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Special Operations Task Force

The Special Operations Task Force (SOTF, Chinese: 特别行动特遣部队, Malay: Pasukan Petugas Operasi Khas)[4] 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).

Special Operations Task Force
Active30 June 2009[a] – present
CountrySingapore
TypeSpecial forces
Role
Part ofSingapore Armed Forces
Motto(s)"When No One Else Can"
Commanders
Current
commander
  • Colonel Pang Chee Kong[2]
  • Colonel Francis Goh Puay Hock
    (Deputy Commander)[3]
Notable
commanders		Colonel Lam Shiu Tong
(Commander)[2]
Insignia
Patch

The primary role of SOTF is to combat terrorist threats that would harm Singaporean interests at home and overseas.[5][6] According to Colonel Benedict Lim, then Assistant Chief of General Staff (Operations), the SOTF is responsible for conducting counter-terrorism operations at the national level.[7]

History

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On 30 June 2009, it was officially announced to the media that the Singapore Government was planning to create the Special Operations Task Force (SOTF) to counter all terrorist threats from land, sea and air.[5]

According to Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Teo Chee Hean, the unit's establishment was needed because Singapore is not "dealing only with people with guns. They may be dealing with people who have very powerful explosives and various kinds of other substances, chemical, radiological and so on, so you need to develop capabilities to deal with these things. You have to deal with them at sea, at shore, buildings, aeroplanes, ships, coastlines and so on, so you do need to bring together these capabilities, develop them in a much more complete, coherent and integrated way."[6] In addition, Colonel Lam commented on the 2008 Mumbai attacks "where terrorists are getting smarter as well. They are getting more organised—they learnt from what the special and security forces are doing."[2]

The SOTF saw its inaugural monograph Key Perspectives on Special Forces (2009) published in the same year the integrated unit was formed. The monograph was edited and developed by Captain Kwong Weng Yap, a Commando officer who served as the head of its leadership development. The monograph was published by Pointer, the journal of the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF). The publication introduces the first comprehensive monograph involving Singapore’s special forces from the Army and Navy; it offers a critical examination of the history, evolution and theory of special forces. Professor Denis Fischbacher-Smith of the University of Glasgow commented that the monograph "provided the reader a stimulating insight into the working and thought processes that underpin the selection, training, and deployment of these elite troops. Moreover, it is rare for such a collection to be made available from serving and recent members of elite forces, and for that reason, the book is an important contribution to the literature."[8]

The SOTF is a military command rather than an actual unit, combining the Commandos formation's Special Operations Force (SOF) and the Navy's Naval Diving Unit (NDU)—both of which are well-established units, as an integrated force and operational command. Furthermore, the task force would be able to tackle and adapt to various threats according to the various specialties of Singapore's elite units.[9][6]

The SOTF had recently participated in the Exercise Northstar VII drills, neutralising several "terrorists" after they have infiltrated Sentosa.[7][10][11]

On 11 March 2011, Colonel Chiang Hock Woon was appointed to serve as Commander of SOTF, replacing then-Colonel, Brigadier-General Lam Shiu Tong, who will be appointed Commander of 2nd People's Defence Force (2PDF).

On 22 January 2016, Colonel Nicholas Ang was appointed to serve as Commander of SOTF, replacing Colonel Simon Lim.[12]

On 4 December 2019, during the Commandos' Golden Jubilee celebrations, Minister for Defence Ng Eng Hen helped commission the new Special Operations Command Centre for the SOTF and the SAF to better execute counter-terrorism operations and it is based at the Commandos' headquarters, Hendon Camp.[13][14] The SOCC is a joint project between the SAF and the Defence Science and Technology Agency (DSTA), being equipped with a C4I system.[15]

Operations

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Every year, the SOTF participate in counter-terrorism exercises led by the Singapore Police Force (SPF) in order to validate their operational response to any large-scale terrorist attacks or when there is a heightened security threat to Singapore.[16]

Formation

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The following units are to be placed under command of SOTF:

Headquarters

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The SOTF includes personnel from the Navy and Air Force, who are in charge of mobilising resources for SOTF missions based on their service-specific knowledge.[3]

Colonel Tan Tai Tiong said in a statement that SOTF operators "are not losing our individual identities as Divers and Commandos, but gaining a valuable partner in each other's skill sets."[3]

Equipment

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Weapons

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Pistols
Model Origin Caliber Version Notes
FN Five-Seven   Belgium FN 5.7×28mm Five-Seven USG [17]
Submachine guns
H&K MP7   Germany HK 4.6×30mm MP7A1 [17][18]
FN P90   Belgium FN 5.7×28mm P90 TR In use.[17] Being replaced by MP7A1s.[18]
Assault rifles
H&K HK416   Germany 5.56×45mm NATO D10RS
D14.5RS 		[17]
SAR 21   Singapore 5.56×45mm NATO Varies [citation needed]
M4 Carbine   United States 5.56×45mm NATO Colt M4A1 SOPMOD Being replaced by HK416 carbines.[18]

Vehicles

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[19]

Notes

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  1. ^ Official announcement to create the unit was first reported on this date.[1]

References

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  1. ^ "Fact Sheet: Singapore Armed Forces Commando Formation 50th Anniversary". www.mindef.gov.sg.
  2. ^ a b c Ashwin Lee (22 January 2016). "Chief Commando Officer / Commander SOTF Change of Command Parade". Singapore Army. Archived from the original on 25 September 2017. Retrieved 25 September 2017.
  3. ^ a b c "SAF special forces to operate under one command". Singaporean Ministry of Defence. 13 July 2009. Archived from the original on 31 July 2017. Retrieved 7 October 2009.
  4. ^ MINDEF / SAF Translated Terms (PDF), Ministry of Defence (MINDEF Singapore), 31 March 2024, archived from the original (PDF) on 31 March 2024, retrieved 31 March 2024
  5. ^ a b S. Ramesh (30 June 2009). "SAF to develop integrated task force against terrorist threats". Channel NewsAsia. Archived from the original on 3 August 2009. Retrieved 1 July 2009.
  6. ^ a b c "Special Operations Task Force Web TV Interview". The Straits Times RAZORTV. 30 June 2009. Archived from the original on 3 August 2009. Retrieved 1 July 2009.
  7. ^ a b S Ramesh (15 July 2009). "Exercise Northstar tests Singapore's response to terrorist attack". Channel NewsAsia. Archived from the original on 4 June 2011. Retrieved 17 July 2009.
  8. ^ [1] Archived 24 October 2015 at the Wayback Machine. Kwong Weng Yap (Ed.) (2009). "Key Perspectives on Special Forces". Pointer. Mindef.gov.sg. Retrieved 15 Oct 2015.
  9. ^ a b c d Jermyn Chow (1 July 2009). "Special forces to work under one command". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 6 July 2009. Retrieved 1 July 2009.
  10. ^ "When Terror Strikes pamphlet" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 8 November 2009. Retrieved 5 September 2009.
  11. ^ "SAF special operations group participates in Exercise Northstar VII". Ministry of Defence. 15 July 2009. Archived from the original on 30 September 2020. Retrieved 7 October 2009.
  12. ^ "Chief Commando Officer / Commander SOTF Change of Command Parade". Archived from the original on 21 March 2018. Retrieved 20 March 2018.
  13. ^ Lim, Min Zhang (30 June 2019). "SAF to set up new command centre by end-2019 to plan, monitor and coordinate counter-terror operations". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 3 July 2019. Retrieved 4 May 2020.
  14. ^ Lim, Min Zhang (4 December 2019). "SAF commissions Special Operations Command Centre as commandos celebrate golden jubilee". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 6 December 2019. Retrieved 4 May 2020.
  15. ^ "Singapore commissions Special Operations Command Centre".
  16. ^ Cheong, Danson; Tay, Tiffany Fumiko (18 October 2016). "Islandwide anti-terror exercise: Officers rescue hostages in cinema and malls". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 24 November 2017. Retrieved 4 May 2020.
  17. ^ a b c d "New gear for Singapore special forces - Shephard Media". Archived from the original on 13 June 2017. Retrieved 14 June 2017.
  18. ^ a b c d e Neville 2019, p. 179.
  19. ^ "SAF helicopters, soldiers deployed in night-time counter-terrorism exercise at Star Vista mall". CNA.

Bibliography

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