Former Special Advisor to the Swedish Ministry of Defence Rear-Admiral (RADM) (Ret) Peter Bager, was conferred the Singapore Defence Fellowship by Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen at an investiture held at the Ministry of Defence this morning.
 
The Singapore Defence Fellowship was awarded to RADM (Ret) Bager for his significant contributions towards strengthening technology cooperation between both defence organisations, which is a key pillar of Singapore and Sweden's bilateral relations. As the Swedish Special Advisor from February 2013 to June 2016, RADM (Ret) Bager facilitated technical support and expertise-sharing for the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN)'s Challenger- and Archer-class submarines. He also enabled knowledge exchange in quality assurance for the composite structure of the RSN's Littoral Mission Vessels. In addition, RADM (Ret) Bager co-chaired the Sweden-Singapore Research and Development Bilateral Meeting, where he spearheaded joint projects across a broad spectrum of areas, including protective technology.
 
On receiving the award, RADM (Ret) Bager said, "I am deeply honoured to receive this recognition from Singapore. The success of our bilateral cooperation built over the years is a strong indication of the trust and respect that both countries have fostered. I am glad to have been part of this rewarding journey and I look forward to the further strengthening of the enduring friendship between Sweden and Singapore."
 
Singapore and Sweden have good defence cooperation, especially in the areas of naval operations and defence technology. The two navies have worked closely since Singapore's acquisition of Swedish-designed mine countermeasure vessels and submarines in the 1990s. This includes the sharing of expertise and experiences in mine countermeasure operations and submarine training. The bilateral defence technology collaboration has also directly contributed to Singapore's capabilities in protective technologies for counter-terrorism and ammunition storage.
 
The Singapore Defence Fellowship was established in 2018, following a review of the Singapore Defence Technology Distinguished Fellowship (SDTDF). The SDTDF was started in 1996 to recognise individuals who have contributed significantly to bilateral defence technology cooperation. The review expands the scope of the award to include defence policy and administrative officials who have made significant contributions towards defence ties and cooperation with Singapore.