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Good evening, Ladies and Gentlemen,
In May this year, the SAF conducted "Exercise Lightning Warrior" in South Africa. It was a milestone exercise as it was a test of the new war fighting concepts and technologies that underpin the network-centric 3rd Generation SAF. New weapon systems and platforms - air and land - were brought together through computer link-ups with the ground troops, and live images from UAVs, or unmanned aerial vehicles, were streamed to the command centre where digital maps gave a complete picture of what was happening on the ground and in the air. This means that the division commander received real-time information and was able to view everything live on large screens as the battle unfolded.
Such technology-enabled capabilities do not appear overnight. To look into the future, we have to look back into the past, way back to 1971, the year that Singapore took full responsibility for our own defence, to understand how we got here.
In deliberating how to build up the SAF, our first Defence Minister, Dr Goh Keng Swee, realised a few key things. First, we had to leverage on science and technology as a force-multiplier. This was the only viable way to overcome the constraints of Singapore's small size and limited resources. Second, there would be certain cutting-edge technologies that would never be for sale. And third, the day would come when warfare would enter the realm of science and technology and victory in war would depend on the laboratories of defence scientists. His conclusion - we had to have our own defence scientists doing our own R&D. It was vintage far-sighted and clear-sighted thinking from Dr Goh.
The Electronic Warfare Study Group was thus set up in 1971, under strict secrecy, even as the SAF was struggling to build up its core capabilities. Consisting of three young engineers fresh from the university, it was innocuously called the Electronics Test Centre or ETC. Together with the handful of systems engineers and logisticians in MINDEF and the SAF providing engineering support for a fledgling SAF, they were the seeds that have grown into today's defence technology ecosystem of some 5000 defence scientists, engineers, acquisition professionals and logisticians working in MINDEF, the SAF, the Defence Science and Technology Agency (or DSTA), DSO National Laboratories, our defence industry, research institutes and academia.
From testing equipment purchased by the army, such as night vision products, to learning how to develop electronic devices, carry out systems modification and build simple equipment, the R&D projects have grown by leaps and bounds in complexity and sophistication.
Let me give you an example.
Based on a concept jointly developed by the SAF's Future Systems Directorate (FSD) and the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF), DSO National Laboratories developed the Airspace Management Technology (AMT) to help regulate aerial traffic over Singapore in a more efficient manner. The AMT assesses the vertical, lateral and time dimensions of airspace, and using mathematical formulas, synthesises the calculations into one system to help air traffic controllers obtain a clearer picture of the situation in the air. In Singapore, where airspace is limited and air traffic heavy, such a system is very helpful to the air traffic controllers, whether military or civilian.
DSTA and DSO were also behind the development of the Combat Management System (CMS) on board the Navy's stealth frigates. This is an advanced computer programme that is able to detect, track, identify and prioritise contacts; and assign weapons to engage enemy targets facing the ships. The many sensors and weapons on board the frigates are integrated into this one command and control system. As a result, the decision-making process to fire the ship's missiles and other weapons is simplified, less time is taken, and a smaller crew is required to man the combat systems.
There are many other achievements and capabilities the precise nature of which I cannot tell you - unless of course you join us, when you will then have the opportunity of working on them. That is the nature of the cutting-edge technologies our scientists and engineers work on - the more critical they are, the more secret they must remain. For our engineers and scientists, this adds to the excitement of being able to explore the cutting-edge - both in terms of technologies and in terms of what practical solutions these technologies can deliver. These include stealth materials, advanced sensors, and nanotechnology.
Take for instance, zinc oxide nanowires. They are tiny hollow metal tubes about one-thousandth the diameter of a strand of human hair. They have potential application in detection devices to spot snipers as well as detect missiles and jet aircraft, due to their innate ability to sense the smallest source of ultraviolet (UV) light. Nanowires could also be used as UV-light emitting devices when electricity is passed through them and the UV emitted could in turn be used for water purification in field operations. Nanowires also have piezoelectric properties, which means that electricity is produced when mechanical stress is applied to them. They could thus be used to power hand-held devices such as Global Positioning Systems (GPS) and even Palmtops, reducing the need to carry batteries in the battlefield.
Our Chief Defence Scientist Mr Quek Tong Boon is a good example of a person who has found fascination and satisfaction in working on such technologies and solutions. He wants to "create technological surprises to sharpen the cutting edge of our national security". If exploration and experimentation are what you are looking for, if groundbreaking and stimulating developments are what you hope to accomplish, and if you want to be part of this community of scientists and engineers dedicated to creating the technology edge for Singapore's security, an exciting and rewarding career awaits you in DSTA and DSO.
I am happy to see so many of you here this evening.
Defence engineering, research and development are niche areas that require talented individuals like yourselves who have the intellect, dedication and passion to pursue possibilities and break new ground. As DSTA and DSO scholars, you have a wonderful opportunity to fulfil your professional and personal aspirations, as well as contribute to the defence and security of Singapore.
May I extend my congratulations to all the scholarship recipients and wish you every success in your studies and careers.
Thank you.
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