Special Operations Force (Singapore)

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Special Operations Force
Indonesia's Kopaska and Singapore's Special Operations Force commandos during a joint-exercise
Active	1984 – present
Country	Singapore
Branch	Singapore Army
Type	Special forces
Role	Special operations Covert operations Direct action Counter-terrorism Hostage rescue Special reconnaissance Long-range reconnaissance VBSS CSAR
Size	Classified
Part of	Special Operations Task Force SAF Commando Formation Army Deployment Force
Motto(s)	We Dare
Engagements	Operation Thunderbolt
Commanders
Current commander	Colonel Kenny Tay
Notable commanders	Colonel Lam Shiu Tong[1] Colonel Chiang Hock Woon[2]

The Special Operations Force (SOF) is the special forces unit of the Singapore Army. It is composed of highly trained elite soldiers of which all are regular servicemen within the SAF Commando Formation (CDO FN)^[3] and the Army Deployment Force (ADF). It is also an essential component of the Special Operations Task Force (SOTF).^[4]

Other than their Commando duties and specialisations as cross-trained Signalers, Medics, Weapons Specialists, Demolitions Experts, Snipers and Boatmen, the country's Army Special Forces soldiers also specialise in operations such as direct action, counter-terrorism, hostage rescue and special reconnaissance, as well as special operations.

History[]

A SOF exhibition booth displaying the unit's equipment at the 2005 Singapore National Day Parade celebrations at Marina South.

On 27 September 1972, a flight engineer aboard Olympic Airlines Flight 472 accidentally activated a hijack alarm. The flight, which had 31 passengers and 11 crew members on board, took off from Sydney, Australia at 1030 hours SST and was heading towards Paya Lebar Airport in Singapore. The Australian authorities were not informed of the situation until four hours later. Following a flurry of conflicting reports, Australia's Civil Aviation Safety Authority warned Paya Lebar Airport to be prepared for a possible hijack.

Flight 472 landed in Singapore at 1825 hours SST and was immediately surrounded by the police before the Singapore authorities could confirm that it was a false alarm. The incident highlighted the lack of special forces trained and equipped to deal with a hijack or hostage situation in Singapore. This led to the creation of the SOF in 1985 as a unit specially tasked with dealing with such situations.

Operation Thunderbolt (1991)[]

On 26 March 1991, Singapore Airlines Flight 117 was hijacked in flight by four men, who took all 129 people on board hostage. At Singapore Changi Airport, commandos from the SOF stormed the plane, killed the four hijackers and freed the hostages in under a minute.^[5] This also marked the SOF's first combat operation.^[5]

Other operations[]

It was reported that some SOF commandos have been deployed to Afghanistan under Operation Blue Ridge alongside regular Commmandos.^[3]

Training[]

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The number of SOF soldiers and personnel is officially classified. Trained in a variety of skills such as jungle warfare, special reconnaissance, counter-terrorism, air assault and amphibious warfare, among other things, they also specialize in military freefall, combat diving and long-range land insertion, hence are operable in sea, air and on land. They are also cross-trained to operate various types of weapons and equipment. Each member is assigned to a specialist appointment in his team.

It takes approximately four years for a recruit to complete his training and become a qualified member of the SOF. The recruitment process is open to all members of the Singapore Armed Forces, provided they pass a selection test. Upon passing the test and completing a year of basic training, trainees receive a red beret and become fully inducted into the SOF, in addition to becoming a member of the Commando Formation.

References[]

Bibliography[]

• Neville, Leigh (2019). The Elite: The A–Z of Modern Special Operations Forces. Oxford: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1472824295.