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Minister for Defence Visits Exercise Wallaby 2013
19 November 2013
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Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen and Australian Assistant Minister for Defence Stuart Robert attending a brief on Exercise Trident on board the Republic of Singapore Navy's Landing Ship Tank RSS Resolution.
Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen and Australian Assistant Minister for Defence Stuart Robert visited Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) troops participating in Exercise Wallaby 2013 today at the Shoalwater Bay Training Area (SWBTA) in Queensland, Australia. The delegation included Member of Parliament and the Government Parliamentary Committee for Defence and Foreign Affairs Alex Yam. This year's Exercise Wallaby is conducted from 3 Oct to 30 Nov 2013, and involves more than 5000 SAF personnel and over 300 SAF platforms, including the Heron 1 Unmanned Aerial Vehicle and the Light Strike Vehicle Mark II (LSV MK. II) which are participating in the exercise for the first time.
During their visit, Dr Ng and Mr Robert visited the Republic of Singapore Navy's Landing Ship Tank RSS Resolution, which was at the SWBTA to participate in the inaugural bilateral exercise component of Exercise Wallaby, codenamed Exercise Trident. Exercise Trident is a Ship-to-Shore exercise under a Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) scenario, involving more than 900 personnel from the SAF and 14 personnel from the Australian Defence Force (ADF). Dr Ng and Mr Robert also witnessed the capabilities of the newly acquired Light Strike Vehicle Mark II (LSV MK. II) as part of an integrated live-firing demonstration which also involved the AH-64D Apache helicopters, following which Dr Ng affixed a vehicle plate onto an LSV MK. II as a symbolic gesture to mark the operationalisation of the platform. Dr Ng also interacted with SAF and ADF personnel participating in Exercise Trident, as well as servicemen from the HQ Guards and 7th Singapore Infantry Brigade who participated in the live-firing exercise during his visit.
Exercise Wallaby 2013 marks the 23rd year of the SAF's training at the SWBTA, and is a testament to the close and longstanding defence relationship between Singapore and Australia. The SAF and the ADF share a long history of military cooperation, with extensive interactions that include bilateral and multilateral exercises, mutual visits, professional exchanges, and the cross-attendance of personnel at professional courses. The two armed forces have also worked together in close partnership in the multinational reconstruction efforts in Afghanistan. In addition to the SWBTA, the SAF also conducts training in other Australian training areas such as Pearce, Western Australia, Oakey, Queensland, and Tamworth, New South Wales.
Dr Ng interacting with NSmen from 191 Squadron and Headquarters Guards who are participating in Ex Trident.
Dr Ng driving the LSV MK.II.
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