1.                 More than 300 airmen and soldiers from the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) are participating in the SAF’s first 3G integrated strike exercise. Exercise Forging Sabre, a 12-day exercise conducted in the United States from 10-21 Nov 05, will chart several significant firsts for the SAF.  Besides being the first unilateral exercise conducted in the United States, it is also the first time that elements from all three of the Republic of Singapore Air Force’s US-based detachments will operate with Army elements and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) within a live-fire exercise setting.

2.                 Exercise Forging Sabre is conducted in an area twice the size of Singapore, at the US Marines Air Ground Task Force Training Centre (MAGTFTC) in the vast Mojave desert terrain of 29 Palms in California.  The exercise seeks to integrate the operations of the SAF’s Apache attack and Chinook helicopters, F-16 fighter aircraft, UAVs, artillery platforms and commando ground forces.  The highlight of the exercise will be the integrated strike live-fire demonstration on 21 Nov 05, which will be witnessed by Minister for Manpower and Second Minister for Defence, Dr Ng Eng Hen.

3.                 At the same time, the SAF is also conducting Ex Wallaby in the Shoalwater Bay Training Area (SWBTA) in Queensland, Australia.  Access to excellent training facilities such as those in Australia and the United States provides the SAF valuable opportunities to hone the operational proficiency of its units by operating in unfamiliar and challenging terrain. Such exercises also enable the SAF to validate slices of new operational concepts and capabilities being developed for the 3G (or third generation) SAF.

For more information on Exercise Forging Sabre, please visit our website at www.mindef.gov.sg/xfs

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