S’pore to keep defence spending at 3% of GDP as risk of conflict has become ‘non-zero’
Mindef’s budget for the coming financial year is projected to be $20.2 billion – a 2.5 per cent increase from FY 2023
Anyone following the news would not need convincing that the world has become a more dangerous place, Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen said on Feb 28 as he made clear the need for continued investment in the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) to deter aggression against Singapore. To keep the SAF strong, the Republic will keep military spending at about 3 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP) over the next decade. This is barring any conflicts or wars, Dr Ng said during the debate on the Ministry of Defence’s budget. He announced several updates to the SAF’s platforms, including that the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) would acquire eight F-35A fighter aircraft to complement the 12 F-35Bs that it previously bought.
In his speech, he noted that the Russia-Ukraine conflict is in its third year, while there are worries that the Israel-Hamas conflict could spread beyond Gaza. A de facto trade war between the US and China has started, and there are worries that both countries could clash over Taiwan, he added. All this means that he has changed his assessment of the risk of regional and global conflicts from being unlikely to being “non-zero”, said Dr Ng. “I can assure this House that surprises and unintended consequences are in store – some linked, others completely out of the blue,” he added. “When the ambient temperature of geopolitics rises, sparks and fires will arise from multiple sources.”
Recounting the 1990 invasion of small and wealthy Kuwait by its neighbour Iraq, Dr Ng noted that the US went to the rescue, leading a 42-country force. If something similar were to happen here, the Government, Mindef and the SAF do not plan on the basis that another country will come to Singapore’s rescue, said Dr Ng. “If Singaporeans will not or cannot defend Singapore, there is no backstop. That is the simple truth,” he said.
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Air force chief outlines RSAF’s priorities as threats emerge from ongoing conflicts
An H225M helicopter at a media preview of Singapore Airshow 2024 on Feb 17. ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM
The emerging threats from wars in Europe and the Middle East have reinforced “clear priorities” for the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF), including the need to develop innovative solutions that are cost- and operationally effective, said Major-General Kelvin Khong. In a written interview, Singapore’s Chief of Air Force flagged the increased contestation in air littorals – the airspaces between ground forces and high-altitude fighter jets or bombers – in recent conflicts. The threats include small, low-cost unmanned aerial systems and loitering munitions, said MG Khong in response to questions from local media and defence publications ahead of the Singapore Airshow. Loitering munitions are autonomous drones with warheads that can loiter in an area till they identify a target and attack.
MG Khong also cited commercial off-the-shelf drones employing shuttlecock grenades. For instance, the Ukrainian army fitted grenades with three-dimensional printed stabilisation fins, lifted by commercial drones to be dropped vertically onto targets. Likewise, the Houthis in Yemen employed attack drones to target commercial vessels in the Red Sea, he said. In addressing these threats, a key challenge is the cost imbalance that will arise if the RSAF continues using traditional means, he noted. These traditional capabilities cost more. While conventional air power capabilities are still important, the RSAF will require innovative and sustainable solutions against such threats, he added. “(We need) to have the ability to rapidly prototype and operationalise new capabilities.”
The Russia-Ukraine conflict also reinforced the importance of achieving air superiority, he said. “If either side had achieved air superiority, the conflict would have taken on a very different trajectory. There is a higher probability that it would not be so long and protracted,” he added.
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RSAF to acquire eight F-35A fighter jets, growing its fleet to 20 F-35s
The F-35A Joint Strike Fighter on display at the Singapore Airshow on Feb 21. ST PHOTO: MARK CHEONG
The Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) will acquire eight F-35A fighter aircraft, complementing the previously announced purchase of 12 F-35Bs, said Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen.
This comes as the fifth-generation stealth planes have been proven on the battlefield, Dr Ng said during the debate on the Ministry of Defence’s (Mindef) budget on Feb 28. The eight F-35As will arrive around 2030. The announcement followed Mindef’s 2023 decision to buy eight F-35Bs, after an initial purchase of four F-35Bs in 2020.
The aircraft is made by United States manufacturer Lockheed Martin. The two F-35 variants have different strengths that will bolster the RSAF’s capabilities, Dr Ng told Parliament. “The F-35As are designed for greater endurance – they have the ability to carry payloads of higher capacity,” he said. “They complement the F-35Bs’ short take-off and vertical landing capability... which provides more operational flexibility (in land-scarce Singapore).”
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'Uniquely Singaporean': Singapore navy launches fourth Invincible-class submarine
Singapore's fourth Invincible-class submarine Inimitable at the thyssenkrupp Marine Systems shipyard in Kiel, Germany. (Photo: MINDEF)
The Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) on Monday (Apr 22) launched its fourth Invincible-class submarine named Inimitable, which is designed for operations in Singapore's waters. Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean officiated the launch ceremony at the thyssenkrupp Marine Systems (tkMS) shipyard in Kiel, Germany.
Following a long-standing naval tradition, the submarine was launched by a lady sponsor, Mr Teo’s sister, Ms Teo Swee Lian. The ceremony was witnessed by Federal Minister for Defence Boris Pistorius, Senior Minister of State for Defence Heng Chee How, Chief of German Navy Vice-Admiral Jan Christian Kaack, RSN Chief of Navy Rear-Admiral Sean Wat, CEO tkMS Oliver Burkhard, as well as senior defence officials from both countries. “With the help of our German friends, we have delivered a submarine which is uniquely Singaporean – specially adapted for our waters, and fitted with advanced digital systems to meet our mission and operational needs,” said Mr Teo, who is also Coordinating Minister for National Security.
In December 2022, the RSN launched the second and third of its new Invincible-class submarines, named Impeccable and Illustrious. The first - Invincible - was launched in 2019. The Invincible-class submarines are customised for operations in Singapore’s shallow and busy tropical workers. They were conceptualised and engineered by the RSN, the Defence Science and Technology Agency (DSTA) and tkMS. Possessing longer endurance and higher payloads, the launch of the fourth submarine marks the “key milestone” in the navy’s modernisation journey, the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) said in a news release. Following the launch, Inimitable will undergo a series of sea trials before delivery to Singapore.
Singapore buys new “Invincible-class” submarines
The new Invincible-class Type 218SG submarine Impeccable after its christening in Kiel, Germany on Dec 13, 2022. (Photo: AFP/Gregor Fischer)
Four submarines, similar to the Invincible-class ones ordered by Singapore, cost about S$2.4 billion, Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen said on Monday (Jan 9).
In a written answer to a question from MP Gerald Giam (WP-Aljunied) about the cost of the submarines, Dr Ng said the Defence Ministry (MINDEF) does not provide precise amounts for the cost of acquisition or maintenance of its military assets. This might indirectly disclose the capabilities of components such as added weapon or protection systems, he added. Taking reference from other militaries of Turkey and Korea, which have acquired similar submarines, each submarine costs about S$600 million at the time of purchase, or S$2.4 billion for four.
He said the total amount is comparable to a fleet of 12 F-15 fighter jets in the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF). Maintenance cost per year is about 2 per cent to 3 per cent of the capital cost of the submarines, he added. In December last year, two new Invincible-class submarines were christened by the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN). Named Impeccable and Illustrious, the submarines are the second and third of four customised Type 218SG submarines built by ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems for MINDEF.
Little Red Dot
"Little red dot" (or "The Red Dot", or "Little Red Dot") is a nickname often used in the media, and in casual conversation, as a reference to Singapore. It refers to how the nation is depicted on many maps of the world and of Asia as a red dot. The sovereign country and city-state comprising the main island and all its islets – a total land area of approximately 750 square kilometres (290 sq mi; 190,000 acres) – is much smaller than its Southeast Asian neighbours.
Initially used as a pejorative by other countries to refer to Singapore, the term was quickly adopted and reappropriated by both Singaporean politicians and citizens alike with pride and a sense of the nation's prosperity and success despite its physical limitations. In 2015, Singapore celebrated its Golden Jubilee, the 50th anniversary of its independence, with the term "SG50" depicted inside a red dot.
The term "little red dot" gained currency after the third Indonesian President B. J. Habibie was regarded as having criticized Singapore in an article published in the Asian Wall Street Journal of 4 August 1998. It was reported that Habibie had remarked that he did not have the feeling that Singapore was a friend, and had pointed to a map, saying: "It's O.K. with me, but there are 211 million people [in Indonesia]. All the green [area] is Indonesia. And that red dot is Singapore." The remark was seen as a dismissal of Singapore, having referred to the country in a disparaging manner.
The Little Red Dot and the Red Dragon
Much chatter online & off has taken place on why Singapore's PM Lee Hsien Loong did not attend the inaugural Belt & Road Forum in Beijing last weekend
The event organised by China had heads of state & government from 29 countries attending, including 7 out of 10 from Asean. Singapore was represented by National Development Minister Lawrence Wong. 2 schools of thought prevailed: China snubbed Singapore. No, it was Singapore that didn't want to take part.
3 myths floating out there that merit being plucked from the ocean of misinformation & tossed into the incinerator:
- SINGAPORE HAS CHANGED ITS STANCE ON CHINA AND NOW ALIGNS ITSELF MORE OVERTLY WITH THE UNITED STATES
- SINGAPORE IS A CHINESE SOCIETY AND SHOULD BE MORE SYMPATHETIC TO CHINA
- CHINA IS OUT TO PUNISH SINGAPORE, AND SINGAPOREANS SHOULD FEEL WORRIED ABOUT THIS AND PRESSURE THE SINGAPORE GOVERNMENT TO BE MORE ACCOMMODATING OF CHINA
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