Colonial period

World War II

Post-WWII

Post-independence

See also: National Service in Singapore

After Singapore's independence on 9 August 1965, strained ties with the two immediate neighbors, Malaysia and Indonesia made defense a high priority. Then-PM Lee Kuan Yew appointed Goh Keng Swee to head the new Ministry of Interior and Defence. In 1966, drawing from the Israeli model, National Service was determined the best way to provide for a deterrent to potential aggressors. National Service (NS) in Singapore is the name given to the compulsory conscription of all male Singapore citizens and second-generation permanent residents upon reaching the age of 18. ... This is a Chinese name; the family name is 李 (Li) Lee Kuan Yew, CH (Chinese: ; pinyin: Lǐ Guāngyào; born September 16, 1923; also spelled Lee Kwan-Yew), was the first Prime Minister of the Republic of Singapore from 1959 to 1990. ... Goh Keng Swee (Simplified Chinese: 吴庆瑞; Pinyin: Wú Qìngruì; born October 6, 1918 in Malacca) is a former Deputy Prime Minister of Singapore. ...

The first cohorts of officers and non-commissioned officers (now Specialists), taught by Israeli instructors, graduated from Singapore Armed Forces Training Institute (SAFTI) in 1967. With this new cadre of leaders, army was expanded from the existing two infantry battalions to two brigades between 1967 and 1970. Efforts were made to ensure unit integrity by keeping the officers, NCOs, and men of reservist battalions together. A non-commissioned officer (sometimes noncommissioned officer), also known as an NCO or noncom, is a non-commissioned member of an armed force who has been given authority by a commissioned officer. ... Specialist arm patch (U.S. Army) Specialist is one section of the fourth enlisted rank in the U.S. Army, just above Private First Class and below Corporal. ... The Singapore Armed Forces Training Institute (SAFTI) was a Singaporean military training institution specialising in the training and education of officers from the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF), a role which has since been taken over by the new SAFTI Military Institute in 1995. ...

The Air Defence Command (now Republic of Singapore Air Force) was formed with the help of Royal Air Force in 1968. The first class of pilots receiving basic military training and general flying instructions in the new Flying Training School at Tengah Air Base, and fighter training in the UK. RSAF Roundel The Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF, Chinese: 新加坡空军部队; Malay Angkatan Udara Republik Singapura) was established in 1968 and was at that time called the Singapore Air Defence Command (SADC), it was renamed the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) in 1975. ... The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the air force branch of the British Armed Forces. ...

The Maritime Command (now Republic of Singapore Navy) was based at Sentosa temporarily until permanent facilities at the now-defunct Brani Naval Base were ready. Two gunboats were built by the British and Germans in 1969; subsequent models were built locally, entering service in 1970. The the ex-USS Thrasher and USS Whippoorwill (commissioned RSS Jupiter and RSS Mercury) minesweepers and County-class tank landing ships were purchased from the United States subsequently. The Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN, Malay: Angkatan Laut Republik Singapura, Simplified Chinese: 新加坡海军部队) is the navy of the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF). ... The big Merlion statue on Sentosa Shrubs form the word Sentosa, greeting visitors who head towards the islands Visitor Centre. ... Minesweeper can refer to: One who performs demining, or the removal of landmines in minefields. ... The tank landing ship (LST, for Landing Ship, Tank) was created during World War II to support amphibious operations by carrying significant quantities of vehicles, cargo, and landing troops directly onto an unimproved shore. ...

Start of the defense industry

In 1967, the Sheng-Li Holding Company (Sheng li means "victory" in Chinese) was established under the Ministry of Defence to promote the local defense industry. By the 1970s, Singapore was producing small arms (the M-16) through Chartered Industries of Singapore (CIS) and small arms, mortar, and artillery ammunition through Chartered Ammunition Industries for local use and export. Sheng-Li Holdings was later restructured into Singapore Technologies (now Singapore Technologies Engineering) in 1989, the parent of ST Kinetics.^[1] ST Kinetics produces the indigenous SAR-21 and Bionix AFV today. Others, either locally designed or locally-owned designs, such as the Ultimax 100, SAR-80, SR-88, FH-88, and FH-2000 were also produced. The Ministry of Defence (abbreviated MINDEF) is entrusted with overseeing the defence needs of the Republic of Singapore. ... Small arms captured in Fallujah, Iraq by the US Marine Corps in 2004 The term small arms generally describes any number of smaller infantry weapons, such as firearms that an individual soldier can carry. ... M16 Type Assault rifle Nationality United States Era Vietnam, modern History Date of design 1957 Production period 1960 to present Service duration 1960 to present Operators NATO War service Vietnam War, Gulf War, 2003_invasion_of_Iraq Specifications Type Assault Rifle Calibre 5. ... Boxes of ammunition clog a warehouse in Baghdad Ammunition is a generic military term meaning (the assembly of) a projectile and its propellant. ... Singapore Technologies Engineering is a global defence and engineering group of over 100 subsidiaries in 29 cities in 17 countries. ... The SAR-21 is an indigenously built bullpup assault rifle from Singapore. ... The Bionix AFV (Armoured Fighting Vehicle) was commissioned by the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) in 1997. ... Ultimax 100 Mark 4 (note the wire-style carrying handle) The Ultimax 100 is a lightweight (SAW) manufactured by the Chartered Industries of Singapore, now by Singapore Technologies Kinetics. ... This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ... This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ... Field Howitzer 2000 Developed by Singapore Technologies for Singapore Army 155mm/52-calibre Towed gun Max range of 42km, field tested in New Zealand low-powered self-propelled engine for 10km/h movement without towing Equips at least 4 active and possibly some reserve battalions of the Singapore Army No...

Peacetime emergency

• Hotel New World disaster
• Cable Car Tragedy, Singapore
• Singapore Airlines Flight 117
• Laju incident

Hotel New World Collapsed The Hotel New World in Singapore collapsed on 15 March 1986, killing 33 people. ... On 29 January 1983, at about 6 p. ... On 26 March 1991, Singapore Airlines flight SQ 117, piloted by Captain Stanley Lim, took off from Subang Airport in Kuala Lumpur with 129 passengers and crew onboard at 1815 hrs. ...

Humanitarian aid

• The Taiwan Earthquake (1999)
• 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake

The tsunami caused by the December 26, 2004 earthquake strikes Ao Nang, Thailand. ...

Peacekeeping in Iraq

Peacekeeping in East Timor

http://www.mindef.gov.sg/imindef/about_us/history/maturing_saf/v06n09_history.html(1999)

See also

References

1. ^ Federation of American Scientists, FH2000, accessed 11 Nov 2006.

• Barbara Leitch LePoer, A Country Study: Singapore, 2nd Edition (1991), Library of Congress. Accessed 11 Nov 2006.

The Federation of American Scientists is a non-profit organization dedicated to the proper use of science and technology for the benefit of mankind. ... The Great Hall interior. ...

External links

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