As of 5 July 2024, the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) has one three-star admiral, four two-star generals / admirals and 31 one-star generals, one-star admirals or equivalent.
Position | Rank and name | Photo | Date of rank | Vocation | Decorations | Service branch | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chief of Defence Force (CDF) | Vice Admiral Aaron Beng Yao Cheng | 1 July 2023 [lower-alpha 1] | Naval Officer | PPA(E), PPA(G) | Republic of Singapore Navy | [1] | |
Chief of Army (COA) | Major-General David Neo Chin Wee | 1 July 2022 [lower-alpha 2] | Commandos | PPA(E) (COVID-19), PPA(E), PPA(G), PBS | Singapore Army | [2] | |
Chief of Digital and Intelligence Service (CDI) / Director, Military Intelligence | Major-General Lee Yi-Jin | 1 July 2023 [lower-alpha 3] | Artillery | PPA(E) (COVID-19), PPA(G) | Digital and Intelligence Service | [3] | |
Chief of Navy (CNV) | Rear Admiral Sean Wat Jianwen | 1 January 2024 [lower-alpha 4] | Naval Officer | PPA(G) | Republic of Singapore Navy | [4] | |
Chief of Air Force (CAF) | Major-General Fan Sui Siong, Kelvin | 1 July 2024 [lower-alpha 5] | Air Warfare Officer | PPA(E), PPA(P), PBS | Republic of Singapore Air Force | [5] | |
Rank | Name | Position | Vocation | Date of rank | Decorations | Service branch | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Yew Chee Leung | Deputy Secretary (Technology) / Future Systems and Technology Architect | Armour | 1 May 2018 | PPA(P), PPA(G), PBS | Singapore Army | [6] [7] | |
Choo Wei Yee, Frederick | Deputy Secretary (Policy) | 1 July 2019 | PPA(G), PBS | [8] [9] | |||
Goh Pei Ming | Chief of Staff - Joint Staff / SAF Inspector-General / Chief Sustainability Officer | Infantry | 1 July 2021 | PPA(P) (COVID-19), PPA(P) | |||
Tan Tiong Keat | Commandant, SAFTI Military Institute | Combat Engineers | PPA(P), PPA(G), PK (COVID-19), PBS | [10] | |||
Chan Ching Hao | Director of Joint Operations | Pilot | 1 July 2021 | PPA(G) | Republic of Singapore Air Force | ||
Ng Pak Shun | Group Chief, Policy & Strategy / Group Chief, Plans and Transformation | Air Warfare Officer | 1 July 2022 | PPA(P) | |||
Phua Jia Kai | Director, Defence Policy Office | 1 July 2024 | PPA(P), PK (COVID-19) | ||||
(DR) Lee Wei Ting | Chief of Medical Corps | Medical Officer | 1 July 2024 | PPA(P) (COVID-19), PPA(P) | Singapore Army |
Rank | Name | Position | Vocation | Date of rank | Decorations | Service branch | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Andrew Lim Heng Tiew | Commander, Training and Doctrine Command | Infantry | 1 July 2019 | PPA(P) (COVID-19), PPA(P), PPA(G), PBS | Singapore Army | [11] [12] | |
Tan Cheng Kwee | Chief of Staff, General Staff / Army Sustainability Officer | Guards | 1 July 2020 | PPA(E) (COVID-19), PPA(P), PPA(G), PBS | |||
Teng Choon Hon, Adrian | Assistant Chief of the General Staff (Operations) | Artillery | 1 July 2022 | PPA(P), PBS | [13] | ||
Low Wilson | Chief Guards Officer / Commander, 21st Division | Commandos | PPA(G), PK (COVID-19) | ||||
Cai Dexian | Commander, 3rd Division | Armour | 1 July 2023 | PPA(G) | |||
Wong Shi Ming | Commander, 9th Division / Chief Infantry Officer | Infantry | 1 July 2024 | ||||
Anand s/o Sathi Kumar | Commander, 6th Division / Headquarters Sense and Strike | Army Intelligence | PPA(P) (COVID-19), PPA(P), PBS | [5] |
Rank | Name | Position | Vocation | Date of rank | Decorations | Service branch | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Saw Shi Tat | Chief of Staff, Naval Staff / Navy Sustainability Officer | Naval Officer | 1 July 2020 | PPA(P), PPA(G), PBS | Republic of Singapore Navy | [14] | |
Lim Kian Hua Augustine | Head, Naval Operations Department | 1 July 2023 | PPA(P), PPA(G) (COVID-19) | ||||
Kwan Hon Chuong | Fleet Commander | 1 July 2024 | PPA(G), PBS | [15] |
Rank | Name | Position | Vocation | Date of rank | Decorations | Service branch | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ho Kum Luen | Chief of Staff, Air Staff / Air Sustainability Officer | Pilot | 1 July 2019 | PPA(P) (COVID-19), PPA(P), PPA(G), PBS | Republic of Singapore Air Force | ||
Lim Kok Hong | Commander, Air Combat Command | 1 July 2021 | PPA(P), PBS | ||||
Yeo Tze Kuan, Amos | Commander, Air Power Generation Command / RSAF Chief Innovation Officer | Air Warfare Officer | 1 July 2022 | PPA(P) | |||
Koh Ee Wen | Commander, Air Defence and Operations Command | 1 July 2023 | PPA(P), PPA(G) (COVID-19), PBS | ||||
Teo Soo Yeow | Head, Air Operations Department | Pilot | PPA(G), PBS | ||||
Yap Soon Haw Timothy | Head, Air Engineering & Logistics Department / Deputy Air Sustainability Officer | Air Force Engineer | 1 July 2021 | PPA(P), PPA(G), PBS | [10] | ||
Rank | Name | Position | Vocation | Date of rank | Decorations | Service branch | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Seet Uei Lim | Chief of Staff - Digital and Intelligence Staff / DIS Sustainability Officer | Guards | 1 July 2019 | BBM (COVID-19), PPA(P), PPA(G), PBS | Digital and Intelligence Service | [16] | |
Chen Juncheng, Edward | Defence Cyber Chief | Signals | 1 July 2022 | PPA(P) | |||
Xu Youfeng | Commander, Digital Defence Command | Infantry | |||||
Narayanan Letchumanan | Commander, Joint Intelligence Command | Military Intelligence | 1 July 2023 | PPA(G) | |||
Wong Hong Kai | Commander, SAF C4 Command / Cybersecurity Task Force | Pilot | 1 July 2024 | ||||
Yong Wei Hsiung | Head, Digital and Intelligence Operations | Naval Officer | 1 July 2020 | PPA(P) |
Rank | Name | Position | Vocation | Date of rank | Decorations | Service branch | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Lee Wee Chek Simon | Defence Attache, Washington | Air Warfare Officer | 1 July 2021 | PPA(P), PPA(G), PBS | Republic of Singapore Air Force | [17] |
The following table comprise appointments typically held by a one-star officer [18] but are currently held by a colonel or Military Expert 7. Officers in these positions are expected to promote to brigadier-general, rear admiral or Military Expert 8.
Rank | Name | Position | Vocation | Date of appointment | Decorations | Service branch | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Lim Han Yong | Chief Armour Officer / Commander, 25th Division | Armour | 29 August 2023 | PPA(P), PBS | Singapore Army | ||
Chua Eng Khim | Commander, 2nd People's Defence Force Command / Island Defence Task Force | Signals | 5 July 2024 | PPA(P), PPA(G) (COVID-19), PBS | |||
Ng Xun Xi | Commander, Maritime Security (MARSEC) Command / Maritime Security Task Force (MSTF) | Naval Officer | 30 January 2024 | PPA(G), PBS | Republic of Singapore Navy | ||
Xu Geyuan, Marcel | Commander, Participation Command | Pilot / Military Intelligence | 6 April 2023 | PPA(P) | Republic of Singapore Air Force | ||
Peh Chin Leong, Joseph | Director, Military Security Department | Air Warfare Officer | 1 July 2024 | PPA(P), PK (COVID-19) | |||
Tan Mu Yen | Commander, Combat Service Support Command / Deputy Army Sustainability Officer | Logistics | 7 October 2022 | PPA(P) | Singapore Army |
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.
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.
The SAF Military Police Command is the military police formation of the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF). Established as the Singapore Armed Forces Provost Unit (SAFPU) in 1966, its primary role is to police duties to uphold standards of discipline within the SAF, and to provide security coverage for key SAF military installations and the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) headquarters at Bukit Gombak.
The SAFTI Military Institute is a military institute of the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) comprising five schools: Goh Keng Swee Command and Staff College, three SAF Advanced Schools, and the Officer Cadet School. Located on an 88 ha campus in Jurong West, it was originally established in 1966 in Pasir Laba Camp as the Singapore Armed Forces Training Institute (SAFTI) before it moved to its current location in 1995 and became known as the SAFTI Military Institute.
Singapore maintains an active conscription system in accordance with the regulations set by the Government of Singapore, known as National Service (NS). This requires all qualified male Singaporean citizens and second-generation permanent residents to serve a period of active duty military service in the uniformed services.
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).
Neo Kian Hong is a Singaporean civil servant and former lieutenant-general who served as Chief of Defence Force between 2010 and 2013.
The Chief of Defence Force is the head of the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF), who holds the rank of Lieutenant-General or Vice-Admiral. The Chief of Defence Force also serves as the aide-de-camp to the president of Singapore. The current Chief of Defence Force is Aaron Beng.
Ng Chee Peng is a Singaporean civil servant and former two-star rear-admiral who served as Chief of Navy between 2011 and 2014.
Ng Chee Meng is a Singaporean politician, union leader and former lieutenant-general who is a member of the governing People's Action Party (PAP) and has been serving as Secretary-General of the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) since 2018.
Perry Lim Cheng Yeow is a Singaporean former lieutenant-general who served as Chief of Defence Force between 2015 and 2018.
Lai Chung Han is a Singaporean civil servant and former two-star rear-admiral who served as Chief of Navy between 2014 and 2017. He has been serving as Permanent Secretary for Education since 2019.
Melvyn Ong Su Kiat is a Singaporean retired lieutenant-general who served as Chief of Defence Force between 2018 and 2023.
Mervyn Tan Wei Ming is a Singaporean former major-general who served as Chief of Air Force between 2016 and 2019. He served as the chief executive of Defence Science and Technology Agency between 2021 and 2024, stepping down on 15 May 2024.
The SAF Day Parade is an annual military parade and ceremony of the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) held on 1 July in commemoration of the founding of the SAF. It is the second military parade in seniority to be held in Singapore next to the Singapore National Day Parade on 9 August. It is usually held at the SAFTI Military Institute in Jurong West, with the presence of the president of Singapore. Salutes are also taken by the prime minister of Singapore, and the chief of Defence Force.
Aaron Beng Yao Cheng is a Singaporean vice-admiral and Chief of Defence Force. Prior to his appointment as Chief of Defence Force, he served as Chief of Navy between 2020 and 2023. He is the first naval officer to serve as Chief of Defence Force, and the first to hold the rank of Vice-Admiral in the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF).
David Neo Chin Wee is a Singaporean major-general who has been serving as Chief of Army since 2022. Prior to his appointment as Chief of Army, he was serving as Deputy Secretary (Technology) at the Ministry of Defence. Neo is the first Commando to serve as Chief of Army.
The Digital and Intelligence Service (DIS) is the digital service branch of the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) responsible for providing military intelligence to the armed forces, building up the country's digital defence capabilities, and protecting the psychological defence of its military personnel. It was established on 28 October 2022, in response to the increased number of attacks by non-state actors, and the resulting damage from the Russo-Ukrainian cyberwarfare.
The Specialist and Warrant Officer Institute is the military training centre for warrant officers, specialists and military experts of the Singapore Armed Forces. Located at Pasir Laba Camp in the Western Water Catchment, it is made up of five schools: the SAFWOS Leadership School (SAFWOS), the Specialist and Warrant Officer Advanced School (SWAS), and three Specialist Cadet Schools.
Sean Wat Jianwen is a Singaporean two-star rear-admiral who has been serving as Chief of Navy since 2023.