News Report: The Made-in-Singapore Edge: Part 2 (ST 20060305)

The following is Part 2 of the report in Singapore's Sunday Times about Singapore's defence technnology making an impact locally and abroad.

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KEEPING UP WITH THE BIG BOYS
In Part 1 of our two-part series on the Singapore defence industry, we focused on ground-breaking, locally developed weapons and systems for the third-generation Singapore Armed Forces (3G SAF). In Part 2 today, we take a look at how Singaporedevelops a competitive advantage in the fiercely contested worlds arms market.
by Felix Soh

In the nasty and brutish global defence business, one cannot expect life to be fair and square.
The industry's big boys - the Americans, Eurpoeans and the Russians - have no qualms about going for the jugular when chasing markets for their products, leaving smaller upstarts like Singapore by the wayside.
"Defence companies are fighting tooth and nail to win contracts," said Mr Steve Meighan, regional managing director (Asia-Pacific), BAE Sstems, the fourth largest defence company in the world in terms of revenue.
If competition is already intense for the big companies, it is much, much tougher for the smaller players.
They have to make up for their lack of size by doing some strategic jiu jitsu - for instance, producing unique and better weapons and systems, focusing on niche products such as equipment for homeland security, targeting non-traditional markets and entering into partnerships with the big boys.
They must also be nimble and deft in customising and adapting their products to the needs of potential customers.
It is through the interplay of these initiatives that the smaller players can stay afloat - and even thrive.
Siad Mr Patrick Choy, chief marketing officer of Singapoer Technologies Kinetics:"We make an impact on the market by creating better products with differentiating features."
ST Kinetics is the land systems arm of Singapore Technologies Engineering, which is ranked 53rd in the Defense News Top 100 list of the world's top 100 leading defence companies.
In Asia, only two Japanese companies (Kawasaki Heavy Industries and Mitsubishi Electric) and an Indian one (Hindustan Aeronautics) - much bigger and more mature organisations - surpass ST Engineering in the authoritative listing.
Over the years, the company has made a strong imprint on the global defence market with a number of ground-breaking home-grown products, such as its revolutionary Pegasus 155mm light-weight howitzer, the world's first heavy artillery that is heli-portable.



But, often, having a superior product is not enough. Other more powerful forces collude against the outsider and smaller player.
A classic case in point is Singapore's Ultimax 100 Squad Automatic Weapon (SAW), which was in contention for the US Army's choice of SAW in 1980s.
In the ocntest, the Ultimax - developed by Singapore and in service with the SAF and in some other countries - was clearly the better weapon.
Its recoil is so light that it could be held up against the chin and fired at full auto without hurting the firer.
But it eventually lost to the Belgian-made FN M249 Minimi, a weapon now derided as being "too heavy and not sufficiently reliable or accurate".
DefenseReview.com, the online tactical technology magazine, is blunt in its assessment of the Minimi. It said: "(It) should have been replaced a long time ago."
In contrast, it noted that "the Ultimax is lighter, more controllable, more reliable in adverse conditions and faster to reload than the M249".
Well-known arms expert Charles Cutshaw rated the Ultimax as the best light machine gun and SAW in the world today.
Industry sources noted that the fact that the Minimi's manufacturer, Belgium, is a partner of the US in the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) was a major influence over the selection of the European weapon.
Despite the difficult marketing environment, ST Engineering has scored some notable successes:

* CIS 40mm Automatic Granade Launcher (CIS 40 AGL): Singapore is No. 2 in the world in terms of the number of AGLs sold to more more than 20 countries. The versatile CIS 40 AGL is modular in construction and needs little maintenance.
* SAR 21: ST Engineering has broken into the export market for the rifle, now the standard weapon of the SAF infantry men, by selling an undisclosed nummber to an African country. The low-recoil SAR 21's optical scope and laser-aiming device enhance its accuracy, making it the ideal weapon for quick target engagement.


* Bronco All Terrain Tracked Carrier: It can carry an unprecedented payload of up to five tonnes. A European country is looking for a Bronco-type requiremetn. ST Engineering is now awaiting the revised RFP (Request for proposal) and quotation of the final price.
* Fast missile craft: ST Engineering's shipyard in the US, VT Halter Marine, won a US$28.8 million (S$46.7 million) contract to develop a functional design of fast missile craft for the Eygptian Navy.
* 40mm self-destruct round: ST Engineering broke into the market in the Nordic countries by selling them its unique 40ABMS round which self-destructs. This reduces the occurrence of blinds that are potentially hazardous.
* Simulators: ST Electronics, a recognised leader in the field of simulation and training in both the military and commercial sectors, has been successful in selling simulators overseas.
* F-5 fighter aircraft upgrades: Singapore Technologies Aerospace, Aircraft Maintenance & Modification (AMM) holds the record for delivering hte most number of F-5 upgrade programmes in the world

ST Engineering started as an organisation to support the SAF, then grew in tandem with it to become a company with comepetency to design and develop its own weapons and systems.
The SAF it its main customer but it does not generate enough volume. So, the company has to pursue an aggressive export programme. If it can sell more of a product, the cost per unit will be lower.
However, the going is not easy as the defence procurement process in any country has a very long gestation period.
To succeed, the Singapore defence industry has to stay ahead of the curve. Commented Mr Choy: "The trend now is the modernisation of armed forces which invovles harnessing the potential of technolgoy. We, as a company, have also to transform to keep pace and to be ahead."
This means being a centre of excellence and pumping money into research and development.
Other than being sharp enough to spot trends, it must be able to identify the right technolgies to develop, especially those with dual use - that is, for civilian and military use.
ST Engineering used to build armoured vehicles exclusively to meet military requirements. This was an expensive exercise.
Today, the company is taking a different look at compoenents available in the market. Increasingly, the tendency is to use off-the-shelf material.
It used a vehicle built for civilian use, a twin-cabin pick-up, to build its Light Armoured Multi-Role Vehicle. In essence, it combined commercially proven automotive components with modified, off-the-shelf chassis to produce a cheaper fully-armoured 4x4 vehicle ideal for the urban battlefield.



In some ways, being small can be an asset rather than an advantage.
Small equals agility and flexibility. For example, the US defence development and procurement system is too huge and cumbersome for the Americans to develop weapons quickly. Bureaucratic red tape also slows the process. Singapore, being smaller, can move faster.
Looking into the immediate future, influencing customers and winning contracts will be an even more daunting challenge.
The answer lies in partnerships and acquisitions.
For difficult markets, like the plum US market, the most effective way to make inroads is to acquire an American company.
Sad Mr Coy: "To penetrate the US market, you have to be a US company. That's why we are making a number of acquisitions in the US. For example, we acquired an American copany that sells ruggedised computers to the US Army."
Ultimately, the Singaporebrand name and having the SAF as its prime customer are the biggest plus points. THat's because Singapore and SAF are viewed as benchmarks of quality.
Said Mr Choy: "The SAF has a reputation that makes it an important reference customer.
"As a user and key customer, it is very demanding and this drives ST Engineering."

News Report: The Made-in-Singapore Edge: Part 1 (ST 20060226)

The following is Part 1 of the report in Singapore's Sunday Times about Singapore's defence technnology making an impact locally and abroad.

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MADE-IN-SINGAPORE EDGE
Innovative and ingenious military inventions will provide critical advantage to soldiers in urban warfare
by Felix Soh
Photos: Ng Sor Luan and Singapore Technolgies Engineering

The size of a softball, it looks like a miniature black bowlling ball.
When hurled or rolled into a room, it automatically rights itself, rotates and starts transmitting 360-degree video pictures of the surounding environment with its wireless digital zoom camera.
Not only that, the "ruggedised" ball also eavesdrops on what's being said in the room with its in-built microphone.
The FIBUA (fighting in built-up area) Surveillance Ball, also called Vision Ball, enhances teh survivability of soldiers by scanning a room or a side alley in hostile territory without exposing the troops to physical danger.
The remotely controlled ball can be fitted with sensors to detect biological or chemical hazards in a contaminated environment.



Another piece of equipment looks like a standard Kevlar helmet with "leaf" camouflage that is worn by SAF troops. But it is no ordinary headgear. It saves lives by detecting and locating sniper fire.
Masked by the artificial foilage are 11 acoustic sensors embedded on the surface of the helmet. The sensors, which altogether weigh les than 100g, detect the muzzle blast and shockwave from supersonic bullets.
From the sensors' reading, the sniper's location and even the calibre of the bullet that he fired can be accurately determined to enable a swift offensive reaction.



The devices are among several high-tech equipment - made or developed in Singapore - that are undergoing experimentation by the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF).
Soldiers from the 3rd Battalion, Singapore Infantry Regiment (3SIR), designated the SAF's urban warfare battalion, and the Army Developmental Force (ADF) are testing the new equipment as well as new tactics and weapons.
Said COL Leong Kwok Lung, Senior Project Officer with Army HQ: "We are at the experimental phase. Our soldiers are trying out the various technologies, such as remote-controlled vehicles, to get used to operating them. They provide a constant flow of feedback so that improvements and adjustments can be made."
The goal is to boost the SAF's combat capability, particularly in urban warfare, which is probably the most challenging battelfield today as seen in the bloody military operations in the labyrinthine streets of Iraqi cities.
Many of the inventions, like the surveillance ball, are robots and unmanned systems that would help put soldiers out of harm's way. They are also robust and easy to operate.
Commented COL Leong: "We want to make sure that the technology is not so complex that they are difficult to operate. They must be practical."
The smart equipment, which will provide a made-in-Singapore edge to the capabilities of the SAF, are on display in the Army's booth at the Asian Aerospace/Asian Defence Technology show ending today at the Changi Exhibition Centre.
The booth, called Task Force Singapore, has attracted much attention from visitors.
Military officers and industry officials from countries with mature armed forces and long-established defence industries, such as the US and the United Kingdom, were spotted investing a fair amount of time at the booth.
Their interest is understandable. The Singapore sniper detection system, for example, would be welcome by US soldiers who are vulnerable to sniper fire in the streets of Baghdad.
Uniformed officers from neighbouring countries like Indonesia have also shown keen interest in the exhibits.
The home-grown equipment are testimony to the state-of-the-art standards of the Singapore defence industry. The local players include the boffins of the Defence, Science and Technology Agency and Singapore Technologies Engineering subsidiaries like ST Kinetics.
ST Engineering is ranked 49th in the authoritative Defense News Top 100 list of the world's leading defence companies. Singapore is the only other Asian country besides Japan to be in the league of top 50 defence companies in the world.
The types of high-tech equipment being developed and tested fall under the "OODA loop" categories - that is, they will help SAF soldiers to observe, orientate, decide, and act (OODA) in the battlefield.
Basically, this means high-tech equipment that are in two groups: sensors and shooters.
Obeservation equipment being tested are mini-unmanned aerial vehicles, like the lightweight Extender Miniature UAV, which is less than a metre in length and width and is launched like a toy plane.
While larger UAVs provide wide-area surveillance, the smaller, low-cost ones give soldiers real-time information needed in close-range field operations.
The smallness of the Extender UAV belies its effectiveness. It is capable of over-the-hill surveillance. It is also robust, being made from strong but lightweight foam and carbon fibres, so that it is reliable after repeated landings.



Another made-in-Singapore sensor designed for urban fighting is a detection system that can "see" through walls.
Called the Through-wall Survellance Technology", developed by DSO National Laboratories, it can detect motion through a one-layer brick wall.
There are also civilian applications, as the portable device will come in handy in time-critical situations, such as search and rescue operations in collapsed buildings.



The ingenuity of Singapore's defence equipment is that low-cost, off-the-shelf products are sometimes purchased and then converted, modified and "ruggedised" for military use.
A case in point is the miniature scouting platform called the Remote Control Surveillance System (RCSS). The four-wheel-drive mini-vehicle is converted to detect booby traps in the urban battlefield.
Information obtained by the wireless video transmitter mounted on the vehicle is sent back to the operator in real-time. Soldiers can deploy the RCSS to spot the enemy hidden around corners.
There are also robotic systems that are fighters or, in military parlance, shooters. Take, for instance, the Portable Battle Robotic System, where a weapon such as a rifle is integrated into the man-portable robot for remote operations.
The robot, which is both rugged and mobile, can be used as a remote sentry to guard and protect key installations or for riot control.
It can be easily switched to a non-lethal role. The modular platform can be dismantled and re-configured with cameras for remote reconnaissance, surveillance and target acquisition.



Among the heavy-duty products being tested by the SAF is the Terrex AV81 armoured vehicle, which is developed by ST Kinetics. It is being evaluated as a mobile command and control centre for urban operations.
It has a built-in central tyre inflation system which allows automated inflation and deflation of tyres to suit different terrains while on the move.



An innovative Singapore-developed shooter that continues to create buzz in global arms circles is the 120mm Super Rapid Advanced Mortar System, which is a very low recoil mortar that fires up to 10 rounds a minute.
It is the first mortar system in the world with a recoil force of less than 20 tonnes when firing a maximum charge so that it can be mounted on a wide range of of light tracked or wheeled vehicles, such as the highly mobile light strike Spider vehicle.

But at the end of the day, the key to any high-tech system is still the soldier who operates the equipment.
Fortunately, the SAF has an edge in this area, too.
"We are tapping on a new generation of Singaporeans who are tech-savvy and have little problem handling and using high-tech equipment," said COL Leong.
That aside, even humble low-tech equipment plays a vital role in this high-tech world.
Occupying a prominent space in the Task Force Singapore booth are good, old-fashioned tools used in urban warfare like the sledgehammer to break down doors and the bold cutter to cut through chains.







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AKE Prep 04 (20060304)

The 4th prep for AKE was held on Mar 04, 2006 (Saturday) at Sembawang STC.

AKE Prep for the SSTC Cluster included:
1. Bukit Batok Sec Sch
2. Canberra Sec Sch
3. Choa Chu Kang Sec Sch
4. Marsiling Sec Sch
5. Riverside Sec Sch
6. Sembawang Sec Sch

In the morning, the cadets were required to canoe to the Seletar Island and back. While the cadets were covered by 3 safety boats, they were also covered by "sweepers" (CLTs and Snr Specs) who worked to ensure that cadets did not stray too far from the main group.

CPT(NCC) Oliver Tan also took part in this prep exercise by canoeing with a CLT to Seletar Island and back.

As the tide was coming up (high tide at 1400hrs), many cadets had difficulty staying away from the shore. Some canoes were washed up on shore with cadets furiously trying to paddel back out. The current also pushed the cadets close to the shipyard and the group given notice by the Marine Police to stay further out away from the docks.

Due to the distance to Seletar Island, the group spread out quite a bit, resulting in the need to tow some cadets closer to the main body. However, there were also quite a few capsizes that needed to be attention by the safety boats.

After lunch, the plan followed those established in the previous weeks to have cadets practice their capsize recovery drill and water confidence. Further, the students were also given a chance to review their Bends & Hitches in preparation for AKE.

The training helped to identify the weaker cadets so that more emphasis can be given to their canoeing techniques and their overall fitness. Teacher officers got a chance to see their cadets in action so as to enable them to effectively guide them for the upcoming AKE.

Here is a snapshot of the activity from that day.

Here is the link to the photos from that day:
AKE Prep 04 Photo Set Link

Cheers!