(A) Minister for Defence Award (MDA)

The MDA is presented to the MINDEF/SAF unit or department for their outstanding achievements in all components of PRoductivity and Innovation in Daily Efforts (PRIDE), namely, productivity and innovation, organisational excellence, resource optimisation and staff well-being. This year, 6 Air Engineering and Logistics Group (6 AELG) of the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) has been awarded the MDA. This is the second consecutive year that it has won the MDA.

6 AELG

6 AELG provides engineering and logistical support to the RSAF's helicopters, and supports the RSAF's helicopter maintenance training efforts to enable the smooth and continuous launch and recovery of helicopters. 

Central to 6 AELG's sustained excellence is its people (or "Kingfishers" as they are known), specifically their mission oriented mind-set and their strong competencies.

6 AELG Kingfishers possess a never-say-die attitude that drives them to find different and better ways of doing things. In addition, the technical savviness and engineering expertise of 6 AELG Kingfishers, coupled with their operational mind-set, have honed their ability to apply their expertise in diverse situations and operating environments.

(B) MDA (Combat) 

The MDA (Combat) category was introduced in 2007 to recognise and encourage greater participation from combat units. There are two tiers to the MDA (Combat) award. The first tier is at the Formation level and the second tier is at the Group / Unit level. This year, the Air Combat Command (ACC) of the RSAF won the MDA (Combat) at the Formation level, and Fighter Group (FG) - ACC won the MDA (Combat) at the Group level. 

ACC

ACC operates the RSAF's Fighter and Transport platforms. Firmly believing in empowering leaders at all levels, ACC encourages its personnel to take ownership and responsibility of the issues they face at work, so that they can improve their work processes and sharpen ACC's warfighting edge. The Command encourages and recognises the ACC warriors who had put in extra effort to implement good innovative projects by awarding them with the Commander's Coin, Letters of Commendation and Incentive Flights.

To enable ACC personnel to innovate at work, ACC's Impact Team, a group of trained Innovation Champions, work closely with the Command PRIDE team to incubate innovative ideas and promote innovation within ACC. The Innovation Champions also spearhead innovation activities among personnel deployed overseas. This ensures that there is a strong line of communication to engage personnel who are far away from home and also to exchange innovative ideas.

FG-ACC

FG-ACC operates the RSAF's F-16 and F-15SG fighter aircraft. On top of winning the MDA (Innovation) Combat for the second consecutive year, FG-ACC has also clinched the prestigious MDA (Combat) award at the Group Level. 

FG-ACC personnel, from the leadership to the ground, work together as one to achieve FG-ACC's goals. The leadership provide clear guidance, set defined goals, cater ample resources, and create a conducive environment for innovation and productivity efforts to take place. Ground personnel also take ownership of the issues they face at work and look for ways to overcome them. This culture of teamwork has enabled FG-ACC to improve productivity and sharpen its combat edge.

(C) MDA (Innovation) 

The MDA (Innovation) is awarded to the MINDEF/SAF unit or department that best develops and implements innovative projects with significant impact, while nurturing the outstanding qualities of its people. This year, the MDA (Innovation) award goes to the RSN's Force Readiness Squadron (FRS). There are two tiers to the MDA Innovation (Combat) award. The first tier, which is awarded to Formations, goes to the Singapore Army's 9th Singapore Division/Infantry (9 Div/Inf), and ACC of the RSAF. The second tier, which is awarded to Groups / Units, goes to the RSAF's FG-ACC.

FRS

As a strong believer of innovation, FRS has implemented initiatives that enable its personnel to innovate at work. "Breakthrough Day" was organised to allow personnel from different branches within FRS, each with their own perspectives and expertise, to come together to solve challenges that they face. Efforts in innovation are supported and taken seriously by FRS leadership. Innovative projects and their challenges are surfaced at Squadron-level meetings so that the leadership can provide guidance and mentorship.

9 Div/Inf

9 Div/Inf is responsible for the efficient generation and training of infantry units. It adopts a three-point strategy for innovation and to inculcate a strong culture of PRIDE. Commanders, aided by innovation coordinators, set an objective and give clear directions to ensure that personnel move together towards a common objective. Commanders are also entrusted with autonomy to exercise their own judgement while not deviating from instructions or policy. Every idea is also given importance. These ideas and projects are deliberated at innovation meetings where the diverse expertise and experience of the various units are tapped and resources are catered to bring them to fruition.

(D) MINDEF Innovation Project Award (MIPA)

The MIPA is conferred on project teams that have produced iconic, impactful, and innovative projects. The award also seeks to inspire innovative behaviour within MINDEF/SAF to raise the organisation's profile as a leader in innovation. This year, the award is conferred on 806 Squadron, Air Power Generation Command (APGC) from the RSAF for its "New Start-Up Procedure for Air Turbine Starter (ATS)".

New Start-Up Procedure for Air Turbine Starter (ATS)

The Air Turbine Starter (ATS) is a device that is essential for starting the Apache Helicopter. The flight would have to be cancelled if ATS issues are detected when starting up the aircraft. ATS issues are difficult to resolve as the root cause is difficult to identify. This could lead to long periods of aircraft unserviceability while trying to troubleshoot the ATS issues.

The team from 806 SQN studied the ATS and implemented a new start-up procedure. The new procedure minimised the occurrence of ATS issues during the aircraft's start-up and helped Air Force Engineers (AFEs) to better identify the root cause for ATS issues and minimised aircraft downtime.

The new procedure enhanced operational effectiveness by reducing aircraft downtime and reaped an estimated annual cost savings of $67,120 and 112 man hours. 

(E) MINDEF Savings and Value Enhancement (SAVE) Award

The MINDEF SAVE Award recognises the contributions of excellent Economy Drive initiatives by MINDEF/SAF units, departments and project teams. This year, the award goes to the "New Repair Procedure for Sighting System" by Air Engineering & Logistics Department (AELD) from the RSAF and "Achieving Zero Defect for Ship Management System (SMS) Computers Caused by Overheating" by Naval Logistic Department (NLD) and Naval Logistics Command (NALCOM) from the RSN.

New Repair Procedure for Sighting System

When an RSAF Apache helicopter's sighting system is damaged, the recommended procedure would have been to replace the entire system. Air Engineering & Logistics Department (AELD) initiated a joint assessment of the damaged system with the Subject Matter Experts (SMEs). The team was able to develop a new procedure to repair the system, and to certify the repaired sighting system airworthy, instead of replacing it. 

The initiative resulted in cost savings of more than S$2M. More importantly, it demonstrated the SAF's culture of prudence and innovation.

Achieving Zero Defect for Ship Management System (SMS) Computers Caused by Overheating

The SMS is a network of computers that automates the control and monitoring of a Frigate's systems. There had been an increasing trend of computer failures due to overheating which were costly to rectify.

From the data collected by the team from NLD and NALCOM, the average temperature within the server cabinet was 48oC, much higher than the commercially adopted standard cabinet temperature of 40oC. After a thorough evaluation of possible solutions, the team selected the most cost effective solution which was to modify the cabinet doors and vents for improved airflow to reduce the cabinets' temperature. The team eventually designed nine configurations for the cabinets and vents to cater for the different types of cabinets and computer configurations, and successfully reduced the final cabinet temperature to an average of 25oC.

The project yielded cost savings of more than S$0.9M and demonstrated the RSN's engineering proficiency. In addition, the initiative has set new standards for similar projects and acquisitions for the RSN.