SINGAPORE - Rear-Admiral (RADM) Lew Chuen Hong will step down as the Singapore Navy's chief, with RADM Aaron Beng Yao Cheng, who is currently the Chief of Staff - Naval Staff, set to take over the post on March 23.
The Ministry of Defence said on Tuesday (Feb 25) that this change was part of the continuing process of leadership renewal in the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF).
RADM Lew, 43, has held his current post since June 16, 2017.
Other senior command and staff appointments he has held include Fleet Commander, head of the Joint Plans and Transformation Department, and deputy commander of the Maritime Security Task Force.
"Since joining the SAF in 1995, RADM Lew has served the SAF with distinction. Under his leadership, the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) continues to safeguard Singapore's sovereignty 24/7," said Mindef in a statement.
The incoming chief, RADM Beng, 38, is a President's Scholarship and SAF Overseas Scholarship recipient who joined the SAF in 2000. He has a Bachelor of Science from Yale University.
He was appointed Fleet Commander in March last year and left that role in November to take on the role of Chief of Staff - Naval Staff.
Among his previous appointments were director of the Defence Policy Office, commanding officer of the frigate squadron and commanding officer of frigate RSS Intrepid.
Citing RADM Lew's achievements, Mindef said he led the inter-agency Crisis Management Group that deals with maritime security risks such as terrorist threats, and oversaw maritime security operations during the Trump-Kim and Asean summits in 2018.
He also drove organisational changes and capability development to strengthen the RSN's operational readiness.
These include the construction of the four Type-218SG Invincible-class submarines and the commissioning of all eight Independence-class littoral mission vessels.
RADM Lew also initiated the Multi-Role Combat Vessel project to replace the Victory-class missile corvette.
"During RADM Lew's tenure, the RSN furthered Singapore's defence policy space as well, through co-organising and contributing towards the inaugural Asean-China and Asean-US Maritime Exercises respectively."
As the co-chairman of the Asean Defence Ministers' Meeting (ADMM) Plus Experts' Working Group on Maritime Security, he led the adoption of the Code for Unplanned Encounters at Sea (Cues) for all 18 ADMM-Plus countries, added Mindef.
