For the first time ever, the 21-gun presidential salute will be held on a floating bridge in full view of the audience, with the ceremonial 25-pounder guns sailing into Marina Bay.

The entire NDP contingent will march through the city along a 3.2-km route.

For the first time in 14 years, all 23 marching contingents will parade past the President, instead of only the Guard of Honour and the Colours.

The presidential salute by three F16 jets will see the use of afterburners instead of the traditional smoke trails to create an aural and visual effect.

'We have participants from all walks of life coming together on parade. It is really about one united people, a united Singapore, marching forward together,' said the chairman of the parade and ceremony committee, Colonel Chee Wai Mun, in a statement on Thursday.

He said this year's parade and ceremony segment - one of 10 chapters of a story called One Show - would be 'tighter, high impact and very fast paced', lasting approximately 38 minutes.

Familiar favourites, including the Red Lions freefall segment and the state flag flypast, will remain.

Read the full story in Friday's edition of The Straits Times.