equipment to overseas sites further away as we have done in HADR operations.
For our Navy, two Type-218SG submarines will be in operation, together with our two Archer-class submarines. Our Frigates, operating with their Sikorsky S-70B Naval Helicopters, and our new Littoral Mission Vessels, will form the mainstay of our surface fleet. The Naval helicopters have proved to be effective and versatile for a wide range of missions, and have validated their usefulness in the Gulf of Aden counter-piracy missions. The SAF has therefore decided to acquire two more Naval helicopters. The SAF has also found the multi-role Landing Ship Tank to be an effective workhorse in our relief efforts following the Indian Ocean Tsunami. However, even as they were effective, they were limited by their carrying capacity. We are therefore studying carefully the need for larger LSTs that can carry more helicopters as well as more cargo.
The Army in 2030 will certainly be more mobile. In the next 10 years, the number of units that will operate on wheel or track platforms will almost double. So whatever we have, it will be double the number in the next 10 years. This includes more Terrex Infantry Fighting Vehicles, to deal with threats in the increasingly complex urban environment. In addition, we are linking them to UAVs, such as the Heron-1, to ensure that they can see far better and act more decisively. The upgrading of our current Bionixes will also have been completed and this will be operationalized by 2030.
By 2030, we expect that future systems will be part and parcel of the SAF. Possibilities include multiple micro-UAVs for individual soldiers - some of you may have seen on Youtube the gyrocopters that are swarming - or even robotic mules that can carry very heavy loads and follow soldiers autonomously.
We will continue to test these capabilities in realistic terrain and scenarios. For example, in Exercise Forging Sabre 2013, we deployed our widest range of platforms and precision munitions to date, including F-15SG and F-16 fighters, Apache and Chinook helicopters, and the HIMARS.
The following weapon platforms and systems were shown in the infographic on current and future SAF sketched out by defence minister Dr Ng Eng Hen. Note: All hypotheticals, illustrations and renderings of Future systems are for illustrative purposes only and should not be taken as representative of the final fielded product.
SAF in 2030:
Next Generation Advanced Combat Man SystemOpinion: Enables Singapore Army ground forces from the smallest tactical units to network securely, in realtime and in all weather with sensors and shooters from the army, Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) and Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF). This allows individual combat teams to bring into play the firepower of the SAF decisively, giving SAF warfighters killing power that goes above and beyond their individual weapons.
Type 218SG submarine
Opinion: Two Type 218SG submarines from Germany's HDW yard will serve alongside two Swedish-made Archer-class boats. All RSN subs are expected to feature Air-Independent Propulsion in 2030, which means the boats can run silent and run deep for extended periods of time. This should reduce the likelihood of detection compared to diesel-electric boats which need to snorkel close to the surface periodically to recharge their batteries using noisy air-breathing diesel engines.
Littoral Mission Vessel
Opinion: Eight 80-metre 1,150 tonne LMVs are now being built by Singapore Technologies Marine.
Engines: Two MTU Series 4000 diesel engines driving two propeller shafts.
Guns: One OTO Breda 76mm Super Rapid, one RWS, two 0.5" CIS 50 MGs, two 7.62mm GPMGs
Sensors: Gunfire control system for the A-gun will come from Sagem of France. The integrated sensor mast will mount a Thales Netherlands NS 100 E-/F-band shipborne pulse-Doppler naval surveillance radar.
Stern slip machinery: Boat handling system by Norwegian Deck Machinery (NDM) whose stern slip Launch and Recovery System will serve a pair of RHIBs.
Other equipment: Two water monitors, two long-range acoustic devices (LRAD)
Upgraded F-16
Opinion: The F-16C/D/D+ multi-role fighters are numerically the most important fighter type in the RSAF. Fighters that emerge after a Mid-Life Upgrade (MLU) will carry an Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar which allows each warplane to detect, identify, track and engage contacts in a larger volume of airspace unmatched by mechanically scanned radars. Click here for an earlier blog post on the RSAF F-16 MLU project.
Airbus 330 Multi-Role Tanker Transport
Opinion: Top officials from Airbus were left red-faced at the Singapore Airshow 2014 fielding persistent questions from defence scribes who suspected Airbus was about to announce a MRTT customer (read: Singapour). This stemmed from a weak understanding of the Singapour market, which traditionally leaves major acquisitions for MINDEF/SAF to announce. Such tidbits are never shared during champagne wine and cheese sessions at air show chalets or press conferences.
Six MRTTs are thought to have been ordered. If confirmed, the number is noteworthy as the full force potential of the RSAF's future MRTT fleet should see a 50% increase in the Air Force's ability to refuel F-15SGs and F-16s in mid-air compared to the current fleet of four KC-135R Stratotankers.
If the F-35B is eventually fielded, the MRTTs would also need to mount pods to tank up these fighters which still use the hose-and-drogue method of AAR.
The MRTT, paired with heavy-lifters from civilian contractors, could see the SAF increase its ability to airlift heavy assets overseas over longer distances and in a shorter time. Singapore's response to the Christchurch earthquake in New Zealand in February 2011 was instructive as the rescue team had to wait two days for Singapore Civil Defence Force vehicles carried aboard C-130 to reach the team.
Tactical Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV)
Opinion: More stuff from the labs of Singapore's secretive DSO National Laboratories. A number of drone concepts like NATALEE are known to have taken to the air, launched from land and naval platforms, but have yet to make their public debut even after years of field trials. The innovative LALEE would have been a game-changer but the project was stillborn owing to reluctance from the United States whose defence officials feared Singapore would leapfrog what US firms were then capable of delivering. Pity.
Aster 30 SAM
Opinion: The anti-aircraft missile with the longest reach in the RSAF's Ground-Based Air Defence arsenal, the Air Force's future Aster 30 SAM batteries will complement the anti-air warfare capabilities of Sea-Based Air Defences mounted on six Formidable-class FFS.
By 2030, the RSAF's C-RAM assets should have long been disclosed (hopefully). Networked with Spyder SAMs and future MANPADS, the RSAF's integrated air defence shield in 2030 should continue to pose a potent and effective counter to future manned fighters and UAVs.
The Future:
Next Generation Fighter JetOpinion: Otherwise known generally as the Joint Strike Fighter and specifically as the Lockheed Martin F-35B Lightning II, this "Next Gen Fighter Jet" could form the fixed-wing air element for the first RSN warships built keel up as air-capable vessels.
MINDEF/SAF is known to have had paper plans to convert NOL vessels as improvised helicopter carriers since the early 1990s under a concept called HOSTAC, which means Helicopter Operations from Ships Other Than Aircraft Carriers. The plans would be operationalized under the auspices of MINDEF's innocuously-named Resource Planning Office as well as the Defence Science & Technology Agency and local shipyards.
These warplanes will allow the SAF to deliver air power on and from the sea, thereby posing a headache to enemy planners as they would have an additional element to counter apart from swarms of manned fighters emerging from fixed air bases on mainland Singapore.
Next Generation Landing Ship Tank
Opinion: Singapore watchers should be familiar with this proposed piece of kit :-)
Bionix Upgrade
Opinion:
You didn't see me at SA.
But you could catch me in SA.
Onboard systems give my masters superior SA.
Onboard systems give my masters superior SA.
What am I?
Not hell on wheels
But terror on tracks
Advanced armour brings you there and back.
Not hell on wheels
But terror on tracks
Advanced armour brings you there and back.
Project A won my creators the DT prize.
Project B ís not just a BX in another guise.
I do not exist - for now.
But should I aim at you in time of war
Run for your life before I roar.
Unmanned Systems:
Opinion: Strange. A strong, credible defence for Singapore is supposed to allow people on this island to sleep well at night. But the many classified projects Singapore's defence scientists and engineers are working on behind the veil of secrecy is enough to keep one up all night in excited contemplation. Here's a glimpse of what's to come.
Micro-UAV
Unmanned Ground Vehicle
Unmanned Underwater Vehicle
Out later today: Fight current, Fight future
Look out for our special report on the Defence Budget 2014 after 12:00 Hotel.
Tuesday, March 4, 2014
6 March: Singapore Parliament to debate the MINDEF Budget 2014
The Singapore Parliament is due to debate the Defence Budget this Thursday, 6 March 2014.
The budget for the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) and the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) comes under Head J of the Committee of Supply.
Look out for theforward looking scenario generating storyline narrative statement from Minister for Defence, Dr Ng Eng Hen.
We guess that the Committee of Supply will live up to its name this year as there's probably some serious muscle coming our way.
[Timed for publication at 20:30 Hotel 4 March 2014]
The budget for the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) and the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) comes under Head J of the Committee of Supply.
Look out for the
We guess that the Committee of Supply will live up to its name this year as there's probably some serious muscle coming our way.
[Timed for publication at 20:30 Hotel 4 March 2014]
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