SAF tank in NDP show hit traffic light after loss of steering & braking power: Mindef

A Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) tank collided with a traffic light during a National Day Parade (NDP) national education show on Jul. 5.

It was later found to have an "isolated" component that led to the loss of steering and braking power, reported CNA and The Straits Times (ST).

Isolated component

The co-chairman of the NDP 2025 heartland celebrations committee, Colonel David Kwek, said during an NDP media event on Jul 8, more reviews on the Leopard 2SG main battle tank (L2SG) will be done out of "an abundance of caution".

The tank will continue participating in the NDP mobile column and the heartland celebrations after all the necessary safety checks and clearances are completed, he added.

Tank collided with traffic light

Video of the incident circulated on social media on Jul. 5.

A 1 minute 46 seconds clip posted to SG Roads Vigilante Facebook group showed the tank making a turn outside the Parliament House and the Supreme Court.

However, it failed to keep in lane and hit a nearby traffic light.

The Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) told ST on Jul. 6 that the tank experienced a technical issue at 7:22pm that day.

This resulted in an accident along North Bridge Road where the tank came into contact with a traffic light, Mindef said.

The ministry said that the accident occurred after a mobile column segment of the parade.

The tank was travelling within a speed limit of 20km/h when the incident happened.

Mindef said that the tank crew "responded in accordance with standard operating procedures".

Top photo from loong_2000/TikTok