预算辩论 · 2024-02-28 · 第 14 届国会
国防预算与安全趋势质询
Committee of Supply – Head J (Ministry of Defence)
议员质询国防部关于全球及区域安全趋势的监测情况，特别关注俄乌战争及中东冲突对新加坡安全的影响。政府回应强调国际秩序动荡、网络战与信息战的挑战，表明将持续关注并调整国防策略以应对复杂多变的安全环境。核心争议点在于如何平衡预算分配与应对新兴安全威胁。
关键要点
- • 国际法与安全秩序
- • 非国家行为体威胁
- • 网络与信息战挑战
强化国防应对复杂安全环境
关注预算合理性与安全威胁
加强网络战与信息战防御
"The world is likely be more volatile and unpredictable in the coming year."
参与人员（12）
完整译文（中文）
Hansard 英文原文译文 · 翻译日期：2026-05-02
主席：J项负责人，Vikram Nair先生。
安全趋势
Vikram Nair先生（实龙岗）：主席，我请求动议，“将预算中J项的总拨款减少100元”。
先生，我们生活在一个危险的世界。第二次世界大战结束后，世界大国齐聚一堂，建立了国际关系的合作框架。这包括成立联合国和布雷顿森林体系机构——即世界银行和国际货币基金组织。
联合国宪章确立了禁止使用武力的原则——除非是自卫。这一规则通常被视为国际法中的强行法（jus cogens）——即不可违反的国际法规范。
在此背景下，俄罗斯入侵乌克兰——违反了这一规则——直接挑战了国际法的权威。俄罗斯是联合国安全理事会成员，该机构本应领导联合国集体行动以维护国际法。
当国际法规则受到威胁或崩溃时，像我们这样的小国尤其脆弱。
非国家行为体的力量也在增强，且可能带来不稳定因素。自十月以来，以色列与哈马斯冲突急剧升级，造成惨重生命损失。这场冲突发生在以色列（有人认为是加沙的占领者）与哈马斯之间，后者是一个事实控制该地区的非国家行为体。暴力已蔓延至加沙地带以外，波及黎巴嫩和红海，威胁中东地区稳定。
未来一年，世界可能更加动荡和不可预测。作为一个小国，新加坡对外部安全环境的变化极为敏感——和平秩序对新加坡的成功至关重要。
国防部（MINDEF）能否提供关于MINDEF和新加坡武装部队（SAF）密切关注的主要全球及区域趋势的最新情况，以及这些趋势将如何影响MINDEF和SAF？
[(程序文本) 提出问题。 (程序文本)]
国防部的计划与优先事项
Alex Yam先生（马西岭-裕廊西）：主席，近年来，我们目睹了席卷全球的变革之风。国际秩序的支柱在纷争和冲突的重压下动摇和削弱，给我们所有人投下了不确定的阴影。
让我们暂时反思一个令人警醒的现实：俄乌战争已进入第三年。它超越了单纯的领土战场，蔓延至网络战和虚假信息领域，塑造着各地的认知和叙事。乌克兰坚韧的防御，得益于最初的国际团结——尽管现在比战争初期更脆弱——彰显了乌克兰人民不屈的精神。然而，遗憾的是，前景依然模糊，缺乏这场旷日持久冲突的明确终结。
当世界目光聚焦欧洲时，中东另一场冲突正在激烈进行，古老的沙漠见证着一场现代悲剧的展开。以色列与哈马斯的冲突深刻提醒我们，未解决的怨恨和根深蒂固的敌意不仅困扰该地区数十年，甚至数百年、数千年。持久和平的希望如今似乎被历史恩怨击碎，世界在根深蒂固的分裂面前苦苦寻求解决方案——不仅远离我们海岸，也存在于我们自身边界和社区之间。
在这场冲突的熔炉中，我们见证了战争形态的演变，传统的常规与非常规战术界限变得模糊。战术创新催生了新型武器，混合工具成为不断变化战场上破坏的先锋。
在这场席卷全球的混乱与动荡中，我们不能忽视其对我们所有人的影响——尤其是新加坡。尽管国土狭小，新加坡是动荡海洋中的稳定灯塔，我们有责任保持警惕、适应和坚定，捍卫主权。
在航行这片险恶水域时，让我们坚定抵御逆境的浪潮——坚信团结一致，我们能克服最大的挑战。
最后，我呼吁国防部长阐明MINDEF和SAF如何调整计划和优先事项，以应对不断演变的威胁，以及我们如何共同规划一个以合作与和平为特征的未来。
国防开支
Chong Kee Hiong先生（碧山-大巴窑）：主席，遗憾的是，世界正经历更多政治动荡和军事冲突。近年来我们目睹了两场重大冲突，尽管国际社会多次尝试缓和，但无减缓迹象。美中关系升温更添全球忧虑。
鉴于这些纷争的影响和潜在暗流，许多政府增加了国防开支，有些甚至大举采购以填补能力缺口。
新加坡一直将国防置于优先位置。自独立以来，这一直是不可谈判的。尽管存在权衡和机会成本，政府在公民的信任和支持下，稳步投资国防，深知自力更生的重要性。
基于此，我想请教国防部长关于我们的国防开支。今年的国防预算预测如何？部委的优先事项是什么？采购和维护过程中面临的主要问题或挑战有哪些？部委如何克服这些限制？
武装部队转型计划
Kwek Hian Chuan Henry先生（新加坡芽笼）：主席，正如我的议员同事所言，俄罗斯全面入侵乌克兰已逾两年。随着乌克兰传统武器系统和弹药日益短缺，其军队不得不即兴部署低成本无人机，并取得显著成效。
本月初，乌克兰总统宣布成立专门负责无人机的武装力量分支。这并非首次在冲突中大量部署无人机，但无人机的规模部署已导致战场作战方式发生重大变化。
事实上，前所未有的数量使一些人称之为世界首场无人机战争。除了电子战无人机群，我们还看到网络战不仅针对民用基础设施，还在以色列-哈马斯冲突中实现战场情报优势。
在红海危机中，胡塞武装利用民用技术扰乱国际贸易流，并通过反坦克和防空导弹实施非对称战争。未来几年，人工智能和定向能武器将进一步塑造战争形态。
在此背景下，MINDEF能否分享SAF下一代转型计划的进展？随着技术迅速改变战争面貌，MINDEF如何确保SAF能够及时且经济地应对不断演变的安全威胁？
晚上7点
武装部队采购
Don Wee先生（蔡厝港）：主席，去年国防预算辩论中，国防部长黄永宏博士对议会表示，“我们绝不能忘记国防是一个长期事业。”他进一步说明，SAF的主要系统和平台从构想到建造再到整合入作战部队，通常需要10至15年，前提是一切顺利。
我很高兴新加坡一直以长远眼光看待国防。我们不能等到冲突迫近才准备和防御。
自俄罗斯入侵乌克兰以来，全球各国政府纷纷加快建造和采购新武器，因为战争极大消耗了库存。然而，即使增加国防开支，国家也可能需要数年才能收获投资成果。这是不持续投资国防的遗憾后果。
去年三月，在线刊物《国防新闻》报道，意大利考虑快速采购坦克和步兵战车，作为长期项目成形前的填补措施。乌克兰战争凸显了地面作战能力的重要性，而意大利的坦克和步兵战车库存老化且减少。
我希望新加坡能吸取其他国家的惨痛教训。我们不能等到局势升温才优先投资国防。因此，MINDEF此前已告知议会，SAF将在未来十年增加更多平台和能力。
随着冲突性质演变，新加坡必须有效防御日益复杂的常规和非常规威胁。特别是乌克兰战争显示，国家维持高端常规军事能力的重要性。MINDEF能否提供SAF采购和能力发展计划的最新进展？
F-35B战斗机采购
Poh Li San女士（实龙岗）：主席，MINDEF此前宣布计划采购F-35B战斗机。能否提供该采购的最新情况？作为一个无战略纵深的小国，新加坡必须拥有有效军力以威慑潜在侵略。我们深知必须现代化军队，确保SAF能保护新加坡。
过去几年，MINDEF通过采购先进战斗机和其他系统，持续更新共和国空军（RSAF），这些系统在国家防御能力中发挥关键作用。
2019年3月，MINDEF宣布将采购四架F-35B战机，计划逐步用F-35替换RSAF老化的F-16机队。此后，MINDEF宣布将额外采购八架，总计十二架。国防部长也表示，RSAF将于2026年接收首批四架战机。
然而，近年来全球供应链面临诸多挑战，影响了部分军事平台的交付时间表。MINDEF能否提供最新进展？
无人技术
Vikram Nair先生：主席，鉴于新加坡出生率下降，我们预计全职国服役兵和预备役国服役兵人数将逐年减少。SAF需要以更少的人力完成更多任务。显然，新技术有助于组织优化和简化运作。
尤其是无人机和其他无人技术能缓解人力紧张，我了解到MINDEF在这方面已取得显著进展。无人技术也增强了军队的能力优势。机械化战争减少了士兵暴露于危险的需要，同时具备精准打击能力，减少人为弱点和脆弱性。因此，我在国防预算辩论中经常询问该领域的最新进展。
我欣慰地看到，MINDEF通常每年报告该领域令人印象深刻的进展。去年国防预算辩论中，国防部长强调，当大规模使用时，空中、陆地和海上的无人平台将成为未来的游戏规则改变者。我们已见证无人机在乌克兰和中东冲突中的应用实例。
鉴于无人和自主技术在军事领域的未来作用，SAF利用和整合这些技术比以往任何时候都更为重要。国防部长还表示，将在作战单位引入更多无人空中和地面车辆，海军将转向半数舰艇无人化的力量结构。
但另一方面，自动化技术也带来更大风险，因为入门门槛和成本相对较低。这可能为敌人，包括非国家行为体，利用这些技术威胁新加坡安全提供机会。
MINDEF能否提供SAF如何整合无人技术以增强能力，以及如何应对这些技术潜在威胁的最新情况？
不断演变的军事威胁
Desmond Choo先生（淡滨尼）：主席，今年一月，胡塞武装发射了美联社报道的“最大规模无人机和导弹袭击”，目标是红海航运。几天前，美国中央司令部称首次观察到胡塞武装使用水下无人机攻击船只。
关于无人机作为恐怖主义战术和未来战争中日益重要角色的讨论日益增多。许多无人机成本较低，可大规模部署，对安全构成重大威胁。胡塞武装在红海使用的一次性攻击无人机估计成本约为2000美元。
2023年10月7日，哈马斯使用商用四旋翼无人机携带爆炸物，破坏以色列军事基础设施。在俄乌战争中，无人机改变了传统战争的复杂性。攻击方式因攻击型和自杀式无人机而改变。有报道称商用无人机被改装携带爆炸物攻击常规军队。此外，无人机在侦察和引导炮火方面的使用也日益增多。
即使是最先进的军队仍在努力应对这些威胁和新发展。英国广播公司（BBC）报道，美国海军陆战队为应对胡塞无人机攻击，改装其战斗机执行防空任务。
美国的拦截行动效果显著，但执行这些任务的人员风险巨大，且每次任务成本高昂。如果对手大规模发动此类攻击，现有军事应对将难以为继。
我们甚至尚未探讨如何成功防御无人机群攻击，尤其是未来可能完全自主的无人机群。大量无人机群可能压倒传统防御系统。这引发了当前防空能力是否足够的问题。
我描述的威胁只是我们目前所知之一。但不法分子持续寻找更具创造性和成本效益的方式，利用新技术或商用双用途平台规避和削弱传统军事防御。
MINDEF/SAF如何应对无人机挑战？鉴于安全环境快速变化，MINDEF/SAF采取了哪些措施防范可能破坏我们安全的新兴和演变技术及战术？MINDEF如何培训人员应对不断变化的威胁？
数字领域的威胁
Shawn Huang Wei Zhong先生（裕廊）：主席，战争性质正在演变，战斗不再局限于传统的海、空、陆物理领域，而是在数字领域展开。通过渗透网络、破坏政府或民用基础设施、扰乱日常运作，可以造成更大破坏。与传统战争类似，这类攻击通过削弱政府信任、破坏社会凝聚力和削弱军事工业能力来攻击国家。
我们已见证此策略的实施，例如以色列网站和应用遭黑客攻击，以及自以色列-哈马斯冲突开始以来加沙地带多次断网。近在咫尺的例子包括2018年SingHealth数据泄露事件、2016年星和宽频遭受分布式拒绝服务（DDoS）攻击，以及2017年国防部系统遭网络攻击。
鉴于新加坡对此类攻击的脆弱性，国防部长能否谈谈MINDEF/SAF如何应对数字领域的威胁，包括数字与情报服务（DIS）采取的防护措施？
数字与情报服务最新情况
Don Wee先生：主席，在拉贾拉特南国际研究学院发表的一篇评论中，助理教授Michael Raska写道，未来十年战略优势的主要来源，将在于现代军事组织能否在所有作战和战争层面，充分整合人工智能、网络力量、数据科学，以及认知科学和机器人技术的创新。
为了让新加坡武装部队（SAF）保持优势，应不断发展以利用新的数字技术。SAF还应持续制定应对措施，以防御新威胁。
鉴于这些迅速发展的情况，我认为SAF数字与信息服务部（DIS）在一年多前的成立非常及时。要在各级作战行动中，当然也包括三军之间，全面整合各种数字和网络能力与资产，并让服役人员积累作战经验，可能需要多年时间。国防部正在采取正确且必要的措施。
国防部能否提供DIS的最新进展？已采取了哪些步骤来提升其能力？DIS如何与新加坡其他在数字领域运作的机构协作，以增强我们的安全？
提升SAF训练与战备
朱卡江选区的朱卡纳因·阿卜杜勒·拉希姆先生：主席，许多SAF现役军人与国民服役军人有机会到海外训练，这使他们能够获得实地经验，并在作战环境中应用技能和知识。鉴于新加坡空间有限，这对于某些类型的训练尤为关键，因为这些训练在本地难以或无法进行。
随着全球局势日益不确定，我们不能假设总能维持现有的海外训练场地访问权限。因此，探索不同方式确保我们的国民服役军人训练充分并保持作战准备状态非常重要。
国防部能否提供关于改善本地及海外训练的最新情况？特别是，我们如何利用技术进步最大化SAF训练的价值和效率？SAF利用了哪些机会，为服役人员提供在冲突区或海外人道任务中的实战经验？
利用技术改进流程
先锋选区的郑德源先生：主席，我的发言主题是利用技术改进流程。虽然疫情最严重的时期可能已过去，但它影响了我们的生活和工作方式，推动我们接受新的工作模式，特别是数字化和技术应用。
从云技术到人工智能工具，再到机器人辅助，我们都看到这些技术如何改变现代职场。随着世界数字化程度加深，对更高生产力和效率的期望也会随之增加。我们需要抓住机会，巩固数字化成果，提供更好且更快速的服务。
国防部和SAF自数十年前起就拥抱数字化，现代化了多代部队。我想了解国防部和SAF如何利用技术，包括生成式人工智能（GenAI），改善服役人员的日常体验并提升他们的整体能力？
保护我们的水下利益
阿裕尼选区的林瑞莲女士：主席，作为海洋国家，新加坡依赖畅通无阻的海上交通线和空中航线，将货物和人员运送进出我们的海岸。若这些连接被中断，代价将非常高昂。
确实，持续投资我们的空军和海军，以及与区域和国际伙伴合作的努力，为新加坡提供了额外的保障。
晚上7点15分
我们国家在水下的利益同样重要。海底电缆传输着从金融市场到设计蓝图及海外订单的各种数据，连接着中东、南亚与我们所在的东南亚和东北亚。
我了解到新加坡甚至计划增加海底电缆登陆点数量，也计划通过海底电缆向新加坡供电。此外，还有海底管道输送天然气，包括来自印度尼西亚西纳图纳的管道。我们知道这些海底资产在危机时可能成为攻击或破坏的目标，和平时期也可能遭受意外损坏。
这从2022年北溪2号爆炸事件，以及去年波罗的海和台湾与马祖之间海底电缆被切断事件中可见一斑。随着美中竞争加剧及海上交通增长，亚洲及南中国海的紧张局势加剧，这些风险更加真实。国防部长能否向新加坡人保证，我们有能力独立或与伙伴合作保护和修复这些海底资产？有哪些努力在增强这方面的能力？
主席：亚历克斯·严先生，请将您的两段发言合并。
跨国威胁
马西岭-裕廊西选区的亚历克斯·严先生：主席，随着世界快速变化，我们面临的威胁性质也在演变。我们现在面对越来越多的非传统安全挑战。恐怖主义、网络攻击和虚假信息传播的频率和影响都在上升。
就在去年十月，哈马斯策划了一起毁灭性的恐怖袭击，袭击了以色列，造成无辜人员死亡。这一恶劣行为引发了以色列与哈马斯之间的残酷冲突。尽管以色列有自卫权，但其不成比例的武力和暴力导致数千人丧生，数万人流离失所。
这场冲突的影响远超其直接战场。在东南亚，持续的以色列-哈马斯对抗加剧了激进化风险，不仅威胁新加坡，也威胁我们的邻国。
此外，网络攻击和虚假信息传播已成为敌对势力推进其议程的首选手段。这些攻击隐蔽、广泛且难以追踪，能对我们的关键基础设施造成严重破坏，削弱公众信任。鉴于新加坡高度依赖数字技术，我们必须保持警惕。
东盟防长会议网络安全与信息中心
以勒索软件为例，这在新加坡仍是严重问题。勒索软件团伙日益成熟，迅速窃取数据，并利用定制威胁迫使受害者支付赎金。
显然，这些挑战无法由单一国家独自应对。合作与协调至关重要。因此，我渴望了解国防部为应对这些跨国威胁所采取的策略和举措。
为应对这些挑战，新加坡于2021年主动成立了东盟防长会议网络安全与信息卓越中心（ADMM ACICE）。此举正值社会数字化加速，网络攻击及虚假信息日益普遍。我很高兴ACICE的实体中心于去年7月18日正式启用。
这一举措至关重要，因为网络和信息威胁多面且不断演变。显然，与其他东盟成员国及国际伙伴合作不可或缺。
因此，我也希望国防部长介绍ACICE的进展及未来计划。ACICE如何在现有基础上加强网络安全和打击虚假信息？
主席：黄永宏部长。
国防部长（黄永宏博士）：主席，维克拉姆·奈尔先生开头指出我们的世界变得更加危险。随后多位议员也谈及周边事件。我相信无论在议会内外，都无需质疑世界确实变得更危险。
就在上周2月24日，是另一个臭名昭著的日子。俄罗斯入侵乌克兰已进入第三年。正如多位议员所指出，以色列-哈马斯冲突有蔓延中东的风险，美中之间存在事实上的贸易战。
我们都担心美中可能因台湾发生冲突。如果发生，那将是亚洲长期的阴霾。
这一区域何时遭遇如此多麻烦？如果你记得莎士比亚的诗句：“双倍的劳苦与烦恼；火焰燃烧，锅炉沸腾。”
上一次该地区经历类似动荡和潜在危险，可能是1980年代的中越冲突，持续从1979年到1991年。新加坡的先锋一代经历了那些动荡危险的年代，不仅如此，长达60年。1940年代的日本占领、朝鲜战争、越南战争、对抗行动。60年。李光耀先生曾说，他因政治动荡不得不唱四个国歌，历时60年。这些经历锻造了1920和1930年代出生的先锋一代。
我们独立后首要任务是组建新加坡武装部队。这是本能反应。
我这一代人，以及本议会中的一些人，出生于1950和1960年代，即独立一代。我们很幸运。许多家庭起初贫穷，但随着新加坡繁荣，我们也随之繁荣。那是开放贸易和自由化的黄金时代，冷战于1991年结束，全球经济腾飞，生活水平持续提升至今。
因此，新加坡的人均国内生产总值（GDP）是亚洲最高。我们何时超过日本，亚洲第二高？2007年。
美元强势，海外旅行变得更便宜。我仍记得小时候，一英镑超过7新元。那时炸鱼薯条很贵。
日本物价高昂。现在，大批新加坡人去日本，价格已不算贵。
先锋一代经历了60年的对抗。独立一代经历了30年的相对和平。我们一直认为这是常态。究竟哪种是常态——先锋一代经历的，还是独立一代经历的？
如果五年前问我，我会说现今一代——被统称为X世代、千禧一代、Z世代及其他字母世代——会像独立一代一样幸运。因为尽管英国脱欧，欧盟依然存在——记得欧盟成立于1993年。
那时，俄罗斯与欧洲经济依赖日益加深，甚至在能源供应上。乌克兰入侵前，俄罗斯供应德国55%的天然气。你不会在不相信和平的情况下购买如此比例的天然气。
俄罗斯入侵乌克兰至少对欧洲一代人的一体化造成致命打击。更糟的是，未来不和与冲突的种子已播下。正如欧盟外交与安全政策高级代表何塞普·博雷利去年在香格里拉对话会上所说：“这场战争正在改变欧洲的角色。欧洲曾是和平的项目和象征。但现在我们面临一个战争无处不在的世界，这些战火离我们家门很近。”
在中东，签署的亚伯拉罕协议曾带来该地区加速和平与发展的希望。亚伯拉罕协议后的时代精神，是避免冲突、寻找共同利益，以促进经济发展。这是邓小平的格言：“致富光荣”，而非战争。为此，甚至沙特阿拉伯的穆罕默德·本·萨勒曼改变了对也门胡塞武装的立场，后者曾遭其致命打击。因此，在这场冲突中，角色发生逆转。美国打击胡塞武装，沙特则表示愿意和平。2023年10月7日哈马斯的袭击颠覆、延迟甚至摧毁了中东的这些愿景。
美中之间的贸易战已开始。美国方面计划将其限制在特定领域，尤其是涉及国家安全的高端技术。理论上这似乎可行，美国称之为“小院子，高围墙”。但实际上更难，因为以国家安全名义，院子可能会变大。目前，美国国会有法案拟排除中国生物制药制造业，理由是可能生产削弱国家安全的产品。明天可能是电动汽车。
当然还有资本，这是最具流动性的资产。如果某国或公司在中国投资巨额资金，会被视为助长潜在对手吗？如果是，会采取何种惩罚措施或限制？
在这个互联世界，国家安全设立的边界会否使世界倒退至联盟和贸易集团时代，如第一次和第二次世界大战及冷战前？
我们正亲眼目睹这一切。这是这一代人的特权。我们看到戏剧上演：整个世界都是舞台。无论结果如何，这些情景需要一两十年才能成真。
两周前，我参加了第60届慕尼黑安全会议。他们将本届会议命名为“双输？”因为无论他们分析何种情况，双方都输，世界也输。
这是我第12次参加慕尼黑安全会议。2014年，我参加了第50届会议。那次有特别环节，我永远不会忘记。台上有亨利·基辛格、赫尔穆特·施密特、前法国总统瓦莱里·吉斯卡尔·德斯坦。三位先生均已去世。那是第50届会议。施密特和基辛格曾出席1963年首届会议。那是一个特殊论坛，经历了50年和平。气氛充满庆祝。吉斯卡尔·德斯坦总统说，欧洲已消除战争概念。那仅仅是十年前。
所有这些梦想已被摧毁。我向议会保证，意外和不可预见的后果将接踵而至，有些相关，有些完全出乎意料。当地缘政治的环境温度升高，火花和火灾将从多个源头爆发。
因此，我已改变对新加坡及其他地方当代一代的评估。未来十年内区域甚至全球冲突的风险不再为零。我不是轻率作出此评估。
具体概率是多少？这无益于生产力。我们不是诺查丹玛斯，无法预测。最重要的问题，我认为，是正如维克拉姆·奈尔、亚历克斯·严等议员所说——作为一个小国，新加坡及新加坡人能做些什么，切实准备应对可能的扰乱和意外后果？因为扰乱和有意后果必然存在，我们可以确定。如何应对，我们尚不确定。
晚上7点30分
我记得美国国防部长盖茨，我常引用他的话。他在西点军校毕业典礼上说，过去十年，美国国防部预测冲突发生地点的准确率为零。即使拥有情报收集和预测的所有机制，美国政府也从未预测准确。因此，我们不能假装知道未来，但必须准备。那么，我们如何为新加坡准备这不确定的未来？
首先，我认为应认识到新加坡人拥有比先锋代和独立代更多的保护对象和资源。部分新加坡人可能记得1990年伊拉克入侵科威特。入侵的理由之一是伊拉克指控科威特偷油——有一块名为阿尔鲁迈拉油田的油田跨越两国边界。伊拉克称：“你们从你们一侧抽油，却从我这边偷油。”地理上可能，但这是指控。富裕且资源丰富的小国科威特是诱人的目标。富裕且小的新加坡若无强大防御，也可能成为诱人目标。
在那次入侵中，美国救援科威特，领导42国联军进行空地战争。SAF提供伤员支援，派遣了30人医疗队赴该地区。
但我要明确指出，如果类似事件发生在新加坡，政府、国防部和SAF不会依赖其他国家来救援。若新加坡人不愿或不能保卫新加坡，就没有后盾。这是简单的事实。强大的SAF是对侵略的威慑，防止冒险行为。
听议员们发言令人欣慰，因为无论政治立场如何，大家都明白我们必须自力更生。我感谢议会成员每年支持国防部预算。
我们确实持续投入宝贵资金于国防，正如部分议员所言。这些资金本可用于其他事业，但我们知道没有安全就无进步。新加坡在最新全球和平指数中排名第六。我不知道也不想知道若无必要投资建设强大SAF，我们的排名会如何。我认为那实验代价太大。
钟基雄先生要求提供今年及未来几年的国防开支详情。让我来说明。
在即将到来的财政年度，国防部预计开支约为202亿新元，比去年（2023财年）增长2.5%。如果与2022年相比，增幅更大，但那是因为我们在赶进度——疫情期间被打断的项目和活动。
尽管过去几年国防开支名义上有所增加，但其占GDP的比例一直在下降，主要原因是新加坡的GDP增长速度快于国防开支。这是一个良好的结果。
主席先生，若获允许，我已请书记员分发讲义。
主席：请继续。[讲义已分发给尊敬的议员们。]
黄永宏博士：谢谢。这些讲义内容丰富，大家在聆听时可以慢慢浏览。你们也可以通过SG PARL MP手机应用程序获取。
首先是我们的GDP。如议员们所见，二十年前，我们的国防开支占GDP的5%。顺便说一句，每次预算公布时，我都会拿出来比较数据。中东国家的平均国防开支约占GDP的4%。欧洲当然正经历巨大动荡，他们的开支甚至不到2%。
但二十年前，我们的国防开支占GDP的5%。现在降至约3%，这是份额减少了40%。
我们开支比例下降，可能是因为政府总开支保持不变或减少。但政府总开支占GDP的比例实际上是增加的，从2000年代初的平均16%升至近年的平均18%。我想如果你听过黄总理的讲话，会知道我们的经济和收入流不会像以前那样高，这有结构性原因。我认为达到这个水平是好的。你们中有人，包括钟基雄先生，问过我们的未来国防开支，我会说未来十年我们的开支大致会维持在3%左右，上下浮动，但有一个重要前提：除非发生冲突和战争。
亚历克斯·严先生、郭振辉先生和黄俊伟先生问：“整体情况是这样，但这些开支都花到哪里了？你们如何准备武装部队？”这些都是很好的问题。
让我澄清，国防预算占GDP比例下降，并非因为武装部队削减了保卫新加坡所必需的开支。我们的国防能力从未受损，也不是因为人力减少。维克拉姆先生提到我们的国民服役人数会减少，我必须告诉他，已经减少了。上一次遇到龙年，我们都期待好消息。如今我们的总生育率是0.97。我们都期待一个“迷你龙年”。自1988年以来，我们没有真正的龙年。那是最后一个真正的龙年。之后的每个龙年都是迷你龙年。我希望今年我们会被证明错了，但这交给其他部门去处理。
人数减少是因为，正如历任国防部长和议员所说，我们持续保持国防开支，这是长期建设强大军队最有效和高效的方式。因此，今天我们正收获过去20年稳步投入的成果。如果我们继续明智投资，未来将收获更多。
如果你今天读报纸，丹麦的国防部长或首相说：“我们应该削减福利以增加国防开支。”我们绝不想处于那种境地。我们实际上想两者兼顾。稳定的长期国防开支使平台和能力能在必要时间内成熟，增强协同效应并提高效率。
让我用实际例子说明。Poh Li San女士问我们的F-35战机。这是一个很好的起点，说明我的意思。F-35投入使用后，将使新加坡空军跻身顶级行列。第六代战机正在研发，但还需时间。F-35投入使用时，我们将进入顶级行列。
我们何时开始关注F-35项目？你可能以为很简单，付钱就能买到。但我们处境非常不同。我们是新加坡，人口550万，开始评估F-35是在2004年，20年前。最初作为安全合作参与者，随后试探性订购了4架用于评估。
但正如Poh Li San女士所说，事态发展超出了预期。自那时起，F-35已被其他空军用于实战任务，这是任何战斗平台最终的考验。例如，美国和英国的F-35成功打击了中东的ISIS。最近，美国用F-35定位并识别了乌克兰境内俄罗斯部队的地对空导弹阵地，并将信息分享给北约国家。
迄今为止，全球已有超过900架F-35参与作战。我们开始评估时，数量远不及现在。其战场成功促使更多国家——瑞士、德国加入F-35项目。韩国、日本、英国等国追加订单。有人问是否存在供应链中断？F-35没有，反而订单更多，因为全球认可F-35是经过验证的第五代战斗机，具备先进的感知和打击能力。
全球约有2500架F-35，订单充足。因此价格更具竞争力。实际上，如果你今天订购F-35，价格与F-15EX相当。这就是竞争力所在。
我们将利用这一机会窗口加快F-35项目。正如Poh Li San女士所说，我们已订购4架加8架F-35B。这次，我们订购8架F-35A，补充现有的12架F-35B。
新加坡空军能冷静、理智地做出这些决定，是因为多年来稳定的国防开支。这也使我们能够对F-16C、D和D+进行中期升级，F-35将取代它们。升级后的F-16将从2030年代中期开始逐步退役。
我们将在2026年接收4架四年前订购的F-35B，进度似乎正常。随后8架F-35B将在2028年交付。今天宣布的F-35A型号，如果议会批准预算，将于2030年左右抵达。
为了这次机会采购，我们不得不优先考虑，推迟其他项目，但经过计算，我们认为现在是订购F-35A的最佳时机。为什么？因为F-35A设计续航更长，载荷能力更大，能补充短距起飞和垂直降落的F-35B。F-35A体积更大，航程更远，提供更多作战灵活性。
总之，F-16退役后，新加坡空军将操作F-35A、F-35B和F15SG，跻身顶级行列，具备执行保卫新加坡空域所需的全部任务能力。这将是一支强大的空军，保护我们的天空。
海军方面，我们的第一艘无敌级潜艇去年返回新加坡。你们可能没注意到，如果注意到了，那它就没发挥作用。潜艇投资巨大，显然我不能像飞机那样用它们参加国庆阅兵。但请放心，我们的潜艇将默默无声地保护周边水域。
今年晚些时候，我们将为其服役，并在基尔下水第四艘也是最后一艘潜艇。这个潜艇项目是为海军量身定制的——这是我们首次定制潜艇。此前我们订购的是二手潜艇，经过改装。当然，这是第一次从零开始与防务供应商合作，明确需求。我们何时开始？2000年，20年前。
国防是长期事业。正如包括黄俊伟先生在内的议员指出，你不能临时决定要有防御。泽连斯基总统最近亲自出席慕尼黑安全会议，他让听众感到寒意，他说：“欧洲国家，你们还没准备好应对入侵！”乌克兰尽管做了准备，仍未准备好。
晚上7点45分
接下来几天，大家反复问：“我们准备好应对入侵了吗？”《经济学人》封面标题是：欧洲准备好了吗？答案是否定的，因为他们未承诺足够的国防开支。有人问，如果美国减少承诺怎么办——美国也在选举周期中。现在欧洲人才说必须为自己的防御负责。
国防开支是长期事业，正因为我们坚持，四艘潜艇将在2028年前后在新加坡水域服役。潜艇是战略资产。军事爱好者会明白我的意思。
陆军方面，下一代装甲履带运输车（ATC）和下一代榴弹炮将投入服役。ATC将与Bronco履带运输车并行，替换老旧的BV206。你们中有人可能用过它——更安全、更机动。我知道这里有些议员来自炮兵部队，会理解新榴弹炮与旧型榴弹炮2000的区别。你们对旧榴弹炮有记忆。新榴弹炮自动装弹，射速更快，机动性更强，所需人力减少60%。
维克拉姆·奈尔先生和郭振辉先生问无人作战能力。乌克兰和中东局势证明无人平台已是当前战争的一部分，不是未来趋势。现代军队必备，且使用将日益广泛，我们也会如此。今年，海军的无人水面舰艇（USV）将全面投入使用。换言之，无人驾驶，全自动化。它将与近岸任务舰和巡逻舰一道巡逻新加坡海峡。
这些USV是本地设计制造，完全自主导航，能穿越繁忙航道。希望如此，他们向我保证了。新加坡海峡航运繁忙，这些无人舰艇已通过试验，表现良好。
此外，今年下半年，海军舰艇将配备近程无人机，扩大监视范围。也就是说，舰载无人机。
无人机也将配发给陆军士兵。你们中有科幻迷，知道电影里有人形机器人跟随保护。我们还没到那一步，但陆军士兵可使用微型无人机。
它们是步兵最后一公里侦察的利器。我们利用新一代技术熟练的国民服役兵。例如，三营新加坡步兵团的一级下士祖拜尔是无人机爱好者，利用他的专长改进无人机战术、技术和程序，包括从Terrex装甲车发射和操作。我们将继续利用国民服役兵的技能强化能力。
朱志明先生和维克拉姆·奈尔先生问我们是否能用这些技术，他们举了乌克兰、中东的例子，也担心敌人会用。你们说得对。必须假设潜在侵略者也能使用，并且规模更大。
恐怖分子可用低成本无人机发动攻击。用几百万美元的导弹攻击几千美元的无人机毫无意义，成本消耗会让你破产。这不可能是作战模式。我们意识到这些安全威胁，成立小组集思广益，开发可持续对策。
包括现成方案：干扰枪，或配备智能火控系统的普通步枪，内置计算机能精准击落小型无人机。
黄少文先生和黄俊伟先生说数字领域是日益激烈的战场。我完全同意。这也是我们2022年成立数字与信息服务局（DIS）的原因，提升能力，与其他国家机构紧密合作。亚历克斯·严先生也提到此事。DIS去年11月联合举办关键基础设施防御演习（CIDeX）。
约200名前线网络防御人员，25个国家机构参与。模拟勒索软件攻击和国家级网络攻击，目标是电力、水务、5G通信等关键基础设施。换言之，大家聚在一起模拟攻击，研究防御策略。
此类演习将定期举行，扩大覆盖更多领域。我们正在建设数字靶场，因不能在真实系统上演练。数字靶场将于2026年完成，能增加规模、复杂度和真实性。
总的来说，关于武装部队的硬件和系统，我们稳定的国防开支打造了一支现代化、高效、具备全面能力应对空、陆、海和网络威胁的武装部队。这是简短总结，背后是数十年官兵的辛勤努力和承诺，包括本院部分议员，以及你们对国防部预算的持续支持。
我已向议员们展示了手册中的编制图，但我们绝不能忘记人才。无论平台多先进，我们的实力取决于人才。我们在基础设施建设上投入巨大，训练国民服役兵和常备军。手册中有SAFTI城第一期和三个仪器化战斗回路。
我服役时，你们中有些人也许经历过演习时用空包弹“砰砰”互射，假装射击，没人受伤。我们已大大进步。现在用经皮电神经刺激（TENS）技术，电子射击识别系统。被击中即“阵亡”，车辆被击中即无法移动，更真实。
我们已建立这些设施，但城市建筑区尚无此类设施。SAFTI城第一期将实现这一点。仪器化战斗回路意味着进入建筑物、房间，穿戴相同装备，被击中即算中弹。训练效果极佳，可进行事后复盘和录像回放，查找错误。
Shoalwater Bay训练区接近完工。去年，我们派遣4300名人员、450个平台参加Wallaby演习，是历届最大规模。新加坡不仅致力于国防，还有友邦愿意开放国土供我们部署这些平台。
今年，扩建后的训练区将使演习规模增加近50%，训练时间从6周延长至9周。邻近的Greenvale训练区也将投入使用。武装部队合计训练区面积是新加坡的10倍。每年可部署14000名人员、2400辆车辆和装备。2024年将改善行政医疗设施。建设历时多年，现已见成效。
自1990年以来，我们一直在Shoalwater Bay训练区训练，感谢澳大利亚政府和人民给予的机会。
我试图用多个例子说明国防开支去向，整体呈现持续进步和良性循环，即使新威胁出现也能螺旋上升。但这关乎国防部和武装部队人员的心态，面对挑战的方式，不断强调做得更好、更安全，不仅保护新加坡，也改善士兵的生活体验。
Patrick Tay先生称之为“数字红利”，我同意。我们用更智能的聊天机器人回答人力资源咨询，减少反复沟通。另一个例子是生物识别技术。国防部总部某些限制区采用面部识别控制出入。它能识别你。外国人则无法进入。开个玩笑，不会开枪，只是不让进。我只是想看看你们是否还清醒。
国防科技局员工无需营区通行证即可上班，得益于这项技术。第二人民防卫军正在推行面部识别营区出入，目标是逐步推广至所有营区，成为和平时期的常态。战争和紧张时期可能有不同考量。人工智能应用需谨慎。
你们手中的讲义中有新中央人力基地（CMPB），位于Cashew地铁站对面。我们这一代是Dempsey阅兵广场。
英文原文
SPRS Hansard 原始记录 · 抓取日期：2026-05-02
The Chairman : Head J. Mr Vikram Nair.
Security Trends
Mr Vikram Nair (Sembawang) : Chairman, I beg to move, "That the total sum to be allocated for Head J of the Estimates be reduced by $100".
Sir, we live in a dangerous world. Following the end of World War II, the great powers of the world came together to build a cooperative framework for international relations. This included the setting up of the United Nations and the Bretton Woods institutions – namely the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund.
The Charter of the United Nations enshrines the prohibition against the use of force – except in self-defence. This rule is generally regarded as jus cogens – or a peremptory norm of international law – which means it is a rule that permits for no derogation.
Against this backdrop, Russia's invasion of Ukraine – in breach of this rule – is a direct challenge to the rule of international law itself. Russia is a member of the Security Council of the United Nations (UN) – the body that is supposed to lead the collective response of the UN to uphold international law.
When the rule of international law is threatened or breaks down, it leaves small nations like us particularly vulnerable.
Non-state actors are also becoming more powerful and potentially destabilising. The Israel-Hamas conflict has escalated dramatically since October, resulting in devastating loss of life. This is a conflict between Israel, which is – some argue – an occupying power in the Gaza; and Hamas, an organisation that has de facto control over the territory, but as a non-state actor. The violence has spread beyond the Gaza Strip, spilling into Lebanon and the Red Sea – threatening to destabilise the Middle East.
The world is likely be more volatile and unpredictable in the coming year. As a small country, Singapore is vulnerable to changes in its external security environment – a peaceful order is critical to Singapore's success.
Could the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) therefore provide an update on the major global and regional trends that MINDEF and the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) are closely monitoring, and how MINDEF and SAF will be affected by these trends?
[(proc text) Question proposed. (proc text)]
MINDEF's Plans and Priorities
Mr Alex Yam (Marsiling-Yew Tee) : Mr Chairman, in the last few years, we stood witness to the winds of change sweeping across our globe. The pillars of international order have trembled and weakened under the weight of discord and conflict – casting shadows of uncertainty on all of us.
Let us take for a moment to reflect on the sobering reality that the Russia-Ukraine War, is now into its third year. It has transcended mere territorial battlegrounds and has spilled into the virtual realm of cyber warfare and disinformation – shaping perceptions and narratives everywhere. Ukraine's resilient defence, buoyed by initial international solidarity – albeit now more tenuous than it was at the start of the war – stands as a testament to the indomitable spirit of the Ukrainian people. Yet, regrettably, the horizon remains shrouded in ambiguity – devoid of a clear end to this protracted conflict.
And while the world's gaze was on Europe, another conflict rages now in the Middle East, where the ancient sands bear witness to a modern-day tragedy unfolding before all of us. The clash between Israel and Hamas serves as a poignant reminder of unresolved grievances and deep-seated animosities that have marred the region not just for decades – but for centuries and millennia. The hopes for a lasting peace seem now dashed against the rocks of historical enmity, leaving the world grappling for solutions in the face of entrenched divisions – not just far from our shores but within our own borders and between communities.
In this crucible of conflict, we witness the evolution of warfare itself, where traditional boundaries between conventional and unconventional tactics now blur into obscurity. Tactical innovation have birthed a new breed of weaponry, where hybrid tools serve as the vanguards of destruction in an ever-shifting landscape of battle.
Amidst this chaos and turmoil that grip our world, we must not lose sight of the implications that they hold for all of us – especially here in Singapore. Singapore, despite our small size, stands as a beacon of stability in a turbulent sea and it is incumbent upon us to remain vigilant, adaptable and resolute in the defence of our sovereignty.
As we navigate the treacherous waters, let us stand firm against the tides of adversity – fortified by the knowledge that together, we can overcome even the greatest of challenges.
In conclusion, I call upon the Minister for Defence to shed light on how MINDEF and the SAF are adapting plans and priorities to the evolving threats that confront us and how we can collectively chart a course together towards a future defined not by conflict, but by cooperation and peace.
Defence Spending
Mr Chong Kee Hiong (Bishan-Toa Payoh) : Chairman, the world is unfortunately experiencing more political turbulence and military strife. We have witnessed two major conflicts in the last few years and despite many international appeasement attempts, there are no signs of abatement. The rising temperature of US-China relations further adds to the global woes.
Wary of the implications and the undercurrents of all these discords, many governments have increased their defence spending and some have gone on defence shopping sprees to fill their capability gaps.
In Singapore's case, we have always put national defence as our priority. It has always been a non-negotiable since our Independence. In spite of the trade-offs and opportunity cost, our Government – with the trust and confidence of our citizens – has made steady investments in defence, as we have understood the importance of self-reliance.
It is in this light that I would like to ask the Minister for Defence about our defence expenditure. What are the projections for our defence spending this year and what are the Ministry's priorities? What are the main issues or challenges in the process of procurement and maintenance and how is the Ministry overcoming these constraints?
SAF's Transformation Plans
Mr Kwek Hian Chuan Henry (Kebun Baru) : Chairman, as my Parliamentary colleagues have said, it has been over two years since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. As Ukraine faces mounting shortages in traditional weapons systems and ammunition, their military has had to deploy low-cost drones on an improvised basis – which they have done with considerable success.
Earlier this month, the Ukrainian President announced the creation of a separate branch of the Ukrainian Armed Forces devoted to drones. This is not the first conflict where unmanned aerial vehicles are being deployed in significant numbers, but the scale at which the drones have been deployed has resulted in major changes to the warfighting on the battlefield.
In fact, the unprecedented numbers have led some to call this the world's first drone war. Apart from electronic-warfare drone swarms, we are also seeing the use of cyber warfare not just to target civilian infrastructure but also to achieve battlefield intelligence dominance in the Israel-Hamas conflict.
In the Red Sea crisis, the Houthis are weaponising civilian technology to disrupt international trade flow and leveraging asymmetrical warfare by using anti-tank and anti-aircraft missiles. In the coming years, we can expect that warfare will be further shaped by the use of artificial intelligence and direct-energy weapons.
With all this going on, can MINDEF share on the progress of the SAF's Next Generation transformation plans? With technological advances changing the face of warfare so rapidly, how can MINDEF ensure that that the SAF is able to deal with evolving security threats in a timely, but financially prudent manner?
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SAF's Acquisitions
Mr Don Wee (Chua Chu Kang) : : Chairman, at last year's COS debate, Defence Minister Dr Ng said to the House that "we must never forget that defence is a long-term business." He went on to elaborate that for the SAF, major systems and platforms take 10 to 15 years to conceptualise, build and integrate into its fighting force, assuming all goes well.
I am glad that Singapore has always taken a long-term view on defence. We cannot wait until conflict is at our doorstep, in order to prepare and defend ourselves.
Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, governments around the world have been rushing to build and buy new weapons as the war has put a significant strain on their stockpiles. However, even with increased spending in defence, it could be years before countries start to reap the dividends of their increased investment. Such are the unfortunate consequences of not making consistent investments in defence.
In March last year, the online publication Defense News reported that Italy was considering the quick procurement of tanks and infantry fighting vehicles to serve as gap fillers before long-term projects took shape. The war in Ukraine has brought to the fore the importance of ground warfare capabilities, and Italy's stock of tanks and infantry fighting vehicles were ageing and depleting.
I hope that in Singapore, we take in the hard lessons learnt by other countries. We cannot wait until things are heating up to prioritise investing in defence. Hence, MINDEF previously informed the House that the SAF would be adding more platforms and capabilities over the next decade.
As the nature of conflict evolves, it is important for Singapore to be able to effectively defend herself against increasingly sophisticated conventional military and non-conventional threats. In particular, the war in Ukraine has shown us the continued importance of countries maintaining high-end, conventional military capabilities. Would MINDEF provide an update on the progress of the SAF's acquisitions and capability development plans?
F-35B Fighter Jets Acquisition
Ms Poh Li San (Sembawang) : Mr Chairman, MINDEF had previously announced plans to acquire the F-35B fighter jets. Can MINDEF provide an update on this acquisition? As a small country with no strategic depth, it is important for Singapore to have an effective military to deter potential aggression. We are keenly aware that it is necessary for us to modernise our military and ensure that the SAF can protect Singapore.
Over the past few years, MINDEF has provided updates on the modernisation of the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) through the purchase of advanced fighter aircraft and other systems, which play a pivotal role in a nation's defence capabilities.
In March 2019, MINDEF announced that it would purchase four F-35B aircraft, with an eye towards procuring a fleet of F-35s to replace the RSAF's ageing F-16 fleet. Since then, MINDEF has announced that it would acquire an additional eight aircraft, for a total of twelve. The Minister for Defence had also said that the RSAF would take delivery of its first four aircraft in 2026.
However, over the past few years, the world seen many supply chain challenges, which have impacted the timelines for the delivery of some military platforms. Could MINDEF provide an update please?
Unmanned Technology
Mr Vikram Nair : Chairman, given Singapore's declining birth rates, we can expect that our full-time national servicemen and operationally ready National Servicemen (NSmen) cohorts will shrink in the coming years. The SAF will need to do more, with less manpower. It is clear that new technologies have the potential to help organisations optimise and streamline operations.
Notably, the use of drones and other unmanned technologies can help to make up for tighter manpower constraints, and I understand that MINDEF has already made significant progress in this area. Unmanned technologies also enhance the military's capability edge. Mechanised warfare reduces the need to put troops in danger. There is also an ability to fight with precision, while limiting human frailties and vulnerabilities. For this reason, I ask about updates and developments in this area regularly in COS debates.
I am heartened that MINDEF normally reports impressive developments on this front each year. During last year's COS debate, the Minister for Defence highlighted that when used at scale, unmanned platforms in the air, land and sea would be a game changer in the future. We have seen examples of drones being used in ongoing conflicts, such as in Ukraine and in the Middle East.
Given the role that unmanned and autonomous technologies will play in the military domain moving forward, it is more important than ever for the SAF to utilise and integrate such technologies. The Minister for Defence also said that more unmanned aerial and ground vehicles would be introduced in our combat units, and the RSN would be shifting towards a force structure, in which half of its vessels would be unmanned.
On the flip side though, automated technologies also pose greater risk to our forces, given barriers to entry and costs are relatively low. This may provide opportunities for enemies, including non-state actors, to use these technologies to threaten Singapore's securities.
Could MINDEF provide an update on how the SAF has been integrating unmanned technologies to enhance its capabilities, and also dealing with the potential threat from these technologies?
Evolving Military Threats
Mr Desmond Choo (Tampines) : Chairman, in January this year, Houthi rebels fired what the Associated Press reported as their "largest-ever barrage of drones and missiles" targeting shipping in the Red Sea. And just days ago, the US Central Command said that it had observed the Houthis using underwater drones against ships for the first time.
There is growing commentary on the increasingly consequential role drones will play as a terrorist tactic and in the wars of the future. Many of these drones are relatively inexpensive. They can also be deployed at scale and pose a significant threat to our security. One-way attack drones, like the ones that the Houthis are using in the Red Sea, are estimated to cost roughly US$2,000.
In its attacks on 7 October 2023, Hamas deployed commercial quadcopter drones with explosives to disrupt Israeli military infrastructure. In the Ukrainian-Russian war, drones have changed the complex of what was a conventional war. The attacks have changed because of attack and kamikaze drones. There were reports of commercial drones being retrofitted with explosives to attack conventional armies. Furthermore, there has been greater use of drones for surveillance and to direct artillery fire.
Even the most advanced militaries are still grappling with how best to respond to these threats and new developments. One British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) report described how the United States (US) Marine Corps had modified its fighter jets to serve an air defence role, in response to Houthi drone attacks.
The US' interceptions have proven to be effective. However, one can imagine that the risks to servicemen to perform these missions are significant and the cost of each mission is high. If adversaries were to scale up such attacks, existing military responses would not be sustainable.
We have not even examined how a swarm drone attack could be successfully defended, especially when it could be fully autonomous in time to come. Large swarms of drones can overwhelm conventional defences. This leads to questions on whether current air defences are adequate.
The threat that I have described is just one that we are aware of today. But bad actors are continuing to find even more creative and cost-effective ways to evade and weaken conventional military defences. These tactics could exploit new technologies or commercially available, dual-use platforms.
How is MINDEF/SAF meeting the drones challenge? Given the rapidly changing security environment, what is MINDEF/SAF doing to safeguard against emerging and evolving technologies and tactics that can be used to undermine our security? How is MINDEF training its personnel to meet evolving threats?
Threats in the Digital Domain
Mr Shawn Huang Wei Zhong (Jurong) : Chairman, the nature of warfare is evolving, with battles no longer confined to the traditional physical domains of the sea, air and land. It is taking place in the digital domain. Increasingly, it is possible to inflict more damage by infiltrating networks, sabotaging government or civilian infrastructure and disrupting day-to-day operations. Similar to conventional warfare, such attacks target a country by eroding trust in the government, undermine social cohesion and weaken military industrial capacity.
We have seen this strategy play out, for example, the hacking operations on Israeli sites and apps, as well as multiple Internet blackouts in the Gaza Strip since the start of the Israeli-Hamas conflict. Closer to home, we also remember the disruption caused by the SingHealth data breach in 2018, the distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks on StarHub in 2016 and the 2017 cyberattack on MINDEF systems.
In view of Singapore's vulnerability to such attacks, could the Minister for Defence provide views on what MINDEF/SAF is doing to address threats in the digital domain, including steps that the Digital and Intelligence Service (DIS) is taking to guard against these threats?
Updates on the Digital and Intelligence Service
Mr Don Wee : Chairman, in a commentary published by the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Asst Prof Michael Raska wrote that the main source of strategic advantage in the next 10 years will lie in the ability of modern military organisations to fully integrate innovations in artificial intelligence, cyber power and data science, as well as cognitive science and robotics across all levels of operations and warfare.
For the SAF to maintain its edge, it should continuously evolve to take advantage of new digital technologies. The SAF should also continuously develop responses to defend against new threats.
In view of these rapidly evolving developments, I think that the establishment of the SAF's DIS over a year ago was very timely. It may take many years to fully integrate various digital and cyber capabilities and assets across all levels of operations, and of course, across the three Services, and for the service personnel to build up operational experience. The Ministry is taking the right and necessary steps.
Can MINDEF provide a progress update on the DIS? What steps have been taken to build up its capabilities? How has the DIS been working together with the other agencies in Singapore that operate in the digital domain, in order to boost our security?
Enhancing SAF Training and Readiness
Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim (Chua Chu Kang) : Chairman, many SAF regulars and NSmen have had the opportunity to train overseas, which allows them to gain ground experience and apply their skills and knowledge in an operational context. This is especially critical for certain types of training that would otherwise be challenging or impossible here, given Singapore's space constraints.
As our global outlook becomes more uncertain, we cannot assume that we will always be able to maintain our current access to overseas training areas. It is, therefore, important to explore different ways to ensure that our NSmen and women train well and remain operationally ready.
Can MINDEF provide an update on efforts to improve local and overseas training? In particular, how are we leveraging technological advancements to maximise the value and efficiency of the SAF's training? What opportunities has the SAF taken advantage of, to provide our servicemen with practical experiences in either conflict zones or humanitarian missions abroad?
Using Technology to Improve Processes
Mr Patrick Tay Teck Guan (Pioneer) : Chairman, my cut is on using technology to improve processes. While the worst of the pandemic might be behind us, it has impacted how we live and work, and pushes us towards embracing new ways of working, specifically going digital and leveraging technologies.
From cloud technology to AI tools to robotic assistance, we have read about how these technologies are transforming the modern workplace. As the world becomes more digitalised, expectations for greater productivity and efficiency will likely ensue. We will need to seize the opportunity to lock in the digital gain and deliver better and also faster.
MINDEF and the SAF has embraced digitalisation and modernised many generations of our forces since decades ago. I would like to ask how MINDEF and SAF is using technology, including generative artificial intelligence (GenAI), to improve the day-to-day experience of its servicemen and servicewomen and uplift their collective capabilities?
Defending Our Interests Underwater
Ms Sylvia Lim (Aljunied) : Sir, as a maritime nation, Singapore is dependent on unfettered access to sea lanes of communication and air routes, bringing goods and people to and from our shores. Disruption of these connections could prove costly.
Indeed, continued investments in our Air Force and Navy, as well as efforts to work with regional and international partners, provide Singapore with an added guarantee of such access.
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Our nation's interests beneath the waves are no less important. Submarine cables bring data from everything from our financial markets to design blueprints and overseas orders to and from Singapore. These cables also help connect the Middle East, South Asia, and with us in Southeast and Northeast Asia.
I understand that there are even plans to increase the number of submarine cable landing sites in Singapore. There are also plans to provide electricity to Singapore via undersea cables. They come in addition to undersea pipelines to carry gas, including from West Natuna in Indonesia. We know that these undersea assets can become targets for attack or sabotage during crisis and are also subject to accidental damage during peacetime.
This is evident from the 2022 Nord Stream 2 explosion, as well as the severing of submarine cables in the Baltic Sea and between Taiwan and Matsu last year. These risks are more real, with increased tensions in Asia and the South China Sea, driven by US-PRC competition and growing maritime traffic. Could the Minister for Defence assure Singaporeans of our ability to protect and repair these undersea assets independently and in conjunction with partners? What are the efforts to enhance such capabilities?
The Chairman : Mr Alex Yam. Take your two cuts together.
Transnational Threats
Mr Alex Yam (Marsiling-Yew Tee) : Mr Chairman, in our rapidly changing world, the nature of threats we face is evolving. We now on confront a growing array of non-conventional security challenges. Terrorism, cyber-attacks and the spread of disinformation are on the rise, both in frequency and impact.
Just last October, a devastating terrorist attack orchestrated by Hamas struck Israel, claiming the lives of innocent individuals. This heinous act sparked a brutal conflict between Israel and Hamas. Israel's disproportionate force and violence, despite the right to self-defence, has led to the loss of thousands of lives and the displacement of countless others.
The repercussions of this conflict extend far beyond their immediate battlegrounds. Here, in Southeast Asia, a prolonged Israel-Hamas confrontation heightens the risk of radicalisation, posing a threat not just to Singapore but to our neighbours as well.
Furthermore, cyber-attacks and the dissemination of false information have become preferred tactics for hostile entities seeking to further their agendas. These attacks are insidious, widespread and challenging to trace, capable of inflicting severe damage on our critical infrastructure and undermining public trust. Given Singapore's heavy reliance on digital technologies, we must remain vigilant against such threats.
ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting Cybersecurity and Information Centre
Take, for example, the issue of ransomware, which remains a serious concern in Singapore. Ransomware groups are becoming more sophisticated, swiftly extracting data and using tailored threats to coerce victims into paying up.
It is clear therefore the challenges cannot be tackled by any single nation alone. Cooperation and coordination are essential. Therefore, I am eager to learn about the strategies and initiatives undertaken by MINDEF to address these common threats that transcend our national borders.
To address these challenges, Singapore took the proactive step of establishing the ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting Cybersecurity and Information Centre for Excellence, the ADMM ACICE, in 2021. This move came amidst the growing digitalisation of society and the increasing prevalence of cyberattacks as well as disinformation and misinformation. I am pleased that the physical centre for ACICE was officially launched on 18 July last year.
This initiative is crucial because cyber and information threats are multifaceted and constantly evolving. It is clear that collaboration with other ASEAN member states and international partners is essential.
Therefore, I am also keen to find out from the Minister for Defence about the progress of ACICE and its plans for the future. How does ACICE intend to build upon its existing work to enhance cybersecurity and combat disinformation?
The Chairman : Minister Ng Eng Hen.
The Minister for Defence (Dr Ng Eng Hen) : Mr Chairman, Mr Vikram Nair began his cut by asserting that our world is a much more dangerous world. Subsequent Members of Parliament (MPs) gave their spiels on the events around us. I do not think anyone in this House or out of it needs to be convinced that indeed the world has become a more dangerous place.
Just last week was 24 February, another day in infamy. We are now in the third year of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. As many of the Members rightly pointed out, the Israel-Hamas conflict risks a contagion effect over the Middle East and there is a de facto trade war between the US and China.
We are all concerned that the US and China can clash over Taiwan. If that happens, that will be a very bleak Asia for a very long time.
When was this region beset with such trouble? If you remember your Shakespeare: "double, double toil and trouble; fire burn and cauldron bubble".
The last time the region experienced this kind of turmoil and potential danger was probably in the 1980s during the Sino-Viet Conflicts that lasted from 1979 to 1991. The Singapore's Pioneer Generation (PG) lived through those tumultuous, perilous times, not only through that period, but for 60 years. The Japanese Occupation in the 1940s, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, Konfrontasi. 60 years. Mr Lee Kuan Yew recounted that he had to sing four national anthems because of the political upheavals that lasted 60 years. Those experiences hardened the PG that were born in the 1920s and 1930s.
And the first order of the day when we gained Independence was to form the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF). It was a visceral reaction.
My generation and for some of us in this House, were born in the 1950s and 1960s, the Merdeka Generation (MG). We lucked out. Many families like mine were poor at the start, but as Singapore prospered, so did we. It was the heyday for open trade and liberalisation, and when the Cold War ended in 1991, the global economy took off, lifting standards of living even higher today.
So, Singapore's per capita gross domestic product (GDP) is the highest in Asia. When did we exceed Japan, the second highest? In 2007.
With a strong dollar, overseas travel has become less expensive. I still remember as a boy when £1 was more than S$7. Fish-and-chips was expensive at that time.
Prices in Japan were prohibitive. Now, hordes of Singaporeans go to Japan – not quite expensive.
Sixty years of confrontation the PG lived through. The MG has lived through 30 years of relative peace. And we have assumed that this is the norm. Which is the norm – what the PG went through, or what the MG went through?
If you had asked me even five years ago, I would have said that the current generation – they are lumped together, Gen X, Millennials, Gen Z and other alphabets – would be just as lucky as the MG. Because despite Brexit, the European Union (EU) held – if you remember, the EU was formed in 1993.
During that time, there was a rising economic co-dependency with Russia, even in energy supplies. Before the Ukraine invasion, Russia supplied 55% of gas consumed in Germany. You do not buy gas in that proportion, if you did not believe in peace and lasting peace.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine dealt a death blow to Europe's integration for a generation at least. Worse still, seeds of future discord and conflict have been sown. As the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Josep Borrell said at the Shangri-La Dialogue held here last year, "This war is changing the role of Europe. Europe was and is a project for peace and about peace. But now we face a world where war is something that is in every corner, and these corners are close to our houses."
In the Middle East, the signed Abraham Accords held out the future of accelerated peace and progress in that region. The zeitgeist following the Abraham Accords, not seen or thought possible for a long time, was to avoid conflict and find common cause so that that region could develop economically. This was a dictum following Deng Xiaoping: "to get rich is glorious", instead of war. And for this higher cause, even Saudi Arabia's Mohammed bin Salman reversed his position with the Houthis in Yemen, whom he had unleashed deadly strikes on earlier on. So, in this conflict, there is a reversal of roles. The US is striking the Houthis and the Saudis are saying: I want to make peace. That attack by Hamas on 7 October 2023 upended, delayed, if not decimated, these aspirations in the Middle East.
Between the US and China, a trade war has already started. The plan on the US side is to conscribe it to limited areas, particularly high-end technology that have a bearing on national security. In theory, this seems possible. "Small yard, high fences" is the neat way that the US puts it. But in practice, it is much harder because in the name of national security, the yard could get bigger. Right now, a bill in the US Congress targets to exclude Chinese biopharma manufacturing because, I suppose, you could produce something, pharmaceuticals, that weakens your national security. Tomorrow, it may be electric vehicles.
And of course, there is capital, the most fungible of all assets. If a country or company invests large sums in China, would it be seen as helping the potential adversary? And if so, what punitive measures or restrictions might be taken against that country?
In this inter-connected world, will borders erected for national security regress the world to alliances and trade blocs as it did pre-World Wars I and II, and the Cold War?
We are seeing this before our very eyes. That is the privilege of this generation. We are seeing it play out: all the world's a stage. It will take one, two decades for these various scenarios to come to fruition, whatever the outcomes.
Two weeks ago, I was at the Munich Security Conference, the 60th. They titled this 60th Munich Security Conference as "Lose-Lose?" because everywhere they turned, and they analysed all the situations, every scenario they had talked about, both sides lose, and the world loses.
This was my 12th Munich Security Conference. In 2014, I attended the 50th Munich Security Conference. There was a special session organised. I will never forget it. On stage was Henry Kissinger, Helmut Schmidt, former French President Valéry Giscard d'Estaing. All three gentlemen have passed away since. It has been the 50th Munich Security Conference. Helmut Schmidt and Henry Kissinger had been present in the inaugural Munich Security Conference in 1963. It was such a special forum. It had been 50 years of peace. The mood was one of celebration. I remember President Valéry Giscard d'Estaing saying that Europe had eliminated the concept of war. It was just one decade ago.
All those dreams have been decimated. I can assure this House that surprises and unintended consequences are in store, some linked, others completely out of the blue. When the ambient temperature of geopolitics rises, sparks and fires will arise from multiple sources.
So, I have reversed my assessment for today's generation in Singapore and elsewhere. The risk of regional and even global conflict, even in the next decade, has become non-zero. I do not make this assessment lightly.
What are the precise odds? It is not productive. We are not Nostradamus. It is imponderable and your guess is as good as mine. But the most important question, I think, is what some Members here have said – Vikram Nair, Alex Yam and others. What can Singapore, as a small country, and Singaporeans, do realistically to prepare ourselves as best as we can for disruptions and unintended consequences? Because there will be disruptions and intended consequences – that we can be sure. How we meet it, we are not sure.
7.30 pm
I remember US Defense Secretary Gates; I quote him often for this quote. He was addressing West Point Military Academy graduates. And he told the West Point graduates that for the last decade, the US Department of Defense's record for predicting where they would be within a year of the conflict, was perfect. They never got it right. One year, with all its machinery of intelligence collection and prediction, the US Administration never got it right. So, we cannot pretend to know what will come and yet, we have to prepare. So, how do we prepare Singapore for this uncertain future?
First, I think, we should recognise that Singaporeans have more to protect and with more resources to do so, compared to the PG and MG. Some Singaporeans may remember the invasion of Kuwait by Iraq in 1990. Among the justifications for the invasion, Iraq accused Kuwait of stealing oil – there was a particular field, it is called Al-Rumaylah oil field, which straddles both states, across the borders. Iraq said, "you are pumping from your side, but you are siphoning off from my side." Geographically, I think it is possible, but that was the claim, anyhow. Wealthy, small Kuwait with its rich resources was a tempting and lucrative victim. Wealthy, small Singapore can be a lucrative target, without a strong defence.
In that invasion, the US came to the rescue of Kuwait and led 42 countries to join forces in an air and ground war. The SAF provided support for casualties. We deployed a 30-member medical team to the region.
But I want to make clear here, that if ever something similar happens to us here in Singapore, this Government, MINDEF and the SAF do not plan on the basis that we can depend on another country to come to our rescue. If Singaporeans will not or cannot defend Singapore, there is no backstop. That is the simple truth. A strong SAF acts a deterrent against aggression towards us and keeps adventurism at bay.
When I listen to the speeches of MPs, it was heartening because all of you understand, across the aisle, of whatever political persuasion, we are on our own. And I want to thank Members of this House for supporting MINDEF's Budget every year.
We do spend precious dollars consistently on defence, as some of you observed. Money which could have benefited other causes, but we know that without security, there can be no progress. Singapore was ranked the sixth most peaceful country in the world in the latest Global Peace Index. I do not know and do not want to find out, what our ranking would have been if we had not put in the necessary investments to build a strong SAF. I think that experiment would be too costly.
Mr Chong Kee Hiong asked to give us details on the defence spending this year and subsequent years. Let me do that.
In the coming Financial Year, MINDEF projects an expenditure of around $20.2 billion – a 2.5% increase from last year, FY23. If you compare this to 2022, the increase is higher, but that was because we were catching up – projects and activities disrupted by the pandemic.
Despite nominal increases for defence spending over the past years, the share as a percentage of GDP has been falling mainly because Singapore's GDP has been growing faster than defence spending. That is a good outcome.
With your permission, Mr Chairman, I have asked the Clerks to distribute handouts.
The Chairman : Please go ahead. [ Handouts were distributed to hon Members. ]
Dr Ng Eng Hen : Thank you. These handouts are instructive, so, while you are listening, take your time to peruse it. You can also access this through SG PARL MP mobile app.
First, our GDP. As Members can see, two decades ago, we were spending 5% of GDP on defence. By the way, every time Budget comes around, I pick up and compare figures. The average Middle East spending, Middle Eastern countries is about 4% of GDP. Europe, of course, is undergoing huge turmoil, they have not spent even 2%.
But two decades ago, we were spending 5% of GDP on defence. Now, we are down to about 3%. That is a 40% reduction in share.
Now, we could be decreasing because Total Government spending has been either maintained or is reducing. But total Government spending as a percentage of GDP has increased, from an average of 16% in the early 2000s to an average of 18% in recent years. I think if you listen to Deputy Prime Minister Wong, there are structural reasons why our economy and our revenue flows will not be as high as before. I think it is good that we reach this level, and some of you have asked, including Mr Chong what are our future defence spending is, I would say that our spending can stay around 3%, move up or down a bit, but in this range over the next decade, with one important caveat: barring conflicts and wars, obviously.
Mr Alex Yam, Mr Henry Kwek and Mr Don Wee asked "That is the overall picture, but where has this spending gone? And how are you preparing the SAF?" These are excellent questions.
Let me make clear the decrease in defence budget as a percentage of GDP was not because the SAF cut back on what is necessary to defend Singapore. Our defence capabilities have never been compromised. It is also not because our manpower has come down. I think Mr Vikram noted that our NS cohorts, he said, "will be coming down." I must tell him it has already come down. And the last time we were in a dragon year, all of us expected that to have good news. Today, our total fertility rate is 0.97. We all expect a mini dragon. We never had real dragons for a long time since 1988. That was the last real dragon. Beyond that, every dragon cycle are mini dragons. I hope we are proven wrong this year, but let us leave that to another Ministry.
It has come down because as various Defence Ministers and including MPs have said, we sustained defence spending and that was the most effective and efficient means of building a strong military over the longer term. So, today, we are reaping dividends of the sums we put in steadily over the past 20 years. And if we continue to invest wisely, we will reap more dividends in the future.
If you read the newspapers today, what the Denmark, either the Defence Minister or Prime Minister was saying, "we should cut back on welfare to increase our defence spending." We never want to be in that position. We actually want to do both. Steady long-term defence spending enables platforms and capabilities to mature over the necessary timeline and to enhance synergy and reap efficiencies.
Let me illustrate to make it more clear with practical examples along the way. Ms Poh Li San asked about our F-35s. So, that is a good place to start, to illustrate what I mean. The F-35s when operational will put the RSAF in the Premier League. That is it. The sixth generations are being developed, but it will take some time. So, when they are operational, we will be in the Premier League.
When did we start looking at the F-35 programme? You think it is a matter of course, right? You pay the money, you get it. But we are in a very, very different position. We are in Singapore – 5.5 million people, looking at F-35s. And we started evaluating the F-35s in 2004, 20 years ago. First, as a Security Cooperation Participant, and then we dipped our feet in the water tentatively, ordered four aircrafts for evaluation. But since then, as Ms Poh Li San recognised, events have overtaken that. Because since that period, the F-35s have been deployed by other air forces for real missions, which is the final test of any evaluation, final test of any combat platform. So, for example, the US and the UK, their F-35s, they conducted successful strikes against ISIS in the Middle East. More recently, the US used their F-35s to locate and identify surface-to-air missile sites of Russian units in Ukraine. This information was shared with NATO countries.
So, to-date, more than 900 F-35s have flown in operations around the world. When we began our evaluation, these were not the numbers. And their battlefield successes have prompted more countries – Switzerland, Germany, to jump on board the F-35 programme. Other countries, South Korea, Japan, UK, have placed additional orders. So, a question was asked whether there are supply chain disruptions? Not for the F-35, in fact, the reverse. More orders have gone in because around the world, they have recognised that the F-35 is a proven fifth generation fighter aircraft; advanced sense and strike capabilities.
So, globally, there are close to 2,500 F-35s, and that is a healthy pipeline on the order book. Because of that the price is now more competitive. In fact, if you buy an F-35, put in an order for it, it is not like a car, but you understand what I am saying. If you put in an order for an F-35 today, the price is comparable to an F-15EX. That is how competitive it is.
So, we will capitalise on this window of opportunity to accelerate our F-35 programme. We have ordered, as Ms Poh Li San said four plus eight F-35Bs. This time, we are putting in an order to acquire eight F-35As, adding to our 12 F-35Bs.
The RSAF could take these decisions deliberately, cool and calculated mindset, because of the steady defence spending over the years. And this allowed our mid-life upgrade of F-16Cs, our Ds and D+s, which the F-35 will replace. The F-16s, after their mid-life upgrade, will be drawn down progressively from mid-2030 onwards.
We will receive the first four F-35Bs which we ordered four years ago in 2026; it seems to be on schedule. And the subsequent eight F-35Bs that we are in 2028. That is a couple of years from now. The F-35A variant that I am announcing today, if Parliament approves this Budget, will arrive around 2030.
We have to deprioritise other projects for this opportunity buy, but we have done our calculations and we think that this is the best time to put in the order for the F-35As. Why? Because the F-35As are designed for greater endurance. They have the ability to carry a payload at higher capacity. They complement the F-35Bs which are short, take off and vertical landing, because the F-35As are bigger, bulkier, bigger range, and provide more operational flexibility.
In sum, after the F-16s retire, the RSAF will operate F-35As, F-35Bs and F15SGs. Premier League. Capable of performing the full suite of missions required to defend Singapore skies. This will be a capable Air Force above all to protect our skies.
For the Navy, our first invincible class submarine returned to Singapore last year. You did not notice. If you notice, then it is not doing its job. Submarines are a hefty investment and obviously, I cannot use them for National Day Parade, like I do our planes. But rest assured that our submarines will silently and stealthily protect the waters around us.
Later this year, we will commission her, as well as launch the fourth and final submarine in Kiel. This submarine programme, custom made for the RSN – this is the first time we have got them custom-made. Previously, we ordered used submarines, adapted for our use, of course. But this is the first time, from scratch, we dealt with the defence supplier, this is what we need. When did we start this? 2000. Twenty years ago.
Defence is a long-term business. And as some of you rightly pointed out, including Mr Don Wee, you cannot decide that you are going to have defences up. President Zelensky spoke at the recent Munich Security Conference, in person. He sent a chill down the audience's spine, when he said, I think, "You European countries, are not ready for an invasion!" Ukraine, despite all its preparations, was not ready.
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For the next few days, that was the question back and forth, "Are we ready for an invasion?" So, if you look The Economist's front page, the title is: Is Europe Ready? It is not. Because they have not committed to that defence spending. Questions were asked, what happens if the US – they are looking at elections, too – what happens if the US reduces its commitment? And only now are the Europeans saying we have to be responsible for our own defence.
Defence spending is a long-term business and because we stuck to it, all four submarines will be operational around Singapore waters by 2028. Submarines are a strategic asset. Those of you who are military buffs will understand what I mean.
For the Army, the next-generation Armoured Tracked Carriers (ATCs) and the next-generation Howitzers will be brought into service. The ATCs will operate alongside the Bronco Tracked Carrier and replace the older BV206. Some of you may have used it – more protected, more mobile. I know that some Members here are from the artillery and will appreciate the difference between the new Howitzer and the old field Howitzer 2000 that they operated. You have memories of your old Howitzer that you operated. The new Howitzers are self-loading, shoot faster and move, and require 60% less manpower.
Mr Vikram Nair and Mr Henry Kwek asked what about unmanned capabilities. The Ukraine situation, the situation in the Middle East, have proven that unmanned platforms are already part of today's current war, not even future. And it is a given in any modern military, and it will be increasingly used, and we will do the same. So, this year, the Navy's Unmanned Surface Vessel (USV) goes fully operational. In other words, no person on it, fully unmanned, automated. It will patrol the Singapore Strait alongside our Littoral Mission Vessels and patrol vessels.
Locally designed, manufactured, these USVs, fully autonomous, can navigate our busy shipping lanes. Touch wood, that is what they promised me. It is a busy shipping strait, and these are unmanned, but I think they were put to trials and they performed.
In addition, our Navy ships will have Close-Range Unmanned Aerial Vehicles by the second half of this year to extend their range for surveillance. So, UAVs on ships.
The UAVs will also filter down to the soldiers in the Army. Some of you are sci-fi buffs and you know the movies where you have your own personal android that follows you that can survey and shoot people and protect you. We are not there yet, but our Army soldiers can use their own micro-UAVs.
They will be an asset for soldiers on foot for last-mile surveillance. And we are tapping on a new generation of NSmen who are tech-savvy. So, for example, Corporal First Class Zubayr. He is an avid drone enthusiast. They tapped on his expertise. He comes from 3rd Battalion Singapore Infantry Regiment (3 SIR) to refine the drone tactics, techniques, procedures, including launching and operating from a Terrex. And we will continue to harness the skills of our NSmen to strengthen our capabilities.
Mr Desmond Choo, Mr Vikram Nair asked if we can use it, and they gave examples of current missions in Ukraine, in the Middle East, others can use it against us. You are absolutely right. You have to assume that a potential aggressor can do the same. They can scale it.
Terrorists can use low-cost drones to launch attacks here. It makes very little sense to launch a couple of million-door missiles to attack a couple of thousand dollars drone. The attrition of costs will bankrupt you. So, that cannot be the modus operandi. We are alive to these security threats. We set up groups to brainstorm and develop sustainable countermeasures.
And they include off-the-shelf solutions: jammer guns, or our usual rifles fitted with a smart fire control system, an on-board computer to accurately shoot down a small drone.
Mr Shawn Huang and Mr Don Wee said that the digital domain is an increasingly contested battleground. I agree completely with them. And that was the reason we formed the DIS in 2022, to build up competencies, to work closely with other national agencies. Mr Alex Yam also talked about this. The DIS co-organised the Critical Infrastructure Defence Exercise (CIDeX) in November last year.
We had about 200 frontline cyber defenders, 25 other national agencies. Scenarios simulated attacks by both ransomware, some of you talked about it, and nation-state cyber attackers on our key infrastructure: power, water, 5G telecommunications. So, in other words, you sit them in a room, you simulate the attacks, how do we defend?
This exercise will be like their live firing, will be held regularly to expand and cover more sectors. We are building a digital range because you cannot do it on live systems, right? But we have a digital range that replicates these systems. That digital range will be completed in 2026. It will allow us to scale, add complexity and realism in this digital domain.
All in all, when it concerns hardware and systems for SAF, our steady defence spending has built up an SAF that is modernised and effective with a full suite of capabilities against threats: air, land, sea and cyberspace. This is a short summary statement and it belies the decades of hard work and commitment by our servicemen and women, including some in the House, and your constant support for MINDEF's budget.
I have shown Members what it looks like in the ORBAT in the handout, but we must never forget people. We are only as good as our people, no matter how advanced our platforms. And we have made sizeable investments in building up infrastructure to train our NSmen and Regulars. So, if you look at the handout, SAFTI City Phase 1, together with our three Instrumented Battle Circuits.
During my time, some of you maybe also, when you do exercises, you use blanks and bang, bang, bang, bang. So, I pretend to shoot you, you pretend to shoot back and nobody dies. Well, we have come a long way from that. Now, it is transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS), which are electronic RFID things. If somebody shoots you, you are "dead". If your vehicle is shot, it does not move. It has become more realistic.
We have built that up, but for urban built-up areas, we do not have that. That is what SAFTI City Phase 1 will do. Instrumented Battle Circuits means you go into a building, in a room, it is the same outfit, and if you are shot, you are shot. So, it is very good training because you can do an after-action review (AAR), video playback, see what you have done wrong.
Shoalwater Bay Training Area is near completion. Last year, we deployed 4,300 personnel, 450 platforms to Shoalwater Bay . It was the largest-ever edition of Exercise Wallaby. So, not only is Singapore committed to its defence, we have friends who are willing to open up their country to allow us to put all these platforms there.
And this year, the expanded training area will allow us to increase the scale of exercise by close to 50%, with an increase in training duration for six to nine weeks. Then, there is the adjacent Greenvale Training Area. The SAF will have a combined training area 10 times the size of Singapore. We can deploy up to 14,000 personnel, 2,400 vehicles and equipment annually. We will have improved administrative medical facilities by 2024. This took years to build up, but it is coming to fruition.
We have been training in the Shoalwater Bay training area since 1990, and I want to thank, on our behalf, the government and the people of Australia for these opportunities.
I have tried to give various examples to see where our defence dollars have gone over the years, and the overall picture is one of continuous progress and virtuous cycle, spiralling up even when new threats arise. But it is about the mindset among MINDEF and SAF personnel, the way we approach challenges, the constant emphasis to do things better, safer, not only to protect Singapore, but to improve the lived experience of our soldiers.
Mr Patrick Tay said this is "digital gain", and I agree with him. So, we are using smarter chatbots to answer HR enquiries so that you do not have to go back and forth. Another example is the use of biometrics. For some restricted areas in MINDEF HQ, facial recognition is the norm to control access. It recognises you. If you are a foreign person, it shoots you. Not quite. This is a joke. It just does not let you enter. I am just trying to see if you are still awake. It just recognises you, and if it does not, you cannot go in.
DSTA employees no longer require a camp pass to go to work because of this technology. The 2nd People's Defence Force (2PDF) is in the process of operationalising facial recognition for camp access. The aim is to progressively roll this out to the rest of our camps and bases to be the norm during peacetime. During war and periods of tension (POT), I think there may be issues. The applications of AI, when we apply it, but we have to do it judiciously.
You will see in your handout, the new Central Manpower Base (CMPB) opposite Cashew MRT. My generation is Dempsey Parade Square.