Army Deployment Force

Last updated
Army Deployment Force
Army deployment force logo.png
Logo of the Army Deployment Force
Active2016 – present
CountryFlag of Singapore.svg  Singapore
BranchSingaporeArmyinfoboxflag.png  Singapore Army
Type Rapid deployment force
Role
Garrison/HQNee Soon Camp
Motto(s)"Always Ready"

The Army Deployment Force (ADF) is a rapid deployment unit of the Singapore Army responsible for conducting counter-terrorism and expeditionary operations. It consists of only regular servicemen, primarily from the Guards formation. [1] The ADF was established in 2016, in response to modernised terrorist attacks such as the November 2015 Paris attacks.

Contents

History

The Army Deployment Force was officially inaugurated on 12 July 2016 in Nee Soon Camp, [2] with roughly 600 regular servicemen at the time of inception. This discrete rapid deployment battalion is operationally-ready to a high readiness state, ready to respond to any civil emergencies and actively able to respond "at the push of the button". The motto "Always Ready" stands for always ready for any national exigency.

Its first operational mission began in August 2016, when ADF servicemen were rotationally deployed to Iraq as cover safety and protection for the medical teams by Singapore to assist the international coalition forces that are in combat with the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS). [3]

The unit received their regimental colours from President Halimah Yacob on 1 July 2021, as part of the SAF Day Parade.

Role

ADF troopers Army Deployment Force members during AOH 2022 300522.jpg
ADF troopers

The ADF's primary role is to provide rapid response to terror threats or national exigencies in both urban and non-urban settings, and supporting the Special Operations Task Force (SOTF), Island Defence Task Force (IDTF), as well as the various Home Team agencies. [2]

Secondarily, it can respond to civil emergencies or Peace Time Contingency Operations (PTCO). Additionally, it is also capable of being deployed for both Peace Support Operations (PSO) and Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief operations (HADR) both within and around Singapore. [4]

Training

ADF troopers are trained to provide the army with niche capabilities, with much of the training for the Singapore Guards coming into play as troopers develop their roles in the unit. ADF training is primarily conducted in Nee Soon Camp.

Combat Qualification Course

In order to be inducted into the Army Deployment Force, aspiring soldiers are required to complete the grueling 21-week long Combat Qualification Course (CQC). The course trains and equips ADF troopers with key capabilities enabling them to respond to any threat or peacetime contingency quickly and effectively, it also serves to test the physical and mental readiness of trainees before they are posted to the ADF's operational companies.

The course covers a range of skillsets such as weapon proficiency, unarmed combat, conventional warfare, urban operations, fast-roping and rappelling, Peacetime Contingency Operations (PTCO), as well as Peace Support and Humanitarian Aid and Disaster Response (HADR) operations. [5]

As part of their graduation criteria, trainees are required to complete a 10km march in 90 minutes, a warrior competition that tests their combat fitness and weapon competency, and an 18-hour finale exercise. [2]

Equipment

ADF troopers performing a squad level attack drill as part of Exercise Valiant Mark 2016 jointly conducted with the US Marines

Some of the equipments of the ADF include:

Other than weapons, ADF also uses the Water Purification Units (WPU) trucks and Protected Light Utility Vehicles (PLUVs). ADF's equipment varies depending on their tasks and mission. [6]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Australian Defence Force</span> National military force of Australia

The Australian Defence Force (ADF) is the military organisation responsible for the defence of the Commonwealth of Australia and its national interests. It has three branches: the Royal Australian Navy (RAN), Australian Army and the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). The ADF has a strength of just over 89,000 personnel and is supported by the Department of Defence alongside other civilian entities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Singapore Armed Forces</span> Military of Singapore

The Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) are the military of the Republic of Singapore, responsible for protecting and defending the security interests and the sovereignty of the country. A component of the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF), the armed forces have four service branches: the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Digital and Intelligence Service. An integrated force, it is one of the most capable, robust, technologically sophisticated and powerful militaries in the Southeast Asia region. The SAF is headed by the chief of defence force, appointed by the President, on the advice of the Cabinet.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rapid reaction force</span> Military or police unit capable of quickly responding to emergencies

A rapid reaction force / rapid response force (RRF), quick reaction force / quick response force (QRF), immediate reaction force (IRF), rapid deployment force (RDF), or quick maneuver force (QMF) is a military or police unit capable of responding to emergencies in a very short time frame.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Singapore Army</span> Land service branch of the Singapore Armed Forces

The Singapore Army is the land service branch of the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF). The largest of the four branches of the SAF, the Singapore Army traces its origins to the 1st Battalion, Singapore Infantry Regiment, which was formed in 1957, when Singapore was still under British colonial rule. After Singapore's independence on 9 August 1965, the Singapore Army Bill was passed in Parliament on 23 December 1965, and National Service (NS) was subsequently introduced in 1967. Mostly made up of conscripts, the Singapore Army can mobilise all operationally-ready military reservists in the event of war or national exigencies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Naval Diving Unit (Singapore)</span> Maritime special forces unit

The Naval Diving Unit (NDU), also referred to as the Naval Divers, is the special forces formation of the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) responsible for conducting special operations from sea, air, and land. The formation is made up of six squadrons, specialising in explosive ordnance disposal, underwater demolition, maritime security operations, and combatant craft operations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Reservist</span> Member of a military reserve force

A reservist is a person who is a member of a military reserve force. They are otherwise civilians, and in peacetime have careers outside the military. Reservists usually go for training on an annual basis to refresh their skills. This person is usually a former active-duty member of the armed forces, and they remain a reservist either voluntarily, or by obligation. In some countries such as Israel, Norway, Finland, Singapore, and Switzerland, reservists are conscripted soldiers who are called up for training and service when necessary.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Port Security Unit</span>

U.S. Coast Guard Port Security Units are Deployable Specialized Forces organized for sustained expeditionary security and anti-terrorism. They provide Anti-Terrorism Force Protection (ATFP) missions, which include harbor and port defense, protection of High Value Assets (HVAs), expeditionary security, Sea Lines of Communications (SLOCs), special missions. and coastal surveillance. PSUs are expeditionary units that conduct OCONUS missions in support of a requesting regional combatant commander. PSUs usually operate under the direction of the Coast Guard's Pacific Area (PACAREA) command but are unique in that they are the only Coast Guard units that can be quickly requested by the Department of Defense.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Singapore Combat Engineers</span> Military unit

The Singapore Combat Engineers (SCE) is a formation of the Singapore Army. Combat Engineers provide mobility by bridging gaps and clearing minefields to facilitate speedy advance of troops into enemy territory, and counter-mobility by constructing obstacles such as anti-tank ditches to impede the enemy's movement. The Combat Engineers also construct trenches, drainage systems and other related infrastructure to enhance the survivability of troops during operations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rapid Engineer Deployable Heavy Operational Repair Squadron Engineers</span> Heavy construction units of the United States Air Force

Rapid Engineer Deployable Heavy Operational Repair Squadron Engineer squadrons are the United States Air Force's heavy-construction units. Their combat engineering capabilities are similar to those of the U.S. Navy Seabees and U.S. Army heavy-construction organizations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Canadian Special Operations Forces Command</span> Command of the Canadian defence body

Canadian Special Operations Forces Command is a command of the Canadian Armed Forces. It is responsible for all special forces operations that respond to terrorism and threats to Canadians and Canadian interests around the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">11th Marine Expeditionary Unit</span> Military unit

The 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit is one of seven Marine Expeditionary Units currently in existence in the United States Marine Corps. The Marine Expeditionary Unit is a Marine Air Ground Task Force with a strength of about 2,200 personnel. The MEU consists of a command element, a reinforced infantry battalion, a composite helicopter squadron and a logistics combat element. The 11th MEU is currently based out of Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California with headquarters in Camp Del Mar.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">SAF Medical Training Institute</span> Military unit

The SAF Medical Training Institute (SMTI) is a military medicine training institute under the Army Medical Service within the SAF Medical Corps. As part of the medical corps, the institute oversees the medical vocational training for SAF service members under the Army, Navy, Air Force, as well as the Singapore Civil Defence Force.

The Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) has five rank schemes for active and reservist personnel, with a sixth for the auxiliaries of the SAF Volunteer Corps. The SAF has a unique rank structure as an integrated force, ranks are the same in the Singapore Army, the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN), the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF), and the Digital and Intelligence Service (DIS).

Operation Vigilant Sentinel was a response to Saddam Hussein advance of its military forces on the border with Kuwait. The United States deployed the 74th Air Control Squadron to Kuwait on August 24, 1995. The specific battle management functions the 74th Air Control Squadron and its counterparts performed included surveillance, data link management and weapons control. The deploying units were part of a ground theater air control system, consisting of a control reporting element and an air support operations center. The US then deployed 3,500 soldiers to Kuwait in October 1996 as a deterrent to further hostile Iraqi acts toward Kuwait following the expansion of the Iraqi no-fly zones.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">20th CBRNE Command</span> U.S. Army headquarters for CBRNE defense

The 20th CBRNE Command is the United States Army headquarters for defense against Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and high-yield Explosives (CBRNE), headquartered on the site of the defunct Edgewood Arsenal chemical weapons production facility at Aberdeen Proving Ground in northern Maryland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Florida Air National Guard</span> Military unit

The Florida Air National Guard is the aerial militia of the State of Florida. It is a reserve component of the United States Air Force and along with the Florida Army National Guard, an element of the Florida National Guard. It is also an element of the Air National Guard (ANG) at the national level, falling in with the Army National Guard (ARNG) as part of the greater United States National Guard under the National Guard Bureau (NGB).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Special Operations Task Force</span> Military unit

The Special Operations Task Force is a special operations command of the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) responsible for conducting special operations. The SOTF is composed of only highly-trained regular servicemen from the Army's Special Operations Force (SOF) under the Commandos formation and, the Navy's Special Warfare Group (SWG) under the Naval Diving Unit (NDU).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">SAF Volunteer Corps</span> Military unit

The Singapore Armed Forces Volunteer Corps (SAFVC) is a uniformed volunteer auxiliary branch of the Singapore Armed Forces. It was established on 13 October 2014 to allow Singaporean women, first generation permanent residents and naturalised citizens, all of whom would otherwise not be subject to an obligation to serve national service, to contribute their part towards Singapore's defence. It also aims to strengthen support for national service by understanding the duties of national servicemen.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1st Mechanized Infantry Brigade (North Macedonia)</span> Military unit

The 1st Mechanized Infantry Brigade is a higher joint-tactical unit that represents a major combat force of the Army of North Macedonia. It provides forces for protection, national interest, support during natural disasters, epidemics and other dangers. Outside North Macedonia, the declared units participate in peacekeeping operations and fulfill international military responsibilities.

The Protective Security Command (ProCom) is a specialist counter-terrorist police unit of the Singapore Police Force (SPF). ProCom was formed to build up Singapore Police Force's public security capabilities and project police presence at security-sensitive locations. On 8 July 2016, the unit was commissioned.

References

  1. Koh, Jeremy (July 2016). "SAF to fight terror with rapid response". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 1 July 2018. Retrieved 24 June 2018.
  2. 1 2 3 Tham, Thrina. "Rapid Response Force". Pioneer. So Drama! Entertainment. Retrieved 20 May 2022.
  3. Driscoll, Shea (3 August 2016). "SAF to send medical support team to Iraq, Army Deployment Force to protect the team". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 1 July 2018. Retrieved 24 June 2018.
  4. "Army Deployment Force". Singapore Army Careers. Singapore Army. Archived from the original on 1 July 2018. Retrieved 24 June 2018.
  5. https://www.mindef.gov.sg/oms/arc/careers/army-deployment-force/ [ bare URL ]
  6. Ting, Jeo. "SAF sets up high readiness unit in the face of new threats: Dr Ng". Ministry of Defence Singapore. Cyberpioneer. Archived from the original on 24 June 2018. Retrieved 24 June 2018.