Senior Minister of State for Defence Heng Chee How officiated at the 24th Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) Senior Military Expert Appointment Ceremony at Temasek Club this evening. A total of 109 servicemen and women, comprising eight from the Singapore Army, 41 from the Republic of Singapore Navy, 16 from the Republic of Singapore Air Force and 44 from the Digital and Intelligence Service, were appointed as Senior Military Experts (MEs) during the ceremony.

Speaking at the ceremony, Mr Heng emphasised the importance of a strong and relevant SAF in an increasingly uncertain world. He said, "The security environment is likely to continue to be complex, and fraught with uncertainties. Although hybrid conflict is not a new concept, the very nature of hybrid threats are to be by design, unexpected, and they will keep on morphing. There is no one single response to hybrid conflicts, nor a template that we can follow mechanically to achieve mission success. Thus, it is vital for the SAF to be well-positioned to undertake complex missions, and to counter all forms of threats, including hybrid threats, in order to continue to safeguard Singapore's peace and security, and our sovereignty."

Mr Heng reminded the graduands of the important role and value of Senior Military Experts to ensure that the SAF continues to build and acquire capabilities and the technological edge to defend Singapore. He said, "In the face of ever-changing hybrid tactics by potential aggressors, you would be looked upon to create new and innovative advantages for the SAF. Over the years, the Military Domain Expertise Scheme, or MDES in short, has contributed to deep expertise in key military domains such as engineering and intelligence, and continues to evolve as a scheme to meet the SAF's operational needs… the scheme has been able to attract talented mid-career professionals from other industries to join the SAF …Having colleagues such as these amongst us is an important step as they bring with them different perspectives, which will add value to our work in the SAF and in the whole defence ecosystem. This will add richness and rigour to our work, and allow us to better benchmark our capabilities against fast evolving industry standards." He also congratulated the graduands on their accomplishments and said, "I am confident that this course has prepared you for the demands and challenges of leadership. After today, you will be looked upon to steer your respective unit and command to overcome the challenges of today's complex security environment, while you prepare to navigate the uncertainties of the future. You will be leading men and women, who will look to you for direction and guidance on how to discharge their duties well and effectively. So lead them well, and take care of your people by investing in their growth and their development, and look after their welfare."

The appointment ceremony marked the completion of the Military Domain Experts Course, which trains MEs to assume roles in the SAF where in-depth expertise in areas such as engineering, intelligence, military medicine and cybersecurity is required. The course developed and honed the MEs' leadership competency, military domain knowledge and specialised skills. The newly appointed Senior MEs will move on to assume leadership or staff appointments in their professional areas.

Also present at the ceremony was Chief of Defence Force Lieutenant-General Melvyn Ong, senior SAF officers as well as families and friends of the graduands.