ENGINEERING LAND SYSTEMS “DTC IS THE SECRET-EDGE WEAPON OF THE SAF” DR NG ENG HEN MINISTER FOR DEFENCE II The opinions and views expressed in this work are the authors’ and do not necessarily reflect the official views of the Ministry of Defence TABLE OF CONTENTS Foreword Message Preface 1 CHAPTER 1 : The Beginnings of Defence Logistics and Engineering 21 CHAPTER 2 : Development of Armament 45 CHAPTER 3 : Development of 155mm Artillery 57 CHAPTER 4 : Development of Armoured Fighting Vehicles 82 CHAPTER 5 : Exploratory Development of Autonomous and Remotely Operated Vehicle 101 CHAPTER 6 : Innovation in Command, Control, Communications and Computers Systems 122 CHAPTER 7 : Defence Construction and Passive Defence 141 CHAPTER 8 : Rock Caverns for Ammunition Facility 171 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 178 GLOSSARY 183 INDEX FOREWORD The journey of Singapore’s Defence engineers and scientists stands at the frontier The stories that are told in this book Technology Community (DTC) parallels of technological progress. Indeed the DTC is series chronicles should lift the spirits of that of the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) the secret-edge weapon of the SAF. Singaporeans, old and young. They celebrate – indeed both were co-dependent and what pioneers and successive generations of iterative processes which fed off As the DTC celebrates its 50th anniversary, committed scientists and engineers have each other’s success. Pioneers in both we want to thank especially its pioneers accomplished over the years. But they also communities recognised very early on the who were committed to achieve the give hope to our future, as they will serve as stark limitations of a small island with no unthinkable and were not daunted by severe reminders during difficult times to overcome geographical depth and limited manpower. challenges along the way. Their efforts and challenges and continue to keep Singapore But despite this realisation, they were beliefs have spawned world class agencies safe and secure for many years to come. undaunted and shared a common resolve such as DSTA and DSO, and the family of to mitigate Singapore’s vulnerabilities Singapore Technologies (ST) companies. and constraints, and build a credible SAF through sheer will, commitment and the More hearteningly, the virtuous effects harnessing of the powers of technology. In extend into mainstream society too. Dr Goh Keng Swee’s words, “we have to Today the defence cluster of DSTA, DSO, Dr Ng Eng Hen supplement the SAF’s manpower with new MINDEF, the SAF and ST employs the Minister for Defence technology, as manpower constraints will largest proportion of scientists and engineers Singapore always be there. Our dependency should in Singapore – almost one in every 12! It be more on technology than manpower. is not an overstatement that these entities And we must develop indigenously that have been the main receptacles to maintain technological edge.” As worthy and the science and technology capabilities in important as these ideals were, it was an our nation, providing life-long careers in the arduous journey for the DTC. With poor process. standards of general education, let alone engineers or scientists, how could Singapore Beyond defence, the DTC has also positively develop such capabilities? impacted our society in a variety of ways: in producing mass thermal scanners to combat This book series chronicles the last 50 years the 2003 SARS outbreak, in designing and of that ascent that begun in 1966. The DTC building the iconic Marina Bay Floating has indeed come a long way from its humble Platform to host the National Day Parades and beginnings and with it, a transformation sports events, in breaking new ground and of the SAF’s capabilities. Today, both old mindsets when we built the underground the SAF and the DTC are respected storage for munitions, in forming the nucleus professional bodies and the requests from to start the MRO (maintenance, repair and advanced economies to collaborate reflect overhaul) industries to service airlines in the standards which we have achieved. Singapore and globally. Our closely-knit community of defence ENGINEERING LAND SYSTEMS ENGINEERING LAND SYSTEMS MESSAGE The Defence Technology Community (DTC) • The integration of the RSN’s missile renowned R&D partners locally and around has steadily evolved over the last 50 years. We gunboats and missile corvettes which the world, I am confident that the DTC will started off as a small, three-man technical built up the DTC’s confidence to move remain steadfast in delivering the critical department in the Logistics Division in 1966 on to specify and acquire best of breed technologies and innovative solutions for supporting defence equipment procurement systems to integrate into new ships like the SAF and the nation. May the stories in and there was much work to be done. The the frigates. It also laid the foundations these books inspire our current and future Army then was largely equipped with for ST Engineering’s capabilities to design defence engineers and scientists to continue second-hand vehicles and surplus equipment and build ships for the RSN and some to push boundaries and think creatively to left by the British. The Republic of other navies. deliver capabilities that will safeguard our Singapore Navy (RSN) had two boats, one • The conversion of old US Navy’s A-4 sovereignty for the years to come. steel and the other wooden. Recognising the Skyhawk aircraft into the A-4SU Super need to overcome the immutable challenges Skyhawk for the Republic of Singapore of geography and resource constraints Air Force, building up ST Engineering’s facing Singapore, we extended our scope to capabilities to undertake further aircraft include conceptualisation, development and upgrades such as for the F-5E Tiger fighter upgrade of defence systems. These efforts aircraft, and to undertake servicing and Mr Ng Chee Khern leverage the force multiplying effects of repair of commercial aircraft. Permanent Secretary (Defence Development) technology to meet the unique challenges • The system-of-systems integration Ministry of Defence, Singapore and operational requirements of the Singapore efforts to evolve the island air defence Armed Forces (SAF), beyond what could be system, building on legacy systems left had buying off-the-shelf. by the British to seamlessly incorporate new weapons, sensors, and indigenously This four-book “Engineering Singapore’s developed command and control systems Defence – The Early Years” series covers the to extend the range and coverage of entire spectrum of the DTC’s work in the Singapore’s air defence umbrella, and land, air and sea domains to deliver cutting- the build-up of the DTC as a system-of- edge technological capabilities to the SAF. systems to deliver cutting-edge capabilities It chronicles our 50-year journey and and systems to the SAF, and to meet the documents the largely unheard stories of technology requirements of the nation. our people – their challenges, struggles and triumphs, their resolve and ingenuity, and While not exhaustive, these stories provide their persistence in overcoming the odds. us with a glimpse of the “dare-to-do” and These stories include: enterprising spirit that our DTC personnel and forerunners possess. • The upgrading of the French-made AMX-13 light tank to the AMX-13 SM1 There is no end to change and transformation. configuration by the DTC, the Army and Singapore and the SAF will continue to face ST Engineering, laying the foundation for many challenges in the years ahead. However, the design, engineering and production of with the capabilities and expertise developed the Bionix, Bronco and Terrex armoured over the years in its more than 5,000-strong fighting vehicles for the Army. personnel, and its established linkages with ENGINEERING LAND SYSTEMS ENGINEERING LAND SYSTEMS PREFACE provided by tenderers were major tasks Chapter 3 describes the development of of fighting units in the Army from the early for each purchase. Acceptance tests were 155mm artillery, the backbone of the days of line and wireless communication conducted to ensure the materials supplied firepower of our Army. Engineers in Ministry devices, to the digital command, control, were in accordance with the specifications of Defence (MINDEF), CIS and Ordnance communications and computers system-of- before the various logistics bases would take Development and Engineering of Singapore systems. them into inventory for issue to the units. (ODE), after one decade of experience in the development and production of armament Chapter 7 is an account of the technical Chapter 1 is an account of the development for the SAF, were ready to make a major challenges in the planning, design and of technical capability in the Logistics leap into the development and production of engineering of operational infrastructure Division which began with the testing and 155mm howitzers. They had the confidence facilities for the SAF. The capability to design, evaluation of equipment and stores for the of developing 155mm howitzers that would test and evaluate, and construct passive training schools located in Singapore Armed best meet the needs of the Army and at a total protection measures was also used to support Forces Training Institute (SAFTI) and the life cycle cost lower than that produced by the Ministry of Home Affairs in the planning first two National Service (NS) battalions. established armament manufacturers from and design of Civil Defence Shelters for the The planned development of the SAF and overseas. protection of our civilian population from MID was disrupted by the decision of the weapon effects. UK Government to withdraw all troops from Chapter 4 is an external view by a very Singapore by 1971. We had three years to respected expert on military matters and land Chapter 8 is the last chapter of this book on build an army, air force and navy and the warfare on the growth of the engineering and the creation of underground space in rock logistics and engineering organisations for development capability of armoured fighting caverns for the storage of ammunition in their support.