Singapore Army

The Singapore Army is the land service branch of the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF). The largest of the four branches of the SAF, the Singapore Army traces its origins to the 1st Battalion, Singapore Infantry Regiment (1 SIR), which was formed in 1957, under British colonial rule. After Singapore's independence on 9 August 1965, the Singapore Army Bill was passed in Parliament on 23 December 1965, and National Service (NS) was subsequently introduced in 1967.^[8] Mostly made up of conscripts, the Singapore Army can mobilise all operationally-ready military reservists in the event of war or national exigencies.

The mission of the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) is to deter armed aggression, and to secure a swift and decisive victory should deterrence fail. The Army is also tasked with conducting peace-time operations to further Singapore's national interests and foreign policy. These range from disaster relief to peacekeeping, hostage rescue and other contingencies.^[9]

The Army views technology as a force-multiplier and a means to sustain combat power given Singapore's population constraints. Jointness across four branches of the SAF is integral to the Army's warfighting doctrine. Joint operations undertaken with the Navy and Air Force include amphibious landings and critical disaster relief operations in the aftermath of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami.

The Army has a technically proficient, relatively well-educated draftee pool and officer corps (non-commissioned and commissioned) reflective of the population at large, and has sought to leverage this to ease its transition into a more sophisticated, networked fighting force.^[10]

Combat readiness is a linchpin of Army policy, and military exercises up to divisional level are conducted many times yearly, simulating full-spectrum operations, up to and including full-scale war. Divisional war games are a combined arms, tri-service affair involving the Navy and Air Force. Because training space is limited in Singapore—artillery fire would quickly traverse the island—some military exercises are conducted overseas. Reservists periodically^[11] train abroad, their units regularly evaluated for combat readiness.^[10] The Army also trains bilaterally with some host nations, and military exchanges are frequent. Training is billed as "tough, realistic and safe," with a premium on safety, given the sensitivity of military deaths in a largely conscript army.^[9]

Following the revolution in military affairs, and in tandem with modernising its weapons systems, the Army is forging a transition to a more network-centric fighting doctrine that better integrates the Air Force and Navy.^[12]

The Singapore Army originated with two infantry battalions, the 1st and 2nd Battalions, Singapore Infantry Regiment (1 SIR and 2 SIR), which were respectively formed in 1957 and 1962 when Singapore was still a British colony. After a merger with Malaysia which resulted in separation in 1965, Singapore passed the Singapore Army Bill in Parliament on 23 December 1965 and gained complete control of the two battalions from Malaysia in January 1966.^[8][13] At the time, the Singapore Army had only the two infantry battalions and the old Singapore Volunteer Artillery Corps. Months later, the Army had a reserve force, the People's Defence Force, which was formed from an old volunteer unit mobilised for service during the Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation. A third battalion, the 10th Battalion, People's Defence Force (10 PDF), was raised as a volunteer infantry reserve battalion.

In 1967, Parliament passed the National Service (Amendment) Act, introducing National Service (conscription) for all able-bodied young men aged 18 and above. In June 1967, the Singapore Army introduced its first artillery battalion, the 20th Singapore Artillery Battalion (20 SAB). Two new infantry battalions, the 3rd and 4th Battalions, Singapore Infantry Regiment (3 SIR and 4 SIR) were formed in August 1967. In November 1968, the Singapore Army's first armoured battalion, 41st Battalion, Singapore Armoured Regiment (41 SAR), was formed. This was followed by the creation of the 1st Commando Battalion (1 Cdo Bn) in December 1969.^[8]

In 1972, Parliament passed the Singapore Armed Forces Act to reorganise and consolidate the Singapore Armed Forces' disparate commands and administrative functions.^[14][15]

The emblem's escutcheon reads "Tentera Singapura" (meaning "Singapore Army" in Malay). The national coat of arms sits in its interior. The motto is "Yang Pertama Dan Utama" ("first and foremost" in Malay). Two stalks of laurel flank the escutcheon. The laurels are green for the Singapore Army and gold for the Singapore Armed Forces.

The Singapore Army has participated in peacekeeping operations overseas. In the aftermath of the Gulf War, Singapore contributed to the United Nations Iraq–Kuwait Observation Mission (UNIKOM) formed in 1991. From May 2007 to June 2013, the Singapore Army deployed about 500 personnel to join the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in maintaining stability and assist in reconstruction in war-torn Afghanistan.^[16] Since 2014, the Singapore Army has provided logistical support to the international coalition in the War against the Islamic State.^[17]

The Army is headed by the Chief of Army,^[23] who is assisted by the Chief of Staff – General Staff^[24] and the Sergeant Major of the Army. The General Staff consists of six branches from G1 to G6, as well as a National Service Affairs Department handling National Service issues, and an Army Safety Inspectorate. The six branches handle issues relating to personnel (G1), intelligence (G2), operations (G3), logistics (G4), plans (G5) and training (G6). The G1, G2, G3, G5, and G6 branches are each headed by an Assistant Chief of General Staff. Among the General Staff, there is also a Chief Systems Integration Officer and a Head of the Army Information Centre.^[7]

The commanders of Training & Doctrine Command (TRADOC), Combat Service Support (CSS), the four main divisions, the two operational reserve divisions, the 15 formations of the Army, and the SAF Volunteer Corps also report to the Chief of Army.^{[25][26][27][7]}

The Army has six divisions, of which three are combined arms divisions, one is in charge of counter-terrorism and homeland security, and two are army operational reserves (AOR).^[7]

The three combined arms divisions are the 3rd Division (3 DIV), 6th Division (6 DIV) and 9th Division (9 DIV),^[28][29] each of which has active and reserve units that are operationally ready and capable of being mobilised in the event of war.^[11]

3rd Singapore Division (3 Div)

• 3rd Singapore Infantry Brigade (3 SIB)
  • 2nd Battalion, Singapore Infantry Regiment (2 SIR)
  • 5th Battalion, Singapore Infantry Regiment (5 SIR)
  • 754th Battalion, Singapore Infantry Regiment (754 SIR)
  • 746th Battalion, Singapore Infantry Regiment (746 SIR)

• 5th Singapore Infantry Brigade (5 SIB)
  • 778th Battalion, Singapore Infantry Regiment (778 SIR)
  • 789th Battalion, Singapore Infantry Regiment (789 SIR)
  • 798th Battalion, Singapore Infantry Regiment (798 SIR)

• 24th Singapore Infantry Brigade (24 SIB)
  • 733rd Battalion, Singapore Infantry Regiment (733 SIR)
  • 761st Battalion, Singapore Infantry Regiment (761 SIR)
  • 786th Battalion, Singapore Infantry Regiment (786 SIR)

• 8th Singapore Armoured Brigade (8 SAB)
  • 40th Battalion, Singapore Armoured Regiment (40 SAR)
  • 41st Battalion, Singapore Armoured Regiment (41 SAR)
  • 489th Battalion, Singapore Armoured Regiment (489 SAR)

• 3rd Division Artillery
  • 21st Battalions SA
  • 290th Battalions SA
  • 223rd Battalions SA

• 3rd Division Support Command
  • 31st Combat Service Support Battalion
  • 32nd Combat Service Support Battalion
  • 33rd Combat Service Support Battalion
  • 38th Combat Service Support Battalion

• 30th Battalion, Singapore Combat Engineers (30SCE)
• 321st Battalion, Singapore Combat Engineers (321SCE)
• 11th C4I Battalion
• 17th C4I Battalion
• 3rd Divisional Air Defence Artillery Battalion

• 3rd ISTAR Battalion

6th Singapore Division/ Headquarters Sense and Strike (6 Div/HQ SS):

• Headquarters Singapore Artillery (HQ SA)
• Headquarters Army Intelligence (HQ AI)
• 9th Singapore Infantry Brigade (9 SIB)
• 76th Singapore Infantry Brigade (76 SIB)
• 6th Division Artillery (6 Div Arty)
• 6th Division Support Command (6 DISCOM)
• 6th Signal Battalion (6 Sig Bn)
• 6th Division Engineers
• 6th Divisional Air Defence Artillery Battalion (6 DA Bn)

9th Singapore Division / Infantry (9 Div/Inf):

• 2nd Singapore Infantry Brigade (2 SIB)
• 10th Singapore Infantry Brigade (10 SIB)
• 12th Singapore Infantry Brigade (12 SIB)
• 23rd Singapore Infantry Brigade (23 SIB)
• 54th Singapore Armoured Brigade (54 SAB)
• 9th Division Artillery (9 Div Arty)
• 9th Division Support Command (9 DISCOM)
• 9th Signal Battalion (9 Sig Bn)
• 327th Battalion, Singapore Combat Engineers (327 SCE)
• 9th Divisional Air Defence Artillery Battalion (9 DA Bn)

2nd People’s Defence Force / Island Defence Task Force (2 PDF/IDTF):

• SAF Military Police Command
• 21st Singapore Infantry Brigade (21 SIB)
• 22nd Singapore Infantry Brigade (22 SIB)
• 26th Singapore Infantry Brigade (26 SIB)
• 27th Singapore Infantry Brigade (27 SIB)
• 29th Singapore Infantry Brigade (29 SIB)
• 32nd Singapore Infantry Brigade (32 SIB)
• 326th Battalion, Singapore Combat Engineers (326 SCE)
• 329th Battalion, Singapore Combat Engineers (329 SCE)
• 15th Command, Control, Communications and Intelligence Battalion (15 C4I Bn)

The 2nd People's Defence Force (2 PDF) is in charge of counter-terrorism and homeland security, including the protection of key military and civilian installations around Singapore. It is also responsible for the coordination and secondment of military resources to civilian agencies in the event of a civil emergency.^[30]

The two AOR divisions are the 21st Division (21 DIV)^[31] and 25th Division (25 DIV).^[31][7]

21st Division (21 DIV)

the 21st Division are rapid deployment force composed primarily of Guards, elite infantry trained in both amphibious and heliborne assault. and commanded by Chief Guards Officer

• 7th Singapore Infantry Brigade
• 13th Singapore Infantry Brigade
• 15th Singapore Infantry Brigade
• Divisional Artillery
• 21st Signal Battalion
• 21st Divisional Support Command
• 18th Divisional Air Defense Artillery Battalion
• 1 Combat Engineer Battalion

25th Division (25 DIV).

25th Division is a reserve division commanded by Chief Armour Officer

• 11th Singapore Infantry Brigade
• 14th Singapore Infantry Brigade
• 63rd Singapore Infantry Brigade
• 65th Singapore Infantry Brigade

The Army has 15 formations: Ammunition Command, Armour,^[32] Army Intelligence, Army Medical Services, Artillery,^[33] Combat Engineers, Commandos, Guards, Infantry, Maintenance and Engineering Support, Military Police Command, Personnel Command, Signals, Supply, and Transport.^[7]

The Army has task forces such as the Island Defence Task Force (IDTF), Joint Task Force (JTF), Special Operations Task Force (SOTF)^[7] and the Army Deployment Force (ADF).^[34]

1. AMX-13 SM1
2. Light Strike Vehicle Mk.I
3. Soltam M-68 towed 155mm Howitzer
4. Soltam M-71 towed 155mm Howitzer
5. M114 155mm Howitzer
6. AMX-10P 25 / PAC-90
7. M40 recoilless rifle
8. M2 Browning Heavy Machine Gun
9. L1A1 Self-Loading Rifle
10. Soltam M66 160mm Mortar

• Singapore Army's Leopard 2A4 at the Singapore Airshow 2008.
• AMX-10PAC 90 with the 90mm main gun
• SM-1 Launched Bridge (SLB)
• M728 Combat Engineer Vehicle (CEV)
• FV180 Combat Engineer Tractor (CET)
• The Vehicle Launched Bridge
• The Bionix Armoured Recovery Vehicle (ARV)
• The Bionix Launched Bridge (BLB)
• The 105mm Giat LG-1 Howitzer at the SAF Open House
• FH-2000 in towing configuration
• Open breech of FH-2000 as seen from loader position
• The SLWH Pegasus at the Singapore Airshow 2008
• The 155mm/39calibre Singapore Self-Propelled Howitzer 1 (SSPH 1)
• SPIKE ATGM complete with mock-up missile
• The MATADOR (Man-portable Anti-Tank, Anti-DOoR)
• The new CIS-50 12.7mm Heavy Machine Gun

• Singapore Armed Forces
• Republic of Singapore Air Force
• Republic of Singapore Navy
• Singapore Special Operations Force
• Singapore Armed Forces ranks

Notes

Bibliography

Further reading

• 'Singapore's Army: boosting capabilities,' Jane's Intelligence Review, April 1996

• Official website
• Singapore Army Official Ranks Website
• Ranks and Paramilitary Ranks of Singapore, accessed 23 October 2006.
• Singapore Infantry Regiment pictures and info