Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen visits Exercise Forging Sabre
ARIZONA — Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen visited the Singapore Armed Forces’ (SAF) Exercise Forging Sabre on Thursday (Friday, Dec 11, Singapore time).
He witnessed live-firing where Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, fighter aircraft and helicopters worked together to spot, track and destroy enemies.
He said: “To incorporate the Heron-1 UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) and conduct cooperative lasing with the UAVs, fighter aircraft and attack helicopters to destroy multiple mobile targets is a notch more complex...We have come a long way and it gives us a lot of confidence in the abilities of the SAF.”
Dr Ng also viewed F-35A Joint Strike fighter and was briefed on their capabilities. He also visited the F-35 Academic Training Centre and viewed a clip narrating the training that the USAF’s F-35 pilots undergo.
The F-35s are touted the world’s most advanced warplane capable of short take-offs and vertical landings. During his visit to the last exercise in 2013, Dr Ng had said his ministry was “evaluating seriously” whether F-35s can complement the Republic’s fleet.
