Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, or UAVs, are now indispensable assets in advanced Air Forces around the world. Technological improvements in aeronautics, sensors and data-links have allowed UAVs to have greater endurance, see more with pin-point precision and respond nimbly to demands for intelligence in real time. Indeed if you look around the world, UAVs have now become a critical asset to many military operations and have proven themselves to make a decisive difference to outcomes, whether it is in peacetime operations or battles.

For our own experience during our 6-year long deployment to Afghanistan, the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) deployed our UAVs in theatre, where they provided surveillance over key roads and identified threats such as Improvised Explosive Devices for the ISAF, International Security Assistance Force. The UAV task force and the Imagery Analysis Team received accolades from many military commanders and political leaders. When I visited Uruzgan and they showed me their command centre of the ISAF troops (and) how our Imagery Analyst Team was very, very effective. Then, they were building a new command centre - an expanded one - and right up there in the first row, they pointed to me, "This is for your SAF, more places for them." That's a very strong testament of what others think of our capabilities.

In utilising UAVs for the SAF, we indeed have come a long way. In the 70s, Dr Goh Keng Swee dreamt of having a capability to "see the enemy without being seen". But it would only be later in 1979 when the SAF operated a Mastiff remotely piloted vehicle, even though we were one of the first in the region to operate UAV systems. The SAF then got to operate successive platforms, whether it was the Scout RPV, the Searcher UAV, and the Heron-1. Each successive platform more advanced than its predecessor. In 2007, the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) stood up a dedicated UAV Command to drive UAV development for the SAF. We have also made significant investments in the R&D (Research and Development) of UAV systems with DSO and DSTA over the years.

The achievement of FOC, the Full Operational Capability for the Hermes 450 UAV today is another significant milestone in the SAF's transformation into a modern and effective fighting force. The Hermes 450 is one of the most capable UAVs in its class and indeed, the world. Compared to the older UAVs, the Hermes 450 enhances our Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities with its extended endurance, advanced avionics and more capable sensors. The Hermes 450 needs only a 2-man crew, compared to the 3-man crew of the older UAVs. Our UAV servicemen also get to train through a high fidelity UAV simulator which provides greater realism.

I am glad to note that the UAV Command is also reorganising itself to better develop its Air ISR capabilities and to translate raw data into actionable intelligence quicker for our ground commanders and troops to use.

So today, let me congratulate the men and women of 116 Squadron for attaining FOC. I also congratulate you for winning UAV Command's inter-squadron competition - Top Notch Challenge in 2012 as well as clinching the best air combat support squadron at the 2012 and 2013 SAF Best Unit Competition.

Let me commend our defence engineers and scientists who are here today to witness the FOC ceremony - the engineers and scientists in DSTA, who have been instrumental in delivering these very capable platforms. We would not have been able to do this without their ops-tech integration. I know that all groups worked very closely alongside together - whether it was the RSAF or the defence engineering community - and that our engineers and technicians as well as scientists brought their technical expertise to help us realise this advanced fighting concept. In the process, things are never straightforward. In the process, you have displayed innovativeness, technical competence and a strong appreciation of the SAF's operational needs to ensure that the Hermes 450 can meet the unique needs of the SAF and to help us undertake a wide spectrum of operations.

Again, my warmest congratulations to 116 Squadron and all of you who have worked to attain the FOC. Today marks the end of this phase of our Hermes 450 UAV capability development but it is also the beginning of a new journey. I am confident that you will continue with the relentless effort to push the squadron forward and expand the envelope for the SAF, to keep Singapore safe, secure and strong. Thank you very much.