DR MALIKI, GPC-DFA WITNESS DSO'S CUTTING-EDGE TECH

In such a scenario, the samples can be sent to DSO National Laboratories (DSO) to be tested for chemical warfare agents and toxins. The organisation has also sped up the process to do so.

This capability was witnessed by Senior Minister of State for Defence Dr Mohamad Maliki Bin Osman during his visit to the facility on 24 Nov. He was accompanied by members of the Government Parliamentary Committee for Defence and Foreign Affairs (GPC-DFA) and its Resource Panel.

Dr Maliki also tried his hand at sample preparation in the Preparation Lab of DSO's High Containment Facility.

The laboratories within this facility are the only ones in Southeast Asia to be certified by the United Nation's Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons.

During their visit, Dr Maliki and the GPC-DFA members also saw the use of multiple drones to perform 3D mapping of an indoor area in real time. The technology could be used to map unknown areas, such as enemy territory, with minimal manpower.

DSO gives Singapore a cutting edge in technology by developing solutions which can be operationalised, said GPC-DFA Chairman Vikram Nair.

"Having been in military service for a long time, I can see the uses for all these things and they will definitely enhance the capabilities of Singapore's defence forces," he noted.

Another highlight for Mr Nair was DSO's Unmanned Ground Vehicle (UGV), which uses lasers and cameras to drive autonomously without manual navigation. The UGV system was put to the test on a Singapore Armed Forces' (SAF's) M113 Armoured Fighting Vehicle, where it successfully drove itself on difficult terrain.

"A self-driving vehicle will be very useful given the shortage of manpower Singapore faces; we may no longer need people in driving convoys," said Mr Nair.

Fellow GPC-DFA member Cedric Foo shared similar sentiments: "Singapore cannot use numbers as its advantage because we are manpower constrained. Therefore, we have to exploit technology, not just for productivity but also for effectiveness.

"DSO is creating surprises, and effective surprises (in the field of defence technology)."