SAF TROOPS THUNDER WITH CONFIDENCE IN NEW ZEALAND

Upon the call to fire, the Singapore Light-Weight Howitzer (SLWH), Pegasus, operated by Operationally Ready National Servicemen (NSmen) from the 285th Battalion, Singapore Artillery (285 SA), emitted a powerful boom that reverberated through Waiouru Training Area (WTA), New Zealand, where Exercise Thunder Warrior 2012 was held.

This live-firing exercise was part of 285 SA's preparation for their Field Artillery Training Evaluation Programme (FATEP), an assessment tool that determines how well the artillery unit performs in a simulated mission, and was witnessed by Permanent Secretary (Defence Development) Dr Tan Kim Siew when he visited Ex Thunder Warrior on 13 Jan.

In addition to seeing the made-in-Singapore artillery platform in action, he interacted with some of the 600 soldiers from the 23rd, 24th and 285th Battalions participating in the 17-day artillery exercise, held from 6 to 22 Jan.

Dr Tan also made a stop at the observation post, the look-out point where forward observers are stationed to collect, collate and relay target information to gunners operating the SLWH, and met full-time National Servicemen from 24 SA operating the weapon locating radar system.

Noting that this was, by far, the largest contingent to ever participate in the Thunder Warrior series of exercises since its inauguration in 1997, Chief Artillery Officer Colonel Tan Chong Lee said: "This year's exercise involves both the NS unit and the active unit. For the NS unit, it is significant as they were converted from a FH-2000 gun unit to an SLWH unit, and this is the first live-firing for the whole battalion. This exercise is a critical milestone in the NS training cycle of our gunners."

He added: "This is a peak period for some NSmen who run businesses, so we appreciate the sacrifices they have made to come up here and continue to fulfil their NS responsibilities. It is great commitment that they have shown to the Artillery formation."

The SLWH is the world's first heli-portable 155 millimetre howitzer with a self-propelled capability. The vast training area, about the size of Singapore, allows Singapore Armed Forces' (SAF) artillery units to build and develop their competencies as they can engage targets about 30km away, a feat not possible in Singapore. This enhances the formation's combat capabilities.

Exercising in this terrain also allows the SAF to test how well different units integrate and work together. Personnel from the Combat Service Support Command, in charge of ammunition supply, maintenance support and recovery operations were also at Ex Thunder Warrior for the first time this year, enabling combat and combat service support units to train together as a system.

A day earlier, Chief of Army Major-General (MG) Ravinder Singh, had also visited the troops at WTA with his counterpart, New Zealand Army Chief MG Timothy Keating, who said: "What I've seen is a maturing of the relationship between the two countries that New Zealand is very comfortable with. (The SAF) come into our country and train in the training area without over supervision by the New Zealanders or restrictive rules and impositions. That's very good. But that is part of a whole continuum of a relationship which has developed over a number of decades, since the inception of the Singapore Army when New Zealand was in Singapore at that time and watched their growth develop. So I see it as much longer than the 15-year relationship. It has been a positive development."

Exercise Thunder Warrior underscores the close and long-standing defence relations between Singapore and New Zealand, and this year's exercise marks the 15th year of SAF training in WTA.

The SAF and the New Zealand Defence Force interact extensively through a wide range of bilateral and multilateral training exercises, professional exchanges and courses. Both armed forces are also member countries of the Five Power Defence Arrangements.

Progressive training prepares 285 SA for battalion evaluation

For the NSmen from 285 SA undergoing their seventh In-Camp Training (ICT) in WTA, their previous ICTs and training with the SLWH platform have prepared them well for FATEP, according to Division Artillery Commander, Senior Lieutenant-Colonel Kerk Kim Por, who is also the first Commanding Officer of 285 SA.

"In the first few years, the focus was on technical proficiencies and the various operational group proficiencies. By the fifth year, the men were put together to integrate as a battalion so that they would be ready for their evaluation in the seventh year," he explained.

While some of the battalion's commanders were sent to various overseas exercises to hone their live-firing skills in previous years, it is the first time that most of the men are participating in this battalion-level live-firing exercise.

But SLTC Kerk is confident the men will do "fine". He added: "We have made use of the NS training in the last seven years to progressively build them up, and have given the commanders exposure through overseas exercises."

On challenges that the battalion encountered during the exercise, Lance Corporal (NS) Shawn Low from 285 SA's Charlie Battery said: "Some of our original gun crew s not here, so we have to learn to work together with other gunners to man our guns."

"The weather has also been rather unpredictable. It can be sunny and we would start taking off our winter wear, but then it would turn really cold suddenly," he added.

But the detachment second in-charge remains focused on his mission: "For us, it is a lot to do with self motivation. We know what we have to do and we want to complete our mission as soon as possible, so that we can get back and spend Chinese New Year with our families."