Speech by Senior Minister of State for Defence, Mr Zaqy Mohamad, for the Singapore Aerospace Technology and Engineering Conference 2026 on 4 Feb 2026

Senior Minister of State for Defence Mr Zaqy Mohamad delivering his keynote address at the Singapore Aerospace Technology and Engineering Conference this morning.

Senior Officials,

Distinguished Guests,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

OPENING ADDRESS

Good morning and a warm welcome to the Singapore Aerospace Technology and Engineering Conference (SATEC) 2026. This is the 12^th edition of SATEC, a biennial conference that has become a vital platform for dialogue, exchange and collaboration within the aerospace engineering and technology community where you see a lot of new evolving jobs and technological developments. I would like to thank the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) and the Singapore Institute of Aerospace Engineers (SIAE) for inviting me today.

This year’s theme, “Embracing Disruption: AI in Aerospace Transformation and Innovation”, is timely and necessary. We are gathered today where Artificial Intelligence (AI) is no longer a future aspiration. It is already reshaping how we live, work and operate, and for the military, how they execute operations and missions  – and aerospace is no exception. The question before us is no longer whether AI will disrupt aerospace, but how we choose to harness that disruption.

Let me begin by defining “disruption”. In aerospace, “disruption” refers to a fundamental shift in how aircraft and air systems are designed, operated, maintained and supported. At the heart of this disruption is AI. AI-enabled tools are transforming design and testing, improving manufacturing and quality control, revolutionising maintenance, and reshaping civil and military operations. From air traffic management and command and control, to air defence and supply chains, AI is accelerating decision cycles, enabling autonomy, and redefining the aerospace ecosystem. Why, then, is it crucial that we embrace AI? I will share three strategic imperatives.

WHY ARE WE HERE TODAY – THREE STRATEGIC IMPERATIVES

First, the military perspective. Recent conflicts, from the Russian-Ukraine war to those in the Middle East, these have demonstrated the proliferation of swarm drones, hypersonic weapons, electronic warfare, and multi-domain attacks. These threats operate at a speed, scale and complexity that challenge human-centric decision making. The modern kill chain – to detect, decide and act – is increasingly compressed into seconds. Without AI, we risk being outpaced, outmanoeuvred, outfought, and outexecuted.

AI allows us to mitigate this risk. It enables rapid fusion of sensor data, automated threat assessment, prioritisation and faster execution of responses. For example, in the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, AI-driven sensor fusion integrates radar, infrared and electronic warfare data into a single, coherent battlefield picture. AI-powered pattern recognition and swarm analytics are also fundamental to modern Counter-UAS and Counter-Swarm operations. As warfare accelerates beyond human cognitive limits, the effective use of AI is essential for modern air forces to remain relevant.

Second, the civil aviation sector faces a different but equally pressing set of challenges. While post-pandemic demand for air travel has surged, the industry continues to grapple with manpower shortages, limited hangar space, congested airspace, ageing fleets, and fragile supply chains. These are structural challenges that cannot be resolved by scale alone.

AI offers a pathway to unlock productivity and efficiency. Predictive maintenance platforms like Airbus Skywise enable a shift from scheduled servicing to condition-based maintenance, improving availability while reducing costs. AI-assisted air traffic management, such as AIMEE AI at London Heathrow, augments Air Traffic Controllers to improve runway utilisation and traffic flow. Intelligent supply chain systems such as the Rolls Royce Supply Chain Control Tower enhance resilience, improve forecasting, and reduce aircraft downtime. Across the industry, AI enables organisations to do more with less.

The third driver is geopolitical. Competition among major powers to dominate critical technologies such as advanced semiconductors, quantum computing and artificial intelligence is intensifying. Export controls and restrictions are fragmenting the global technology landscape into competing blocs, where access is shaped by political alignment rather than market forces. For small, highly connected states like Singapore, we can no longer assume uninterrupted access to cutting-edge technologies. Technological resilience has become a strategic necessity. We must embrace AI to remain competitive and secure in a fragmented world.

DISRUPTION TOWARDS “TRANSFORMATION” AND “INNOVATION”

As we recognise these strategic imperatives, the real value of embracing AI lies in translating disruption into “transformation” and “innovation”. Simply put, transformation is about doing things better, while innovation is about doing things new. So how do we achieve this with AI? I will use three lines of effort (LOE) adopted by the RSAF to illustrate how AI can be embraced for transformation and innovation.

LOE ONE - INCREASING TRIALS AND OPERATIONALISATION OF AI

First, our line of effort on trials and operationalisation of AI. We are deliberately pushing AI out of the laboratory into realistic operational environments, to support training and operations. In the last two instalments of Exercise Forging Sabre, we witnessed trials of swarm drone technology and AI-enabled strike solutions. Last year, we went further by integrating manned and unmanned platforms, experimenting with commercial-off-the-shelf drones led by the team from DROID (Drone Rapid Operationalisation, Integration and Deployment).

These are not technology demonstrations for their own sake. They allow us to do things new – to explore novel concepts like swarm drones and Manned-Unmanned Teaming (MUM-T), to increase survivability, to enhance surveillance, and to improve precision. As our security context evolves, the SAF must look beyond traditional notions of military defence to safeguard Singapore. Embracing AI through continuous experimentation is therefore crucial as we progress towards SAF2040.

LOE TWO - ADVANCING AI-ENABLED SOFTWARE

Second, our line of effort on advancing AI-enabled software for productivity and efficiency. Here, AI is about augmenting, not about replacing humans. During Exercise Forging Sabre 25, our developers from the RSAF Agile Innovation Digital (RAiD) conducted rapid software development to provide real-time updates to the Command-and-Control Information System (CCIS). By leveraging automation and AI-assisted tools, the team rapidly integrated new data sources to support decision making in a dynamic environment.

This allowed us to do things better – improving adaptation and responsiveness to evolving operational demands. Notably, underpinning this success is the expertise of our engineers, data analysts and software developers from RAiD. This reflects a broader shift in warfare, where success is no longer driven by uniformed soldiers alone. If you do not know, RAiD has an outfit that involves volunteers, many of whom are also our Operationally Ready National Servicemen (NSmen) who continue to serve while working in various tech agencies. They bring innovation ideas, industry knowledge and practical use cases into the military. We will continue to need people with a wider range of expertise and skills to defend our way of life.

LOE THREE – DEEPENING STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS WITH AI INDUSTRY

Third, our line of effort on deepening strategic partnerships with the AI industry. The RSAF and DSTA have partnered Anduril Industries, a leading company in AI, to explore mission autonomy for MUM-T. By leveraging Anduril’s Lattice for Mission Autonomy software, we seek to develop collaborative autonomous behaviours for unmanned systems, enhancing the effectiveness of MUM-T. Recently, the RSAF also partnered Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) to open a Design.AI (D.AI) Fab Lab in Sembawang Airbase. This gives our airmen and engineers convenient, frequent access to AI, design and fabrication tools within their operational rhythm, encouraging rapid prototyping and fielding of inventive solutions to operational problems. These partnerships hence allow us to do things both better and new, by tapping industry expertise and harnessing AI to complement conventional systems and foster innovation.

CALL TO ACTION – INDUSTRY-WIDE ADOPTION

Together, these three lines of effort demonstrate the RSAF’s commitment to embrace AI for transformation and innovation. They ensure the RSAF remains agile, adaptable, and focused on modernisation, and fosters a culture of continuous learning and innovation within our armed forces.

But these approaches are not unique to defence. Industry-wide, similar efforts can and should be adopted to proliferate AI across the aerospace sector. For example, on trialling and operationalising AI, AI-powered security screening and biometrics at Changi Airport are transforming passenger clearance. In advancing AI-enabled software, ST Engineering is adopting AI tools to drive predictive maintenance and improve Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) operations. On having strategic partnerships, the CAAS–Thales International Avionics Lab is developing AI-enabled solutions for air traffic management. These efforts enable the civil aviation sector to overcome the aforementioned strategic challenges, and their importance cannot be underestimated.

I therefore urge all of us to continue experimenting, investing in AI-enabled software, and deepening partnerships – to do things better and do things new.

LINK TO EVENT AND CLOSING REMARKS

In closing, embracing AI for aerospace transformation and innovation is no longer optional, but necessary. Aligning with the National AI Strategy 2.0, we must push for digital infrastructure, talent development and responsible AI adoption to advance interests in the aviation industry. Amidst this effort, Civil-Military cooperation will be essential for technology transfer, information sharing, and the exchanging of best practices. This is why platforms like SATEC matter – as a platform for collaboration.

I hope all of you will enjoy the conference today, as we explore the potential of AI to transform the aerospace industry. I wish you a fruitful and engaging conference ahead, and do enjoy the Singapore Airshow too. Thank you.