Singapore Army

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Singapore Army

Components

Organisation
History and Traditions
Military history of Singapore
Equipment
Weapons of the Singapore Army
Personnel
Singapore Armed Forces ranks

The Singapore Army (Chinese: 新加坡陆军部队, Malay: Tentera Singapura) is the land force and one of the three services of the Singapore Armed Forces.

[edit] Capabilities

US and Singapore soldiers enter a Stryker at the end of an exercise at Fort Wainwright.

The Singapore Army focuses on leveraging technology and weapon systems as "force-multipliers". It has some of the most advanced military hardware in the South-East Asia region.^{[citation needed]} The Singapore Army is capable of conducting amphibious operations with a highly developed logistics force, across all three services of Army, Navy and Air Force, as seen in the relief work in Aceh after the 2004 Boxing Day Tsunami.

Aside from hardware, the Singapore Army heavily invests in its "software". Largely made-up of tertiary-educated conscripts and professional regulars, the army has a good breed of soldiers, able to receive high levels of training, both in theory and practice.^{[citation needed]}

To equip all soldiers with practical fighting experience, large-scale exercises, up to Division level are conducted several times a year, exposing almost every fighting unit to full-spectrum, full-scale war scenarios. Some of these exercises also involve the Air force and Navy, in order to familiarise its troops with its combined arms, tri-service operations. Due to space constraints, such exercises are usually conducted overseas unilaterally. Bilateral training and exchanges are also common between friendly nations. The Singapore Army also professionally conducts "tough, realistic and safe training in order to fulfill the Army’s mission."^{[citation needed]}

The Singapore Army is currently undergoing the transformation into a 3rd Generation fighting force^[1]. The SAF's evolution into its 3rd Generation involves combining advances in technology and training while using networking to integrate the tri-services into an integrated fighting force. This will provide even greater operational-readiness and flexibility during war and peace time.

[edit] Organisation

The Army is headed by the Chief of Army (COA), currently Major General Neo Kian Hong. Assisting him are the Chief of Staff-General Staff (COS-GS), Brigadier General Hugh Lim U Yang, and the Commander, Army Training and Doctrine Command. There are also six functional departments and an NS Affairs Department (NSAD) dealing with National Service issues, collectively known as the General Staff, an Inspectorate and an NS Affairs Department (NSAD) dealing with National Service issues. The six functional departments handle personnel, intelligence, operations, logistics, plans and training respectively. Each department is headed by an Assistant Chief of the General Staff (ACGS). Also advising the COA are the Senior Specialist Staff Officers (SSSOs): Infantry, Guards, Armour, Commando, Artillery, Engineers and Signals.

                               Chief of Army (COA)
                                        |_____________________________________________
                                        |                                            |
                                        |                                            |     
                                        |----- Chief of Staff - General Staff        |                                            
                                        |                                            |
                                        |                                            |
          ______________________________|____________________________________        |
          |           |             |            |             |            |        | 
         ACGS        ACGS          ACGS         ACGS          ACGS         ACGS      | 
        (Pers)       (Int)         (Ops)       (Logs)        (Plans)       (Trg)     |
   __________________________________________________________________________________|_______   
   |            |       |     |       |      |        |       |        |      |             |
HQ Infantry  HQ Guards  |  HQ Armour  |  HQ Commando  |  HQ Artillery  |  HQ Engineers    HQ Signals
                        |             |               |                | 
                  Combined Arms   PDF Commands  Non-Divisional   Army Operational 
                    Divisions                       Units        Reserve Divisions

[edit] Classification by Branches

The army consists of the following Combat Arms, which are integrated with one another to form the Divisional and Non-divisional assets:

These are bolstered by Combat Service Support Units which consist of the following:

Army Intelligence
Army Medical Services
Army Maintenance and Engineering Support
Army Supply and Transport
Singapore Armed Forces Ammunition Command

[edit] Classification by divisional and non-divisional assets

[edit] Combined-Arms Divisions

The main components of the Army are its 3 active Combined-Arms Divisions: 3rd, 6th and 9th Div.^[2] They include both active and reserve units, all of which can be mobilised in phases.

Each division comprises:

1x Armoured Brigade (4 Armoured Battalions, 1 Engineers Company, 1 Signal Company, 1 Reconnaissance Company
2 to 4x Infantry Brigade (3 Infantry Battalions, 1 Engineers Company, 1 Signal Company, 1 Reconnaissance Company)
1x Signal Battalion
1x Artillery Battalion
1x Combat Engineers Battalion
1x Air Defense Battalion

[edit] 3rd Singapore Division

Organization:

3rd Singapore Infantry Brigade (Nee Soon Camp)
- 2 SIR, 5 SIR, 648 SIR
5th Singapore Infantry Brigade (Tanjong Gul Camp)
24th Singapore Infantry Brigade (Maju Camp
30th Singapore Infantry Brigade
8th Singapore Armoured Brigade (Keat Hong Camp)
3rd Division Artillery (Amoy Quee Camp)
Logistics Field Support Group
30th Combat Engineer Battalion (Jurong Camp III)
46 SAR (Sungei Gedong Camp)
3rd Signal Battalion (Jalan Bahar Camp)

Motto: "Foremost and Utmost"

[edit] 6th Singapore Division

Organization:

2nd Singapore Infantry Brigade (Mandai Hill Camp)
- 1 SIR, 4 SIR, 1xNS SIR
9th Singapore Infantry Brigade
76th Singapore Infantry Brigade
54th Singapore Armour Brigade
6th Division Artillery
6th Division Command Support
6th Division Engineers
- 6 MCM, 324 SCE
6th Divisional Air Defence Artillery Battalion
6th Signal Battalion

Motto: "Swift and Deadly"

[edit] 9th Singapore Division

Organization:

10th Singapore Infantry Brigade (Pasir Ris Camp)
- 3 SIR, 6 SIR
12th Singapore Infantry Brigade (Mandai Camp II )
56th Singapore Armoured Brigade (Selerang Camp)
- 431 SAR, 432 SAR, 433 SAR, 465 SAR
9th Division Artillery
9 Divisional Support Command (Selerang Camp)
9th Signal Battalion (Selarang Camp)

Motto: "Forging Ahead"

[edit] Other Divisions

[edit] 21st Division

The 21st Division is essentially a Rapid Deployment Force composed of the Guards. They are an elite group of Infantry trained for rapid deployment in both Amphibious and Heli-bourne Assault. Naturally the Armoured and Artillery component of this is assumed to be lightweight and comparitively manuevarable. Therefore one can assume that the division includes lightweight artillery such as the SLWH Pegasus as well as fast-travelling vehicles such as the Light Strike Vehicle and possibly the Bionix IFV. However not much is known about this Division except that it employs the Rapid-Deployment and Forward-Defence Military Doctrines.

Organization:

7th Singapore Infantry Brigade
- 1st Guards (amphibious), 2nd Guards, 3rd Guards(heli-bourne)
13th Singapore Infantry Brigade
- Three Guards Battalions
15th Singapore Infantry Brigade
- Three Guards Battalions
42nd Singapore Armoured Regiment
Divisional Artillery
21st Signal Battalion
21st Divisional Support Command
18th Divisional Air Defense Artillery Battalion
1 x Combat Engineers Battalion

Note: Of the 13th and 15th SIB, 1 brigade is heli-bourne and the other is amphibious

Guards Motto: "Ready to Strike"

[edit] 2 People's Defence Force

The People's Defence Force initially epitomized Singapore's resolve to take charge of its own defences in the early years of independence.^{[citation needed]} Since then it has grown, and today 2 PDF is responsible for the 24/7^{[citation needed]} protection of key installations and for coordinating military resources to assist Homefront agencies in civil emergencies, with the HQ manned round the clock to provide an effective and efficient response to incidents island-wide.^{[citation needed]}

Organization:

HQ 2 PDF (Clementi Camp)
HQ 21 Singapore Infantry Brigade (Bedok Camp)
HQ 22 Singapore Infantry Brigade (Nee Soon Camp)
HQ 26 Singapore Infantry Brigade (Mandai Camp)
HQ 27 Singapore Infantry Brigade (Jurong Camp III)
HQ 29 Singapore Infantry Brigade (Kaki Bukit Camp)
HQ 32 Singapore Infantry Brigade
2 PDF Training Centre (Clementi Camp)
6 Singapore Infantry Regiment (Maju Camp)

Motto: Steadfast We Stand and Steadfast We Will Deliver

[edit] 25th Division

A NS reservist command. There are suspected divisions such as the 25th Division, which are entirely made up of former conscripts in reserve status. Little are known about these Divisions.

Organization:

11th Singapore Infantry Brigade
14th Singapore Infantry Brigade
63rd Singapore Infantry Brigade
65th Singapore Infantry Brigade
Possible 25th Divisional Support Command (Unknown)
Possible Armoured Elements (Unknown)
Possible Artillery Elements (Unknown)
Possible Air Defence Elements (Unknown)
Possible Signal Elements (Unknown)

[edit] 32nd Division

Tim Huxley, writing in the book "Defending the Lion City", wrote that 'the reorganisations of 1991 and 1995 left one armoured brigade, 4 SAB, outside the divisional structure, prompting speculation that it had been earmarked to form the core of a planned mechanised formation, sometimes referred to as 32nd Division. However if this division was indeed established during the 1990s, at the end of the decade's end it remains under wraps.'^[3]

[edit] Non-divisional units

1x Military Intelligence Battalion (1MI - 1st Military Intelligence Bn)

1x Active Commandos Battalion (1CDO - 1st Commando Bn) and
1x Reserve Commando Battalion

Motto: "Honour and Glory"

Unknown number of elite "Special Operations Forces (SOF)" trained by United States Special Forces Operational Detachment- DELTA Force and Naval Diving Units whose members undergo training conducted by the United States Navy SEALS.^{[citation needed]}

Motto: "We Dare"

1x Aggressor Company - Under TRADOC/ATEC, this Company bases itself on the Aggressor Orbat and varies slightly from the normal Infantry Company, with a platoon specialising in Armour Simulation using normal vehicles. They are the Red Force for ATEC evaluations. Also known as OPFOR.^{[citation needed]}

1x Medical Response Force Unit (MRF) - Counter Chemical and Biological Warfare Unit (Approximately Large Company Sized)

[edit] Photo Gallery

Newly received Singapore Army's Leopard 2A4 on display at Singapore Airshow 2008.	AMX-10PAC 90 with the 90mm main gun	AMX-13 (SM-1)	AMX-13 Armour Launched Bridge (ALB)
M728 Combat Engineer Vehicle (CEV)	FV180 Combat Engineer Tractor (CET)	The Vehicle Launched Bridge	The Bionix Armoured Recovery Vehicle (ARV)
The Bionix Armoured Vehicle Launched Bridge (AVLB)	A Bionix armoured convoy pictured during army maneuvers.	M113A2 Ultra IFV with Rafael Overhead Weapon Station.	On order: The new Terrex AV-81 AFV.
The new Bronco all-terrain tracked carrier (ATTC).	Spider LSV with SPIKE ATGM launcher extended	The basic Spider Light Strike Vehicle (LSV).	The 105mm Giat LG-1 howitzer at the SAF Open House
The 155mm/52calibre FH-2000 (Field Howitzer 2000).	FH-2000 in towing configuration	Open breech of FH-2000 as seen from loader position	The 155mm/39calibre Singapore Light Weight Howitzer (SLWH) Pegasus under the sling of an RSAF CH-47SD Chinook helicopter.
The SLWH Pegasus at the SAF Open House	The 155mm/39calibre Singapore Self-Propelled Howitzer 1 (SSPH 1).	The SSPH1 Primus at the SAF Open House	SPIKE ATGM complete with mock-up missile
The MATADOR (Man-portable Anti-Tank, Anti-DOoR).	The SAR-21 ("Singapore Assault Rifle - 21st Century").	The Ultimax 100 Section Automatic Weapon (SAW).	The new CIS-50 12.7mm Heavy Machine Gun

[edit] Equipment

Type	Quantity
Main Battle Tanks	~156
Leopard 2A4 (120mm Rheinmetall L44 main gun)	66 (66 active plus 30 spares) ^[4]
Centurion Mk 3/Mk 7 (105mm L7 main gun)	~60 ^[5]
Light Tanks	~372
AMX-13SM1	~350
AMX-10PAC90	22
Mechanized Infantry Combat Vehicles / IFVs	~1122
AMX-10P	22
Bionix II (30mm Bushmaster II chain gun/New armour)	~200
Bionix 25 (25mm Bushmaster chain gun)	~300
Bionix 40/50 (40mm AGL + 0.5in HMG)	~300
Terrex AV-81	300 (On order)
Armoured Personnel Carriers/Reconnaissance Vehicles	~1000
M113A2 ULTRA 40/50 (40mm AGL + 0.5in HMG)	~700
M113A2 ULTRA OWS (25mm M242 Bushmaster autocannon)	~300
Multiple Rocket Launchers	18
HIMARS	18 (On order)
Mortars	~62
81 mm	?
120 mm Soltam M-65	50 (Currently in storage)^[6]
160 mm Soltam M-66	12 (Currently in storage)^[6]
Howitzers	~330
25 pounder Mk II	? (Ceremonial gun)
Soltam M-68 155 mm Towed Howitzer	? (Currently in storage)^[6]
Soltam M-71 155 mm Towed Howitzer	38 (Currently in storage)^[6]
M-114A1 155 mm Towed Howitzer	16 (Currently in storage)^[6]
FH-88 155 mm/39-Cal Towed Howitzer	54 (Currently in storage)
FH-2000 155 mm/52-Cal Towed Howitzer	54
GIAT LG1 105 mm Towed Howitzer	60 (Phasing out end 2008)
SSPH Primus 155 mm/39-Cal Self-Propelled Howitzer (SSPH-1)	54
SLWH Pegasus 155 mm Heli-portable Lightweight Howitzer	54
Armoured Engineers	44
FV180 Combat Engineer Tractor	24
M60 Armoured Vehicle Launched Bridge (AVLB)	12
M728 CEV -165mm Demolition Gun	8
Aardvark JSFU Mine clearance vehicle	?
Field Engineers	?
Vehicle Launched Bridge (VLB)	?
Foldable Longspan Bridge (FLB)	?
Projected Line Charge (PLC)	?
Bionix Launched Bridge	?
Bridging Engineers
M3G Bridge	?
All-Terrain Tracked Vehicles	~800
Bronco ATTC (GPMG armed/120mm Super-Rapid Mortar)	~500
Bandvagn 206 (GPMG armed)	300
Anti-Tank Rockets/Missiles	~4000
SPIKE-LR MANPACK	300
Matador	~3000
Guards Vehicles	400
Spike LSV with Twin SPIKE ATGM	200
Spider LSV	200
Direct Fire Weapons	~400,000
SAR-21	>150,000
M16S1 M16 variant produced locally under license; similar to the M16A1	>200,000
CAR-15 Carbine version of the M-16 (Converting to SAR-21)	>5,000
M203 40 mm GL	>20,000
Ultimax 100	>20,000
FN MAG 7.62 mm General Purpose Machine Gun	>10,000
CIS 12.7 mm HMG	>3,000
Sig-Sauer P226 9 mm Pistol	?
H&K MP-5N 9 mm SMG	>2,000
FN P90 5.7 mm SMG	~500
FN Five-Seven 5.7 mm Pistol	~500
PGM Mini-Hecate 8.6 mm Long-Range Sniper Rifle	~100
H&K PSG-1
Accuracy International L96A1
Accuracy International L115A1
Steyr SSG 69

[edit] See also

[edit] In popular culture

[edit] Television programs

Army Series (新兵小传), 11 March 1983
Honour and Passion (宝家为国), 24 July 2007

[edit] Films

Army Daze

[edit] References

^ The 3rd Generation SAF. MINDEF.
^ See also http://www.geocities.com/mindef123/Army.html, and Huxley, Defending the Lion City, 2000, p.123-6
^ Tim Huxley, Defending the Lion City, Allen & Unwin, 2000, p.127. Huxley's source note on 32nd Division appears to refer to an article by defence journalist Prasun Sengupta (1992, p.76), but Huxley's bibliography is incomplete.
^ The Leopard 2A4 Main Battle Tank: More Bite and Firepower for Our Armour. Retrieved on 2008-03-01.
^ Christopher Langton (Editor). The Military Balance 2005-2006 (Military Balance). New York: Routledge. ISBN 0-415-37393-X. , page 296. This covers the numbers, not the gun replacement and new codename.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Singapore artillery pieces. United States, Library Of Congress.