NEW ARMOURED VEHICLE OFFERS BETTER PROTECTION, STRONGER FIREPOWER

The 2nd People's Defence Force Command (2 PDF Comd) has a long and remarkable history that predates even Singapore's independence. Tracing its roots to the Singapore Volunteer Corps (SVC) which was formed in 1854, 2 PDF Comd is one of the oldest military units in the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF).

And on its golden jubilee, 2 PDF Comd marked the dawn of a new era with the commissioning of the Peacekeeper Protected Response Vehicle (PRV). The PRV will replace the aging fleet of V200 armoured vehicles, which have been in service since 1970.

At the 2 PDF Comd 50th anniversary parade, held in Clementi Camp on 8 Jul, Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen called the commissioning of the PRVs a milestone in 2 PDF Comd's growing capabilities.

"(The Peacekeeper PRV) will provide better means for 2 PDF Comd to keep Singapore's key installations and facilities safe. (It) has more capabilities than the previously used V200 armoured vehicles," said Dr Ng.

A new fighting machine

Jointly developed by the Army and Defence Science & Technology Agency, the Peacekeeper will provide stronger protection, accurate firepower and better manoeuvrability across different terrains.

Said Commander 2 PDF Comd Brigadier-General (BG) Terry Siow of the Peacekeeper's enhanced capabilities: "The new PRV allows soldiers to be better protected and because of its enhanced mobility, is able to bring the soldiers to the objective faster. With the weapons system on board, which is remote-controlled, it allows our soldiers to be able to deal with threats that come their way much better than the V200."

The Peacekeeper can carry up to 12 crew members, comprising one operator, one vehicle commander and 10 troopers.

The steel outer body of the Peacekeeper is built to withstand small-arm fire and fragmentation. Bulletproof windows and an onboard compression system further help to keep troops safe.

A key feature of the Peacekeeper is the Remote Control Weapon System (RCWS). This weapon system, mounted on the Peacekeeper, can be configured for one of three different weapons: the 40mm Automatic Grenade Launcher, the 12.7mm Heavy Machine Gun, or the 7.62mm Coaxial Machine Gun.

The weapons can also be operated from within the vehicle, thereby enabling the crew to support ground forces with heavy and accurate fire, from the safety of the vehicle.

This is unlike the V200, which can only be mounted with a 20mm Oerlikon or 7.62mm Coaxial Machine Gun, and cannot be fired from within the vehicle.

As the soldiers will not be exposed to incoming fire while they are firing the weapon system, "this provides much better protection to our soldiers in the missions they have to undertake in homeland security", said BG Siow.

Thanking the pioneers

In his speech, Dr Ng also thanked the pioneers of 2 PDF Comd for their contributions to Singapore's defence through the times of unrest. He reminded the division to continue evolving to overcome new threats.

"As new challenges emerge that threaten our citizens here, 2 PDF Comd must adapt to fulfil its mission," said Dr Ng.

"2 PDF Comd must therefore continue to update its doctrine, tactics and equipment to meet these new challenges," he added.

However, pioneers who had helped build up 2 PDF Comd would not be worried about the division's ability to keep up with the times.

Lieutenant Colonel (LTC) (Ret) Wong Geok Seam, who had served during Konfrontasi as a volunteer before subsequently joining the SAF as a Regular, witnessed the division's changing role from pre-Independent Singapore to the present day.

"The first unit was the SVC, which had only one battalion. When I joined, our role was to assist in internal security. But now, the PDF has grown, and they are in charge of the defence of the whole island. It is a very important force in the SAF," said the 82-year-old.

2nd Sergeant (2SG) (Ret) Said bin Ali also attested to 2 PDF Comd's growth and development. "They (the new soldiers) are more aggressive and better established. We came from very (basic) volunteers - our camps were abandoned buildings. 2 PDF Comd today is much better off than us. But we built it up, and I hope that youngsters can do much better than us to defend Singapore," said the 69-year-old. He was a Transport Operations Non-Commissioned Officer and HQ Company Sergeant Major for 16 years.

On the new Peacekeeper, 2SG (Ret) Said had a hopeful message for the next generation of soldiers: "With this new vehicle, we have to be more disciplined to use it to defend Singapore."