Singapore Army's UAVs Deployed in Afghanistan

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) from Singapore's UAV Command have been deployed in the fight against terror in Afghanistan, Second Minister for Defence Mr Ong Ye Kung said on November 24.

Speaking after visiting the UAC command base at at Murai Camp, Kung said, "Our UAVs have been deployed to Afghanistan to assist in the global fight against terrorism and contribute to the reconstruction of Afghanistan."

Ong visited the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF)'s Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Command at Murai Camp Friday. At the visit hosted by Commander UAV Command, Colonel Lau Boon Ping, Ong was briefed on the roles and capabilities of the RSAF's UAVs, observed a live flight of the Heron-1 and had a hands-on experience on the UAV training simulators. Ong also interacted with RSAF personnel and thanked them for their dedication and commitment to the defence of Singapore.

"With their advanced imaging sensors, long endurance and ability to conduct wide-area surveillance, the UAVs deliver a real-time, bird's-eye view of the battlefield. This greatly increases the situational awareness of our ground forces to conduct their operations, and also enhances the decision making process for our commanders. Such capabilities make the UAVs a critical asset of the RSAF, especially in counter-terrorism operations," Ong said.

Inaugurated in 2007, the UAV Command is responsible for the development of unmanned systems for the SAF, as well as training for its operators to ensure a high level of operational readiness. In 2010, the UAVs were deployed, as part of SAF's contributions for the reconstruction and stabilisation efforts in Afghanistan, under Operation Blue Ridge.

The UAV Command is also involved in homeland security exercises such as Exercise Highcrest, Exercise Northstar and Exercise Quicksilver, as well as multilateral exercises such as the ADMM-Plus Counter-Terrorism exercise.