The rough sea affects the ship-shore element of the Trident Exercise but does not constitute an "obstacle", says Heng Chee Comment

ROCKHAMPTON, Australia: Men dressed in different shades of green solemnly parade on the heartbreaking RSS Resolution – the Republic of Singapore Navy's (RSN) Navy Landing Tank – and head for the deafening Chinook sitting on the deck d & # 39; flight.

The troops of the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) and Australian Defense Forces (ADF) embarking the helicopter in unison are part of the forward party which is transported to an inland landing site for eliminate enemy forces in front of the main combat forces.

The soldiers are at the heart of the action, executing the trident exercise ship-to-shore element, bilateral exercise involving amphibious operations at the battalion level.

The exercise was repeated before Saturday's final (November 10), with the main forces coming to shore from the Fast Craft Utility (FCU) and Fast Craft Equipment and Personnel (FCEP) vessels.

READ: SAF Troops Repeat Trident Exercise Finale in Challenging Conditions

However, during the final showdown, most of the troops were instead transported by CH-47D Chinook and AS332 Super Puma helicopters, due to rough seas in the Shoalwater Bay training area in the area. Queensland (Australia), preventing the mission from attending the assault. from the beach until sea conditions improve later.

Defense Minister Heng Chee How, and Australian Deputy Defense Minister David Fawcett, who participated in the exercise on Saturday, were not surprised by the change. mission project.

Addressing reporters aboard the RSS resolution, Heng praised both armies for their ability to work together against the elements.

"I think that in the nature of military operations, you have to adapt to the environment, including weather conditions and the state of the sea," he said. "This means we will find different ways to achieve our operational goals."

During their visit, MM. Heng and Fawcett witnessed the insertion of the solution by RSS Resolution into a helicopter at an inland landing site and also boarded the Super Puma helicopters.

"The fact that we can not perform this particular tactical maneuver today is not an obstacle, it's really … it's an all-weather partnership that has been going on for years," Heng said.

"We have been in Shoalwater Bay for 28 years and we will continue to be here to expand our collaboration, so when you look at today 's activity, we are going to make some adjustments. Instead of entering by boat or boat, we will go by helicopter and the exercise will continue. "

The exercise has not been alien to the harsh conditions since the beginning of the action two weeks ago. He had to face the elements and security of the entire army following the death of a full – time national military last Saturday.

This year's Trident exercise mobilized more than 1,300 FAU and ADF members, representing the largest number of participating ADF soldiers since the 2013 inaugural exercise.

This flagship military exercise of the Global Strategic Partnership between the two countries has highlighted the interoperability between SAF and ADF, demonstrating the "proximity of our defense relations," according to Heng.

Responding to his feelings, Mr. Fawcett said, "The overall strategic partnership that we have and are developing is a good foundation for bilateral training … in this exercise, we are bringing together both forces and improving our capacity to operate. "

In addition to the profitable military partnership from the global strategic partnership, Mr. Fawcett added that Singapore's investment in the region not only builds collaborative capacity, but also "investment in infrastructure and industrial capacity here" in Australia".

CARD GAMES, UNIQUE LESSONS

Some SAF soldiers spent five days with their ADF counterparts and planned and rehearsed preparations for the Trident exercise.

Interactions between the two sides have been valuable experiences, according to officers of both armies who spoke to reporters on Friday.

"Australian soldiers are very professional and open and are willing to share their experiences and deployment experiences," said Captain Brian Chua, commander of Bravo Company of the 1st Guard Battalion.

"On a more personal level, our soldiers also tried to teach them a bit of singlish."

The proceedings between the two are very similar, said Commander Pat D arcy, a commander of the 8th / 9th Battalion's Alpha Company of the Royal Australian Regiment.

"The integration between the troops was fantastic," he said while addressing reporters on Friday. "For the moment, the troops play cards among themselves in the tent."

"They did PT (physical training) together in the morning and evening at their own pace and they also went to dinner together and talked and smiled, so it was fantastic."

RSAF CELEBRATES 20 YEARS OF TRAINING IN OAKEY

Meanwhile, the Air Force of the Republic of Singapore (RSAF) also celebrated Saturday 20 years of training at the helicopter in Oakey, Australia, with a commemorative event organized at the Warriors & Camp, Rockhampton.

As part of the celebrations, MM. Heng and Fawcett unveiled a symbolic mural of the Super Puma and Chinook helicopters illustrating the formation of the RSAF in Oakey.

Speaking at the event, Mr. Heng thanked the Australian Department of Defense and the ADF for their longstanding support for organizing the RSAF training in Oakey.

"The celebration of this anniversary is another reflection of the long-standing friendship between our two defense institutions and between Australia and Singapore," he said.

In 1996, Tony Tan, then Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense, and Ian Mclachlan, then Australian Minister of Defense, signed the Oakey Agreement, which allowed the RSAF to deploy up to 16 helicopters to train its pilots in the area.

In 2012, Singapore and Australia signed an agreement to continue training RSAF helicopters in Oakey for another 15 years until 2027.