Singapore to acquire Leopard 2A4s

**Ironduke** · 12-27-2006, 08:06 AM

From the Singapore Ministry of Defense:

Singapore Set to Acquire Leopard Tanks from Germany

The Singapore Ministry of Defence and the German Federal Ministry of Defence intend to agree upon the sale of Leopard 2A4 tanks from the German Armed Forces to the Singapore Armed Forces.

The acquisition package will consist of 66 Leopard 2A4 tanks together with 30 spare tanks and supporting equipment. Training on the Leopard tanks will be provided by the German Army.

This acquisition underscores the good defence relationship between Germany and Singapore.

http://www.mindef.gov.sg/imindef/new...dec06_nr2.html

KORNET-E · 12-27-2006, 13:31 PM

Ray · 12-27-2006, 14:41 PM

Whatever for?

Even before the engines are running, they would have reached the sea!

They should use their money to build a strong navy so that they can make the Straits of Malacca a safer place!

Blademaster · 12-27-2006, 19:31 PM

Maybe for urban warfare? Maybe for offensive posturing? Anyhow, I think they should have devoted more on artillery guns.

kams · 12-27-2006, 19:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ray

Whatever for?

Even before the engines are running, they would have reached the sea!

They should use their money to build a strong navy so that they can make the Straits of Malacca a safer place!

They are doing precisely that. They have ordered 6 Formidable class stealth frigates from DCN, France. These will be armed with Harpoons & Aster missiles. They already have Missile Corvettes, 4 Swedish Submarines etc. Singapore Navy is potent and packs a punch.

gf0012-aust · 12-27-2006, 23:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ray

Whatever for?

Even before the engines are running, they would have reached the sea!

Singapore bases a lot of its doctrine on Israeli concepts (they have had a close relationship since the creation of the republic in training and doctrine development)

Part of that philosophy is to "reach out and touch" someone as soon as they are involved in conflict. They are not a barracks army by any means.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ray

They should use their money to build a strong navy so that they can make the Straits of Malacca a safer place!

They have one of the most formidable navies in the region - and their C5i is well developed. In actual fact their battlespace integration is better than a lot of the larger militaries in the region. They are definitely not a lightweight outfit. On a throw-weight basis I'd pick their Formidables over a Malay GM Frigate any day of the week.

Their subs have been provided with sensor/signature management tech from the Collins and they have a very very sophisticated sensory footprint. They would absolutely wipe any Kilo in the region at an acoustic management level.

They are the only military in the Straits with AWACs, PAR, Arrays and offensive weapons capability linked into all 3 battlespace mediums. The only other asian navy that has comparable sophistication is Japan. Mainland China is nowhere near the same levels of sensor integration and platform sophistication.

They shouldn't be underestimated.

667medic · 12-28-2006, 02:05 AM

The Leopards will replace the AMX-13 tank which are seriously antique pieces. I won't be surprised if some of the Leopards would be put in India as India is emerging as training dstination for SAF soldiers.
Singapore also follows an offensive doctrine, pre-emptive attack as the belief is that if the fighting comes to Singapore, everything is lost.....

Ray · 12-28-2006, 03:53 AM

Does Singapore have manoeuvre space?

Having hi tech equipment alone does not make a military. It has to have area for employment.

I am aware that they train beyond their shores including in India.

gf0012-aust · 12-28-2006, 04:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ray

Does Singapore have manoeuvre space?

Thats a loaded question.

You're obviously well aware that they're real estate challenged. Hence their requirement to not only train offshore, but also keep some critical assets based offshore in the event of losing the force de main in a shock attack by an uncharitable enemy.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ray

Having hi tech equipment alone does not make a military..

no, but competency in its employment is. there are numerous examples of nations who have "rated" export product and are absolutely useless in their employment of them. I'd argue that Singapore is definitely not in that club.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ray

It has to have area for employment..

At the risk of preaching to the converted (so the following statement is not for your benefit), every modern military trains for unforseen and unlikely war scenarios. In singapores case, their requirement to train is very much hindered by what is self evident - a city/state that is highly urbanised, but is structured around channeling any land generated military assets into killing boxes. The singaporean view (and the israeli view because the israelis have been participants in the development of that doctrine) is to reach out and fight the land enemy in the enemies battlespace as much as possible so that their airforce and navy can contribute to main force manouvre. Even if a force was to land in substance and engage meaningfully, then it would be a nightmare for FIBUA. Singapore city is almost a perfect FIBUA environment in the defenders favour - and it is structured to favour defending armour. Their force structure is designed around battlespace integration of all 3 services, and all 3 services can indulge in co-operative engagement. (AWACs/PARs etc)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ray

I am aware that they train beyond their shores including in India.

For those who may not know, Singapore has training facilities in the US, France and 2 training areas in Australia. The main Australian training area provided to Singapore is more than 4 times the size of Singapore itself. Thats used for helo and land warfare training. The second facility is for fixed wing pilot training. They also conduct combined training in aust's main training areas. IIRC the weapons range is the largest in the world (incl the canadians). In addition to training against local forces, they also participate in large combined events with the US, French, Thais, Sth Koreans so as to be able to game out complex and disparate scenarios against more than one force and engagement style (to get rid of the "creature of habit" mentality). They were keen to be based at the missile/rocket test facility, but thats been long term leased by 2 other countries for stealth platform developments.

AFAIK the Sing/India relationship is on co-op training, there isn't a weapons training real estate component built in (??). I'd be interested to know what their Indian arrangement provides though.

It would be a sheer act of hubris for any enemy force to assume that they lacked competency due to real estate limitations. They have the political will, intent and a capability to make any enemy hurt considerably and sharply at a meaningful military level.

667medic · 12-28-2006, 08:06 AM

Quote:

For those who may not know, Singapore has training facilities in the US, France and 2 training areas in Australia.

The other training facilities are in

New Zealand- Artillery training

Brunei- Jungle Warfare, Ifn Coy level training

Taiwan- Infantry, Armour and ADA training
Most of the Centurion tanks are based in Taiwan
Live firing of Hawk missile is done in Taiwan

Thailand- Infantry training

Indonesia- Aircraft live firing, Infantry training

Sweden- Submarine training

667medic · 12-28-2006, 08:11 AM

India is emerging as an attractive alternative to Taiwan because the real estate is getting scarce in Taiwan.
Interestingly, China offered training facilities in Hainan island but was politely refused by the SAF.
AFA India is concerned, it's a strictly business deal. SAF leases Indian land and pays for it. Moreover, the setting of a SAF base would generate significant business for the surrounding area. The soldiers get overseas pay and 1 S$=Rs28

gf0012-aust · 12-28-2006, 08:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 667medic

The other training facilities are in

New Zealand- Artillery training

Brunei- Jungle Warfare, Ifn Coy level training

Taiwan- Infantry, Armour and ADA training
Most of the Centurion tanks are based in Taiwan
Live firing of Hawk missile is done in Taiwan

Thailand- Infantry training

Indonesia- Aircraft live firing, Infantry training

Sweden- Submarine training

I wasn't aware that they'd based their Tempests in Taiwan. I'm pretty sure I spotted some recently driving out to the airport. Is the entire fleet there?

They also don't just do sub training with Sweden

.

Some of their UDT facilities and acoustic mgt area has been set up by australia. Their subs have also been reconfigured using Aust tech adapted from Collins.

One of their reasons why they preferred the central australian training facility was access to the missile range, but the current lessees aren't ready to leave yet.

The relaionship with Thailand has been strengthened with some asset transfers as well.

I'm also pretty sure that they got an operator invite into the Fillipino Cobra exercises recently.

667medic · 12-28-2006, 10:35 AM

Quote:

I wasn't aware that they'd based their Tempests in Taiwan. I'm pretty sure I spotted some recently driving out to the airport. Is the entire fleet there?

Frankly I don't know. Depending on who you talk to, the number varies from 15 to 40....

Ray · 12-28-2006, 10:42 AM

Their basing eqpt elsewhere now clarifies some issues on the direction of their national strategy and application of combat power.

Ray · 12-28-2006, 10:52 AM

That above apart, this speech does indicate the SAF's approach, but of course it does not say it all obviously.

Quote:

Singapore Government

Lunch Talk on "Defending Singapore: Strategies for a Small State" by Minister for Defence Teo Chee Hean

Posted: 21 Apr 2005, 1555 hours (Time is GMT +8 hours)

DEFENDING SINGAPORE: STRATEGIES FOR A SMALL STATE

When I received this invitation, the first thing that came to my mind was something which my old teachers who used to teach me when I was in school and that is that the pen was mightier than the sword. So it was with a certain amount of trepidation that I decided to come and speak with you today. Thank you for inviting me and it is a pleasure to be able to address members of the Singapore Press Club. Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. Thank you for inviting me to join you. It is indeed a pleasure for me to address the members of the Singapore Press Club.

Sir Shridath Ramphal, a former Secretary General of the Commonwealth, once likened small states to "small boats pushed out into a turbulent sea, free in one sense to traverse it; but without oars or provisions, without compass or sails, free also to perish. Or perhaps to be rescued and taken aboard a larger vessel."

Well, he could have been describing Singapore at the point of our independence 40 years ago. The circumstances of our birth were not exactly salubrious, and the regional environment was not exactly benign. There were pundits - including some esteemed members of the fourth estate - predicting that Singapore would either perish or eventually be taken on board the larger vessel, at that time, a larger Malaysian vessel. In truth, there was little reason for them to have any optimism about Singapore’s future given our geo-strategic limitations and the circumstances of our birth.

Geo-strategic Realities

At the time of our independence in 1965, there were large global forces in motion: de-colonisation and the clash between great powers as they manoeuvred for power and influence in the world. Southeast Asia was one such junction where the global forces met and the Cold War played out.

Like huge tectonic plates, the geo-strategic environment of the world is on the move again. The end of the Cold War has opened up new opportunities for competition and cooperation, with growing European integration, the rise of China and India, new additions to the list of nuclear capable states, and the emergence of global terrorism on a potentially catastrophic scale.

As it was during the Cold War, Southeast Asia lies along the fault lines of these global shifts.

Southeast Asia and the larger Asia-Pacific region have been thriving economically and generally stable politically. But there are immediate security challenges facing us all - notably the threat of terrorism and the need to enhance maritime security. And cleavages of ethnicity and religion criss-cross the region. Continued peace and stability in this region is not something we can take for granted.
Singapore faces certain geo-strategic realities. This was true in 1965, and the geography has not and cannot change. In the negotiations for the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea in the 1970s, Singapore was grouped as a "geographically disadvantaged State" - put in the same category as land-locked states, a very peculiar place for an island nation to be. We are a state with no resources and our geography does not allow us to claim much of an exclusive economic zone.

With only 699 sq kms, we are heavily urbanised and one of the most densely populated countries. There is no natural buffer between the core of our activities and critical infrastructure, and the external environment. Without a hinterland, without strategic depth, we do not have the option of falling back and regrouping to come back from an attack.

The fact that Singapore is geographically a lightweight also means that we are not naturally in a position to shape the regional environment. On the other hand, the regional environment could determine whether we have the peace and stability that is so vital for our survival and development.

Need for a Strong Defence

The need for a strong defence to protect our independence and sovereignty and to provide us with the political space and the freedom to act in the best interests of our people is the basic foundation upon which everything else is built. And these are the first principles of our defence policy.

The second set of underlying principles in our defence policy is that as citizens of a sovereign nation, Singaporeans are the first and last stakeholders in the survival of Singapore and no one can underwrite our security except ourselves. Hence, we have always put the highest priority on national defence, both in terms of the human resources as well as the money that we commit to it.

In order that no larger vessel gets too tempted to take this small boat on board, to use Sonny Ramphal’s analogy, deterrence is one pillar of our defence policy. And the mission of the Singapore Armed Forces is to deter aggression, and should deterrence fail, to defeat the aggressor.

Deterrence is complemented by diplomacy, which is the other pillar of our defence policy. Pursuing cooperative, mutually beneficial relationships with friendly countries and playing a constructive role in regional and world affairs help to enhance our security and our strategic weight.

Let me elaborate on these strategies.

National Service

One of the Government's top priorities at Independence was to build a defence force. We had to do this from scratch.

We concluded early that a conscript system is the only way in which Singapore can have a capable defence force within the limitations of our small population. We could never afford the manpower required to maintain a standing military force of a size adequate for a credible deterrence. Nor, given the generally peaceful environment, is a standing military of such a size necessary during normal times. So we needed a military that can be called upon in times of national emergency, manned by operationally ready national servicemen who could be rapidly mobilised, and who in normal times would carry on their daily lives and work in their civilian jobs.

We are now into the 38th year of National Service and we owe the peace we have enjoyed, in no small part to the young men who are conscripted, their older brothers who continue in the reserves, their fathers who were the first generation of NSmen, and of course to their mothers, wives, sisters and girlfriends who provide the moral support.

Given our small population, National Service will always be the backbone of the SAF. Our National Servicemen know that they will be in the frontline should the SAF ever have to go into battle. We train them seriously and they take their training seriously too. In the words of Dr Goh Keng Swee, the man who laid the foundation of the SAF - no one should underestimate the potential of a "small, vigorous, well educated and highly motivated population" to fight for their country.

Building Friendships

Besides the hard edge of the SAF, we have put equal emphasis on building friendships and defence relations as the other important means of enhancing Singapore’s security - defence diplomacy as the other pillar of our defence policy. Besides fostering understanding and building confidence, there are also payoffs from the professional interactions in terms of benchmarking and inter-operability.

Over the years, the SAF has established strong and friendly ties with armed forces around the world. One good example is the Five Power Defence Arrangements that we entered into in 1971 with Australia, Malaysia, New Zealand and the UK. We have good defence relations and extensive interactions and cooperation with a number of other countries. We conduct exercises - both bilateral and multilateral - with armed forces from over 20 countries every year. Last year there were 70 such exercises with foreign forces - that is on average between 1 and 2 exercises every week. So on average, there’s always an exercise going on at any time of the year.

Through these interactions we get to know one another better and we learn to work together. With more peace support operations and humanitarian relief missions ahead, better understanding and inter-operability are key to effective cooperation in times of need. We saw the payoffs when the SAF was deployed in East Timor and in the Gulf where we worked with many other countries. And most recently, when the SAF was carrying out the post-tsunami relief mission in Aceh - especially when working with the Indonesian Armed Forces, but also with other armed forces which had gone in to help.

Our friendship and good relations with various countries have also helped us to secure training facilities that are so valuable to the SAF. Training overseas allows us to overcome the limitations of land and airspace in Singapore. It also allows the SAF to lift itself to a higher level by training in unfamiliar and challenging environments, and by training with experienced and capable armed forces. Today, the SAF trains in about a dozen countries all over the world. Our Air Force conducts about half its flying training in foreign countries.
Cooperation among defence agencies and armed forces has taken on greater urgency since 9-11 as we all recognise that the security of nations is intertwined. The terrorists have no regard for national boundaries and theirs is a multinational enterprise. In fact, they exploit the interstitials between national boundaries to operate and carry out their attacks. Countries have to work together if we want to deal with the threat effectively. This is an area which Singapore has focused on, including working with like-minded countries on initiatives to enhance the fight against terrorism, proliferation and threats to maritime security.

Small states can survive only in a world where sovereignty is sacrosanct and the rule of law prevails. These are important guiding principles as we navigate through the geo-strategic changes taking place in the world today.

Singapore has always been an active member of the United Nations, as well as regional groupings like ASEAN, APEC and the ARF. We play our part as a responsible member of the international community, and make our contributions to enhance the international order that is so critical for the survival of a small state like Singapore.

Total Defence

Total Defence is another key component in Singapore's defence strategy. Essentially, the point of Total Defence is that we need more than the military for a strong defence. And every Singaporean has a part to play to make us more resilient and strengthen the country’s ability to protect itself from threats, whatever form they may take, and to overcome them. They can make a contribution in some or all of the five elements of Total Defence. Besides military defence, the other elements are civil, economic, social and psychological defence. The last two, social and psychological defence, involve building strong community ties and enhancing social harmony in our multi-racial society, and maintaining our psychological resolve and resilience.

Total Defence is not an abstract concept. We can see its relevance and importance at a time when terrorism brings the threat to our doorsteps and into our daily lives - especially as the threat is not just to our lives and property but also to the social fabric of our nation.

Technology as a Force Multiplier

The fourth key element in our defence strategy is the importance of technology for the Singapore Armed Forces. From the start, we recognised that technology would be crucial for overcoming the limitations of our small population. Technology would be our force multiplier. Research and experimentation to develop a technological edge began as early as 1971 even though our armed forces then had only rudimentary capabilities. The effort started off with a 3-man team. Today MINDEF is one of the largest employers of engineers and scientists in Singapore. We continue to devote considerable resources to defence R&D and experimentation - 5% and 1% of the defence budget, respectively.

Our servicemen are expert users of the SAF's technologically sophisticated platforms and systems. We have leveraged on the grounding which our education system has given to all the servicemen who come through, both regulars and National Servicemen.

Transformation

Singapore's security in the future will depend on the SAF's ability to sustain a credible deterrence. To do so, we will have to transform the SAF into a leaner and yet more potent force with the help of technology. This will allow us to maximise our limited resources - to make sure that we get the best defence for every defence dollar spent and that we make the best use of our limited manpower.
We are now in the 2nd Generation of the SAF - the first being the very early days of rudimentary capabilities, and the second being an SAF capable of performing the full range of missions required for our defence in the 2000 time-frame. Transformation will take us to the 3rd Generation or 3G SAF. It is not enough only to buy modern weapons and systems off the shelf. We need to be able to exploit the technology, add value to it, and exploit new operating concepts as well. We are fortunate that our people - not only the techies but more importantly our soldiers, down to the trooper level - can absorb and exploit the technology.

Warfare has become more technologically demanding and complex, and that is fortunate for small states like Singapore with a well educated and techno-savvy population. Battles are fortunately no longer fought with swords and spears, or bows and arrows. It is now possible for surveillance and strike systems and manoeuvre units to be networked together to provide comprehensive awareness and precision strike, and to enable units to manoeuvre rapidly to best advantage.

In the 2G SAF, we fielded systems that gave us better capabilities with fewer men. For instance in the artillery, our FH-88 and FH-2000 155mm artillery guns are more lethal and need fewer soldiers to man them than the guns that they replaced.

But in the 3G SAF, we are looking for more than incremental improvements. We are looking for a quantum transformation in capability. For example, an artillery unit equipped with our latest gun, the 155mm self-propelled Primus, will not operate in isolation. It will form part of a network with other strike systems such as fighter aircraft and attack helicopters. They will be linked to manoeuvre forces, and to surveillance systems such as target acquisition radars, unmanned air vehicles and special forces. A command and control system will provide decision support and target allocation, so that targets can be detected early and engaged with minimum latency by the most appropriate available means. Transformation is, ultimately, a powerful force multiplier.

Conclusion

There are many different strategies and approaches a country can take to meet its defence needs and provide for its security. What it decides to do has to be in the context of its particular security environment, taking into account its unique geography, history and demography.

Some countries are lucky enough to be located in a peaceful and benign environment, and have not faced any threat or conflict for decades, others live in constant fear of invasion; some have mountains or large tracts of land to buffer them, others have little or no strategic depth; some believe in being self-sufficient and providing their own defence, others have decided to place their defence and, hence, the fate of their countries in the hands of others.
We have decided that we must ourselves provide for our own defence, for if we are not prepared to defend ourselves, we cannot expect anyone else to do so on our behalf. This is a bitter lesson that our fathers and grandfathers learned in the past. Providing for our own defence allows us to chart our own course as an independent sovereign nation, without having to buckle under pressure from larger states, or to become subservient to their strategic imperatives.

Singapore's defence strategies have been shaped by these factors and convictions. And by our belief that, being a small state in a sometimes turbulent region, security is imperative for our very survival.

Thank you very much.

Last updated on 18 Apr 2006
2006 Government of Singapore
http://www.mindef.gov.sg/imindef/res...05_speech.html

12-27-2006, 08:06 AM	#1 (permalink)
Ironduke Burgomaster Join Date: 08-02-03 Location: Minneapolis Posts: 6,802 Country:	Singapore to acquire Leopard 2A4s From the Singapore Ministry of Defense: Singapore Set to Acquire Leopard Tanks from Germany The Singapore Ministry of Defence and the German Federal Ministry of Defence intend to agree upon the sale of Leopard 2A4 tanks from the German Armed Forces to the Singapore Armed Forces. The acquisition package will consist of 66 Leopard 2A4 tanks together with 30 spare tanks and supporting equipment. Training on the Leopard tanks will be provided by the German Army. This acquisition underscores the good defence relationship between Germany and Singapore. http://www.mindef.gov.sg/imindef/new...dec06_nr2.html

12-27-2006, 13:31 PM	#2 (permalink)
KORNET-E Regular Join Date: 12-24-06 Posts: 49	Hellenic Army LEOPARD 2A4

12-27-2006, 14:41 PM	#3 (permalink)
Ray Postmaster General *Military Professional* Join Date: 08-20-03 Posts: 26,144 Country:	Whatever for? Even before the engines are running, they would have reached the sea! They should use their money to build a strong navy so that they can make the Straits of Malacca a safer place! __________________ "Some have learnt many Tricks of sly Evasion, Instead of Truth they use Equivocation, And eke it out with mental Reservation, Which is to good Men an Abomination." I don't have to attend every argument I'm invited to. HAKUNA MATATA

12-28-2006, 02:05 AM	#7 (permalink)
667medic *Military Professional* Join Date: 07-22-05 Posts: 1,495 Country:	The Leopards will replace the AMX-13 tank which are seriously antique pieces. I won't be surprised if some of the Leopards would be put in India as India is emerging as training dstination for SAF soldiers. Singapore also follows an offensive doctrine, pre-emptive attack as the belief is that if the fighting comes to Singapore, everything is lost..... __________________ Seek Save Serve Medic

12-28-2006, 10:42 AM	#14 (permalink)
Ray Postmaster General *Military Professional* Join Date: 08-20-03 Posts: 26,144 Country:	Their basing eqpt elsewhere now clarifies some issues on the direction of their national strategy and application of combat power. Last edited by Ray : 12-28-2006 at 10:45 AM.

12-27-2006, 19:31 PM	#4 (permalink)
Blademaster Military Enthusiast *Senior Contributor* Join Date: 08-15-03 Posts: 3,050	Maybe for urban warfare? Maybe for offensive posturing? Anyhow, I think they should have devoted more on artillery guns.

12-28-2006, 08:11 AM	#11 (permalink)
667medic *Military Professional* Join Date: 07-22-05 Posts: 1,495 Country:	India is emerging as an attractive alternative to Taiwan because the real estate is getting scarce in Taiwan. Interestingly, China offered training facilities in Hainan island but was politely refused by the SAF. AFA India is concerned, it's a strictly business deal. SAF leases Indian land and pays for it. Moreover, the setting of a SAF base would generate significant business for the surrounding area. The soldiers get overseas pay and 1 S$=Rs28

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