Special forces to work under one command

by Jermyn Chow
For The Straits Times

SAF's integrated task force will allow quick response to terrorist threats

Crack units of the Singapore Armed Forces - the Army's Commandos and Special Operations Force, and the Navy's divers - will be brought under one command to tackle terrorist threats.

Previously, these units operated independently.

The newly-formed Special Operations Task Force, however, will mix and match the different capabilities of Singapore's elite soldiers to muster a faster, sharper response to varying threats.

Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean, who gave details of the new structure in an interview ahead of SAF Day, which falls today, said it would allow the special forces to work together much more cohesively and effectively.

Integration, he noted, is important, because dealing with terrorists requires bringing guns to the fight on land, in the air and over the sea, and could involve storming buildings, aircraft and ships.

The units involved in the reorganisation have sophisticated capabilities in one or more of these areas. Said DPM Teo, who is also the Defence Minister: "We need to bring together these capabilities, develop them in a much more complete, coherent manner."

The new set-up will be headed by the current Chief Commando Officer, Colonel Lam Shiu Tong.

The SAF's latest reorganisation follows similar exercises in the Army, Navy and Air Force to better police Singapore's borders, waters and airspace.

Grouping special operations forces under a single command has been done in other countries, like the Untied States. One of the American command's primary objectives is to capture or kill terrorists.

In a wide-ranging interview which touched on several issues, DPM Teo also said Singapore shares good bilateral relations with its global and rgional partners, such as the US, China and Asean.

He added that forums like the annual Shangri-La Dialogue and Asean Regional Forum have helped countries to speak and better understand each other.

He also dwelled at length on the transformation of the SAF into a more potent fighting force, a journey that began in 2004. "You can now see the shape of this third-generation SAF," he said.

It packs a lot more bang for the tax-holder's buck, he said. The air force, for example has retired 70 of its aging A4 Skyhawks. In their place are less than half that number of F-15 SG fighter jets.

However, these newer jets are more capable and can operate in a more networked way, said DPM Teo.

But it is not just about buying equipment. Modern machinery is backed by a powerful battlefield network, allowing the entire force to exchange information and eventually see and strike the enemy faster.

Constant training allows the SAF to sharpen its edge, DPM Teo said.

He cited the SAF's annual exercise, codenamed Wallaby, in Australia, where he saw for himself the army's Leopard tanks working together with the air force's unmanned aerial vehicles, Apache attack helicopters and F-16 warplanes, "all tied together as a cohesive package".

The transformation has other payoffs for Singapore, he said. More powerful systems and sophisticated training methods allow full-time national servicemen to serve two years of national service - six months shorter than their predecessors did, while NSmen go back for in-camp training for only 10 years, instead of 13.

The SAF is also playing a bigger role in regional security, as well as taking on more humanitarian relief efforts. Last year, it deployed personnel in more overseas operations than ever before, including the anti-piracy mission in the Gulf of Aden and logistics support in Iraq.

Despite all these advances, DPM Teo said, "the work is not finished yet ... there's still much to be done over several more years". Nevertheless, he added, the SAF soldier of today has a critical advantage in the battlefield, thanks to the transformation effort.

"You don't put them in just with a sword and shield or rifle with 200 rounds and two grenades.

"Now when you put them in, boots on the ground, he's actually got the whole SAF in his backpack. That's the difference."

SAF Proves its mettle overseas

SAF forces have fought Somali pirates in the Gulf of Aden, treated those wounded in insurgent attacks in Afghanistan, protected the waters around key oil terminals and given logistics support to coalition vessels and helicopters in Iraq.

Image from MINDEF printed in The Straits Times

By Jermyn Chow
For The Straits Times

Missions in Afghanistan and elsewhere also let it gain valuable experience

The men and women of the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) were involved in more overseas operations last year than ever before.

They fought Somali pirates in the Gulf of Aden, treated those wounded in insurgent attacks in war-torn Afghanistan, protected the waters around key oil terminals and gave logistics support to coalition vessels and helicopters in Iraq.

The troops joined a growing list of over 2,000 servicemen who have been deployed in 35 United Nations-sanctioned missions overseas since 1989 - four in Afghanistan alone since 2007.

The most recent one there put 39 men and women in the Oruzgan province, where they provided primary health care and helped their Dutch and Australian counterparts run a field hospital in Tarin Kowt, the provincial capital.

Soon, the navy's Landing Ship Tank RSS Persistence, two Super Puma helicopters and 240 SAF personnel will be back after three months in the Gulf of Aden.

Although the SAF's role has primarily been a supporting one, the troops have found themselves in challenging operations, said Deputy Prime Minister and Minster of Defence Teo Chee Hean.

He noted that SAF personnel in Afghanistan have found themselves amid car bombs, roadside bombs, Improvised Explosive Devices and rocket attacks.

"So they're not without risks, but we prepare our people well. It's been a good operational experience for our people."

He said the SAF is capable and credible - and able to contribute to regional peace and stability. And in a sign of the coming-of-age of the third-generation SAF, more deployments are in the offing.

It is planning another mission to Afghanistan, this time deploying a KC-135 refuelling aircraft and a group of air force servicemen who will operate a pilotless surveillance aircraft in support of Nato-led coalition forces.

The SAF plans to deploy a battlefield radar system there, to give soldiers more advance warning of enemy artillery, rocket and mortar launches.

It now has construction and engineering teams in Bamiyan to build a paediatric and women's wing for the province's hospital and to erect a security wall in the war-torn region.

But despite the growing number of peace missions overseas, DPM Teo said the SAF's main mission - the defence of Singapore - remained clear: "We're the ultimate guarantor of Singapore's independence and sovereignty."