Defending
the Lion city

Tabloid
Malay Mail report on Tim Huxley's book following Malaysian
ministers' rejection of author's tipping easy victory for
Singapore in a war.

Jan 14, 2003

Since
the 1980s, Huxley wrote, the military balance moved decisively
in the favour of Singapore, making an offensive strategy
- the so-called pre-emptive strike - a realistic option
for the island republic.



By the 1990s, Singapore's Armed Forces (SAF) quantative
and qualitative strength over the Malaysia Armed Forces
(MAF) became well-entrenched.



In 2000, the potential mobilised strength of the SAF stood
at 350,000 personnel.

By comparison, the MAF totalled only about 145,000 personnel,
although 105,000 of these were regulars.



Singapore's army formations, most importantly, the three
combined arms divisions - each with integral armour and
artillery, and a rapid deployment division - are coherent
and highly offensively-oriented, in contrast to their Malaysian
equivalents, which during

the 1990s remained dispersed thinly throughout the peninsular
and were only beginning to develop combined arms capabilities.



Huxley (in"Defending the Lion City") said the
SAF's crucial strength lies in its armoured force and air
force.



The Singapore Army operates some 120 upgraded Centurion
main battle tanks and some 350 AMX-13SMI light tanks. It's
air force has more combat aircraft than Malaysia and Indonesia
combined.



Together with tanker and airborne early warning aircraft,
the Singaporean combat aircraft could wreck havoc in a conflict.



Huxley stated that the SAF with it highly educated soldiers,
high-techology equipment and synergistic relations among
the three services yielded important military advantages
over Malaysia or any other potential adversaries.



He said the economic recession in Malaysia in 1986-1987
and 1997-1998 was an obstacle for its armed forces modernisation
and re-equipment.



He said the plans to build major bases in Johor, one each
in Gemas and Mersing, would probably strengthen the defences
in the south.



What if war broke out between Malaysia and Singapore: Bombs
away!



[Following scenario is quoted from Pg 58, A Scenario of
War with Malaysia.]



IT'S 4am.



The early morning calm is suddenly shattered by the deafening
screams of low-flying jets.



Seconds later, Kuantan air base is rocked by multiple explosions,
followed by "secondaries" as Malaysia's air assets
in aircraft shelters and revetments are obliterated.



Klaxons blaring, pilots are scrambled to whichever aircraft
that are still air-worthy, but it's useless. The runways
had been cratered.



In the ensuing confusion, reports start streaming in. It
seems that this is not an isolated case.



Butterworth checks in and reports that its entire complement
of F/A-18D Hornets are now smoking, twisted hulks out on
the tarmac.



And the entire Third Division which has overall command
over Johor and Malacca had also been annihilated.



The National Power Grid had not been spared, plunging the
entire country in darkness, adding to the chaos and confusion.



Reports also indicated that the Ministry of Defence building
in Jalan Padang Tembak, Kuala Lumpur, had been hit by at
least six GBU-31 1,000-pound JDAMs (Joint Direct Attack
Munitions).



Even the KLCC had been struck with such ferocity that only
the Maxis Tower was left standing.



On Bukit Nanas, only a blackened stump is left of what used
to be the Kuala Lumpur Tower.



Down in Johor and Malacca, the situation is much worse.
A torrent of armoured vehicles, including tanks, are hogging
all the roads linking Johor Baru to Muar and Kota Tinggi,
disgorging armed soldiers who took over all the towns.



Senai airport, captured in a pre-dawn attack was being used
by the helicopters and planes taking part in the on-going
offensive.



On the North-South Expressway, main battle tanks and armoured
fighting vehicles together with towed artillery with fighter
jets and attack helicopters providing close support were
going north, destination unknown.



Reports of troops landing from helicopters were coming in
from all over Johor, from Mersing to Muar.



By noon, Johoreans find themselves under Singapore military
rule.



If you think the scenario described above are wild imaginings
of The Malay Mail writers, think again.



The scenario, in less graphic form, was written by a British
scholar, Tim Huxley, in his book Defending the Lion City:
The Armed Forces of Singapore.



It was published in 2000 as part of a series which examine
the military capabilities of Asian countries by Australian
publishing company Allen & Urwin.



Huxley's book, which is available at local bookstores, offers
a fascinating look at a little-known but effective military
organisation.



Among others, it brought up issues that were almost never
discussed - including sensitive questions of war plans with
Singapore's neighbours.



Drawing on Israeli and other foreign experts and using only
their country's limited resources, the Singaporeans have
moulded a technologically sophisticated and large military
that is capable of striking far from the island State.



Given the country's absence of natural resources and lack
of strategic depth, said Huxley, it's a remarkable achievement.



He said while the Singapore military has not yet been tested
in real combat, few observers doubt its professional ability.



In the second chapter of his book, Huxley points out that
Malaysia was the most likely adversary to Singapore, with
Indonesia second.



He gave a detailed picture of how the Singapore Armed Forces
(SAF) capabilities were tailored to meet such adversaries.



Huxley wrote: "While it is clear that the SAF is sufficiently
flexible in terms of its organisation, equipment and doctrines
to be useful in wide national security contingencies, its
capabilities have been refined with specific contingencies
in mind - above all, the possibility of war with or in Malaysia."



Singapore defence planners have also planned a war with
or in Indonesia.



Huxley said such plans have been played in SAF staff college
exercises since the 1960s.

He said that from the Singapore viewpoint, a war with Malaysia
could be triggered due to communal conflict in Malaysia
which resulted in the disruption of water supply from Johor.



Singapore, according to Huxley, have not dropped plans for
a pre-emptive strike.

Huxley further states: "To make intervention possible,
the SAF would need to disable the Malaysian Armed Forces
(MAF) with a brutal and fearless pre-emptive offensive or
at least retain such capability as to execute such an attack
after absorbing an initial

(Malaysian) onslaught.



"Probably in conjunction with electronic attacks on
the MAF's communication and sensors (such as radars), the
SAF would first attempt to establish air superiority by
devastating the Malaysian air force - in the first few hours
of any conflict - before mounting further air strikes against
other military targets.



"Singapore's army would then seize the initiative on
the ground with commandos - infiltrated by air and sea -
and helimobile Guards unit securing the Malaysian side of
the Causeway in Johor Baru and the Second Link bridge in
Gelang Patah.



"Combined armed forces, most importantly, armoured
battle groups equipped with tanks and other armoured fighting
vehicles, would then cross into Johor and rapidly advance
into the Peninsula.



"They would be supported by Guards battalions and transport
helicopters, strike aircraft and attack helicopters."



The Singaporean Navy will also play a vital role by landing
troops on Johor's coast while keeping the sea-lanes around
the island from any blockage by the Malaysian navy.

Malay Mail

Tuesday, August 15, 2006

Parasites

Singapore-Malaysia

posted at 3:24 PM

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