SAF's fully digitalised 'Hunter' Armoured Fighting Vehicle commissioned
SINGAPORE — A locally developed Armoured Fighting Vehicle (AFV) dubbed the “Hunter” was commissioned by Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen on Tuesday (11 June).
The Hunter, the Singapore Armed Force’s (SAF) first fully digitalised platform, was developed by the Singapore Army, the Defence Science and Technology Agency (DSTA) and ST Engineering.
It will replace the Ultra M113 AFVs, which have been in service since 1973.
Speaking at the Armour Formation's 50th anniversary parade at Sungei Gedong Camp, Dr Ng hailed the Hunter “as a centrepiece of the Singapore Army's transformation into the Next-Generation Army”.
“The Hunter AFVs are tougher and more capable than the Ultra M113s they replace, enabling the Singapore Army to be a stronger, faster, smarter and more lethal advanced fighting force,” said Dr Ng.
The Hunter comes with a suite of C4 (Command, Control, Communications and Computers) systems to boost the army's war-fighting capabilities.
Other features include an all-round surveillance system mounted on the vehicle's exterior that comes with a 360-degree field of vision as well as a Laser Warning System (LWS) to alert the crew of being targeted by aggressors.
The Hunter is capable of travelling longer distances and is also built with better protection to enhance survivability.
“This includes operating completely closed hatched as the norm. As a result, both in peacetime and operations, the safety of its crew will be enhanced,” said Dr Ng.
The AFV can be integrated with unmanned platforms, including robots, he added.
“For example, the Hunter crew can mobilise unmanned aerial and ground vehicles (UAVs and UGVs) to gather reconnaissance and surveillance information remotely, with obvious advantages for stealth manoeuvres and its own protection,” he said.
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