Singapore conducts integrated military exercise

Elements of the Singapore Armed forces (SAF) took part in an exercise today to showcase its integration and operational readiness.

Army, Air Force and Navy units were involved in the simulated recapture of an enemy-held offshore island (Pulau Sudong).

The exercise involved troops from 1st Guards Battalion conducting a battalion coastal hook, supported by elements from the Army, the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) and the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN), says Mindef.

Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen first observed troops and M113 Armoured Personnel Carriers disembarking from fast crafts to secure the beach area with support from F-16 fighter aircrafts and Apache AH-64 helicopters.

Troops then moved inland supported by Light Strike Vehicles to capture the airstrip in the centre of the island.

This was the first time Dr Ng visited an SAF exercise since he took over the defence portfolio in May 2011.

After viewing the exercise, Dr Ng spoke about the SAF's readiness and capability to execute a complex exercise involving elements of the three services, as well as the confidence of our soldiers.

He said, "They (the soldiers) must have confidence in the machines that we buy, the equipment that they have, their ability to execute these operations. I would say that at a professional level, it is not easy to do. It is tri-service which means that it involves elements of the Navy, the Air Force, and the Army. And your command and control systems need to be up to scratch. Your coordination and your ability to execute real time. It is complex."

Asia One