Military exercises begin over S'pore
Military exercises begin over S'pore
SINGAPORE (AFP): British, Australian and New Zealand fighters and battleships yesterday joined a five-nation military exercise against a mock aerial invasion of Singapore and Malaysia, officials said.
The Singapore defense ministry said the six-day Five Power Defense Arrangements (FPDA) exercise will focus on "preserving the integrity of Malaysian and Singapore airspace against a simulated external air threat."
A ministry statement said the exercise also involved artillery forces. It did not state the number of airmen, sailors and troops involved.
The aircraft mobilized for the maneuvers include F/A 18 fighters from the Royal Australian Air Force, Malaysian F5Es and Hawks, New Zealand A4Ks, and Singapore's F16 Fighting Falcons and A4 Super Skyhawks.
Participating ships from the five navies included frigates, patrol vessels, missile corvettes and a destroyer, including British frigate HMS Sheffield.
The FPDA, which holds regular exercises to maintain coordination, was founded in 1971 to help protect Malaysia and Singapore, which have developed their own modern air and naval defenses thanks to rapid economic growth.
The exercise followed the announcement that Singapore was acquiring a second-hand training submarine from Sweden in a package deal that involves training for a seminal submarine- warfare force.
The Sunday Times said the 1,130-ton submarine, with a crew requirement of 23 and a top speed of 16 knots, would further boost the capabilities of the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN), which has 4,000 men and 30 vessels.
The report quoted Deputy Premier and Defense Minister Tony Tan as saying Saturday that no decision had been made on whether a submarine capability was necessary for the RSN, and the training was part of the evaluation process.
Singapore, a prosperous trade-driven island state, already has one of the most modern military hardware inventories in Southeast Asia. It has major training agreements with the United States, Australia and other allies.