Speech by Mr Teo Chee Hean, Minister for Defence, at Young Defence Scientists Programme Congress 2009

Students, principals and school representatives, ladies and gentlemen, good afternoon to all of you.

Role of the Defence Technology CommunityI remember the excitement I felt when, as a young officer, I first stepped on board the Republic of Singapore Navy's Missile Gunboats or MGBs in 1974. They were the most advanced vessels we had, and indeed the most advanced vessels in our region then. They were the first ships in the region that had the capability to fire anti-ship missiles. Today, our Navy has a fleet of stealth frigates equipped with advanced weaponry like the Aster surface-to-air missiles, and sophisticated sensors such as the Multi-Function Radar and towed anti-submarine sonars.

Our Navy has come a long way. But one underlying principle guiding the development of the Navy and our defence force remains unchanged - our defence forces must be founded upon a solid base of advanced technology. Technology provides us with the ability to break out from the constraints of a small population and a small land area with little strategic depth. Technology is the force multiplier that empowers individual soldiers and combines their efforts to produce a defence force that is much more powerful than the sum of the individual parts. Technology allows us to see further and act faster, extending our range and reach so that we can deal with any threats and keep them at bay.

Each new piece of hardware reflects a transformation, both in the SAF's concepts and capability, as well as the advanced state of our defence technology.

While we can buy missiles and radars for our frigates, to get the most out of them requires linking them together as part of a coherent Combat Management System (CMS) that can fully exploit the fighting concepts and doctrine that are best suited for our operating environment which have been developed by our Navy. This could only be done locally - by our own engineers and defence scientists from the Defence Science & Technology Agency (DSTA) and DSO National Laboratories (DSO) working closely with our naval officers. This advanced, networked computer system is now able to integrate the signals from the frigates' many sensors to detect, track, identify and prioritise threats, and fire the most suitable missiles or other weapons to counter the threats. As a result, the decision-making process can be carried out significantly faster while requiring a much smaller crew than other ships of similar class.

DSTA, DSO and ST Kinetics are part of our local defence ecosystem that includes some 5000 defence scientists, engineers, acquisition professionals and logisticians from within MINDEF/SAF, our defence industry, research institutes and academia. Our defence scientists and engineers play a critical role.

The creativity, intellect and dedication of our defence scientists and engineers was evident even from the earliest days. The same spirit infuses our engineers and scientists today.

Defence Technology Achievements and ProductsSingapore-developed technologies and equipment are finding traction with other established militaries. The Bronco is a Singapore-made All Terrain Tracked Carrier (ATTC). DSTA worked with the Army and ST Kinetics to build this versatile machine, described as "a Hercules of a military vehicle". The Bronco can carry loads others cannot bear, to places others cannot go. It can haul five tonnes of cargo, climb steep slopes and swim with ease. But it has a ground pressure as light as a human step which enables it to negotiate muddy ground without getting bogged down. The UK Ministry of Defence has bought the Bronco to be deployed to Afghanistan with the British Army this year.

This creativity applied to address practical military needs is also exemplified in the "Throwbot" - a range of hand-thrown robots developed by DSO. It is small enough to be held in one hand, and as its name suggests, can be thrown through windows or dropped down openings. The Throwbot contains an in-built camera that can pan, tilt or zoom to provide real-time video of its confined surroundings to ground commanders.

DSO scientists are working on unmanned systems in the air, land and sea domains. For example, our scientists have developed a UAV that is able to stay in flight longer by capturing solar energy to supplement its battery and fuel cells. DSO is also working on an Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (or AUV) to locate underwater mines.

For those of you serving NS soon, you will have a full body experience of a product developed by DSTA and the Army. The pixelated camouflage uniform will increase our soldiers' survivability in both jungle and urban environments. The fabric is highly breathable and water-absorbent, and dries at double the rate of the old uniform, so you will feel more comfortable even on a hot day. And you will be spared the need to apply insect repellent as the uniform already contains permethrin.

DSTA engineers also perform the very important task of evaluating potential acquisitions before they are made. They make sure that our defence dollar is well spent. We maintain our equipment well, and upgrade them with the most appropriate modern technology so that we can use them as long as possible. When we buy new equipment, such as the F-15SG multi-role fighter, we carry out thorough and comprehensive evaluations, to ensure that it is cost-effective and the best suited to our needs.

One key advantage that our engineers and scientists provide is technological customisation to the unique requirements of the SAF. Our equipment may look the same as others, but our engineers and scientists allow us to give them that that something special, that little extra, that gives them the edge - often a decisive one. The opportunity to be involved in such cutting-edge work, and work that can make a critical difference to our defence and the lives of our servicemen provides a special challenge and motivation. Defence is one area where engineers and scientists can have the satisfaction of literally seeing their projects take off.

Young Defence Scientists ProgrammeAs participants of the Young Defence Scientists Programme or YDSP, I hope that you have enjoyed the activities organised for you. Through the research work you have completed with your mentors, the World of Science series of lecture and lab sessions, as well as the Science & Technology Camps, I hope that you have gained valuable scientific knowledge and experience.

Fiona and Yan Chong from National Junior College have been working on Integrated Circuit Chips which are the fundamental components of any electronic device. Their work will have direct applications in improving the reliability of advanced micro-electronic devices used in modern defence equipment.

Another team, comprising Tian Yu from River Valley High School and Ding Jie from Hwa Chong Institution, have been working on nanostructures. Over a three-month period, Tian Yu and Ding Jie have come up with super hydrophobic materials which have stronger water repellent properties and are recyclable. Their work will have direct applications such as in oil spills where oil needs to be efficiently separated from seawater. I look forward to learning more about their findings and hearing their ideas during the presentations later.

Today, 54 young mathematicians and physicists will receive the YDSP Academic Awards. Another 31 students will be presented the YDSP Scholarships. My heartiest congratulations to all the recipients and their parents.

I hope that you have all enjoyed the YDSP activities. Defence engineering and research and development require talented individuals like yourselves who have the intellect, dedication and passion to pursue possibilities and break new ground. If you are excited by what you have seen, and are looking for a challenging career, I hope that one day, you will join MINDEF and contribute to the defence and security of Singapore.

I wish you every success in your studies. Thank you.