SINGAPORE - Special forces elements from the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) will stage a hostage rescue demonstration from a "hijacked" public transport bus in what will be a first for this year's National Day Parade (NDP), said the parade organisers on Thursday (June 23).
Audiences will see rescuers storm the bus and blow up one of its windows to save hostages from terrorists.
The Total Defence Display (TDD) - last seen in 2017 - will also feature an amphibious operation by the navy's elite naval divers as well as the army's Leopard tanks driving onto the promenade at Marina Bay floating platform.
The display will involve more than 500 participants and over 50 assets from Singapore's security and defence agencies. The new Chinook chopper, Hunter AFV, as well as next-generation police cars and the Singapore Civil Defence Force's (SCDF) pumper firefighting machine will make their debuts in the segment.
SCDF's Red Rhino, tactical response police motorcycles and troopers from the army will also be in action.
NDP organisers revealed these details at an NDP event at Marina Bay's Float on Thursday.
The TDD will be interwoven with the largest marching parade in three years as the NDP aims to return to its pre-Covid-19 scale. The parade will see 2,000 people from 37 physical and virtual marching contingents participate.
In addition to the Home Team and SAF contingents, the parade will include school and civilian contingents such as youth uniform groups and socio-economic groups that did not participate in person in 2020 and 2021.
In celebration of 55 years of National Service (NS55), the parade will pay tribute to the country's past and current national servicemen. The youth contingents will march to form an NS55 shape as a salute to all NSmen.
Lieutenant Colonel (LTC) (NS) Desmond Fu will be commanding the parade.
He said he was very glad to represent and pay homage to NSmen in the parade this year.
The father of a seven-month-old said that having a child has made him realise the importance of keeping the country safe.
He said: "We need to do what we can to ensure that our everyday life, the way we go about with confident assurance that we live in a safe environment, continues."
ME3 Abdul Razak Mohammed Noor, who is part of the SAF band, will be joining the parade for the 40th consecutive year.
Recalling his best memories of those four decades, he said that he was grateful to have found love while pursuing his passion for music.
He met his wife in the SAF band in 1986, and they got married three months after sharing a stage together as clarinettists.
Performing in the yearly celebration is something he holds close to his heart, and he was sad to retire from active service this year.
He said: "I'm very sad, I'll miss all the good friends I've made over the years."
"I cried knowing I will retire. I've put in all my effort, my heart and my soul for NDP and for the nation."
On show in the Total Defence Display
Over 50 assets and 500 participants from the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) and Home Team will be involved.
1. (NEW) CH-47F heavy lift helicopter from the Republic of Singapore Air Force
It is used for a wide range of operations like search and rescue, aeromedical evacuation and firefighting.
2. (NEW) Pumper firefighting machine from the Singapore Civil Defence Force
It is a custom-built compact robot that fits into passenger lifts and is good on terrain with low-lying obstacles.
3. (NEW) Hunter armoured fighting vehicle from The Singapore Army
It works best on urbanised battlefields, designed to fight with its hatches closed. It is armed with a cannon, machine gun and guided missiles.
4. (NEW) Next-generation fast response car from Singapore Police Force
The car's integrated vehicular dashboard provides high-resolution livestream footage to the Police Operations Command Centre and can detect vehicles using an automated number plate recognition system.
5. F-16C/D fighter aircraft from the Republic of Singapore
It is capable of performing missions in all kinds of weather, both day and night, and is able to carry a wide range of ordnance like air-to-air missiles and laser-guided bombs.
6. High Mobility Artillery Rocket System from the Singapore Army
Equipped with a pod of six Multiple Launch Rocket Systems rockets, it can engage targets as far as 7Okm away and can fire its full load of six rockets in under 45 seconds.
7. Tactical response motorcycle from Singapore Police Force
The choice vehicle for the police's Rapid Deployment Troops in times of riots and terror incidents, the motorcycle is fitted with racks to transport riot shields, and sirens to alert other road users to allow responders to cut through heavy traffic.
8. Unmanned firefighting machine from the Singapore Civil Defence Force
The remote-controlled firefighting unit is built to operate under extreme
conditions. It can ventilate a warehouse the size of a football field in half an hour, and can also lift objects up to 400kg.
Correction notice: An earlier version of the story said the tactical response motorcycle is used by police land divisions. This is inaccurate. It is used by rapid deployment troops belonging to the police's Special Operations Command. We are sorry for the error.
