Total Defence display at NDP 2024 highlights S’pore’s readiness to tackle external, internal threats
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SINGAPORE – Intrusions from the air and sea, a cyber-security breach causing havoc, and water disruptions that required responses from the Singapore Armed Forces and other government agencies.
These were some of the simulated threats to Singapore’s physical and digital realms that were tackled during the Total Defence 40 dynamic defence display at the National Day Parade at the Padang
The showcase – which also marked 40 years of Total Defence – began soon after the guard of honour contingent marched out.
Two pairs of Republic of Singapore Air Force F-16 fighter jets roared over the Padang, simulating the interception of an unknown aircraft violating Singapore’s airspace, with a pair of Spyder ground-based air defence systems neutralising the air threat.
Two AH-64D Apache attack helicopters then swooped over the Padang in the fading daylight, supporting naval divers from the Republic of Singapore Navy in a simulated demonstration of air-sea integration.
The divers from the Naval Diving Unit had been activated to investigate and neutralise an “explosive device” discarded in the water by “intruders” on a black speedboat.
Next, the Singapore Army enacted a long-range precision rocket strike with its High Mobility Artillery Rocket System, before soldiers equipped with SAR-21 rifles and the new Colt IAR6940-SG light machine gun poured out of Terrex infantry carriers and Peacekeeper protected response vehicles.
The soldiers then advanced through the seating galleries, bringing the action up close to the spectators, followed by Hunter armoured fighting vehicles and Leopard 2SG tanks trundling down St Andrew’s Road, with the tanks using pyrotechnics to simulate the firing of their main guns.
Four air-transportable Light Strike Vehicle Mk IIs, used by the army to boost the mobility and firepower of its Guards units, then raced around the central dais, performing criss-cross manoeuvres at high speed to demonstrate their speed and agility.
Civil emergencies
The SAF’s display of its capabilities against external threats to Singapore then gave way to a display of how government agencies respond to threats and crises at home.
A suspicious vehicle was first intercepted and neutralised by the police’s quick response force, while a hijacked bus was stormed by members of the SAF’s Special Operations Task Force.
The giant screen on the Padang then introduced a story arc of a suspicious bag, which emitted red lights and beeping sounds, that had been reported via the SGSecure app.
The explosive ordnance disposal team then deployed a remotely operated robot to neutralise the threat, with its operators and civilians a safe distance away.
On the digital front, a cyber attack on a power grid led to a massive power cut that resulted in a major worksite accident and fire, with people trapped under debris and rubble.
Enter the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) with its Red Rhinos and Fire Bikes, which perform complex rescue operations at high-rise buildings or industrial facilities.
An SCDF disaster assistance and rescue team then demonstrated a rescue of trapped casualties using tools like power saws and heavy-duty hydraulic spreaders.
It also deployed a Modular Firefighting Machine and an Unmanned Firefighting Machine to counter a simulated gas leak, the latter demonstrating the deployment of a water curtain to disperse and dilute vapours quickly to enable responders to enter an affected area safely.
The defence display was capped off with national water agency PUB’s water wagons delivering water to alleviate water supply disruptions that resulted from the attack.
Reacting to a disruption of crucial resources in times of crisis is a key theme in Total Defence 40.
More than 400 participants and 40 assets were involved in the dynamic defence display, which made its debut at the Padang after being last seen at the 2022 NDP.
Student Subramanain Geethalaya Sriaji, 20, said he enjoyed the Total Defence segment, as it was “innovative and exciting”.
“I particularly liked the segment showcasing the (Apache) helicopters coming in to provide air support for the ships, as it showcased air and sea forces working together.”
