Members of the Government Parliamentary Committee for Defence and Foreign Affairs (GPC-DFA) and its Resource Panel visited the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF)'s Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Command at Murai Camp this morning. The visit was hosted by Minister of State for Defence Dr Mohamad Maliki Bin Osman, and is the first since the new Chairman and Deputy Chairman of GPC-DFA were appointed in May 2014.

During the visit, members were briefed on the organisational structure of the UAV Command and its vital role in providing the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) with better battlefield situational awareness and enhancing mission effectiveness. Commander UAV Command Senior Lieutenant-Colonel Ho Kum Luen, also shared how the UAV Command leverages on technology to train our servicemen to perform their roles safely and effectively.

As part of the visit, members viewed a static display of the Heron 1 UAV. Members also had the opportunity to try out the UAV training simulators and experience the training realism which the simulators provide to the RSAF's UAV pilots. They also interacted with Full-time National Servicemen and Operationally Ready National Servicemen from the UAV Command.

Sharing his thoughts at the end of the visit, Chairman GPC-DFA Mr Sitoh Yih Pin, reaffirmed the importance of a strong SAF. He said, "We're a small nation, we have our own vulnerabilities. But we're also a very strong and respected country. There are many reasons for that. Certainly, one of the reasons for that is because we have a very strong SAF... I was very impressed that now with technology and innovation, how we've managed to train our men at a faster pace with lesser manpower."Inaugurated in 2007, the UAV Command is responsible for the development of unmanned systems for the SAF, as well as vocational training for its operators and ensuring the operational readiness and safety of UAV operations.