Speech by Senior Minister of State for Defence Mr Chan Chun Sing at the 3rd Generation Army Wide Area Communications System Commissioning Parade

Senior Parliamentary Secretary Dr Maliki Osman,
Chief of Army,
Distinguished Guests,
Men and women of the Signal Formation,
A very good morning to all of you.
It gives me great pleasure to be here today to commission the Army's new 3rd Generation Wide Area Communications (WAC) system.
The success of any military operation hinges on the effectiveness of command and control of the battlefield, which is underpinned by a strong communications system that allows critical information to be transmitted between the commanders and the forces on the ground. During the Napoleonic Wars, flags were used as signalling devices to send out orders and to direct forces in battle. Since then, telegraphs, radios, telephones and other new technologies have been introduced into military communications, each time to enhance command and control to achieve mission success.

The Signal Formation has come a long way since the early days of line laying and simple radios. Many of us here will remember the yesteryears when extensive lines had to be laid to establish a simple communications network in the field. Radios were heavy and bulky, and voice communications were the only way to command and control the battlefield. Today, we see a very different Signal Formation. Over the past few decades, the SAF has made significant strides in capability development, including in the area of communications. As part of the SAF's 3rd Generation transformation, Signals has embraced digital revolution and leveraged on advancements in technology to develop new, sophisticated communications capabilities for the Army. High-speed servers, fibre optic cables, high-end network systems and hand-held, data-capable mobile communication devices are now in the Command, Control, Communications and Computers, or C4, toolkit. Essentially what you see in the civilian world you pretty much have them in the military now. Without the backbone structure, without the backbone infrastructure that we are so used to.
The 3rd Generation Wide Area Communications system is one of our many efforts to realise a networked and knowledge-enabled SAF, and its commissioning marks a significant milestone in the SAF's transformation journey. Developed in close partnership with the Defence Science and Technology Agency and our defence industry partners, this powerful and responsive system will form the vital backbone of the 3rd Generation Army, enabling the development of a networked fighting force that is capable of a full spectrum of operations.
The Wide Area Communications system harnesses advanced and integrated communications technology, coupled with a high-bandwidth data capability, which can be deployed rapidly in tough operating conditions without the need for any pre-existing communications infrastructure. On the battlefield, the system inter-connects our forces on the frontlines with their command headquarters, enabling faster information flow, increased situational awareness and more effective command and control. These enhancements allow our forces to manoeuvre with greater precision and concentrate their fire-power with heightened accuracy. Without a good command and control system there will be no 3rd Generation SAF. Without a good command and control system, we will not be able to multiply the combat power of the 3rd Generation SAF. So what you have achieved today is of tremendous importance to the transformation of the SAF and to ensure that the SAF can continue to do what we do in an environment where the resources are even tighter than ever before.
Recent integrated exercises such as Exercise Forging Sabre in 2011 and Exercise Wallaby last year have proven the SAF's capability to operate and fight as one seamless system in a complex, integrated battlefield. This requires a very tight linkage between the sensors, command post and shooters. The 3rd Generation Wide Area Communications system builds on our existing strengths and marks another milestone in the SAF's communications capabilities by providing higher bandwidth support for our forces to rapidly share video images, enemy targets and force positions from the individual soldiers back to the command headquarters. This will allow us to monitor, track and take out our targets even more swiftly and more decisively. Our forces can thus make better decisions and execute them with greater precision and more quickly than the enemy. The result is a fighting force that is more potent and effective in the modern battlefield. For all of you in the Signal formation, you are all familiar with the OODA loop. How fast you observe, how fast you orientate and then decide and act, will determine how well we do on the battlefield. This system is part of the ability that we have to make sure that our OODA loop is faster than anyone else's, so that we can get our job done with minimum forces, minimum casualities and maximum effect.
Joining the ranks of other advanced militaries which employ wide area communications systems, our Army's Wide Area Communications system represents a force multiplier that will enable the 3rd Generation SAF to achieve quantum leaps in our networked fighting capabilities.
The SAF's rapid progress in communications would not have been possible without the contributions of the Signal Formation. Since the inception of the SAF, Signals has always worked quietly and professionally in the background to deliver maximum effectiveness from their C4 systems. They have played an indispensible role in supporting all C4 requirements for the Army's missions, safety management and administration. Your competency and professionalism have been proven in our exercises as well as our peace support and other humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations over the years. Deployed in places as farflung as East Timor, Banda Aceh and Afghanistan, our Signallers have demonstrated their operational expertise and fortitude in diverse and challenging environments.
Communication technologies continue to advance at a rapid pace, and the Signal Formation must continually adapt to the new technology, apply new knowledge and develop new skills that will enhance the decisive edge of the 3rd Generation SAF. Our people are better educated and more technologically-savvy than ever before. Their ability to quickly embrace and leverage new technologies have come a long way in contributing to our Army and the SAF's transformation. We must continue to maximise the strengths of our servicemen, take full advantage of the sophisticated C4 systems that we possess today, and continuously push the frontiers of the C4 domain, now and in the future. And we must never, never be complacent that we have arrived and that we have the best. The best is only as good as it is for yesterday's operation, and we must continually challenge ourselves to be even better tomorrow.
Finally, I would like to congratulate all Signallers for having come this far in your journey. There is a famous mantra in the Signal community: 'No Comms - No Rest'. This embodies our Signal Warriors' unwavering spirit and dedication to their mission. As I look at the soldiers as well as the platforms and systems on display today, I have every confidence that Signals will continue to work effectively to deliver the best C4 capabilities for the 3rd Generation SAF. Your professionalism, competence and resilience have been and will continue to be a critical building block in our SAF's capabilities. You have been and will continue to be a vital link in the networked 3rd Generation SAF. I wish you all the very best and I look forward to seeing you achieve greater heights in the years to come.
Thank you very much.