Singaporean and Australian troops in joint exercise Down Under

Singapore Armed Forces (right) and Australian Defence Force (left) Main Battle Tanks involved in a manoeuvre exercise. Close to 100 Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) personnel are training with their Australian counterparts in a bilateral armour exer
Singapore Armed Forces (right) and Australian Defence Force (left) Main Battle Tanks involved in a manoeuvre exercise. Close to 100 Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) personnel are training with their Australian counterparts in a bilateral armour exercise. -- PHOTO: MINDEF

Close to 100 Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) personnel are training with their Australian counterparts in a bilateral armour exercise.

The two-day joint exercise, code-named Matilda, started on Sept 16 at the Mount Bundey Training Area, near Darwin in Australia's Northern Territory.

The men and women from the 48th Battalion, Singapore Armoured Regiment (48 SAR), operating the Leopard 2SG main battle tanks, are training alongside the Australian Defence Force's (ADF) 1st Armoured Regiment. The joint drill is the culmination of a 14-day drill in which Singaporean troops and tanks were put through their paces to practice shooting and tactical manoeuvres.

Lieutenant Colonel Koh Kian Wee, commanding officer of 48 SAR, said the bilateral drill allows Singaporean troops and their Australian counterparts to share professional insights and build rapport. Mindef said in a statement on Tuesday that Exercise Matilda is a "testament to the close and long-standing defence ties between Singapore and Australia".

Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.