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Malay Mail
11-07-2025
- Automotive
- Malay Mail
Singapore's Mindef says fault that caused tank crash an isolated incident, to rejoin National Day Parade after fleet-wide checks
SINGAPORE, July 11 — A technical fault that caused a Leopard 2SG Main Battle Tank to crash into a traffic light during a National Day Parade (NDP) rehearsal on July 5 was an isolated incident, Singapore's Ministry of Defence (Mindef) said today. CNA reported that its Mindef said that the incident was the first of its kind involving the tank fleet. 'All mobile column assets, including the L2SGs, undergo thorough checks before deployment. No issues were detected for the affected L2SG before it moved out,' the ministry reportedly said in a statement. 'Comprehensive checks performed across the L2SG fleet since the incident have determined that it was an isolated one.' The ministry confirmed that the Leopard 2SG tanks will return to NDP activities, with the cause of the malfunction identified and rectified, and additional precautions implemented. Investigators found that the malfunction stemmed from a failure in an internal component of the transmission system — specifically a conduit for transmission fluid to the service brake — which led to a drop in oil pressure and a partial loss of steering and braking power. The tank operator, a full-time national serviceman, followed protocol by engaging the independent parking brake to stop the vehicle, Mindef said. The transmission manufacturer, German firm Renk, had not previously encountered such a fault and will collaborate with the Singapore Army on new maintenance procedures to address the issue. Mindef added that extra fleet-wide checks have been carried out as a precaution and confirmed that all other tank transmissions remain fully operational. Last week, the Leopard tank brushed up against a traffic light as it was making a right turn past the Supreme Court here.
CNA
11-07-2025
- Automotive
- CNA
NDP tank that hit traffic light: MINDEF says technical fault was the first in its Leopard 2SG fleet
SINGAPORE: The tank collision with a traffic light at a National Day Parade (NDP) national education show on Jul 5 was an isolated incident, the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) said, adding that the Singapore Army has concluded its investigation into the event. This was the first time the Singapore Army had experienced such a technical fault in its Leopard 2SG Main Battle Tank (L2SG) fleet, MINDEF said in a media release on Friday (Jul 11). "All Mobile Column assets, including the L2SGs, undergo thorough checks before deployment. No issues were detected for the affected L2SG before it moved out," it added. "Comprehensive checks performed across the L2SG fleet since the incident have determined that it was an isolated one." The affected tank was part of the Mobile Column segment for NDP. With the cause of the incident identified and rectified, and additional precautions taken, the L2SGs will resume their participation in this year's NDP, said MINDEF. WHAT HAPPENED The incident had occurred as the tank was turning towards North Bridge Road within the cordoned area, said MINDEF. The investigation found that an internal component within the transmission – specifically the conduit for the transmission fluid to the service brake – had malfunctioned, it said. This resulted in a loss of transmission oil pressure, causing the tank to experience a partial loss in its steering and braking power in the service brake, it added. The tank operator, a full-time national serviceman, responded with the appropriate standard operating procedure, and activated the parking brake to bring the affected tank to a stop, said MINDEF. RENK GmbH, the transmission's original equipment manufacturer, also indicated that this malfunction was previously unknown, the ministry said. The manufacturer will work with the Singapore Army on a maintenance regime for the affected component to prevent reoccurrence, it added.
Straits Times
27-06-2025
- General
- Straits Times
SAF exploring new range complex to boost NSmen weapons training
The new facility could also provide a 'chance for us to allow more people to experience a slice of national service', said Defence Minister Chan Chun Sing. PHOTO: LIANHE ZAOBAO SINGAPORE - The Singapore Army is exploring building another multi-mission range complex that will allow national servicemen to do practice shoots on a more regular basis. The idea is for more people to be able to maintain the currency of their weapon skills, just as they do for fitness conditioning now, said Defence Minister Chan Chun Sing. This new facility could also provide a 'chance for us to allow more people to experience a slice of national service', he added. There is currently one multi-mission range complex, located at Pasir Laba Camp in Jurong. The three-storey indoor range complex, commissioned in 2013, allows soldiers to simulate day and night conditions, as well as different range lengths – making live-firing exercises more efficient. Such buildings, which combine conventional training methods with new technologies, can help the Singapore Armed Forces optimise its local training areas and intensify their usage, Mr Chan said. There will also be more opportunities for women and people who have not served national service to contribute to the SAF Volunteer Corps, Mr Chan said in an interview with local media on June 25. The corps, founded in 2014, allows Singaporean women, first-generation permanent residents and new citizens between 18 and 45 years old to take up supporting roles in the SAF. There are now eight applicants for every one person selected for the corps, Mr Chan said. 'We are asking ourselves if we can review the programme to allow more people to participate, maybe not at the same intensity, maybe at different levels of intensity, depending on the skill sets that people bring,' he added. On women serving in the military, Mr Chan said more are coming forward not just in the Volunteer Corps, but also as SAF regulars. 'With the technologies that we are bringing in, the physical demands are quite different. In fact, the intellectual demands are also quite different,' he noted. 'And today, as we expand the deployment of female officers across the entire four services of the SAF, we see much more opportunities for them to make contributions.' Asked about the possibility of conscripting women as well, Mr Chan replied: 'I don't think we are making that decision now.' He said Singapore has not conscripted women because it does not see an operational need to do so. 'If we want to do conscription, there must be a real operational need,' he said, adding that it must also be done with basic principles like universality. Even so, the Ministry of Defence has heard 'loud and clear' calls for more women to be given the chance to experience national service. 'Many more of them want to experience and see and also to contribute, and that's why I think we have such strong support for the SAF Volunteer Corps.' His ministry is thinking through how it can respond to this demand, Mr Chan added. Answering a question from Malay-language daily Berita Harian about concerns over the appearance of tokenism in the advancement of minority races in the SAF, he said selections are made on merit. When the SAF selects people, it does so on their ability to carry out their duties and on the basis that the deployment will allow the armed forces to make the best use of their skills, Mr Chan said. He said: 'We will never apply tokenism to any deployment. It does injustice to the individual. It does injustice to the system.' Whether or not a minority, or anybody, takes up a senior position in the SAF is 'not a here and now issue', Mr Chan said. 'It is a continuous effort, because for us to get a chief warrant officer, for us to get a brigadier-general, or whatever, that person must be in the force for the last 20 over years.' The soldiers in high positions now are the result of efforts to step up outreach and recruitment 20 years ago, Mr Chan said, adding that the SAF will continue to broaden its recruitment of people from diverse walks of life. He said the SAF is able to bring more people into the system as it offers diverse job scopes that cater to different capabilities. 'Our defence ecosystem has evolved quite a lot from many years ago… it is a much more diverse and much stronger ecosystem.' Former NSmen, of which there are around 750,000, are also increasingly playing an important and useful role in Singapore's defence, Mr Chan said. 'In the past, when the physical demands were much higher because of the way war fighting was done, maybe we will retire people after 12 years,' he noted, referring to two years of full-time national service and 10 years as an NSman. Many more older NSmen are now returning to the SAF to contribute in specific areas based on their skill sets, he said. NSmen and NSFs also bring to the military their skills and familiarity with the latest technologies that they use in their civilian lives. 'When we talk about flying drones… Actually, today we don't have to try very hard, because many of them are flying drones outside already,' Mr Chan said. 'Many of them have real capabilities to do this, so I think we (should) just make use of what they have.' Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
Straits Times
16-05-2025
- Politics
- Straits Times
More than 1,000 troops from US army and SAF carry out exercise in urban warfare
A soldier from the Singapore Army (left) works with his counterparts from the US Army during urban operations at Safti City for Exercise Tiger Balm. PHOTO: MINISTRY OF DEFENCE More than 1,000 troops from US army and SAF carry out exercise in urban warfare SINGAPORE - More than 1,000 troops drawn from the Singapore and US armies executed urban warfare drills with air support from RSAF Apache helicopters and drones during a 12-day b ilateral exercise . This year, it was Singapore's turn to host Exercise Tiger Balm - the longest-running bilateral exercise that the Republic and US have in place. The Ministry of Defence (Mindef), in a statement on May 16 , said 823 soldiers from the SAF and 257 soldiers from the US army too part in the exercise. The SAF troops were drawn from the 6th Singapore Division/Headquarters Sense and Strike (6 Div/HQ SS) and the 7 6th Singapore Infantry Brigade. The US soldiers came from the Hawaii Army National Guard and the 29th Infantry Battalion Combat Team . The exercise lasted nearly two weeks - from May 5 to May 16 - during which soldiers ran through combat exercises and other drills, including urban warfare drills in Safti City. Safti City is a high-tech urban training facility that mimics a densely built-up town, complete with MRT stations, a 12-storey hotel, a school, and malls. Apart from the AH-64D Apache helicopters and Heron 1 unmanned aerial vehicle s from the Republic of Singapore Air Force , a Strike Observer Mission team from the army carried out reconnaissance work during the exercise. On the sidelines, subject matter expert exchanges took place, dealing with the evolution of chemical, biological, radiological and explosive threats. Brigadier-General Anand Sathi Kumar , commander of 6 Div/HQ SS, said the exercise this year incorporated new urban combat missions and unmanned technologies as part of the training. The exercise, he added, reaffirmed the deep and strategic partnership between Singapore and the US. Now into its 44th year , Exercise Tiger Balm was first conducted in 1981. The Mindef statement said: 'This annual exercise allows both armies to collaborate and share tactics, techniques and procedures, and is the hallmark of the excellent and long-standing ties between both armed forces. 'These regular interactions have fostered and enhanced the professionalism, friendships and mutual understanding among personnel from both armies.' Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
