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SINGAPORE MILITARY TO FOCUS eration SAF to build upon existing conventional
capabilities, while having the flexibility and
ON NEXT-GEN TECHNOLOGY robustness to employ novel operational and
organisational concepts to exploit breakthrough
technologies for national defence – all under
conditions of increased strategic uncertainty.

To meet these demands, the Republic of
Singapore Air Force (RSAF) last year acquired
the Orbiter 4 Close-Range Unmanned Aerial
Vehicle (CR-UAV) to further enhance the SAF’s Air
Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance
(AISR) capabilities.
The Orbiter 4 CR-UAV, which complements the
RSAF’s existing fleet of UAVs, will provide the SAF
and security forces with improved ground situ-
ational awareness to better protect Singapore
from threats across peacetime to wartime oper-
Singapore Armed Forces will invest heavily in unmanned tech- ations.
nologies, autonomous vehicles, drones, and sensors as part of its
next-generation transformation journey. With its smaller size, capable sensor and
increased portability, the Orbiter 4 CR-UAV
Senior Minister of State for Defence Zaqy Mohamad said, “Unmanned can operate within a wide range of operating
technologies will be a big part of the SAF going forward and the environments, including urbanised and confined
Navy has worked with the larger defence technology community areas, to support security operations such as
to develop indigenous unmanned systems designed for our unique counter-terrorism and peacetime contingencies.
operating environment and requirements. I am also glad to know The Orbiter 4 can be employed independently
that the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) had undertaken several or collaboratively with the existing fleet of larger
initiatives to maximise the deployment of National Serviceman. The UAVs for scanning of the battlefield from differ-
RSN has been deliberate about designing systems to be intuitive, ent altitudes, providing both a bird’s eye view of
so that it can be easily operated by NSFs and NSmen. These will the battlefield from a higher altitude and con-
provide new, meaningful and exciting avenues for NSFs and NSmen ducting in-depth surveillance of specific areas
to contribute to our maritime defence”. from a lower altitude.
The Orbiter 4 CR-UAV enhances operational
Zaqy visited the Changi Naval Base (CNB) on March 15, and was flexibility with its lower logistical footprint,
briefed by the Chief of Navy, Rear-Admiral Sean Wat, on how the runway independence, and ability to be
RSN is strengthening its capabilities to safeguard Singapore’s waters deployed and set up in a shorter span of time.
and secure its sea lines of communication against a broad spectrum
of maritime security threats. To preserve its strategic deterrent, the SAF is
in the process of acquiring advanced military
As part of his visit, Zaqy was updated on the progress of the RSN’s technologies and platforms, which are designed
transformation journey, especially in the area of unmanned tech- to be linked together as a force package, and
nology and systems. create an asymmetric advantage.

He sailed on board the Naval Diving Unit’s Combatant Craft Large The list of military acquisition programmes
(CCL) and witnessed a demonstration on how maritime security includes upgraded early warning systems such
operations are conducted by the Maritime Security Unmanned as coastal surveillance network and air defence
Surface Vessel (USV). systems; F35s and upgraded F15SG fighter jets,
Multi-Role Tanker Transport and G550 Airborne
According to Singapore’s Ministry of Defence, Singapore’s force Early Warning aircraft, new Unmanned Aerial
modernisation priorities toward the next-generation SAF currently Vehicles (UAVs); new classes of ships that
follows three lines of effort—developing capabilities to counter include Joint Multi-Mission Ships and Multi-Role
‘hybrid’ threats in the information and cyber domains; expand- Combat Vessels (MRCVs); 218SG submarines
ing counter-terrorism capabilities, particularly by strengthening and new types of Underwater Unmanned
Island Defence and Special Forces; and in the long-term, leveraging Vehicles (UUVs); and ultimately, military systems
advanced emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, data and platforms for more protected and mobile
analytics, and robotics in nearly all aspects of defence planning Army, such as the Next-Generation Armoured
and military operations. Fighting Vehicles (NGAFV), Terrex Infantry Carrier
Vehicles, upgraded Leopard tanks, multiple
In this context, Singapore’s defence planners envision the next-gen- rocket launchers and howitzers.
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