Senior Minister of State for Defence Mr Zaqy Mohamad officiated at the 25th Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) Senior Military Expert Appointment Ceremony at SAFTI Military Institute this evening. A total of 141 service personnel, comprising 25 from the Singapore Army, 30 from the Republic of Singapore Navy, 45 from the Republic of Singapore Air Force and 41 from the Digital and Intelligence Service, were appointed as Senior Military Experts (MEs) during the ceremony. This is the largest batch of Senior Military Experts to be appointed since the inauguration of the Military Domain Experts Scheme (MDES) in 2010.

Speaking at the ceremony, Mr Zaqy emphasised the importance of a strong and capable SAF in an increasingly uncertain world. He said, "The fact remains that we live in an increasingly fragmented world. We witness an erosion of the rules-based order, and countries more frequently resorting to unilateral actions. These global events highlight the hard truth that no amount of diplomacy can prevent conflict against a resolute aggressor, or overcome the acute vulnerabilities that confront small nations like Singapore. A strong SAF is therefore needed to be the ultimate guarantor of peace for our nation, and to do so, having superior technology and firepower alone are not sufficient. Our key ingredient of success is the leadership and expertise that people possess.

Mr Zaqy also highlighted the important role that MEs play in enabling the SAF to build the expertise needed to stay ahead of the dynamic security environment. He said, "In the face of a complex and fast-evolving security landscape, our Military Experts answer the call to meet the SAF's growing needs… On the battlefield, tactical skirmishes are being transformed by drone technology and artificial intelligence… Beyond the conventional battlefield, non-kinetic warfare is waged fiercely through numerous cyber-attacks and disinformation campaigns, to disrupt critical facilities and fracture the solidarity of the nation. It is therefore critical that the SAF possess the capabilities to counter these growing threats." Congratulating the graduands on their successful appointment, SMS Zaqy also thanked their family members and loved ones for their support.

The appointment ceremony marked the completion of the Military Domain Experts Course, which trained MEs to assume roles in the SAF where in-depth expertise in areas such as engineering, intelligence, military medicine and cybersecurity is required. The course developed and honed the MEs' leadership competency, military domain knowledge and specialised skills. The newly appointed Senior MEs will move on to assume leadership or staff appointments in their professional areas.

Also present at the ceremony was Chief of Defence Force Vice Admiral Aaron Beng, senior SAF officers as well as families and friends of the graduands.