TRANSFORMING THE SAF TO MEET NEW CHALLENGES

The Singapore Armed Forced (SAF) continues to evolve and transform, to deal with new, complex challenges and emerging threats, many of which are transnational. It has to keep transforming because challenges change; if not in nature, then in the scale of it.

Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen said this during a media interview at the Ministry of Defence on 26 Jun, ahead of SAF Day, 1 Jul.

Towards integrated systems

Reiterating that the SAF's strategy was never to compete with numbers but with "superior skills and knowledge, intelligence, information and technology," Dr Ng said that the SAF was moving towards integrated systems.

These systems would allow individual teams to call on the resources of the Army, Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) and Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF), thereby creating a multiplier effect from the shared information and resources.

"Networked force means that any individual is able to see a wider area and with more precision than he could otherwise have. When you enter an environment, you enter an environment knowing what (it) is, and that makes a big difference in terms of modern warfare," he said.

He added that the SAF would have better equipment that would enable soldiers to sense their environment and respond faster. One example is the upgrading of the RSAF's F-16 fighter jets, which have been in service since 1998.

The F-16 will get a new Active Electronically Scanned Array Radar that will extend its detection range and enable it to track and engage multiple targets at greater distances. It will also come with datalink capability and an advanced helmet-mounted display that will provide pilots with superior situational awareness. The upgrade will commence next year in phases, over five to six years.

More unmanned systems

Dr Ng also announced that the SAF would be moving towards more unmanned systems, and systems that combine both manned and unmanned elements.

With unmanned systems already deployed in the air and on sea, such as the RSAF's Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and the RSN's Protector Unmanned Surface Vessel, more will be expected to be deployed on land as well. The RSAF recently marked the Full Operational Capability status of its Hermes 450 UAV in March this year.

Cyber defence for non-traditional threats

A new form of warfare is emerging: the hybrid warfare. Dr Ng had explained during the Committee of Supply Debate on 6 Mar that hybrid warfare is "an orchestrated campaign to fracture the solidarity of the target nation through undermining its defences in civil, economic, social, psychological and military spheres".

He said: "This is an important area that the SAF is focused on because small states like Singapore are particularly susceptible to hybrid warfare. More so because we are an open economy, connected to the world, and subject to varying influences."

He added that hybrid warfare was now being carefully studied by students of military strategy for its ability to "soften the belly of a target nation for many years and finally bring it down to its knees - because people have lost the will, through misinformation, or through prepositioning (that) reduced the ability (of the target nation) to respond".

Thus, cyberspace, an essential tool of hybrid warfare, is the new frontier to defend against. "It can cripple your systems, it can steal your secrets, (and) give disinformation to your people such that it affects morale," he said.

The Cyber Defence Operations Hub was set up in 2013. Dr Ng announced that, to guard against emerging cyber threats, an "increase in Regulars and NSmen (Operationally-ready National Servicemen) being deployed to cyber ops" could be expected.

The Hub would also enable non-combat fit soldiers to play a bigger role in national defence. Said Dr Ng: "Now you have a new arena where more and more people can make a fundamental difference, a bigger impact, (and) contribute more."

"We have the same proportion of non-combat fit soldiers, but (where) previously you can't use them in combat, now you can use them (in cyber defence)."

Bigger roles for NSmen

One of the challenges the SAF is facing is Singapore's shifting demography. On top of falling birth rates, there is also an increasing number of marriages between Singaporeans and non-Singaporeans. This will lead to a growing population raised on diverse influences, said Dr Ng.

Nonetheless, he was assured that the new generations of Full-time National Servicemen remained committed to defending the nation. He said: "We've been able to maintain and integrate, and bring in each year new (Full-time) National Servicemen who identify with the needs, the ethos, the history of Singapore, and why we need a strong SAF."

He said that, while there was no current need to extend the length of National Service or conscript women, the modern weapon systems would require NSmen to take on more responsibilities and higher positions of command.

He highlighted the RSN's deployment of warships completely run by NSmen. The RSN currently has seven units that are staffed by NSmen, and this makes it one of the few navies in the world to deploy ships run fully by reservist forces. One of these warships is missile corvette RSS Vigilance, which is operated fully and independently by NSmen.

Dr Ng added that the SAF would continue to explore deploying NSmen in areas such as intelligence and unmanned systems.

SAF50 celebrations

Dr Ng highlighted some upcoming events in the ongoing celebrations to mark the SAF's Golden Jubilee this year. These include the SAF Day parade and dinner, which will be officiated by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong; and the SAF50@Istana event which will be graced by President Tony Tan Keng Yam. There is also an SAF50 book to commemorate the special occasion. The book, which will be launched by PM Lee on 24 Jul, contains more than 40 personal stories about the SAF, written by individuals from all walks of life.

Dr Ng also paid tribute to founding leaders and pioneers who, having lived through Singapore's tumultuous times under the British rule and Japanese Occupation, understood the urgent need for a strong defence force.

"These bitter and painful lessons that they experienced first-hand etched in them a deep conviction that, when we need to, we must be able to defend ourselves," said Dr Ng.

He added: "Without the ability to defend ourselves, they learnt that you can only own what you can defend. If you can t defend it, you don't own it. Others will sow what you reap; others will break down what you build."

Thus, he believed that it was important for the SAF to celebrate its 50 years of growth: "This SAF50 is to remind us how far we ve come and because of that, how much further we can go.

"The aim is to commemorate and celebrate, to recognise that there has been a long journey, but a very transformational one, a very successful one," he said.