Enhanced Battlefield Internet Improves Army's Command and Control

Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen (middle) sending a text message through the Software Defined Radio (SDR) to mark the commissioning of the enhanced Army Battlefield Internet at Stagmont Camp.

Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen officiated at a ceremony to mark the commissioning of the Army Battlefield Internet (ABI) enhanced by the Software Defined Radio (SDR) at Stagmont Camp this evening. The commissioning was held in conjunction with the Signal Formation 50th Anniversary Parade.

Speaking at the parade, Dr Ng highlighted that the commissioning of the ABI is a significant milestone for the Signal Formation. He noted that with the SDR, soldiers will be able to get a more accurate and timely battlefield picture, and be able to target with greater precision. He said, "With a higher bandwidth of up to four times the conventional hardware radio, it will now be possible for ground troops to simultaneously talk and send files, images, and videos to the Brigade and Division Headquarters. With the SDR, the tracking of our own forces and marking of enemy targets and positions will be embedded within the images and videos that can be shared among commanders and ground troops." Dr Ng also highlighted the need for Signal Formation to remain at the forefront of Army's modernisation transformation to enable effective command and control for mission success. He said, "Today's SAF communications, command, and computer network systems are far superior and ahead of others in the region… The Signal Formation has indeed come a long way and we have shown that our systems work even in large-scale exercises with many hundreds of platforms and thousands of soldiers, such as Exercise Wallaby in Australia recently."

The SDR is the capstone in the development of the ABI, providing secure, seamless and higher bandwidth connectivity between the headquarters and their fighting forces, thus improving the Army’s command and control. The ABI is jointly developed by the Army and the Defence Science and Technology Agency (DSTA). Enhanced by the SDR, the ABI meets future battlefield requirements and enables a higher tempo of integrated military operations across various operating terrains for different mission profiles.

Dr Ng interacted with pioneer servicemen from the Signal Formation at the parade. Chief of Army Brigadier-General Melvyn Ong, senior officers from the Singapore Armed Forces, and senior officials from DSTA were also present.

More Resources

Speech by Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen at the Commissioning of the Army Battlefield Internet Enhanced by the Software Defined Radio, at the Signal Formation 50th Anniversary Parade

Fact Sheet: The Army Battlefield Internet Enhanced by Software Defined Radio