Singapore Armed Forces

Prior to Singapore attaining its independence as a nation state, the British colonial force defended Singapore.[11]

The Singapore Volunteer Rifle Corps (SVRC) was first created in 1854 as a private organisation, with the governor serving as its first Colonel. It was later gazetted in 1857. However, participation in the SVRC was weak and it was disbanded on 16 December 1887 in favour of forming an artillery corps instead.[12] This was to be the Singapore Volunteer Artillery (SVA), which was formed in 1888 to operate the gun emplacements around Singapore,[12] and is also considered to be the predecessor of the artillery formation of the Singapore Armed Forces.[13] In 1901, additional non-artillery units were set up in, including a Chinese infantry company, Eurasian infantry company, and the Singapore Volunteer Engineers, leading to the force being renamed as the Singapore Volunteer Corps (SVC). It assisted in suppressing the 1915 Singapore Mutiny. In 1921, the SVC was combined with other volunteer forces from Malacca and Penang as the Straits Settlements Volunteer Force (SSVF).[12]

During World War II the voluntary military forces of Singapore, sustained heavy casualties. The voluntary military force of Singapore, was reestablished in 1949.[14]

The biogeographical region of Malesia corresponds to Maritime Southeast Asia

In 1965 the Israeli military advisory team arrived in Singapore. The Israeli military advisory team formally left Singapore in 1974. Under the guidance of the Israeli military advisory team, the SAF established its organisation, doctrine, training, as well as its equipment, and arsenal. The SAF in Singapore benefited from conscription, and massive public spending. In the mid 1970s, the SAF in Singapore had a force of 300,000 soldiers, including regular soldiers, conscript soldiers, as well as reserve force soldiers. The political purpose of the SAF in Singapore, was to pose a reasonable deterrence, to the two historically-hostile neighbours of Singapore.[15] Singapore became known as the "most heavily armed country on earth" when it purchased light tanks, M111 armoured personnel carriers, A-4 Skyhawks, and F5 fighter aircraft in the mid 1970s.[16]

In the 1980s the SAF in Singapore, armed itself to attain the capability to defend Singapore's maritime lifeline.[17] In the mid 1980s Singapore purchased eight F16 fighter-bombers, demonstrating the intent to maintain the SAF as unrivalled in Southeast Asia.[18] In the early 1990s the SAF in Singapore, attained the military force necessary to defend Singapore up to 1,000 miles at sea, and therefore respond if necessary to any conflict in the region.[19]

On 1 July 2018, Minister for Defence Ng Eng Hen announced that the SAF would transition from its current third-generation technologies to fourth next-generation technologies by overhauling its arsenal.[20]

On 27 February 2019, the office of Inspector-General of the Armed Forces was set up to ensure that safety protocols are applied and enforced throughout the military following the death of Aloysius Pang who was the fourth training related fatality in 18 months following 2017.[21]

Singapore has been described as "a military powerhouse with the best air force and navy in Southeast Asia."[22] Singapore's vast wealth allows it to acquire and make the best equipment available as well as incorporate high-end technological equipment into its nation military forces.[22] The SAF is also called "the most technologically advanced armed forces across the Association of Southeast Asian Nation states"—referring to ASEAN.[23]

A key recent example was Singapore's decision to acquire four Lockheed Martin's F-35B Joint Strike Fighters, which the United States Congress approved, with the option to acquire a further eight more and beyond.[24][25] This acquisition is significant as "Singapore will fly the most advanced fleet of fighters in its region" which reflects its security relationship with the United States.[25] In addition, the F-35Bs have a significant impact to Singapore's air power since the land limited country no longer needs to depend on "long, vulnerable runways" to operate the aircraft due to the fifth-generation's fighter jet's short-takeoff-and-vertical landing capability.[24] The jet's advanced network-enabled capabilities would be additionally advantageous for Singapore which is seeking to modernise its military.[24] Furthermore, Singapore stands out from all the other countries in Southeast Asia with its technological sophistication and equipments that "operates at a very high level of capability" and are "all integrated into a single cohesive fighting force."[22]

Armed Forces Day is commemorated by the SAF annually on 1 July, with a parade held at the SAFTI Military Institute.

On 15 March 1986, the six-storey Hotel New World, a 15-year-old, one-star budget hotel situated at the junction of Serangoon Road and Owen Road collapsed. SAF soldiers aided in rescue operations, and had worked alongside members of the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) to remove the rubble. RSAF UH-1H helicopters were on standby at the nearby Farrer Park football field to evacuate rescued victims to the Singapore General Hospital.[26]

On 26 March 1991, Singapore Airlines Flight 117 was hijacked by four Pakistanis en route to Singapore. Upon landing in Changi Airport at 8:15pm SGT, the hijackers demanded the release of several Pakistan Peoples Party members. Negotiations faltered, and after the hijackers gave their ultimatum to have their demands fulfilled at 6.15am SGT of the following morning, Commandos from SAF's Special Operations Force (SOF) stormed the plane and shot all of the hijackers dead and rescued the hostages.[27]

During the SARS outbreak in 2003, SAF paramedics were deployed at Changi International Airport to screen incoming passengers from places hit by SARS such as Hong Kong, China, Hanoi and Toronto.[28] The SAF also deployed 220 servicemen with operations such as screening for SARS, contact tracing and enforcing home quarantine orders. The team also managed other major operations such as the quarantine of 1,500 staff from the Institute of Mental Health.[29]

In 2004, the Singapore Armed Forces also responded to the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami. In addition to the human tolls, being one of the nearest neighbours to the tsunami-hit countries and a nation that was not directly affected by the recent disaster, Singapore has been able to render prompt help as part of the global relief efforts.

During the COVID-19 pandemic since 2020, over 1,500 SAF servicemen were called upon to pack 5.2 million masks and transport them to distribution centers across Singapore in time for the start of distribution on 1 February that year. A MINDEF personnel also ran the National Call Centre to address public queries on the collection of reusable masks, which were distributed in April. Personnel manning the phone lines included volunteers from MINDEF and the SAF, as well as clan associations, grounded staff from Singapore Airlines, and other retrenched workers, who were employed by MINDEF on short-term contracts.[30] The SAF also deployed manpower to assist in manning thermal imagery machines at the airport to pick out travellers with symptoms.[31][32]

To aid in operations, MINDEF had also recruited former SAF regulars as the inter-agency task force handling the spike in cases from foreign worker dormitories, including "personnel with operational experience". They were to augment the Forward Assurance Support Teams (FAST) deployed at various foreign worker dormitories.[33] Both regular and full-time national servicemen were deployed to provide healthcare services for patients at one of the CIFs set up in the Singapore EXPO halls.[34]

The SAF also housed about 3,000 recovering migrant workers with COVID-19 in six military camps across Singapore. The Jurong, Bedok, Amoy Quee, Guillemard, Tanjong Gul and Lim Chu Kang camps had been converted into community recovery facilities (CRFs). Operational since 28 April 2020, the CRFs are for COVID-19 patients who remain well at Day 14 of the disease and do not require further medical care.[35]

Separately, more than 1,300 SAF personnel were also deployed to make calls to do contact tracing and check compliance with stay at home notices. These contact tracers worked with Ministry of Health officials to fill gaps in the activity maps of confirmed or suspected cases. Defence Science and Technology Agency Engineers also developed tools to automate the extraction and fusion of data for analysis. The contact tracers were reported to make between 1,000 and 2,000 calls a day.[36]

The Officer Cadet School building within the SAFTI Military Institute as seen from the northwest

Prior to enlistment, pre-enlistees (recruits) are required to attend a medical examination (PULHHEEMS) to determine their medical status to assess vocational suitability postings. They will then be issued a "Physical Employment Status" (PES), which will be used as a guideline to determine for which vocation groupings they are deemed suitable.

PES A and PES B1 (combat-fit) recruits go through a nine-week Basic Military Training (BMT) program, held at the Basic Military Training Centre (BMTC) on the offshore island of Pulau Tekong. Recruits who are considered obese, are required to attend a 19-week PES Bp BMT weight-loss program. PES B2 formally PES C1 (fit for some combat vocations) recruits will go through a nine-week modified BMT programme at BMTC. PES C and PES E recruits (non-combat-fit) undertake a nine-week modified BMT program in BMTC School V at Kranji Camp II, where serviceman undergoing a four-week modified BMT programme before being deployed to various combat service support vocations such as Admin Support Assistant (ASA), Transport Operator, and Supply Assistant (SA).[50] The One-BMT programme was fully implemented in November 2017 thus all servicemen including mono-intakes with the exception of those in commandos, naval divers and service support vocation units will complete their BMT at BMTC. Mono-intake recruits will return to their unit after BMT.[51]

Initially, commissioned officers were drawn exclusively from the ranks of Singaporeans who had completed their GCE A levels or embarked on tertiary studies.[52] While the requirements have since been revised, the SAF has still been criticised for "using a promotion system that is based more on education and scholarships than on proven competence".[41]

Military offences are governed by the SAF and the Enlistment Act in the Singapore Statutes. However, civilian offences (e.g. against the Penal Code) may also amount to a military offence. Offences may be prosecuted by military prosecutors, through the military justice system, or through the civilian judicial system.[65][66]

The SAF consists of four service branches:

• Army
  (3 Combined Arms Divisions - namely 3 Div, 6 Div & 9 Div;
  2 Army Operational Reserve Divisions - namely 21st Div and 25th Div;
  and
  1 island defence command - namely 2nd People's Defence Forces)
• Air Force (17 squadrons and 4 air bases)
• Navy (5 commands, 8 flotillas, and 2 naval bases)
• Digital and Intelligence Service (inaugurated in 2022)

The SAF comprises seven standing task forces:

• Army Deployment Force
• Island Defence Task Force
• Joint Task Force
• Special Operations Task Force; an integrated joint command formed in 2009, to combat common terrorist threats. It comprises selected members of the 1st Commando Battalion's Special Operations Force, Naval Diving Unit's Special Warfare Group and other forces. The practice and theory of Special Operations Forces has been discussed in the inaugural monograph published by Pointer, titled Key Perspectives on Special Forces. The monograph was edited and developed by former Commando Officer Kwong Weng Yap.[67]
• Maritime Security Task Force; to ensure Singapore's maritime security and act as a co-ordinating agency for all national maritime agencies to allow for the seamless execution of maritime security operations.
• Air Defence Task Force
• Cybersecurity Task Force

Supporting the combat role of the SAF, are other governmental organisations of the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF), such as the Defence Policy Group, the Defence Management Group, the Defence Technology Group, and the Defence Science & Technology Agency. Within these groups are the Central Manpower Base (CMPB), Defence Cyber Organisation, and the Military Security Department (MSD). Domestic technology companies also play a role in building up Singapore's military capabilities, particularly the government-linked ST Engineering (formerly known as Chartered Industries of Singapore), which designed and built some of the SAF's more advanced weaponry and equipment based on specific local requirements which may be expensive for foreign companies to adapt and produce.[68]

The position of Chief of Defence Force was established in 1990. Winston Choo, as head of the defence forces was previously known as Chief of the General Staff. The SAF is headed by the Chief of Defence Force (CDF), a three-star General (i.e. Lieutenant General/Vice Admiral) by establishment and the sole and only (active) SAF General that can be promoted or hold three-star rank; he is assisted by the four chiefs of the respective services (Army, Air Force, Navy, Digital and Intelligence Service), who are two-star generals/admirals by establishment (or Major-General/Rear-Admiral). The SAF has a Sergeant Major who currently holds the rank of CWO.[69] The CDF is supported by the Chief of Staff, Joint Staff, the Joint Operations Directorate, Joint Plans & Transformation Department, the Joint Manpower Department, the Joint Logistic Department, the Joint Intelligence Directorate, and Office of the Inspector-General of the Armed Forces.[70]

There are three different rank structures in the SAF. Below is the ranks in the SAF in ascending order for the different schemes of service.[71]

Old uniforms on display at the Army Open House 2022

The SAF's first-generation army uniform was named Temasek Green from the simple flat green uniform, with brown and blue colours being used for the navy and air force's uniforms respectively. This was followed by the second-generation uniform, which used a patchy camouflage pattern for the army, while using overalls for the army and navy.

The third and current generation of combat uniforms, commonly known as the No. 4, uses digital camouflage with base colours green, blue, light grey and dark grey for the army, air force, navy and DIS respectively. In June 2018, the SAF introduced a new variant of the uniform for combat units, which provides more effective cooling in a manner similar to the ones issued to US army personnel for tropical climates.[77][78]

The SAF's desert-camouflage uniforms are only issued to personnel deployed overseas to countries such as Iraq and Afghanistan.[79]