As part of efforts to improve Singapore's "National Service experience" and administrative efficiency, the Ministry of Defence has revealed several measures during the Committee of Supply debate on Feb. 28 and Feb. 29, 2024.

SAFTI City

During his speech on Feb. 28, 2024, Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen said that the ministry has made "sizeable investments" in building up infrastructure to train NSmen and Regulars.

He said phase one of the (SAFTI) City will open in 2024.

SAFTI City, located in Lim Chu Kang, has an estimated cost of S$400 million and was officially announced on June 28, 2019.

Ng said that within SAFTI City, three Instrumented Battle Circuits (iBACs) will progressively open for training as part of efforts to offer complex and realistic training for its cyber defenders.

For example, in the Murai Urban Battle Circuit (MUBC), national servicemen and regulars can train with targets that "shoot back", creating a realistic battle environment that allows immersive training for its officers.

The smart "shoot back" systems (SBS) allow targets to fire at soldiers and be fired upon with laser-based technology.

As detailed by MINDEF, the "shoot back" capabilities will hone the tactical responses of the soldiers and enhance their combat performance.

"If somebody shoots you, you are "dead". If your vehicle is shot at, it does not move," Ng said. "It has become more realistic."

Ng added, "Instrumented Battle Circuits are very good training because you can do an after-action review (AAR) and video playback to see what you have done wrong."

Troops will begin training at MUBC in April.

Shoalwater Bay Training Area

The expansion of Shoalwater Bay Training Area in Australia’s Queensland is also on track for completion in 2024, said Ng.

This would allow SAF to increase the scale of Exercise Wallaby by almost 50 per cent and increase its duration from six weeks to nine weeks.

Coupled with the development of the adjacent Greenvale Training Area, the SAF will have a combined training area 10 times the size of Singapore.

SAF will be able to deploy up to 14,000 personnel and 2400 vehicles and equipment annually, Ng added. It will also have improved administrative and medical facilities by 2024.

In comparison, 4,300 personnel and 450 platforms were deployed to Shoalwater Bay in 2023.

Central Manpower Base (CMPB) will open in phases from 2025

On Feb. 29, 2024, Senior Minister of State Heng Chee How said the new Central Manpower Base (CMPB) will be opened in phases from 2025.

CMPB will be a one-stop service hub for pre-enlistees and NSmen.

It will be located opposite Cashew MRT along Upper Bukit Timah Road. The current CMPB is located at Depot Road.

“Once completed, the building will bear the CMPB name for multiple generations of national servicemen,” said Heng.

The new CMPB will be an “integrated service location” for NS-related administration and can be used for health screening, pre-enlistment medical screenings, IPPT and NS FIT training, said Heng.

Heng added the new integrated hub would result in shorter medical screening times for pre-enlistees, who can also take their pre-enlistment Individual Physical Proficiency Test (IPPT) at the same location.

The Ministry of Defence previously said it would build six Regional Health Hubs (RHHs) around the island, which consolidate the SAF’s essential healthcare services to serve each region, with the first RHH opened in Kranji in 2023.

SAF will establish up to four more RHHs in the next decade, said Heng. The third one will be located at Dieppe Barracks in Khatib to serve the North.

Alongside medical and fitness facilities, the new CMPB will have a Lifestylemart that lets NSmen buy NS-related items. NSmen can also opt to buy their equipment online and collect them physically or choose home delivery.

The hub will also have a 700-seater food court, a childcare centre, football field, and a fitness zone, which will be open to the public.

“We envisage these amenities to be open even on weekends, bringing convenience to NSmen and the community nearby,”  said Heng.

OneNS

Heng said the current NS Portal will also be replaced with the new OneNS web portal in 2024 — with an improved design, allowing national servicemen to access NS services more easily and with few disruptions.

OneNS mobile app will streamline administrative processes for In-Camp Training (ICT).

The app will enable NSmen to register their attendance using geo-location and QR code scanning instead of queueing to scan their physical identity cards for in-processing.

Top image via MINDEF.