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| Age & obligation | 18 years of age (compulsory service)
16.5 years of age (voluntary early enlistment)
conscript service obligation of 24 months
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Availability
(males aged 15-49) | 1,292,471 (2004 est.)
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Fit for military service
(males aged 15-49) | 934,317 (2004 est.)
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| Dollar figure | SGD 8.62 billion (FY04) {Link without Title}
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| Percent of GDP | 4.79% (FY04) {Link without Title}
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The (SAF, , the
Republic Of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) and the
Republic Of Singapore Navy (RSN).
Singapore's military role stems from its strategic geographical location, an asset exploited by local settlers and foreign colonists alike.
Archaeological excavations have discovered remnants of forts and other forms of military fortifications in pre-colonial Singapore. Sir
Stamford Raffles , founder of modern Singapore, selected Singapore to establish a new colony with the security concerns of British interests in the
Far East in mind. Thus, Singapore played an active role in British military interests for decades, particular in the years leading up to the world wars.
Deterrence and diplomacy have been the fundamental tenets of Singapore's military defence policy
{Link without Title} . Through the years, the military has developed extensive links with armed forces from other countries. In recent years, there has also been an increased emphasis in military operations other than war, notably peace-keeping operations in East Timor and the Persian Gulf and disaster relief in the
Indian Ocean Earthquake-tsunami Of 2004 .
In
1984 , the
Total Defence concept was introduced to augment the need for the entire country, and not just the military, to contribute and work together in national defence issues. Consisting of five aspects, namely Military Defence, Civil Defence, Economic Defence, Social Defence, and Psychological Defence, it is actively promoted annually in schools as well as to the general public through schemes, programmes, courses as well as utilising the mass media to spread its message.
The size of Singapore's resident population meant that a military fully composed of career military men was not adequate to meet the country's military needs.
National Service was thus introduced in
1967 to build up the required manpower resources in a relatively quick and cost effective manner. Today, a career military force of 20,000 is supplemented by 55,000 men on active
National Service . Another 225,000
Reservists who have completed active National Service and are placed on a 10 years stand-by period. These reservists, also known as Operationally Ready NSMen, are liable for up to 40 days of active service every work year.
All fit and able-bodied men are enlisted into two years of compulsory military service, and are known as National Servicemen (Fulltime) (NSF). Service is compulsory for all able-bodied young men who has reached 18 years of age and not on deferment for educational reasons. Upon enlistment, combat fit recruits have to go through three to six months of basic military training. The bulk of these recruits will have their training conducted at the
Basic Military Training Centre on the offshore island of
Pulau Tekong .
Upon completion of basic training, servicemen will be promoted to the rank of private and will be reassigned to various units and camps within Singapore.
Upon completion of two years of national service, servicemen will be known as NSmen and are part of the SAF's reserves. Most NSmen will have to go through a 10-year cycle of military training with their assigned reservist unit. NSmen are called up annually for training, courses and physical fitness tests.
All combatant troops go through a 3-month
Basic Military Training (BMT). This is where they will learn field craft, basic jungle survival, camouflaging, operating their personal weapon and basic marksmanship. After which, potential officers and specialists are selected to go through either a 9-month officer cadet course or a 21-week infantry specialist course, while the rest are posted to various units and schools to continue their vocational training till their operationally-ready date (ORD), when they will be put into reserve units and continue their civilian lives.
Due to limited space within Singapore's territorial land and waters, some training programmes and facilities are located overseas, including in
Thailand ,
Brunei , the
Republic Of China (Taiwan),
Australia ,
New Zealand ,
France , the
United States and
India . In addition, joint military exercises are regularly conducted with all
ASEAN nations and with the
United States ,
United Kingdom ,
Australia ,
New Zealand ,
Republic Of China (Taiwan),
Thailand and
Malaysia .
Singapore is a member of the
Five Power Defence Arrangement together with the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, and
Malaysia . Designed to replace the former defence role of the British in the Singapore-Malaysia area, the arrangement obligates members to consult in the event of external threat and provides for stationing Commonwealth forces in Singapore.
Singapore has consistently supported a strong U.S. military presence in the Asia-Pacific region. In
1990 , the U.S. and Singapore signed a
Memorandum Of Understanding (MOU) which allows the U.S. access to Singapore facilities at
Paya Lebar Airbase and the
Sembawang wharves. Under the MOU, a
U.S. Navy logistics unit was established in Singapore in
1992 ; U.S. fighter aircraft deploy periodically to Singapore for exercises, and a number of U.S. military vessels visit Singapore. The MOU was amended in
1999 to permit U.S. naval vessels to berth at the
Changi Naval Base , which was completed in early 2001.
It comes under the command and control of the
Ministry Of Defence (MINDEF), which is headed by the
Defence Minister . The current defence minister is
Teo Chee Hean .
Under the SAF Act
{Link without Title} , the president has the authority to raise and maintain the SAF. The president also has the power to form, disband or amalgamate units within the SAF.
The Armed Forces Council (AFC) administers matters relating to the SAF under the SAF Act. The AFC consists of:
- ministers who are responsible for defence matters and any other minister who has been assigned to assist them;
- the Permanent Secretaries of MINDEF;
- the Chief of Defence Force (CDF);
- the Chief of Army (COA);
- the Chief of Air Force (CAF);
- the Chief of Navy (CNV); and
- not more than four other members as the president may appoint if the president, acting in his discretion, concurs with the advice of the prime minister.
The Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) consists of the:
- Army (Three Combined Arms Divisions: 3 Div, 6 Div & 9 Div, and two "Commands" : 1 & 2 People's Defence Forces)
- Air Force (Seventeen squadrons and four air bases)
- Navy (Eight squadrons and two naval bases)
The SAF is headed by the CDF, a three-star .
CDF
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