Steady spending on defence ‘sends strong signal’

SINGAPORE — The Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) will maintain its steady spending policy as it has delivered, over time, a strong Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) respected by even advanced Western militaries, said Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen in Parliament yesterday.

The policy has also produced “significant benefits”, such as “opportunity buys” of equipment at lower prices, longer lead time to train soldiers and opportunities to develop platforms to meet some of Singapore’s specific requirements.

He cited the purchase of the refurbished Leopard Tanks from Germany as an example of a good buy. After the Cold War, some thought tanks were no longer required and MINDEF picked some up at a relatively good price and refurbished them, Dr Ng said.

“After this came Iraq and Afghanistan ... the Canadians had sold their Leopard tanks and realised that Leopard tanks were indeed very much needed even in desert warfare, (they) had to re-buy them at an escalated price. So we were smiling and saying, ‘Good buy’,” he told the House.

Several Members of Parliament had on Wednesday asked how MINDEF spends its budget of S$12.57 billion, the largest handed out to any ministry. In response, Dr Ng said defence spending over the past decade has roughly kept pace with inflation, growing from S$8.6 billion in 2004 to S$12.2 billion last year, and he expects it to continue on this trajectory over the long term.

“We will avoid sharp spikes unless security risks require increased spending. We will also avoid sharp dips that will undermine our defence capabilities over the medium term,” he said.

Dr Ng also said Singapore prefers to upgrade existing platforms instead of buying new ones. For example, the Navy’s missile corvettes were upgraded, even though they were first commissioned in the early 1990s. “These ladies are not particularly young, but they are still very seaworthy and we have upgraded them,” he said.

Through a prudent, steady and long-term view of defence spending, the Defence Minister said the SAF sends a strong signal to all that Singaporeans value their independence and will fight to protect it.

“This signal, this unequivocal signal of deterrence is priceless,” he said. It has also allowed the SAF to respond to unexpected challenges, such as the Indian Ocean tsunami in 2004 and, most recently, in global anti-piracy efforts in the Gulf of Aden, Dr Ng added.

The Defence Minister also painted a picture of the SAF in 2030. Then, the upgraded F-16 fighter jets and the recently acquired F-15s will be able to defend Singapore’s airspace “ably”.

“In addition, we would have acquired our next-generation fighter aircraft,” Dr Ng said, though defence planners are “not quite ready” to decide on them yet. “We will take our time because our F-16s and F-15s will serve us for the near term and medium term,” he added.

Larger Landing Ship Tanks for the Navy — which proved to be effective workhorses in disaster relief efforts — could also be a possibility, allowing more helicopters and cargo to be transported. The army will also be more mobile, with the number of units operating on wheel or track platforms set to double over the next decade. Soldiers may also be equipped with multiple micro-UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles), allowing them to make better decisions on the battlefield.

“These capabilities of the SAF, if achieved by 2030, should provide Singaporeans with the confidence that Singapore can be protected,” Dr Ng said.