THUNDERING SUCCESS IN NEW ZEALAND

Despite inclement weather, personnel from the 20th and 21st Battalions, Singapore Artillery (20 and 21 SA) have battled on to fulfil their mission objectives during the annual artillery exercise, codenamed Thunder Warrior.

"On some days, we have encountered sun in the morning, rain in the afternoon, and hailstones by early evening", said Exercise Director Colonel (COL) Steven Seng.

With each passing rain or hailstone episode, exercise participants have had to adapt quickly to the changes in temperature.

"Coming from Singapore, we are used to warm weather. Back home, usually changes in weather are simply mitigated with an umbrella," said COL Seng. "But its different here. For example, when it suddenly turns cold, we get the men to put on their thermal clothing, which has to be removed accordingly when the weather changes again in the day."

About 400 personnel from the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) participating in Exercise Thunder Warrior 2010, which is held from 21 Jan to 5 Feb in the Waiouru Training Area (WTA), New Zealand.

Apart from coping with the unpredictable weather, this year's exercise presented participants with another challenge: it is the first time that the SAF is holding an integrated artillery exercise with the Singapore Self-Propelled Howitzer (SSPH) - more commonly known as the Primus and the FH-2000, which is a field howitzer.

"The two platforms require their own specialised support such as technicians and specialised combat service support personnel to provide the necessary logistics," said COL Seng.

"Getting these different elements to work together has been one of main challenges for the commanders and men alike."

And it is a challenge that Major (MAJ) Karen Wong, Commanding Officer of 21 SA relished.

"It is an opportunity for all our gunners to fire live rounds in a realistic training environment and it certainly boosts our level of operational readiness and proficiency in operating together with the FH-2000," said MAJ Wong. 21 SA operates the SSPH platform.

Praising the men and women from the two battalions, COL Seng told cyberpioneer, "They have come together very well despite this being the first time we are firing both platforms in an integrated exercise and have performed very well."

Minister of State for Defence Associate Professor Koo Tsai Kee visited the SAF troops participating in the exercise, together with the New Zealand Defence Minister Dr Wayne Mapp, on 27 Jan and witnessed the live firing of the SSPH guns.

Exercise Thunder Warrior is an annual artillery exercise that has been held for over 10 years, starting in 1997 as a battery-level live firing exercise. Since then, the exercise has grown in complexity and size. In 1999, it became a battalion-level exercise which also saw a New Zealand detachment participating alongside SAF troops.

This exercise and the regular ministerial-level visits to New Zealand underscore the close and long-standing defence ties between the two countries which are also members of the Five Power Defence Arrangements.

27 Jan 10 - Minister of State for Defence visits SAF troops in New Zealand

27 Jan 10 - News Video: Minister of State for Defence visits SAF troops in New Zealand

27 Jan 10 - S'pore, New Zealand reinforce close defence ties [cyberpioneer]