Senior Minister of State for Defence Mr Zaqy Mohamad visited the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) troops participating in Exercise Panzer Strike yesterday at the Oberlausitz Military Training Area (OMTA), Germany. During his visit, Mr Zaqy was briefed on the conduct of the exercise and witnessed servicemen and women from the 3rd Company, 48th Battalion Singapore Armoured Regiment (48 SAR) undergo component training in preparation for their Company Mission Exercise.

This year's Exercise Panzer Strike is conducted over two training windows in spring and autumn. The spring frame of the exercise involves over 280 personnel from 48 SAR and the Armour Training Institute, as well as 14 Leopard 2SG Main Battle Tanks (MBT). The servicemen and women from 48 SAR had undergone a series of manoeuvre live-firing with the Leopard 2SG MBT and a live-firing exercise with their German Army counterparts from Panzergrenadierbataillon 122 and Panzerbataillon 104.

Mr Zaqy highlighted the importance and value of overseas training such as Exercise Panzer Strike to hone the SAF's operational competencies in a realistic training environment. He said, "We are able to orchestrate training here in Oberlausitz Military Training Area, which is a quarter the size of Singapore. This enables us to conduct training safely for more complex missions on a larger scale and in an integrated manner. Our servicemen and women are able to enhance their gunnery and manoeuvre skills, and increase their confidence in their operational capabilities. Amidst the present security landscape, it reminds us the need of total defence for the SAF to maintain operational readiness. This is why the SAF continues to strengthen its operational capabilities through complex and rigorous exercises, both locally and overseas, to ensure that our soldiers are competent and capable of defending Singapore, when called upon."

Speaking after his interactions with exercise participants, Mr Zaqy said, "I am heartened that the SAF continues to maintain a high standard of training safety for our troops as we resume overseas training, while also ensuring they are kept safe with stringent COVID-19 measures in place. I would like also to thank our servicemen and women who have been crucial in maintaining operational readiness for Singapore's defence. They have demonstrated high levels of professionalism and resilience, and recognise the importance of national defence."

Exercise participants are fully vaccinated and stringent COVID-19 Safe Management Measures (SMM) are enforced to ensure the health and safety of all servicemen and women. Some of the SMMs in place include pre- and post-deployment swab tests, cohorting personnel by functional groups, mask-on policy, staggering activities to minimise crowding, rostered routine testing and restricted movement. Upon their return to Singapore, all the participants will also be subject to Ministry of Health protocols.

As part of the visit, Mr Zaqy also met German Parliamentary State Secretary for Defence Ms Siemtje Möller on 18 March 2022 in Berlin, where he conveyed Singapore's appreciation for Germany's support for the SAF's training in Germany since 2009. Both parties also reaffirmed the warm and growing bilateral defence relationship during the meeting.

Singapore and Germany interact regularly through high-level visits and dialogues, military exchanges, cross-attendance of professional courses and technological collaboration. These interactions have reinforced the professional ties between the two defence establishments, strengthened with the signing of the enhanced Defence Cooperation Agreement in 2018.