Republic of Singapore Navy to get new chief in March
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Rear-Admiral Aaron Beng Yao Cheng (left), currently chief of staff - naval staff, will take over as the chief of navy on March 23. RADM Lew Chuen Hong, the outgoing chief of navy, has served the Singapore Armed Forces for 25 years since 1995.
The Singapore navy will have a new man at the helm, with Rear-Admiral Aaron Beng Yao Cheng taking over as navy chief on March 23.
RADM Beng, 38, who is currently chief of staff - naval staff, will succeed RADM Lew Chuen Hong, 43.
The Ministry of Defence (Mindef) yesterday said the change was part of the continuing process of leadership renewal in the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF).
RADM Lew has held his current post since June 16, 2017.
Other senior command and staff appointments he has held include chief of staff - naval staff, 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 the ministry in a statement.
The incoming chief, RADM Beng, 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.
RADM Beng was appointed fleet commander in March last year and left that role in November to take on the post 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 as navy chief, 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 navy's operational readiness.
These include the construction of 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," said the ministry.
As co-chairman of the Asean Defence Ministers' Meeting Plus Experts' Working Group on Maritime Security, he led the adoption of the Code for Unplanned Encounters at Sea for all 18 ADMM-Plus countries, it added.
