Dr Ng: 40 Special Forces Teams Participate in Largest ADMM-Plus Exercise

Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen (second from left) with the ADMM-Plus military leaders (or their representatives) viewing the land-storming operations at a training area near Lim Chu Kang.

Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen visited the ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting (ADMM)-Plus Maritime Security (MS) and Counter-Terrorism (CT) Exercise and observed the coordinated response by the participating ADMM-Plus militaries to simulated terrorist threats from sea and on land this morning. Dr Ng witnessed the successful conduct of the exercise where the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) was part of the Special Forces Task Group which seized control of a simulated terrorist stronghold at a training area near Lim Chu Kang.

Prior to viewing the land aspect of the exercise, Dr Ng was briefed on the exercise at the Changi Command and Control Centre at Changi Naval Base (CNB). Dr Ng also viewed a compilation of video footages of the combined MS and CT operations conducted on 8 May, where he observed air, land and sea elements sharing information and coordinating integrated operations against simulated terrorist attacks.

Speaking to the media after visiting the exercise, Dr Ng highlighted the commitment of the ADMM-Plus in putting together this large-scale exercise. He said, "This is a very big commitment, one of the largest we've had…That alone describes the scale of commitment…why countries are willing to expend their resources, their people, their military equipment to come together…I think it is a very strong signal…that we take maritime security and the threat of terrorism seriously, and there is multinational effort to maintain peace and stability in this region."

Also present to witness the exercise were the Chief of Defence Force of the SAF Major-General (MG) Perry Lim and the military leaders (or their representatives) of the participating nations as well as senior officials from the Ministry of Defence. MG Lim will officiate at the closing ceremony of the ADMM-Plus MS and CT Exercise at CNB tomorrow.

The ADMM-Plus MS and CT Exercise is co-organised by Singapore and Australia as the co-chairs of the ADMM-Plus Experts' Working Group on CT (EWG-CT), and Brunei and New Zealand as the co-chairs of the ADMM-Plus Experts' Working Group on MS (EWG-MS). Held from 2 to 12 May 2016, the exercise involved approximately 3500 personnel, 18 naval vessels, 25 aircraft and 40 Special Forces teams. The ADMM-Plus is made up of 18 countries, namely the ten ASEAN countries as well as Australia, China, Japan, India, Republic of Korea, New Zealand, Russia and the United States.