Speech by Minister for Education and Second Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen, at the Opening of the 4th Western Pacific Mine Countermeasures Exercise and Diving Exercise

Distinguished guests,
Ladies and gentlemen,
Good morning.

I am very pleased to be here today at the opening of the 4th Western Pacific Mine Countermeasures and Diving Exercises. Co-hosted by the Republic of Singapore Navy and the Indonesian Navy, these exercises seek to advance mutual cooperation and information-sharing among the Western Pacific Naval Symposium, or WPNS, navies in mine countermeasures operations. These are important initiatives in capacity building to address today's maritime security challenges. Piracy and terrorism are key threats that transcend national boundaries and will require information-sharing among countries to provide better intelligence and early warning against such threats. For these reasons, the Information Fusion Centre or IFC, housed in this Changi Command and Control Centre, was set up in 2009 to facilitate informationsharing cooperation among regional partners.

With the efforts from participating countries, the IFC has made rapid progress. It currently facilitates regular information exchanges with 38 operations centres and agencies across 25 countries. This is achieved through various multilateral and bilateral arrangements such as the Malacca Strait Patrols Information System and the WPNS's Regional Maritime Information Exchange, or ReMIX, system. In addition, International Liaison Officers from 10 countries have been attached to the IFC. Their presence here augments the ability of their respective countries to collectively provide a more accurate and timely assessment of threats and incidents, and facilitate operational coordination when needed. The IFC has improved our awareness of maritime incidents and trends in this region and other parts of the world.

Maintaining free navigation in international waters will require the collective efforts of many. This was amply illustrated following a surge in piracy in the Gulf of Aden in 2008. Navies from all parts of the world came together in a multinational counter-piracy effort to prevent a potential disruption to sea lines of communication and commerce which could impact the global economy. These included the WPNS navies of the US, China, India, Japan, Malaysia and Singapore. Since 2009, Singapore has deployed two SAF task groups comprising a Landing Ship Tank and two Super Puma helicopters to the Gulf of Aden. We have previously taken over command of Combined Task Force 151 and will do so again next week. In addition, we will be deploying a maritime patrol aircraft and another task group there. An important aspect of our operations there is to enhance the exchange of intelligence and information with other navies, so as to ensure that a comprehensive maritime picture is shared by all.

Another example closer to home is the coordinated sea and air patrols conducted by Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand in the Straits of Malacca. These coordinated efforts of littoral and user states have developed the Malacca Strait Patrols Information System, a real-time data-sharing system which allows users to share information about shipping in the Malacca Strait. The system has a reference database of more than 150,000 vessels, which enables it to detect ships with suspicious or falsified identities. It has contributed to a significant decline in the number of piracy incidents in the Strait, from a high of 21 in 2004 to four last year.

Similarly, the WPNS grouping first came about as a result of a bottom-up approach by regional navies wanting to address common maritime security interests, and has made considerable progress since. We were formed many years before a similar coalition of navies came about in the Gulf of Aden to fight piracy there. Going forward, the WPNS navies should be proactive in building platforms and capacity in information exchange and operational coordination, as well as develop their readiness to respond collectively should the need arise. By participating in regional and international information-sharing arrangements such as the ReMIX system and attaching liaison officers at the IFC, the WPNS navies stand to gain an enhanced shared situational awareness which can strengthen their ability to manage potential national and regional threats to maritime security. Regular WPNS operational activities also further improve interoperability among the participating navies. Proficiency in such an area can only be developed through regular and committed long-term engagement, rather than through any single exercise.

This year's Western Pacific Mine Countermeasures and Diving Exercises will, for the first time, feature multilateral information-sharing at the IFC and the deployment of unmanned underwater vehicles. A multinational task force headquarters at the Changi Command and Control Centre will also be set up to coordinate the spectrum of activities.

Over the course of the next 11 days, some 15 ships and more than 1000 personnel from 16 WPNS navies will be involved in these exercises. I am greatly encouraged by the extensive participation in the exercises, which offers a clear indication of the commitment of the Western Pacific navies to the continued development of regional cooperation. I am confident that all participants will benefit professionally from working together while, at the same time, establishing new friendships and deepening existing bonds. It gives me great pleasure now to declare the 4th Western Pacific Mine Countermeasures and Diving Exercises opened. Thank you.

More Resources

Singapore and Indonesian Navies Co-Host Multilateral Exercises

Speech by Minister for Education and Second Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen, at the Opening of the 4th Western Pacific Mine Countermeasures Exercise and Diving Exercise