SINGAPORE – A new heavily fortified vehicle able to shield police officers from bullets while they counter armed threats will be added to the Special Operations Command (SOC) fleet.
Developed jointly by the police and the Home Team Science and Technology Agency (HTX), it is fitted with an armoured body and protective mesh.
Superintendent Roy Shafiq Aw, commanding officer of the Police Tactical Unit, SOC, said the vehicle will help enhance protection while officers respond quickly to security incidents.
He added: “It is able to swiftly punch through the heart of the public security incident to neutralise the threat. Other features include a public announcement system, floodlights and sense-making cameras.”
On Friday, SOC officers demonstrated how the vehicle could be used.
Men armed with rifles barricaded themselves in a mall, with other police units unable to enter the building due to the heavy firepower wielded by the gunmen.
Using the Tactical Strike Vehicle as a shield in the shoot-out, SOC officers were able to get into the building to neutralise the threat.
The vehicle was commissioned by Home Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam at the Police Workplan Seminar and Exhibition on Friday, which is being held in person for the first time since 2019.
The theme for this year’s seminar is A Future-Ready Force For The Nation, with initiatives focused on enhancing the police’s response to public order and security incidents, augmenting front-line policing, and enhancing service delivery and community engagement.
At the seminar at the Singapore Expo, the police also introduced their counter drone system, which went into operation earlier in 2023.
The police have been trialling various counter drone systems since 2020. The current system was developed together with HTX, and consists of an electro-optics sensor, a detector, a command and control display, and a jammer gun.
It is operated by officers from the Protective Security Command. When a drone is detected, they use the sensor to locate and track it, while simultaneously deploying officers on the ground to find the drone pilot.
If necessary, officers can use the jammer gun to disrupt the drone’s control signal and bring it down, before retrieving it for investigation.
Superintendent Seah Yew Keng, commanding officer of the Home Team Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Command, said malicious drones may be able to bypass traditional security measures at major events.
He added: “Developments in drone technology have led to new threats to Singapore’s safety and security.
“It is necessary for the police to deploy counter drone systems as an added security measure to safeguard Singapore against such unconventional threats.”
Other initiatives featured at the seminar included patrol robots, which have been deployed at Changi Airport Terminal 4 since April; an automated armoury system being developed for police arms; and the digitalisation of police services.
