RUMBLE DOWNTOWN AT NDP 2011

National Day Parade (NDP) 2011 is shaping up to be a birthday bash with a difference, as the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) brings out its latest hardware to celebrate 46 years of nationhood.

The SAF will be showcasing new platforms such as the Sikorsky S-70B Naval Helicopter, High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) and Protector Unmanned Surface Vessel (USV) in the Dynamic Defence Display (D3) segment, as part of the first of five Acts planned for NDP 2011. The organisers announced this on 1 Jun at The Float @ Marina Bay as the media was given a preview of the display.

"Apart from displaying the SAF's high level of operational readiness and vigilance, our hope is for the new assets to give Singaporeans an opportunity to think of the importance of defending the country and reflect upon their own roles in the defence of Singapore," said Lieutenant Colonel (LTC) Kelvin Fan, Chairman D3 Committee.

On 9 Aug, it will be non-stop action once the Public Warning Siren wails, announcing an "attack" on Singapore.

Various land, air and sea assets from the SAF, Singapore Police Force and Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) will be mobilised in the Marina Bay area to tackle the "intruders". Naval Divers in full combat gear will jump from a Chinook helicopter into the waters of Marina Bay; the S-70B helicopter will soar across the Singapore skyline before lowering its dipping sonar into the waters of the marina to detect the exact location of sub-surface intruders; and the HIMARS launches its rockets to deal with the threat before culminating in massive pyrotechnic explosions as the nation's forces prevail.

Sounds like a dream? You're not that far off. The D3 segment will be presented as a young Singaporean's daydream in which he is a task-force commander directing the action through three scenarios entitled Protecting our People, Safeguarding our Shores and Defending our Home. The storytelling format will continue through NDP 2011, as the Singapore story from birth to present will be told through several central characters over the course of five acts.

But that's where the dream ends, as the challenges faced by the SAF personnel involved in executing the show are very real indeed.

S-70B naval helicopter pilot Major (MAJ) Tan Jinq Yeu, who has three NDPs under his belt, noted: "While flying into the city area is not much of an issue, the lowering of the sonar into the Marina Bay waters is a very precise operation since the waters are quite shallow."

For 3rd Sergeant (3SG) Jegathesan Thannabal, one of the six Naval Divers who will jump off a Chinook helicopter at NDP 2011, agreed that good training is just as important as having experience. He said: "In full combat gear, there is a risk of our equipment hitting ourselves when we hit the water... But we are well-trained to deal with such issues." He added that there are multiple checks before they even board the helicopter to ensure that all necessary safety measures are in place.

On the SCDF's involvement, Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team (DART) Commander Lieutenant Colonel Alvin Tan noted: "When the SAF had us in, it was very good that they listened to our ideas and worked very closely with us to integrate the whole D3 segment." The SCDF will be showcasing its new Multi-Utility Vehicle.

More than 20 types of assets from the SAF and the Home Team - including the new hardware and traditional favourites such as the Apache attack helicopter, Terrex Infantry Carrier Vehicle, Trailblazer Mine-Clearing Vehicle, Leopard Main Battle Tank from the SAF, as well as SCDF's Hazardous Materials Mitigation Vehicle and the Police Coast Guard's Interceptor Craft - will be featured during the D3 segment.