Singapore is one of the most economically developed countries. A small state located on islands some distance from the Malay Peninsula, like the rest of the world, must take care of its security.
History of Singapore
The country appeared as a result of complex decolonization processes that began in the British Empire in 1940-1950. Singapore gained wide autonomy within the empire in 1951 under the leadership of Lee Kuan Yu. In 1963, a referendum took place in Singapore, at which a decision was made to join the Malayan Federation. However, the union did not turn out to be long-lasting and as a result of the internal conflict, Singapore left the federation in 1965, thus becoming a sovereign state.
It was with the declaration of sovereignty in the young country that the active modernization of all social and state systems of Singapore began. The army, the economy, legislation and the social sphere underwent a radical reconstruction.
As a result of targeted efforts by the government, it was possible to achieve the appearance in the country of offices of the largest American corporations. A sensitive attitude to business also requires very attentive relations with partner states. By geographical standards, Singapore has the closest relationship with Malaysia and Indonesia, despite the fact that relations between the two countries are strained. Also, Singapore has a pretty close relationship with the UK, with which the country has five defensive agreements. However, military agreements with foreign states do not prohibit the Singapore government from having its own army to protect populations and sovereignty.
History of the Singapore Army
The very appearance of Singapore on the world map was made possible due to the strategic location of the islands on which it is now located. Sir Gordon Ruffles, who is called the founder of modern Singapore, chose this place, since it was suitable for creating a military fort that could withstand the Dutch colonialists who claimed the islands of Southeast Asia.
In the nineteenth century, several military volunteer organizations existed in Singapore, such as the Singapore Artillery Squad and the volunteer corps. It was these organizations that laid the foundation for the future armed forces of Singapore. In 1922, a permanent detachment of reservists was created, ready at any time to defend the British colony.
World War II and immediately after it
During the Second World War, the corps of reservists and volunteers took part in the defense of Singapore from the Japanese army, but the forces were unequal. Most of the participants in military resistance to Japanese aggression were captured after the latter attacked their positions on February 15, 1942. In 1948, the ground forces of Singapore were created on the basis of the volunteer corps, but they received their official name only in 1961, when the detachments of reservists and volunteers were disbanded.
At the time of independence in 1965, the state army consisted of only two regiments. These units, however, were replenished mainly by the foreign population and they were under the command of British officers. Only six years later, in 1971, the British Empire withdrew its troops from the islands, but the New Zealand contingent remained in Singapore until 1989.
International military cooperation
After gaining independence, Singapore decided to build a larger and more effective military force to guarantee security, as it is surrounded by strong and not always predictable countries with unstable political regimes. As a young state, Singapore decided to seek the help of a country as young but already experienced in security matters as Israel.
The Jewish government sent military advisers and instructors to help their Singaporean colleagues. Together with Israeli officers, methods were developed for conducting military operations in the jungle, so that, if necessary, they could operate on the territory of neighboring countries.
Defense Policy Fundamentals
Since independence, containment and diplomacy have been at the core of Singapore's defense policy. However, at the beginning of the XXL century, there was a tendency toward a more active participation of the Singapore army in international operations, primarily humanitarian ones.
The largest of those involving the Singaporean military was peacekeeping in East Timor, assistance to Indonesia in 2005 and 2006 after devastating earthquakes, and assistance in the aftermath of the 2004 tsunami.
However, despite all the efforts made by the government to maintain defense capabilities, international military experts believe that, being a fairly small island nation, Singapore cannot afford to rely on an in-depth defense strategy.
Peace as the main strategy
Any powerful blow from the side of the aggressor can be devastating both for the population and for the infrastructure of the entire state, because the area of Singapore is only 693 square kilometers, and the population is 5,889 thousand people. Given the density of the population, to strike a decisive blow is not difficult even not too trained army. And Singapore’s neighbors are quite strong and decisive.
That is why diplomacy is still preferable for resolving any international disputes, and trade and economic interests of the state and nation dominate geopolitical theoretical constructions.
The size and composition of the armed forces
Currently, the staff of the country's armed forces totals 38 thousand people. However, in addition to the professional military, the National Service, which amounts to about 42 thousand people, belongs to the armed forces of Singapore.
This group, numbering eighty thousand people, manages military bases, carries out daily border guard services, and provides training for new employees at a military institute.
As part of the armed forces of Singapore is a special operational duty group, at any time capable of providing humanitarian assistance to both citizens of Singapore and foreign countries.
In addition to the drill, there are also about 400 thousand reservists who can be called up for service at the right time. All of them undergo timely combat training and possess the necessary skills for conducting military operations.
Structure and technical equipment
The country's modern armed forces, led by a commander with the rank of lieutenant general, consist of the Singapore Air Force, navy and land groups. The state’s military aviation consists of 32 F-15SG fighter-bombers, 74 F-16 fighter jets and 49 F-5 fighter jets. Aircraft undergo regular maintenance and modernization in accordance with the technical developments of manufacturing companies.
As a maritime power, on the territory of which important trade sea routes pass, the country must also maintain its own Navy. Singapore has frigates, corvettes, several submarines and dozens of coast guard and border guard boats.
The largest part of the armed forces is the infantry. Singapore's ground forces number about 72 thousand people, two hundred German-made tanks and seven hundred own-made armored vehicles. All recruits take nine-week preparatory courses before being sent to the duty station.
In addition to their own Singaporean troops, two US military bases, which have been located on the territory of the country since 1992, guarantee the country's security. Singapore Army Day is solemnly celebrated on July 1.