Committee of Supply Debate 2022
2 and 3 March 2022
Last updated 20 January 2026
Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen, Senior Minister of State for Defence Mr Heng Chee How, and Senior Minister of State for Defence Mr Zaqy Mohamad outlined the Ministry of Defence's (MINDEF's) focus areas for the coming year at MINDEF's Committee of Supply (COS) debate in Parliament on 2 and 3 Mar 2022.
Speech by
Building The Next Gen SAF
The Next Gen SAF will take shape by 2040 with new assets and capabilities. It will be more networked and capable of conducting operations in the air, land, sea and digital domains to better defend Singapore’s peace and security.
New assets and capabilities
The Next Gen SAF will be equipped with new and upgraded assets and capabilities across the three Services. These include:
Singapore Army: Next Gen Infantry Battalions, new armoured tracked carriers and howitzers, and HUNTER Armoured Battle Group which will be operationalised in Mar 2022.
Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN): Multi-Role Combat Vessels, Invincible-class submarines, Maritime Security Unmanned Surface Vessels, and upgraded Formidable-class frigates with increased combat capabilities and communications systems.
Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF): F-15SG and F-35 fighter jets, and Next Gen Unmanned Aerial Vehicles.
Digital and Intelligence Service
Over the past decade, MINDEF/SAF has progressively built up our Command, Control, Communications, Computers and Intelligence (C4I) Community. This will be evolved into the SAF's new fourth Service: the Digital and Intelligence Service (DIS), to tackle digital threats that will grow in scale, sophistication and organisation. The DIS will provide enhanced intelligence, advanced connectivity and resilient digital defence for the SAF. As a force with specialisations in core technology areas and communications, and across diverse areas such as data science, psychology, linguistics, anthropology and geography, the DIS is expected to be set up by the last quarter of 2022.
Celebrating 55 years of National Service
National servicemen (NSmen) form the backbone of the SAF and this year marks the 55th anniversary of National Service (NS). As the NS Review Committee concludes its review in 2022, these are some of the new and improved initiatives proposed as part of the continuous efforts to strengthen the NS system.
Maximising servicemen's contributions
From 2022, functional assessments will be implemented at pre-enlistment medical screenings for pre-enlistees with selected orthopaedic conditions. Functional assessments were successfully trialled with the Transport Operator vocation last year. Moving forward, pre-enlistees will be assessed based on their abilities to perform job-specific tasks, before being deployed to vocations accordingly.
To further expand deployment opportunities, 1,000 existing roles have been redesigned so that more Full-time National Servicemen (NSFs) can contribute in areas they were previously not eligible for.
Since the first Work-Learn Scheme (WLS) in 2018, similar schemes have been established to allow servicemen to receive accredited training and education while serving in several critical skills-based SAF vocations. With the launch of the Digital WLS in 2022, eligible NSFs will be able to earn academic credits for an undergraduate degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or Data Science and Artificial Intelligence at the Nanyang Technological University during their full-time NS. As for the Work-Study Diploma for Supply Supervisors, eligible NSFs can obtain a diploma in Logistics and Supply Chain Management at the Institute of Technical Education.
Expertise deployment of NSmen will be expanded beyond officer-level roles to roles assumed by Warrant Officers, Specialists and Enlistees — under the Enhanced Expertise Deployment Scheme. From 2022, NSmen with relevant expertise can be redeployed at any point during their Operationally Ready National Service (ORNS) cycle, so they can contribute more effectively.
Improving the NS experience
Better data management across government agencies will allow Make-Up Pay claims to be automated from the second half of 2022. This will benefit over 100,000 NSmen and 25,000 employers, who will no longer need to submit documents – unless they wish to request for a recalculation.
A base NS Pay of $1,600 per month will be introduced for all NSmen, which will be pro-rated for the duration of their In-Camp Training. This is to adequately compensate those with informal, ad-hoc or gig employment or with training allowances.
NS recognition benefits such as the NS Excellence Awards and Celebratory Gifts are currently digitally disbursed via the LifeSG app. From April 2022, these credits can be used at a broader range of merchants including heartland shops and hawkers that accept NETS QR, in addition to PayNow UEN QR.
The first phase of the OneNS platform will be launched after mid-2022, replacing the existing NS Portal and providing a more seamless experience for servicemen where transactions and essential NS services are centralised. For a start, NSmen will be able to look forward to enhanced Call-Up and Deferment eServices to facilitate preparations for In-Camp Training. Other eServices will be progressively rolled out.
Enhancing support & recognition
Additional $2,000 cash credits will be disbursed for the NS HOME Awards via the LifeSG app cumulatively across the three NS milestones – $1,000 at the first milestone, and $500 each at the second and third milestones – to provide national servicemen with the flexibility to use part of the awards to meet immediate needs for themselves or their loved ones.
Strengthening defence relations
Having a strong network of defence partners has allowed us to build up our defence capabilities, train overseas, and cooperate on strategic issues critical to Singapore's security. In the past year, MINDEF continued to maintain bilateral & multilateral engagements with its partners despite the pandemic. Some of these include:
Holding the Singapore-China Defence Ministers' video conference in June 2021, and joint naval exercises between the RSN and the People's Liberation Army Navy in February 2021 and September 2021
Hosting US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin on his introductory visit to Singapore in July 2021 and concluding the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) Concerning Cooperation in Cyberspace with the US Department of Defence in August 2021
Conducting Exercise Safkar Indopura with the Indonesian Army in November 2021, the first physical exercise between the Singapore Army and a foreign counterpart since COVID-19; Signing a Joint Statement in January 2022, to bring into force the 2007 Defence Cooperation Agreement and its Implementing Arrangement between the SAF and the Indonesian Armed Forces for the Military Training Area in Indonesia
Renewing the Singapore-Vietnam Defence Cooperation Agreement in February 2022
Attending the 15th ADMM and 8th ADMM-Plus in June 2021, and taking the lead on tackling threats in the cyber and information domains by establishing the ADMM Cybersecurity and Information Centre of Excellence
Working with the International Institute for Strategic Studies to organise the Shangri-La Dialogue in June 2022, after a two-year hiatus
Sustaining green efforts
Here's a list of MINDEF/SAF's sustainability efforts over the past year, to reduce water and electricity consumption, carbon emissions and waste.
To ensure that efforts are guided by science, data and evidence, the SAF Sustainability Office has set up the External Advisory Panel for Environmental Sustainability – which had their inaugural meeting in February 2022. The panel provides assessment and recommendations on policies and implementation plans, and shares knowledge and best practices.
Over 300 smart meters will be installed to track water and electricity consumption automatically, starting with Jurong Camp, Paya Lebar Air Base, and Changi Naval Base. The pilot programme is expected to be completed by 2023, before being rolled out to other camps and bases.
By end 2022, about a quarter of all SAF camps will have solar panels installed to deliver 20 mega-watt peak of electricity – equivalent to the consumption of around 5,000 four-room households. By 2025, the aim is for two-thirds of camps to generate 50 mega-watt peak of electricity.
The SAF's administrative vehicle fleet will be converted to Electric Vehicles beginning from this year, with the entire fleet fully converted by 2030. Charging stations will be built at Kranji Camp III and Gombak Base as part of trials.
Food waste has been reduced to 1 per cent, with the use of an electronic accounting system to plan cookhouse meals. Once the Tuas Nexus Plant is completed in 2025, all cookhouses will be on board to produce biogas for energy generation.
Studies are being conducted in all camps to understand disposal patterns and identify measures to further reduce general waste. More recycling bins will be sited, along with waste disposal contracts to recycle scrap metal, electronic and chemical waste.
The RSAF has commenced trials for the use of green fuel for the F-16 fighter jets.
Supporting the Covid-19 fight
MINDEF/SAF is fully committed to supporting the national fight against COVID-19. We have provided support in areas such as call centres, contact tracing centres, home and mobile vaccination teams as well as the Home Recovery Programme.
Beyond local shores, the Changi Regional Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief Coordination Centre coordinated the transfer of medical equipment and supplies to regional countries worst hit by the pandemic – including the shipment of over 500 tonnes of oxygen at Indonesia’s request as part of an 'Oxygen Shuttle' programme.
We thank our servicemen for their commitment and contribution.
Enhancing safety with technology
MINDEF/SAF is harnessing technology and digitalisation to further ensure personnel safety during training and operations.
Leveraging safety information across the SAF and using data analytics to flag out areas of safety concern, the Enterprise Safety Information System (ESIS) is being developed to predict and prevent potential safety incidents more effectively and promptly. ESIS will be integrated with the SAF-wide safety mobile app SafeGuardian, and new features will be progressively built and added every six months as the team works towards operational capability by 2023.
In collaboration with DSO National Laboratories and National University of Singapore, the Heat Resilience & Performance Centre (HRPC) will be established later this year to conduct forward-looking research on heat mitigation. HRPC’s four key thrusts are: active surveillance to uncover new factors that could influence onset of heat injury, real-time prediction and detection of at-risk soldiers, strengthening soldiers’ heat resilience, and infrastructure enhancement.
Reviewing Total Defence
Threats to a country's stability can emerge on multiple fronts, including cyberattacks, information campaigns, and border threats. As they become more complex, multi-dimensional and multi-faceted, Total Defence (TD) is more relevant than ever before.
Based on public feedback, MINDEF will make TD less prescriptive and more inclusive by encouraging more ground-up and community-led efforts. In February 2022, the TD Sandbox was launched to seek and nurture ideas from youths to put TD into action, and match them with partners who can implement or amplify their proposals to build stronger resonance and appreciation of TD.
Newsroom
Fact Sheet on Timely Establishment of Digital and Intelligence Service
Fact Sheet on Mid-life Upgrades to Formidable-class Frigates
Fact Sheet on Go Greener SAF – Protecting Our Future with Environmental Sustainability
Fact Sheet on Leveraging Digital Technology and Research to Enhance Safety of National Servicemen
Fact Sheet on Total Defence Initiatives to Engage Singaporeans