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pulse of our army SEPTEMBER 2011 newsIssue No. 192 9 www.mindef.gov.sg/army army 665 SIR Journey Reflections 5 End of Ceremonial Swords for 2 Senior Warrant Officers and Military Experts First HIMARS Battery Operational 3rd Singapore Division armynews special supplement #11 september 2011 Our Insignia VISION The snarling tiger motif embodies aggressiveness and ferocity and personi- fies the spirit of Singapore's oldest ivision.d A fast and regal creature, the tiger To be the Premier Division of Our Army – Ready, Capable and Committed. possesses a pride born of indo mitable courage and will fight to the end for As an operationally-ready force with e the noblest of causes. These are qualities found in the hearts and spirit of the xemplary capabilities, most admirable soldiers. We will be swift and decisive in achieving all our missions. Anchored on Core Values, we are resolute in our belief and confidence. The tiger's head is set against a maroon background, which symbolises valour, courage, confidence and aggressiveness. The bright yellow border empha- We are warriors with the will to fightand win. sises the unity of the various elements within the division - Infantry will fight We serve our nation with the foremost and utmost commitment. alongside Armour, supported by Artillery, Signals and Engineer units. Active personnel, together with NSmen, will fight as one to overcome. We will protect Singapore with our lives. The 3 DIV motto, "FOREMOST and UTMOST", underscores its servicemen's MISSION commitment to be the foremost and to do their utmost in any situation. To build operationally effective capabilities to deter aggression and achieve success in all our missions. We will nurture and engage our people so as to build their commitment to protect our national interest and the well-being of our citizens. Did You Know? On 21 March 1991, 3rd Singapore Division Following the fall of South Vietnam to the co (3 DIV) was inaugurated as the SAF's first mmunists in 1975, many neighbouring countries freed Combined Arms Division (CAD). Und an exodus of refugees into their territorial wate er this rs. In May 1975, more than eight thousands refugees in establishment, 3 DIV became our Army's a motley assortment of naval craft sailed into Singapore's waters. 2 SIB was immediately activated to principal test-bed for the development of deal with the situation. In the emergency measure, the brigade managed and new operational concepts, doctrines and took care of the refugees during their 13-day stay on the Bedok coast. tactics for land battles. We also continued to grow as an operationally-ready force to deal with any peacetime contingency. Today, 20 years on, 3 DIV continues to Our History drive new developments and capabili- ties for the 3rd Generation CAD which has expanded its warfighting capabilities to August 1970 December 1997 conduct integrated operations with air and naval platforms. With increased protection and mobility, combat forces can leverage on precise information to mov Area III Command HQ set up at Fort Canning Camp 3 DIV relocated to e rapidly to exploit ground suc- In 1972, it relocated to Jurong Camp II cess and engage targets at longer range with precision fires. These capabili- Jurong Camp 1, a ties have enabled Combined Arms modern complex Brigades to effectively operate in complex urban battle space, and create capacity to deal with the media and prosecute reflecting a forward- civil-military operations. 1 May 1976 looking division Going forward and building upon Area III Command offi our predecessors' achievements, we will cially re-designated as seek our new summit, the next PEAK. 3rd Singapore Division (3 DIV). It commanded 2SIB, 3 SIB, 7 SIB, Division Signals Battalion, Division Support 2000 We believe in our P Command and Division Artillery eople and strive to develop them to their fullest potential. We want to identify and prepare active and NS leaders for all levels, and help 3 DIV had the privilege HQs become strong command teams. of organising NDP 2000, the first in the new mil- Next, we believe that everyon lennium. The valuable e deserves a positive Experience. It is every- one’s responsibility to give and to ask for a good experience. We need to November 1978 experiences and lessons provide our people with a sense of pu learnt were put to goo rpose and camaraderie, give meaning d to everything they do daily, and give credit where it is due. Tiger Formation Insignia adopted use when it successfully spearheaded NDP 2005 We believe in building up our and NDP 2009 All-Arms expertise. While attaining co mpe- tency in Specialist Arms training remains a priority, we want to create oppor- tunities for our active and NS Units to train in combined arms operations, through horizontal integration between different Arms battalions as well as 21 March 1991 December 2004 vertical integration from divisional level down to battalion level. 3 DIV inaugurated as the 3 DIV took over Lastly, we believe that building Key new capabilities remains the raison d'être SAF's first Combined Armed command of units of 3 DIV. To this end, it is critical that we be reminded that any new equipment Division, commanding 2 SIB, under 1 PDF as acquired will not be translated into new capability, unless accompanied by 3 SIB, 7 SIB, 8 SAB, 30 SCE, 3 part of the latter's changes in operational thinking, doctrine and most importantly, effective SIG, 46 SAR and 3 DIV Artillery drawn down training. Above all, 3 DIV is about its people. Just as the tiger is tenacious yet regal and epitomises strength with grace, members of the Tiger Family can be relied upon to be swift and decisive in achieving mission success. We will continue to be courageous in pushing operational envelopes to deliver new capabili- January 1995 ties. And being our Army's Premier Division, we stand Ready, Capable and 2011 Committed to LIVE true to the division's motto. 3 DIV reorganised to include both NS and active units In January, 46 SAR was stood down . In February, Foremost and Utmost! 3rd Signal Battalion was integrated with the military intelligence asset and transformed into 17 C4I Battalion BG Perry Lim Commander 3rd Singapore Division 3 SIB 5 SIB 8 SAB 24 SIB 3 DISCOM 3 DIV ARTY 30 SCE 321 SCE 17 C4I 3 ISTAR 3 DA 1 ARMYNEWS SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT 3rd Singapore Division Included in this issue Army News Special Supplement SSBR & AHM 2011 Celebrating Fitness, Bonding And Fun armynews pulse of our army Prime Feature www.mindef.gov.sg/army First HIMARS Battery Operational Story by Jonathan Chan Photography by Matthew Tan, Wee Hong Shin & 23 SA On 5 September, the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) joined the ranks of our 3rd Generation Army's latest hardware. It contributes to the SAF's fighting prowess with its ability to rain highly accurate devastating firepower on hostile targets up to 70 kilometres away. Minister for Defence, Dr Ng Eng Hen, officiated the cer- emony to mark the HIMARS' commissioning and opera- tionalisation of the first HIMARS Battery, Bravo Battery, 23rd Battalion Singapore Artillery (23SA), at Khatib Camp. He also witnessed a demonstration of the deployment and operation of the HIMARS as part of a networked force. Dr Ng shared, “The successful induction of the HIMARS reflects 23 SA soldiers executing a dynamic display of HIMARS operations well on the ability of the SAF to respond decisively to new The HIMARS is capable of lethal multiple fires challenges and changing circumstances in its operational Commanding Officer, 23 SA, LTC Vincent Koh, explained environment. Throughout her 123 years of history, our the significance of this latest platform, “The HIMARS will calculations and need to compensate for wind conditions. Artillery has evolved from operating mortars and towed provide the long-range fire support for the other net- With a few buttons pressed, we feed the system with all the howitzers to deploying the self-propelled Primus and the worked platforms and fighting forces in the forefront information it needs to deliver those devastating warheads light-weight, heli-portable Pegasus, to better meet the var- such as the Leopard Main Battle Tank and Terrex Infantry accurately onto the targets.” ied demands of complex military operations.” Carrier Vehicle. We can fire at enemy targets while remaining out of their range.” LTC Koh also revealed another important effect of the HIMARS, “In Enhanced Firepower the modern battlefield, where enemy targets and civilian establishments The HIMARS carries a single are often either blurred or danger- pod of six Multiple Launch ously close in proximity, the HIMARS' Rocket Systems (MLRS) rockets. precision allows us to obliterate the The 227-mm surface-to-surface hostile targets while avoiding collat- Guided MLRS M31 Unitary rock- eral damage.” ets are inertial-guided and Global Positioning System-aided weap- Enhanced Networking Capabilities ons. Each rocket is lethal not just because of its precise delivery, Like many of our other 3rd Generation fighting platforms, but also its single 200-pound the HIMARS is equipped with the Battlefield Management class controlled fragmentation System (BMS) which enables it to connect with the Artillery high explosive unitary warhead. Headquarters and Strike Observer Mission teams. It is also 3SG Daniel Tan, a launcher com- networked with other air and land platforms through the mander, elaborated, “The mech- HIMARS Battery/Platoon Command Post. This affords the anised, digitised system avoids HIMARS crew enhanced situational awareness and respon- potential inaccuracy because it sive delivery of precision fires while minimising collateral Dr Ng affixing the artillery insignia on the HIMARS eliminates the hassle of manual damage.

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