PM LEE VISITS SAF TROOPS AT EXERCISE WALLABY

The large training area at Shoalwater Bay in Australia is very valuable for the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) as it allows troops to manoeuvre and fire in unfamiliar terrain several times the size of Singapore.

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said this after his first visit to Exercise Wallaby 2012 on 10 Oct. The visit was part of his official trip to Australia from 9 to 13 Oct.

Highlighting that it was also the servicemen's dedication that added value to the exercise, Mr Lee said: "We have the NSFs (Full-time National Servicemen) and NSmen (Operationally Ready National Servicemen) who are keen, who are committed, who are doing their best and mastering their skills as well as performing their duties for Singapore."

During the visit hosted by Chief of Army Major-General (MG) Ravinder Singh, Mr Lee witnessed an integrated motorised battalion live-firing executed by about 400 SAF personnel employing approximately 30 land and air assets, such as the Terrex Infantry Carrier Vehicles (ICVs), Leopard 2SG Main Battle Tanks (MBTs), Skyblade III Mini-Unmanned Aerial Vehicles and AH-64D Apache helicopters.

Mr Lee also interacted with NSFs, NSmen and Regulars from the 5th Battalion, Singapore Infantry Regiment, the SAF Armour Specialist Cadet Course and other units. The servicemen shared with him their experiences and challenges in training and operating in the major outfield exercise.

Asked about his thoughts on 45 years of National Service, Mr Lee said: "I think it is not easy to maintain that spirit and commitment over a long period of time, because it is the successive generations of commanders, political leaders and parents who need to support what the NSmen and NSFs are doing, and to convince them that this is important...

"We have not done badly maintaining that, particularly in an environment where in 45 years, we have had peace, which is a great blessing. But during a period of peacetime, (we have) to continue to remember to sweat, because that will save blood during any conflict."

As part of the visit, Mr Lee tried his hand at driving the Terrex ICV. Commenting on the enhanced safety feature of the armoured vehicle, which is designed to withstand mine blasts and protects the soldiers against conventional threats, he said: "The NSFs and NSmen are our citizens, our sons, sometimes daughters; and we must make sure that they get really good equipment when we put them in harm's way."

Accompanying Mr Lee were Mrs Lee, Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Defence and National Development, Dr Mohamad Maliki Bin Osman, and Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs and Community Development, Youth & Sports, Sam Tan Chin Siong. Members of Parliament and senior officials from the Prime Minister's Office, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the SAF were also present.

About 4,300 SAF personnel and over 350 SAF assets are involved in this year's Exercise Wallaby, which is being conducted from 22 Sep to 24 Nov. Held since 1990, the annual exercise is the 22nd edition in its series and has evolved to become one of the SAF's largest unilateral exercises.