Debated in Parliament on 5 Aug 2026.
Dr Neo Kok Beng asked the Coordinating Minister for Public Services and Minister for Defence following the successful setup of RSAF Agile Innovation Digital (a) how many innovation laboratories are set up in the various arms of the Singapore Armed Forces; and (b) whether positions in these innovation laboratories are open to National Service personnel, including full-time and Operationally Ready National Servicemen.
Innovation is central to the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) and the Singapore Armed Forces' (SAF's) operational effectiveness. We have systematically built an innovation ecosystem that enables experimentation, rapid development and operational adoption across the force. At the MINDEF-level, Future Systems and Technology Directorate manages the research and technology requirements of MINDEF and the SAF. Across the SAF, innovation entities in all four Services provide resources to experiment, prototype and scale new capabilities. For instance, RSAF Agile Innovation Digital (RAiD) deployed QualiFly, which digitalised the qualification process and cut Air Force Engineers' qualification time from six to four months. Our Defence Technology Community in the Defence Science and Technology Agency and DSO National Laboratories also turns ideas into SAF capabilities, as seen in the swarm drone trial during Exercise WALLABY 2025, which rapidly generated 3D battlefield terrain maps.
Innovation is not confined to these entities. It comes from across the force, with Regulars, Full-time National Servicemen (NSFs) and Operationally Ready National Servicemen (NSmen) contributing where they are deployed. MINDEF's IGNITE Innovation Symposium showcases these achievements and recently featured an NSF-led project Operational Resuscitation and Battlefield In-Flight Tool Kit (ORBIT), which improved casualty handover during helicopter evacuation missions.
Deployment of NSFs will continue to be based on the SAF's operational needs. NSmen may be redeployed through the Enhanced Expertise Deployment Scheme, which enables us to tap on their civilian expertise in their contributions to the SAF. This ensures that innovation continues to be shaped by those with operational experience while the SAF's primary mission requirements continue to be met.
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