EDITORIAL

In this issue, we present a brand new section of technical features under TECH EDGE. With a growing number of SAF officers on specialist postgraduate programs, there has been an increase in the number of high quality research papers which reflects the technological and scientific depth and innovativeness of our officers. TECH EDGE hopes to provide an avenue to showcase the best of these technology papers that are written exclusively by SAF officers. Many of these research papers are also presented at international conferences that require stringent peer reviews. A glowing example is this issue’s TECH EDGE inaugural article, written by MAJ Chia Chien Wei whose research on low cost virtual cockpits for air combat ex­perimentation, not only received favourable review at the Interservice/Industry Training Simulation and Education Conference (I/ITSEC) 2004, Orlando, USA, but also adopted by the SAF Centre for Military Experimentation.

In this issue, we are also privileged to have E.C. Aldridge and Norman R. Augustine share with us their insights into some of the broader issues implicit in systems engineering. The authors draw on examples and lessons from past systems failures to present the different dimensions and possible pitfalls to avoid in systems design and analysis. The article also addresses how systems engineers can be educated and trained to prepare them in meeting modern challenges that demand a significant expansion of traditional engineering thought.

Other articles in this issue dwell on a systematic approach to various aspects of military leadership. In their article, COL Ong Yu Lin and LTC Lim Beng Chong provide a possible framework that systematically guides the process for decision-making in a brigade command team. This frame­work was rigorously tested in several exercises participated by 3 rd Singapore Infantry Brigade and it drew wide­spread support and approval among its users. LTC Chan Kim Yin and CPT Psalm Lew, on the other hand present a systems approach to leader­ship development that builds up a doctrinal framework unique to leadership in the SAF.

Given the recent focus on humanitarian relief efforts, it is also timely to feature SAF’s other non­traditional role of peacekeeping. LTC(Ret) Deep Singh provides an enlightening write-up of the SAF’s peacekeeping efforts. Also in this issue is an interesting look at another aspect of humanitarian support; that of the controversial issue of humanitarian intervention. LTC Soh Star’s article argues a convincing case for human­itarian intervention as a moral cause worthy of pursuit despite its im­perfections and obstacles in imple­mentation.

This year is also the 60 th year of the end of World War II. To commemorate this significant milestone, POINTER is profiling some of the great commanders who were involved in this historic event. Commencing from this issue, we will compare and contrast two re­nowned commanders from the four major theatres of World War II: Africa , Western Front, Russian Front and Asia . For this issue, the featured personalities from the North African Campaign are Field-Marshal Erwin Johannes Eugen Rommel (1891 - 1944) and Field-Marshal Viscount Bernard Law Montgomery (1887 - 1976).

Last but least, we are also pleased to receive a Viewpoint on the 3 airpower articles featured in the last issue. MAJ Chris Chan, an Air Force officer raised a pertinent point of political relevance in the application of force, which solicited a response from MAJ Ho Yung Peng, one of the co-authors of “Airpower in Ops Iraqi Freedom”.

Editor, POINTER