SAF unveils the Hunter, its first fully-digital Armoured Fighting Vehicle

SINGAPORE — The Singapore Armed Forces' (SAF) new locally-developed Armoured Fighting Vehicle (AFV)  — called the "Hunter" — was commissioned by Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen on Tuesday (June 11).

The public will get its first glimpse of the Hunter AFV, featuring cutting-edge smart technology and increased capabilities, at this year’s National Day Parade, when the next-generation AFV makes its public debut.

The new AFV is the Singapore Army's first fully digitalised platform and will be replacing the ageing Ultra M113 AFVs, which have been in service since the 1970s. The Ultra is a Singapore upgrade of the United States-made M113.

The new vehicle was developed by the Defence Science and Technology Agency (DSTA), in collaboration with Singapore-listed defence conglomerate Singapore Technologies Engineering and the Singapore Army. The project was announced in March 2017.

The Hunter has an increased speed and operating range, so it can travel greater distances. The weaponry on board also means it has “enhanced lethality”, the Ministry of Defence (Mindef) said.

For the soldiers, perhaps the biggest selling point is that the new AFV is fully air-conditioned.

“The Hunter was designed and developed to meet the specific needs of the Army and it is poised to leverage the battlefields of tomorrow,” said Dr Ng in a speech given at the Armour Formation’s 50th anniversary parade at Sungei Gedong Camp.

Chief Armour Officer, Brigadier-General Yew Chee Leung, 42, said during a media preview last Friday that training for the first core group of regulars and instructors using the new vehicles started earlier this year.

Full-time national serviceman cadets will get to familiarise themselves with the vehicle from next year onwards, said BG Yew.

He added the 42nd Battalion, Singapore Armoured Regiment, will be the first Armour Battle Group to be equipped with the Hunter.

The Ultra M113 AFVs will be progressively replaced over the coming years, said BG Yew, though he declined to disclose how many Hunters are in operation currently, or how many will be in the SAF’s arsenal when the entire process is completed. However, TODAY observed there were at least two Hunter AFVs at the media preview.

Mindef also declined to reveal how much the replacement exercise will cost.

‘GREATER FIREPOWER, SURVIVABILITY AND MOBILITY’

Recognising the changing demographics of modern day soldiers who are “increasingly comfortable with technology”, Major Brendan Lim, 33, said smart features and technologies were installed onboard the AFV.

The weapon staff officer, who was involved in the design and development of the Hunter, added that it will feature the first-ever integrated combat cockpit. This cockpit will allow the vehicle commander and the gunner to operate the Hunter with a common set of controls.

An automatic target detection and tracking system built into the Hunter will also make it easier for gunners to engage their targets. At the same time, an independent sight allows the commander to concurrently search for other threats while the gunner is engaged.

If the scenario requires it, the commander can also take over driving the AFV from his seat through a drive-by-wire function.

Being closed-hatched, soldiers who are protected within the air-conditioned AFV can monitor what is happening outside the vehicle through a series of cameras mounted on its exterior. These cameras provide a 360-degree field of vision both in the day and in low light conditions at night.

A Laser Warning System will also alert the crew if they are being targeted, allowing them to take evasive actions quicker.

EASE OF PLANNING AND SAFETY

Critical to the functionality of the Hunter is the Army Tactical Engagement and Information System (Artemis), another major innovation. This system essentially allows for “rich information” to be exchanged in real time between various military formations and vehicles, said Maj Lim.

For instance, commanders will be able to plan their missions digitally from the platoon to battalion level and share these plans with each other. The exchange of information is done through low-latency network radios and wide-area communication networks for faster data transfer and further reach.

Operators will also know when it is time to get the vehicle serviced through a Health and Utilisation Monitoring System. The system will be able to detect any faults or anomalies within the AFV and flag it for the crew’s attention.

All these data are logged as well, said Maj Lim, which will allow them to be “tracked and trended” to enable predictive maintenance.

As the new generation of APV is fully digital, questions about security were raised by the media at the preview.

Mr William Peh, Hunter Programme Director (Land Systems), DSTA, assured that much emphasis had been placed on cybersecurity in developing the Hunter.

Without elaborating further, the 34-year-old said that the “required cyber-protection measures” have been put in place.

Mr Peh added that soldiers will be able to access all combat functions at every crew station within the Hunter. “So even if you have one crew station down, you have other redundancies to kick in,” he said.

CREW SAFETY

Various features allow for an emergency stop. Aside from a warning horn, emergency buttons have been placed in prominent spots within the vehicle that can either stop the vehicle or its turret from moving.

The Hunter is not only capable of alerting the driver if the vehicle is angled precariously, but it also features a reverse view camera.

For the purpose of training feedback and forensics, the crew will be monitored by voice and video recordings.

Technical specifications for the Hunter

Capacity:

• One commander

• One driver

• One gunner

• Up to eight dismounted troops

Armaments:

• One 30mm cannon

• Two anti-tank guided missiles

• One 7.62mm coaxial machine gun

• Eight 76mm smoke launchers

Mobility:

• Max speed: 70km/h

• Range: 500km

• Vertical obstacle clearance: 0.6m

• Trench clearance: 2.1m

Technical specifications for the Ultra M113

• One commander

• One driver

• Up to nine dismounted troops

Armaments for variant one:

• One 40mm automated grenade launcher

• One 0.5 inch heavy machine gun

• One 7.6mm general purpose machine gun

• Six 76mm smoke launchers

Armaments for variant two:

• One 25mm Bushmaster cannon

• One 7.62mm coaxial machine gun

• Six 76mm smoke launchers

Mobility:

• Max speed: 64km/h

• Range: 320km

• Vertical obstacle clearance: 0.6m

• Trench clearance: 1.67m