Singapore Government quietly expanding F-15 fleet from 24 to 40, rumored to have acquired unmanned aerial drone from Israel

Defence.pk, 25 Aug 2014
Singapore appears to have quietly boosted the size of its F-15SG fleet from 24 aircraft to 40, according to Boeing financial statements, aircraft registration filings, and US congressional reports.
Singapore originally bought 12 F-15SGs - with an option for eight more - under a contract signed in December 2005. In October 2007 the city-state modified this option by buying 12 more to give it a total of 24.
One retired armed forces officer told IHS Jane's that this was a strategic decision to keep its neighbours guessing, and also because the country's leaders did not need to use military procurement as a populist crutch.
However, this refusal to confirm acquisitions can occasionally lead to surreal conversations with military and defence industry officials, such as at the 2012 Singapore Airshow, when Israeli officials would not confirm the sale of IAI Heron unmanned aerial vehicles to Singapore despite the presence of one on static display at the show. Full story

Multi-talented white horse Chief of Singapore Army Perry Lim Cheng Yeow is director to several civilian organizations

升官发财!

Sammyboy Forum, 20 Feb 2014
Beside drawing huge salary from army, he is also receiving good salary from Singapore Technologies Electronic Limited and various directorships below.In conclusion, Singapore army is very busy, they need to spend time to defend Singapore in the deep jungle and also need to spend time in CBD to work as board of directors.

http://investing.businessweek.com/re...NATIONAL%20LTD

Singapore Polytechnics Director
http://www.sp.edu.sg/resources/docs/...-Governors.pdf

Loving Heart Multi Service Center
http://www.lovingheartjc.org/organis...structure.html

http://cdn1.i3investor.com/my/files/...-611458256.pdf

Board of Directors in JTC
http://www.jtc.gov.sg/News/Press-Rel...91231(PR).aspx

IE Singapore Director
http://news.asiaone.com/news/singapo...-board-members

ST Electronics Director
http://www.stee.stengg.com/ourcompany/board.html

http://www.lead411.com/Perry_LimChengYeow_12451237.html


http://www.straitstimes.com/breaking...ch-21-20140220

this is the standard of our army, good at handling LIttle Indio Riot and also good at board room meeting!!!

Link

Malaysia beats out Singapore in military strength - report

The Star Online, 29 Apr 2014
Malaysia ranked 38th out of 106 countries in terms of military strength according to a report published by Global Firepower (GFP).
Malaysia’s ranking placed it five places ahead of neighbour Singapore at 44.
According to the survey, Malaysia also outranked Norway (which came in at 39), Ethiopia (40) and South Africa (41).
In the Asean sphere, aside from Singapore, Malaysia also beat out the likes of Cambodia (at 82) and Laos (102), but lost to Vietnam, Thailand and the Philippines, which came in at 23, 24 and 37 respectively. Full story

MINDEF officer misled Cathy Strong into believing that NSF whistleblower will not be punished - report

TR Emeritus, 28 Feb 2014
A member of the Animal Lovers League (ALL), Cathy Strong, has surfaced to shed more light on the alleged abuse of the Pasir Ris camp dog.
On 26 February 2014, TRE reported that a kind-hearted NSF whistleblower who had made a video of a dog tied to a shower stall in a military camp by a Lieutenant-Colonel (LTC) was charged while the LTC was not [Link].
According to Cathy, an officer from MINDEF had approached her for information on the whistleblower and had assured her that they were merely investigating the alleged dog abuse and the whistleblower would not be charged. He would at most be issued a “stern warning”.
Apparently, the officer’s assurance was an inducement to Cathy to reveal the identity of the whistleblower because MINDEF promptly charged the whistleblower and his non-commissioned officer once Cathy divulged that information. Full story

Related:
Dog Abuse in Pasir Ris Army Camp: MINDEF punishes NSF whistleblower, senior SAF officer who abuses dog goes scot-free

Animal cruelty in army camp case gaining attention of international news media

1. Singapore soldier who leaked video of army camp ‘dog abuse’ punished - South China Morning Post
2. Dog video lands Singapore’s army in hot water - IOL.co.za
3. Alleged Singapore military camp dog abuse sparks row - The Malay Mail Online
4. Alleged Singapore military camp dog abuse sparks row - Zee News
5. Alleged Singapore military camp dog abuse sparks row- GlobalPost

Related:
NSF whistleblower deserves a medal for taking video of animal cruelty in camp - Mothership.sg

Dog Abuse in Pasir Ris Army Camp: MINDEF punishes NSF whistleblower, senior SAF officer who abuses dog goes scot-free

Comment: Is this the kind of system our National Servicemen are being conscripted to defend?

The Online Citizen, 25 Feb 2014

The father of the full-time National Serviceman (NSF) who took a video of a an abandoned dog in a military bathroom has spoken out in defence of his son.
The NSF had filmed the dog, reportedly tied-up in a shower stall and “with a taut white rope tied around its neck – preventing it from moving or lying down”, according to media reports.
It is alleged that it was a lieutenant-colonel who tied up the dog at the Pasir Ris camp.
The NSF is being charged on two counts – unauthorised videography and unauthorised disclosure of information to a third party.
Mr Simon Spencer, writing on his Facebook page, said, “There was no honour in the way this situation was handled by the Singapore Armed Forces.”

He said his son and eight other NSFs also witnessed the senior officer hitting the dog.

“[Things] got out of hand this time when the lieutenant colonel personally brutally hit an innocent dog in the presence of the NS men, as a demonstration of “how it is done” in order to ensure that the strays would not dare to approach the army camp in future. This was witnessed by my son and eight other NSFs who were threatened to be charged if they did not keep their silence.” Full story

Related:

1. No honour in SAF’s handling of dog abuse case, says NSF’s father - Facebook.com
2. MINDEF goes back on their word not to punish NSF whistleblower in dog abuse case - The Real Singapore 
3. MINDEF says no dog abuse – NSF whistleblower punished - TR Emeritus

Singapore government demands Indonesia rename it's new warship

MSN Malaysia News, 18 Feb 2014
Singapore has asked Indonesia to rename a new warship that has been given the name of two Indonesian marines allegedly involved in a bombing incident in Singapore in 1965.
Defence Minister Dr Ng Eng Hen, replying to a question in Parliament, said naming the vessel “Usman Harun” 50 years after the bombing of MacDonald House would "reopen old wounds" and harm bilateral relations.
"The MacDonald House bomb blast killed three civilians and injured at least 33 more," he said. Full story

Mega-rich Singapore shopping for drones in air show to monitor traffic

MarketWatch.com, 13 Feb 2014
U.S. defense contractor Northrop Grumman Corp. hopes to pitch its high-altitude military drones to Singapore to help the city-state better monitor air and sea traffic at the Strait of Malacca, one of the world's busiest trade corridors.
Mr. Perry said Northrop is eager to talk to Singapore about providing that monitoring capability through the company's advanced drones.
The world's sixth-largest defense contractor joins dozens of its domestic peers at the city-state's air show this week, as part of efforts to tap into the faster-growing defense markets in Asia and the Middle East at a time of tighter defense budgets at home. Organizers hope that deals close to $25 billion will be signed at the biggest air show in the Asian-Pacific region. Full story

After putting up public show of indignation over naming of Indonesian navy vessel, Singapore government allows Indonesian Air Force to perform at air show

Republika Online, 11 Feb 2014
The Indonesian Air Forces Jupiter Aerobatic team will perform at the Singapore Air Show on Tuesday, despite tension between the two countries regarding the naming of the Indonesian Navy's ship, KRI Usman Harun.
This was an announcement made by Defense Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro on Monday. "The Jupiter Aerobatic team is already in Singapore and is currently training for the Singapore Air Show."
According to him, the naming of the Indonesian Navy ship, KRI Usman Harun, was already final and had been through the requisite procedures. "It is the right of Indonesia," he remarked. Full story

Mega-rich Singapore is the world's fifth largest arms importer - CNBC

CNBC.com, 7 Feb 2014
Singapore, one of Asia's smallest countries thinks big when it comes to defense.
Between 2008 and 2012 the city-state, with a population of just 5.3 million, was the world's fifth-largest arms importer, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. The wealthy Southeast Asian country consistently allocates about 20 percent of national spending to defense, analysts say.
According to Flightglobal, Singapore has the biggest air force in Southeast Asia with a reputation for also being the best trained, led and equipped. Full story

Related:

1. Singapore Government continues to suffer procurement lapses: auditor-general - Yahoo! News Singapore
2. Procurement lapses noted in 6 ministries (including MINDEF) - Asiaone.com

Also read:
Singaporeans think government is not poor and expects more from government - XIN MSN News

Wealthy Singapore splurges US$2.43 billion on AESA radar for 60 F-16 fighter jets

Defense-update.com, 15 Jan 2014
Singapore is planning to equip 60 of its F-16 Block 52 aircraft with Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radars, as part of a $2.43 billion upgrading program. The provider of the new radar, being the main element in the modernization process, has yet to be selected yet.
Both Raytheon and Northrop Grumman are offering AESA radars for F-16s. Raytheon’s radar has recently been selected for a major upgrade in South Korea, to be performed by BAE Systems. Northrop Grumman is providing the radar for a similar upgrade for the US Air Force and for Taiwan, both programs to be delivered by Lockheed Martin. Full story

Singapore officials view F-35 jets in U.S. ahead of possible multi-billion dollar purchase

Reuters, 11 Dec 2013
Dec 11 (Reuters) - Senior defense officials from Singapore got to see U.S. Marine Corps F-35 fighter jets in action on Tuesday at the Luke Air Force Base in Arizona as the Asian country mulls buying the Lockheed Martin Corp planes, a base spokeswoman said.
The aircraft flew to Luke Air Force Base, a pilot-training center near Phoenix, from Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, which is about 175 miles (280 km) away. Yuma is home to the first operational squadron of F-35 fighter jets, said First Lieutenant Candice Dillitte, a spokeswoman for the Arizona base. Full story

Related:
Singapore's Chief of Defence Lt Gen Ng Chee Meng has confirmed purchase of F-35B fighter plane: US General

US sending military jets to Changi East air base in Singapore - report

The Diplomat, 30 Jul 2013
At a Washington, DC breakfast on Monday, Air Force Gen. Herb Carlisle, the USAF’s top commander in the Pacific, basically stated that the U.S. plans to encircle China with its most capable aircraft over the next few years. Over at Breaking Defense, Colin Clark reports that Carlisle said that the first Air Force F-35’s will be deployed to the Pacific, and are likely to be stationed at bases in Misawa, Japan; Kadena, Japan; Osan Air Base, Korea; and Kunsan Air Base, Korea. Singapore will also purchase the F-35s. Clark also quotes the general as saying the USAF will send "fighters, tankers, and at some point in the future, maybe bombers on a rotational basis," to a base in Darwin, Australia.
Meanwhile, John Reed of Foreign Policy reports that Carlisle also said (in Reed’s words) that the USAF will also be, “sending jets to Changi East air base in Singapore, Korat air base in Thailand, a site in India, and possibly bases at Kubi Point and Puerto Princesa in the Philippines and airfields in Indonesia and Malaysia.” As Reed sums it up, “This means the Air Force will sen[d] large numbers of F-22 Raptors, F-35 Joint Strike Fighters, and B-2 stealth bombers to the region.” Full story

Tensions in South China Sea reaches dangerous level as US B-52 bombers challenge disputed China air zone

BBC News, 26 Nov 2013
The US has flown two B-52 bombers over disputed islands in the East China Sea in defiance of new Chinese air defence rules, officials say.
China set up its "air defence identification zone" on Saturday insisting that aircraft obey its rules or face "emergency defensive measures".
A Pentagon spokesman said the planes had followed "normal procedures".
The islands, known as Senkaku in Japan and Diaoyu in China, are a source of rising tension between the two nations. Full story

Related:
US is Encircling China with Fighter Jets and Stealth Bombers - The Diplomat

OPINION: Perils of parachuting SAF officers into one-party government and GLCs

Singapore Notes, 26 Nov 2013
As a hands-on Minister of Defence, Goh Keng Swee was always concerned that the defence establishment from headquarters should always avoid institutional complacency and maintain operational readiness - to leap into battle, not the welcoming arms of an obliging female. Goh conducted an experiment, to test his hypothesis that "anyone could slip chunks of statistics from the National Estimates into an army document and, and no one would notice", by issuing a general circular which was in essence a lengthy quote about the Great Flood from the book of Genesis. The response from the rank and file of the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) and the armed forces is telling:

Most recipients were perplexed, to say the least - but in a comical bid to conceal their ignorance, they either forwarded the circular to their subordinates, with the words, 'For your necessary action', or 'Noted and filed'. Since the passage had mentioned floods, the Army officers sent it to the Navy officers 'for action'. The more imaginative officers interpreted the extract as instructions to send two representatives from each company to assemble forty days later, as the document mentioned the following lines, 'You shall bring two of every sort into the ark' and 'The rain was on the earth forty days and forty nights'. Only one officer... had the common sense to ask in exasperation, 'What on earth is this circular all about, and who sent it? - (Tan Siok Sun, "Goh Keng Swee: A Portrait", page 147)

Lim Siong Guan recalled how none of the commanders raised questions on the General Staff Orders containing the story of Noah's Ark. Goh replied that the commanders either were not reading the orders or did not care for them. Full story

OPINION: Is it time to reconsider National Service? - Kirsten Han

Yahoo! News Singapore, 26 Nov 2013
National Service (NS) is a touchy topic. It is a thorn in the side of Singaporean men, forced to serve for two years and commit to reservist training for years after. For years men have felt victimised; the phrase “Jobs for FT, NS for Singaporeans” is a prime example of how conscription has been has been framed as a symbol of injustice.
Men often play the NS card when it comes to discussions of gender equality, telling women that until they have been conscripted they have no right to speak out on sexism. This tactic is also adopted when conversations on immigration arise; foreigners' rights should always be secondary to ours because they have served in our military. Full story

VIDEO: Thai Paratrooper Plummets To His Death During Training Jump On 5th Nov

LiveLeak.com, 6 Nov 2013


Link

Singapore seeks US$96 mil worth of multiple guided rocket launchers from U.S.

UPI.com, 30 Oct 2013
WASHINGTON, Oct. 30 (UPI) -- The U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency reports that Singapore is seeking guided multiple launch rocket systems and associated equipment.
The package of equipment and services, which would be provided under the U.S. Foreign Military Sales program, has an estimated value of $96 million, the agency said in its notification to Congress.
"This proposed sale provides the Republic of Singapore with additional assets critical to maintaining its defensive capabilities to protect its territory and deter regional aggression," it said.    Full story

Singapore firm Glenn Defense Marine Asia Ltd barred from U.S. contracts over bribery case

Reuters, 21 Oct 2013
A Singapore-based company involved in a U.S. Navy bribery scandal has been barred from doing business with the federal government and has had nine Navy contracts worth $205 million terminated for cause, a Navy official said on Monday.
Glenn Defense Marine Asia Ltd and its chief executive, Leonard Glenn Francis, were barred on September 19 from contracting with the U.S. government and from receiving benefits of federal assistance programs, the official said on condition of anonymity.
The Navy suspension came in response to a criminal complaint in the U.S. District Court in southern California in September that accused Francis of bribing government employees in exchange for confidential information related to Navy contracts. Full story

Related:

1. Senior officer, NCIS agent are among those arrested in Navy bribery scandal - The Washington Post
2. Bribed with cash, prostitutes: Navy officers arrested in massive contractor fraud scheme - RT.com

54-year-old SAF personnel dies in army prison, MINDEF claims he died from heart attack

Hardwarezone Forum, 21 Oct 2013
A Ministry of Defence (Mindef) defence executive assistant who was being detained at the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) Detention Barracks suffered a cardiac arrest while taking a shower on Friday and was eventually pronounced dead on Monday night.
In a statement, Mindef said 54-year-old Sivaperumal Tanggayelu was detained to "assist in investigations", and had collapsed at about 6.49pm on Friday.
A medic immediately started resuscitation efforts on Mr Sivaperumal, who was unconscious and without pulse. He was then brought to the Tengah Air Base Medical Centre, where an SAF doctor assessed that he had suffered from a cardiac arrest.
Mr Sivaperumal was then brought to the National University Hospital's (NUH) emergency department at about 7.40pm, with resuscitation efforts continuing en route. Link