Made in Singapore Equipment

[OPSSG]

...i believe that the lighter weight advantage of the m-777 is negated by the pegasus's higher degree of automation and superior mobility.

I have to admit that the M777 is impressive. It is possible that India will take the FMS route and ST Kinetics may lose this sale. See this impressive air drop video from ArtyEngineer:

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_gXq0-A9Xxw]Heavy drop two M777 Howitzers[/ame]

As I said before:

...I usually try to be cautious in praise on Singapore made equipment, as I strive not to be blindly nationalistic over made in Singapore equipment (and I'm happy to discuss their limitations too).

Congrats to BAE for the BvS10 MkII win.

The French government has finally selected the latest version of the BAE Systems BvS10 MkII Viking all-terrain tracked vehicle over the Singaporean variant. Have to admit it does make sense, the UK and Dutch Marines use the same vehicle plus it was specifically designed to fit inside the current batch of landing craft / LSD's. I understand the Warthog is bigger reducing the number, which can be stored inside the current French amphib assets.

The UK plans to transfer it's batch of larger Warthogs to the army orbat and return the BvS10's (including recently ordered battlefield replacements) back to the RM ARG for the same reason as stated above.

@riksavage, is their concern is reducing the number of waves during staging? Thanks in advance for a reply on this question.

 

[riksavage]

I asked one of my associates, a serving RM officer about the Viking vs Warthog and he made the Russian Doll analogy, one (Viking) designed to fit tightly in the other (MK10), which in turn fits tightly in the Bay / Albion Class, hence the desire to keep the Viking II specifications as close to that of the MKI.

Warthog is very popular and apparently a dream to use, however it is not ideal for RM use across all roles due to its increased size, hence it being transferred to the army and driven by the Royal Tank Corp.

 

[Firn]

I asked one of my associates, a serving RM officer about the Viking vs Warthog and he made the Russian Doll analogy, one (Viking) designed to fit tightly in the other (MK10), which in turn fits tightly in the Bay / Albion Class, hence the desire to keep the Viking II specifications as close to that of the MKI.

Warthog is very popular and apparently a dream to use, however it is not ideal for RM use across all roles due to its increased size, hence it being transferred to the army and driven by the Royal Tank Corp.

Thanks, as I suspected things to be that way. At least the Warthog can be put to excellent use in the army. Is there no light formation which can put it to use, or are they driven by the Tank Corp mostly due to their skill set or particular turf?

Firn

 

[OPSSG]

Singapore's ST Kinetics, has won a contract worth US$20.9m (about S$29.4m) from the Brazilian Navy. More details below:

ST Engineering's Land Systems Arm Secures Naval Gun Contract From Brazilian Navy

Singapore, 4 February 2010 - ST Engineering today announced that its land systems arm, ST Kinetics, has won a contract worth US$20.9m (about S$29.4m) from the Brazilian Navy for the supply of 5 units of 40mm L70 naval gun and an associated Integrated Logistics Support (ILS) package. The contract was signed between the Brazilian Navy and Allied Ordnance of Singapore (Pte) Ltd (AOS), a wholly owned subsidiary of ST Kinetics. Delivery will begin in the last quarter of 2011 and is expected to be completed by end 2013.

This contract is the second that AOS has received from the Brazilian Navy. Two units of 40mm L70 naval gun with ILS package were ordered in 2007. Delivery of the first gun is currently in progress and will be installed on a Brazilian Navy patrol vessel.

Both contracts were won amidst strong competition from established global players. ST Kinetics' 40mm L70 NADM330 naval gun features a full electric drive aiming system with brushless motors that enable quick and accurate target tracking; battery powered operation that allows immediate and ever-ready activation; and 101 ready-to-fire rounds in a dual compartment magazine that provides immediate selection between two types of ammunition and ample ammunition for engagements without reloading. These class leading features of the gun give it the capability to instantly engage aerial and surface targets simultaneously.

"The Brazilian Navy's second order of ST Kinetics' 40mm L70 naval guns amidst keen competition reflects their confidence in the quality and performance of our solution. We are delighted with this latest order and will ensure that we exceed all expectations of the esteemed Brazilian Navy." ~ SEW Chee Jhuen, President, ST Kinetics

 

[shag]

Army postpones howitzer trial after gun accident
any info on this accident?

[The Hindu] The Indian Army has postponed the winter trials for procuring 155 mm towed howitzers after St. Kinetics expressed inability to bring its gun for field testing due to an accident in Singapore. “The winter trials will now be held in October as one of the two contenders, St. Kinetics, said its gun was damaged in an accident in Singapore, and would be able to arrive in India only after March,” Army officials said here.

St. Kinetics senior executive Brig Gen Patrick Choy said the accident occurred when the gun was being transported to India. “We have to cut some parts on the gun which were damaged in the accident. We will definitely have the guns in India by April and it will take part in the summer trials,” he said. The Indian Army is planning to procure 400 towed howitzers, and BAE Systems and the Singapore-based ST Kinetics are the two contenders offering their platforms.

The field trials have already been delayed as they were put on hold after St. Kinetics’ name surfaced in a CBI case for allegedly bribing Ordinance Factory Board officials. After the government decided to allow tainted firms to participate in defence contracts till the time the probe was on, the Army decided to hold the winter trials in Leh in February and March.

In view of the mishap involving the St. Kinetics gun, the trials are now expected to be held in October-November. Commenting on the other tenders where St. Kinetics is participating, Choy said the company’s SAR-21 assault rifles were undergoing trials for meeting the requirements of the Home Ministry tender for procuring around 40,000 guns.

I guess this also means ST Kinetics is still in the fray for the deal. Its good to have competitor since that means either way the prices can be beaten down more effectively.

 

[aaaditya]

Army postpones howitzer trial after gun accident
any info on this accident?

I guess this also means ST Kinetics is still in the fray for the deal. Its good to have competitor since that means either way the prices can be beaten down more effectively.

i believe this is the second time that the singapore gun has met with an accident during trials ,the earlier one was a barrel burst during a test fire by the new zealand armed forces resulting in a couple of casualties,this somehow questions the reliability of this gun ,especially in the intense combat and climatic conditions that occur in india.

 

[OPSSG]

i believe this is the second time that the singapore gun has met with an accident during trials ,the earlier one was a barrel burst during a test fire by the new zealand armed forces resulting in a couple of casualties,this somehow questions the reliability of this gun ,especially in the intense combat and climatic conditions that occur in india.

You've got your facts wrong.

The 9 March 1997 incident in NZ was caused by a faulty artillery fuze. The Committee of Inquiry concluded that the most probable cause of this incident was a faulty artillery fuze that was fitted to the 155 mm projectile which had been loaded into the gun howitzer that resulted in the premature detonation, so the problem is not with the gun.

This faulty fuse was supposed to be 'supplied' by Island Ordnance Systems (IOS) in the United States, when in fact, IOS had in turn obtained the flawed fuzes from Xian Dong Fang Machinery Factory in the province of Shaanxi, PRC. Prior to delivery to Singapore, IOS had hastily issued a Certificate of Compliance and a Certificate of Conformance to confirm that the required military specifications had been met, even though it did not conduct those required tests. In the sample test of the fuzes carried out by later in Singapore, no defective fuzes were found. Hence, based on these Certificates issued by IOS and sample test by Chartered Ammunition Industries (CAI), Singapore's MINDEF accepted the delivery of these fuzes.

A subsequent X-ray check on the same batch of fuzes from where the faulty fuze was taken from and found that approximately 1.3% of these fuzes were faulty (kindly note that the subsequent investigation was able to identify a 1.3% defect rate - which meant a 100% check on all fuzes supplied by IOS).

Singapore's MINDEF eventually went on to pursue the appropriate legal options that are available against the parties involved in the supply of the defective fuzes, namely - CAI and IOS. In other words, it can be inferred that the US company, IOS may have committed fraud and that this fraud led to the 9 March 1997 incident that killed 3SG Ronnie Tan Han Chong and LCP Low Yin Tit.

This incident is related to ammo supply chain and possibly fraud by the US supplier of fuses but NOT the performance or reliability of the FH-2000.

So, we've learnt our lesson and that we need to verify what our US suppliers tell us.

 

[OPSSG]

Army postpones howitzer trial after gun accident
any info on this accident?

I guess this also means ST Kinetics is still in the fray for the deal. Its good to have competitor since that means either way the prices can be beaten down more effectively.

i believe this is the second time that the singapore gun has met with an accident during trials ,the earlier one was a barrel burst during a test fire by the new zealand armed forces resulting in a couple of casualties,this somehow questions the reliability of this gun ,especially in the intense combat and climatic conditions that occur in india.

I think this was a shipment related accident that damaged the iFH-2000 as it was being shipped to India - the damage to the iFH-2000 had nothing to do actual trials (since the trails are not yet conducted). Below is a very old video on the FH-2000.

@aaaditya, don't jump to conclusions without reading the details. Even American sources acknowledge that the Singapore designed and built FH2000 is the first 52 calibre field howitzer 'in service and in series production'. See also my earlier post #27 for more details on extended range rounds and how that affects range. BTW, the FH-2000 is in service in both Singapore and Indonesia.

 

[shag]

Can someone please paste the content of the video in brief?

I remember you or someone else had posted the incident about the fuses somewhere else earlier.
An incident like this could have been catastrophic for ST Kinetics prospects if it had happened in India. Finding parts( even if its as small as Fuses for shells) in defence equipment that originate in PRC could have created a big rukus here creating strategic concerns, stories of foul play etc. and probably destroyed any hopes of ST Kinetics selling to India.
Its important to understand the politics of the nation you are trying to sell arms to.

 

[OPSSG]

Can someone please paste the content of the video in brief?

I remember you or someone else had posted the incident about the fuses somewhere else earlier.
An incident like this could have been catastrophic for ST Kinetics prospects if it had happened in India. Finding parts( even if its as small as Fuses for shells) in defence equipment that originate in PRC could have created a big rukus here creating strategic concerns, stories of foul play etc. and probably destroyed any hopes of ST Kinetics selling to India.
Its important to understand the politics of the nation you are trying to sell arms to.

Read the post in full before making unfounded comments - aaaditya made accusations without reading and now you are doing the same. IMO, you are forming an opinion without accurate information

For the avoidance of doubt, Singapore companies are not competing to supply 155mm ammo or fuzes to India, so don't conflate the issues. The Indian army has Indian suppliers and it's quite well documented by Indian media.

For the use of the SAF, Singapore bought fuzes from an American company, IOS and they sub-contracted onwards (to a Chinese company to obtain the necessary component). These fuzes have NOTHING to do with the FH-2000 evaluation and Singapore's MINDEF also no longer even buys fuses from IOS because this American company's processes are defective.

I suspect reading comprehension may be a challenge for for people with short attention spans. What's your problem with reading or watching the video in full?

BTW, Indian sources say that India does buy Chinese components for defence related stuff. So I really don't know what you are babbling about.

 

[shag]

Read the post in full before making unfounded comments - aaaditya made accusations without reading and now you are doing the same.

For the avoidance of doubt, Singapore companies are not competing to supply 155mm ammo or fuzes to India, so don't conflate the issues. The Indian army has Indian suppliers and it's quite well documented by Indian media.

Singapore bought fuzes from a American company, IOS and they sub-contracted onwards (to a Chinese company to obtain the necessary component). These fuzes have NOTHING to do with the FH-2000 evaluation and Singapore's MINDEF also no longer even buys fuses from IOS because this American company's processes are defective.

I suspect reading comprehension may be a challenge for for people with short attention spans. What's your problem with reading or watching the video in full?

That snide comment was uncalled for.
I am aware that ST Kinetics is not selling the ammo. But point here is ST kinetics was not aware of the supplier of the fuses it was using, and that can cause issues if a similar incident reoccurs with equipment supplied to India.
I know what aditya said, he is wrong. The accident this time had nothing to do with the gun. It was a accident during trasportation. Thats not what I was talking about.

BTW, Indian sources say that India does buy Chinese components for defence related stuff.

I am quiet sure thats not the case. Can you cite this with a reliable source?

 

[OPSSG]

Note the Have a sense of humour... Got to have a sense of humour to do biz in India.... where lots of surprises await.

I am aware that ST Kinetics is not selling 155mm ammo to India.

This statement is factually wrong unless you change the text as suggested. A subsidiary of ST Kinetics (of which there are many), Advanced Material Engineering does sell ammo including 40mm ammo to UK's MoD. You could also say that India is buying 155mm ammo and fuses from Indian entities though it is possible that not all components there in are made by indigenous sources.

BTW, you've just proved my point that you are not making sense to me and given me a reason for my .

But point here is ST kinetics was not aware of the supplier of the fuses it was using, and that can cause issues if a similar incident reoccurs with equipment supplied to India.

I asked you not to conflate the issue because they are unrelated and here you are doing it again. And your claim in bold is technically not true (the issue is really they become aware at a certain stage, which resulted in clarifications that have legal liability implications for the American supplier), so let's not go down this road.

The issue is more complex than what you have posted and again you have formed an opinion without the necessary information - while insisting that your way of thinking makes sense. It does not. See gf0012-aust's response at post #3280 in another thread to get a better idea in a parallel event.

You are dealing with sovereign issues (conceptually the Singapore Government can buy whatever our country wants from whomever our country wants to do biz with). The information in my prior post was provided to prove that the 9 March 1997 incident was not related to the quality or performance of the FH-2000. The ammo supply chain partially described was the SAF's supply chain then and it is not the ST Kinetics' supply chain. They are different.

If you persist on the same track, I'll have to politely say that the SAF's supply chain and the ammo used by SAF is not an Indian MoD concern.

I am quiet sure thats not the case. Can you cite this with a reliable source?

Is there such a thing as a reliable media source on Indian defence matters? Occasionally, I find that even publications like Janes may have some minor factual errors that creep in and and you may want to look for more links to satisfy yourself. I'm not a fan of trying to tell Indians about India. Take the trouble seek info and read before expressing an opinion. Despite the fact the you are again giving an opinion without checking, here's a link with some background info below that can help you start your search for Indian sources:

...In 2009, the Indian National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS) ordered the Scientific Analysis Group (SAG), an arm of the Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) engaged in analysis of communication systems, to conduct an inquiry into the Chinese made encryption devices supplied by Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) to the Indian Air Force and the National Technical Research Organization (NTRO) (Indian Express, November 1, 2009)...

 

[OPSSG]

ST Kinetics' iFH-2000 (155mm/52 calibre) towed howitzer has arrived in India for trails.

Punj Lloyd is the Indian partner of ST Kinetics for the towed howitzer being offered for sale with the Indian Army. Hence, Punj Lloyd will get a significant share of the manufacture if the iFH-2000 is selected by India. More details by Ajai Shukla here. He has some pixs of the howitzer in action too.

 

[shag]

Got to have a sense of humour to do biz in India...
This statement is factually wrong unless you change the text as suggested.

I dont understand, did you mean all that in jest?
I was ofcourse talking about 155 mm ammo, and yes I was talking about India as the customer. Sorry about my stupid 'the ammo' which didn't describe the details.

I am not trying berate Singaporean equipment or any thing else Singaporean. I am simply mentioning the rucus certain issues can create in india, esp for a new vendor who is hoping to break into the market, ST kinetics has unfortunately faced one issue(through no fault of its own if I might add) already.

I am not a civilian and I come from a Army back ground, In fact Col Ajai Shukla who you quote so often is my dad's coursemate, my dad's also a veteran of the 71 war. But I am not so big on waging war(arguing) in forums and I have no intention to get unpleasant with you or anyone else. So if you are upset with me on anything I apologize again and we can bury the issue here.
cool?

 

[OPSSG]

If the Singapore brand means anything - it's zero tolerance for corruption. Therefore, it is strange that on the first deal that ST Kinetics tried to close in India, their good name was dragged through the dirt by many in the Indian press - who omitted the use of the key words - 'alleged corruption' in their reports and convicted the company based on hearsay before the Indian public. In fact, ST Kinetics' Patrick Choy has said:

“We have never been told we have been blacklisted. The CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation) has spoken to us but we have never been told what the charges against us are,”​

and he added that:

“We are more than willing to open our books for inspection. We have not done any wrong. Our corporate governance is of a very high standard. In the last 40 years, there has not been a single instance of our having done wrong,”​

And it was clear that ST Kinetics was initially not treated fairly and also had to incur unnecessary costs because of lapses in communication. ST Kinetics seems to have finally got their ducks in a roll and have finally found an Indian partner they can work with to help them navigate their way round Indian deals. At a strategic level, this should profit both India and Singapore (as Singapore seeks to engage India).

From a self image standpoint - I feel that Singapore and our companies are amongst the least corrupt in Asia (BTW, the current President of Interpol is a Singaporean) and we are proud of our record on enforcement despite the fact that it affects the ability of Singapore companies to close deals in many third world countries (it's painful to know that sometimes you can't close a deal because you can't offer a bribe).

I dont understand, did you mean all that in jest?
I was ofcourse talking about 155 mm ammo, and yes I was talking about India as the customer. Sorry about my stupid 'the ammo' which didn't describe the details.

I am not trying berate Singaporean equipment or any thing else Singaporean. I am simply mentioning the rucus certain issues can create in india, esp for a new vendor who is hoping to break into the market, ST kinetics has unfortunately faced one issue(through no fault of its own if I might add) already.

I am not a civilian and I come from a Army back ground, In fact Col Ajai Shukla who you quote so often is my dad's coursemate, my dad's also a veteran of the 71 war. But I am not so big on waging war(arguing) in forums and I have no intention to get unpleasant with you or anyone else. So if you are upset with me on anything I apologize again and we can bury the issue here.
cool?

No worries - it's Singaporean humour (see Singaporean comments applied to the iFH-2000 pix ) [h/t to Iowa_BB61]. Thanks for explaining your background - it will help me pitch my replies appropriately.

Beyond that I think we were talking at cross purposes earlier. I think it's a matter of trying understand each other. Keep in mind that 2 Singaporeans died and 12 were injured from the 9 March 1997 incident, so obviously I was disappointed with IOS. But more than that, we have learned and we have changed.

From my perspective, it's OK if India does not buy any products from ST Kinetics - may the 'best' product win the sale, as I'm not related to the company, nor do I have a commercial interest in it. But IMO, it's NOT OK for some in the Indian press to soil the good name/reputation of Singapore made weapons. BTW, ST is THE company that makes weapons for our army (there's no other choice for us).

Here's the latest videos of two ST Kinetics made products mentioned earlier in this thread:

Bronco

Trailblazer

 

[OPSSG]

The last time I posted in this thread was 2 years ago and due to word limitations (per post), I have had to split this Terrex update into 2 posts.

Terrex The Terrific

September 12, 2009: Singapore is buying 135 Terrex Infantry Combat vehicles (ICV). The first infantry units will receive them in February 2010. The 25 ton Terrex is optimized for urban environments. The U.S. Army’s use of the Stryker ICV and its success on the battlefield influenced the selection of Terrex, and subsequent modifications.

Costing $1.5 million each, the vehicle is externally similar to the Stryker, with 8 wheels and a remote controlled weapons turret atop the hull. The hull has a V shape for mine protection. The vehicle is 7 meters long (22.96 feet), 2.7 meters wide (8.85 feet), and 2.1 meters high (6.88 feet). The vehicle carries 13 soldiers and 2 crewmen (driver and commander), in its armored personnel carrier (APC) role... More ballistic protection is available in the form of bolt on or welded armor (slat, cage type), which is fitted alongside the hull for defense against Rocket Propelled Grenades (RPG’s)... Top speed is 110 kilometers per hour with a range of 800 kilometers. The vehicle is amphibious, using water jets mounted on either side of the rear hull to propels the vehicle at 10 kilometers per hour in the water.

Electronics a Battlefield Management System (BMS) which permits full awareness of a battlespace providing sharable information to other vehicles or soldiers. A Weapon Detection System (WDS) is provided to spot enemy fire. All information is displayed on colored screens in the commander’s position just aft of the driver...

-- Mike Perry

The 135 intial Terrex order will enable Singapore to equip 3 infantry battalions and there are 7 variants in the 135 vehicle order:

(i) troop carrier,
(ii) command post,
(iii) pioneer (or armoured engineer) vehicle,
(iv) armoured ambulance,
(v) ATGM,
(vi) STORM (strike observer mission), and
(vii) RSTA (recce, surveillance, target acquisition).

This purchase will enable each of these 3G infantry battalions to get 45 of their own Terrexs. This looks to me as if Singapore is moving towards motorised infantry and seems to be following the US BCT concept closely. The Terrex is equipped with a 40mm/7.62mm RWS and there's also a 12.7mm HMG version. Here's another video from the recent Army Open House (AOH)...

I like the fact that they have integrated a weapons location system that automatically turns the RWS to the approximate direction of the enemy firng...

The Marine Personnel Carrier (MPC) is a wheeled armored personnel carrier under development for acquisition by the US Marine Corps. The MPC is a new capability that will be a multi-wheeled, armored personnel carrier designed to operate across the range of military operations but focused on an irregular warfare operating environment characterized by operations in constrained and urban terrain.

LM Havoc, BAE Super AV, Piranha III and MPC contest....quiet before the storm.

2. The Iveco Super AV 8x8 (built with BAE) remains a mystery. I found out that its being developed at the BAE facility in Ontario, CA. Nothing to be found on either the BAE or Iveco website on this vehicle though. That's really different from the way that BAE has operated in the past. They were once the 500 pound gorilla in the room and didn't care who knew what about whatever they were developing. I take this as an indication of how serious these competitions have become. Paychecks and jobs are on the line and its no laughing matter.
3. The Lockheed Martin/Patria Havoc has some fans in the Marine Corps. The AAV crewmen that got a chance to work up the vehicle in Pendleton are extremely pleased with it. Full disclosure, I'm a fan of the AMV and the Havoc model seems to build on that success.
4. Another potential competitor that's missing in action is General Dynamics. I fully expect them to offer a Piranha model (Stryker lite) but information on what they're working on is also embargoed. This is the dark horse in the competition in my opinion. But the Piranha III is in service with the Spanish and Brazilian Marine Corps (just to name two of the customers) and is used in much the same way I see the USMC using it. Amphibious operations second, troop mobility first.

The requirements for the MPC programme includes:-

(i) water performance demonstration: able to swim at 6 knots (6.9 mph) in calm seas, handle wave heights of up to 2 feet and plunging surf of 4 feet;
(ii) item (i) above also includes a long list of personnel and vehicle safety equipment that is USCG approved;
(iii) able to use JP8 (optional);
(iv) human factors engineering: in terms of motion and space (stowage) that includes the ability of two (2) MPCs (each with a crew of three (3) Marines) to carry up to seventeen (17) Marines with two (2) days of supplies;
(v) item (iv) includes space for a 33 lbs US Government supplied "Motion Pak" (L:12.75 in x W:11.25 in x H:11 in) during testing to measure CG and other motion requirements; and
(vi) survivability demonstration against direct fire, indirect fire, direct blast and indirect blast on 2 demonstrators.

Competitors (h/t to SNAFU)
1. IVECO Defence Vehicles teamed with BAE Systems Global Combat Systems, offering its SUPERAV 8x8 amphibious APC.

2. Lockheed Martin teamed up with Patria to offer the Havoc.

3. ST Kinetics and Science Applications International Corporation teamed up to offer the Terrex

Click to see a pix of the Terrex Infantry Carrier Vehicles from the SAF participating in Exercise Kocha Singa 2012. Thai video of Exercise Kocha Singa 2012 (with the Terrex in action supported by Thai attack helicopters and armour including BRT-3E1s, M-113A5s and M-109A5s):-

Kocha Singha 2012 Video 1 - YouTube

Kocha Singha 2012 Video 2 - YouTube

h/t to SiamAirForce for the video links

 

[OPSSG]

March 23, 2012 Singapore | ST Kinetics, the land systems arm of ST Engineering, and Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) today announced they will team for the upcoming U.S. Marine Corps Marine Personnel Carrier programme. For more info on ST Kinetics offering in the MPC Programme, see the link to the ST Press Release. This news was also reported in defpro: ST Kinetics and SAIC Team For Marine Personnel Carrier Programme and in Naval Technology: ST Kinetics teams with SAIC for USMC MPC programme.

“We are proud to field ST Kinetics’ TERREX as the basis for our team’s offering for the USMC MPC programme. We are confident that the advanced design of the TERREX, particularly in the areas of survivability and crew habitability, will underpin an effective and affordable solution usable by the US Marines in a myriad of tough environments.” ~ Patrick CHOY, Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, ST Kinetics

TERREX Marine Personnel Carrier (SAIC) - YouTube

I personally feel that with the news that the Terrex 8x8 is now in the field that this is a two vehicle race.

The Terrex vs. the Havoc (AMV)

The Havoc is proven world wide, has a substantial following and is supported by the largest defense manufacturer in the US.

Its also been in the hands of Marines who have given it rave reviews.

The Terrex is a son of Singapore. Its technologically advanced and if the Marine Corps follows the US Army in networking its forces (which would make nothing but sense) then the network capable Terrex would seem to hold an edge.

(1) The Terrex represents the motorisation of Singapore's infantry in our forward deployable combined arms divisions. There are 3 combined arms divisions:- 3rd Division, 6th Dvision and 9th Division, a rapid deployment division (or the 21st Division - Commanded by the Chief Guards Officer) and an armoured division (the 25th Division - commanded by the Chief Armour Officer). For Singapore, Guards are the closest thing we have to the US Marines. The infantry in all the above divisions will be trained to use the Terrex (but not all units will be equipped with the Terrex). The Terrex have certain specific roles in our forward defence plans and they are also swim capable.
(2) We also have armoured infantry with the Bionix II IFV and the Leopard 2s from the 25th Division. BTW, in 2001 Singapore’s Bionix entered the US Army’s competition for a new ICV but it lost to the Stryker ICV in the end because the US army wanted a wheeled solution.
(3) The Bionix II and the Terrex have different roles and are operated by different types of units.
(4) The Terrex may also be useful in peacekeeping and have been configured for urban warfare with an acoustic gunfire/weapon detection system (the Terrex is very silent compared to a tracked vehicle and comes with a Dual Weapon Station).
(5) Singapore's artillery trainers in Kabul, Afghanistan are currently using MRAPS (MaxxPro Dash).

Terrex as a US Marine Personnel Carrier?

Video on the Warthog; Fighting on the Frontline: War Wagons 1/4
For those unfamiliar, the British needed a new vehicle that could carry lots of troops, go off-road to spring a nasty surprise on Taliban attackers and survive IED strikes that plague Afghanistan... A request was made for a vehicle that could be as nimble as the Viking, but much more protected. STK's Bronco won the contract, and with upgrades being made, the vehicle is now reborn as the Warthog, used by the British military to turn the tables against the Taliban. STK has got the experience in creating something that's defensively sound, and hopefully that will translate onto the Terrex as it also vies for a spot to be chosen by the US Marines as the new MPC.

ST Kinetics displayed the RSTA variant of the Terrex at the Singapore Airshow 2012. The vehicle is based on the operational Terrex, fitted with a number of new systems supporting intelligence gathering and target acquisition missions. Included in this Terrex variant is the MINI-T, a stabilised electro-optical payload provided by STELOP. The payload is mounted on a telescopic mast, providing the vehicle an efficient capability to observe the area from concealed positions. The MINI-T packs a day camera, cooled thermal imager, a laser rangefinder and laser pointer in a stabilized 22kg payload. See pix by Tamir Eshel, from Defense-Update.

 

[OPSSG]

In 2008, Thailand ordered an Endurance Class vessel for S$200 million {with two 23m Landing Craft Mechanised and two 13m Landing Craft Vehicle and Personnel}. On 3 April 2012, ST Marine held a ceremony for preliminary acceptance and delivery of the 141m Landing Platform Dock (LPD), which it designed and built for Royal Thai Navy at its Benoi yard (See pixs here and here, h/t to SiamAirForce for the pix links).

[nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tTrYWKW-R5A"]RTN LPD Launching Ceremony - YouTube[/nomedia]


The delivery ceremony for LPD-791, H.T.M.A.S. Ang-Thong was graced by Admiral Surasak Rounroengrom, Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Thai Navy, and His Excellency Mr Marut Jitpatima, Ambassador of Thailand to Singapore.

The design of the LPD is proprietary to ST Marine and is based on its Endurance Class of LPDs. The design is proven by the four 141m Landing Ship Tanks (LSTs) that ST Marine built for the Republic of Singapore Navy. The LSTs have been deployed successfully on many occasions to provide peacekeeping duties in the Gulf, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief efforts during the 2004 Indonesian tsunami and more recently as part of the international anti-piracy Combined Task Force in the Gulf of Aden.

With a displacement of about 7600 tonnes, LPD-791 has a well-dock with a stern as well as a side ramp designed for expedient embarkation and disembarkation of equipment and personnel. This versatile vessel is capable of supporting myriad missions, ranging from sea transportation, naval support operations, civil search and rescue to disaster relief missions. To support these missions, its heli-deck can support two medium-sized helicopters of about 10-tonnes each (or 1 CH-47). LPD-791 can transport 19 AAVs or 15 Trucks/Trailers, 2 LCVPs and 2-4 SH-60B/MH-60S or 1 CH-47.

In May 2012, Terma is to deliver a command and control system for the Royal Thai Navy’s new LPD-791. The delivery includes the C-Flex combat management system, a SCANTER 4100 air and surface surveillance radar, and the C-Fire gun fire control system. LPD-791 was launched in Singapore in February 2011, and the ceremony for the handover to the Royal Thai Navy has taken place.

 

[Methos]

March 23, 2012 Singapore | ST Kinetics, the land systems arm of ST Engineering, and Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) today announced they will team for the upcoming U.S. Marine Corps Marine Personnel Carrier programme.

“

Poor SAIC - lost any chances to get the contract for the GCV programme and now trying to get things done with the Terrex. The Terrex might be nice, but it is having two problems:
1.) It is no American product (which is the main reasons for the U.S. to reject defence products)
2.) It is not over-the-top. Other APCs offer similar (and in some areas even better) performance. Patria AMV or SEP are more probable candidates for winning.

 

[OPSSG]

19 July 2012 -- ST Marine has signed an agreement with Thales Nederland for the supply of sensors and a combat management system for installation onboard the Royal Navy of Oman's (RNO) four Al-Ofouq-class patrol vessels, which are currently under construction. The Oman Ministry of Defence previously awarded a $699.4m contract to ST Marine for the construction of four Al-Ofouq-class patrol vessels for the RNO (to replace the existing Al Bushra class patrol vessels), and also included options for associated logistic support. In addition to Tacticos combat management system (CMS) and the Variant surveillance radar, Thales will provide the STIR 1.2 EO Mk2 radar E/O tracking system and the ESM system for the Omani patrol boats.

26 Sep 2012 -- Singapore Minister for Defence meets Omani leaders in Muscat

Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen is visiting the Sultanate of Oman from 26 to 28 Sep 2012. While in Oman, he called on Deputy Prime Minister for the Council of Ministers, His Highness Sayyid Fahd Bin Mahmoud Al-Said. He also met with Minister Responsible for Defence Affairs, His Excellency Sayyid Badr Bin Saud Al-Busaidi. During the meetings, both sides reaffirmed the warm and friendly bilateral relations between Singapore and the Sultanate of Oman. Dr Ng also conveyed Singapore's appreciation for the Omani government's support in facilitating port calls at Omani ports by the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) task group deployed in the Gulf of Aden...

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In other Oman related news and on 15 January 2013, ST Aerospace secured a contract to provide the Royal Air Force of Oman (RAFO) with a full scale maintenance and modernisation solution for three of its C130 Hercules aircraft. Under the modernisation programme, ST Aerospace will equip RAFO’s fleet of C130 aircraft with an avionics suite that is Global Air Traffic Management compliant.

15 Jan 2013 -- Commander of the Royal Navy of Oman calls on Singapore Minister for Defence

The Commander of the Royal Navy of Oman, Rear-Admiral (RADM) Abdullah bin Khamis bin Abdullah Al Raisi, called on Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen at the Ministry of Defence this morning. RADM Abdullah bin Khamis, who is on an introductory visit to Singapore from 14 to 16 Jan 2013, also called on the Chief of Defence Force Lieutenant-General Neo Kian Hong and Chief of Navy RADM Ng Chee Peng earlier today. RADM Abdullah bin Khamis’ visit underscores the warm and friendly defence relations between Singapore and Oman. Oman has provided support for the Singapore Armed Forces’ task groups deployed to the Gulf of Aden for counter-piracy operations under the ambit of Combined Task Force-151...

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