Singapore and US Armies Strengthen Professional Ties at Exercise Tiger Balm 2023

The Singapore Army and the United States (US) Army successfully conducted the 42nd Exercise Tiger Balm 2023 from 8 to 19 May 23 at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, USA. This year’s edition featured a Brigade-level command post exercise that involved a total of approximately 400 personnel from Headquarters 6th Singapore Division / Headquarters Sense & Strike (HQ 6 Div/ HQ SS), 10th Singapore Infantry Brigade, as well as the US Army’s Hawaii Army National Guard and 278th Armoured Cavalry Regiment.

The exercise leveraged a Live-Virtual-Constructive (LVC) simulation system integration to link the Brigade Command Posts at the Joint Multinational Simulations Centre of Indo-Pacific (JMSC-IP) in Schofield Barracks with the SAF Wargame Centre at Pasir Laba Camp to coordinate planning and execution between both brigades. The exercise also included a Combined Arms Live Firing component involving a total of 250 soldiers from 40th Battalion, Singapore Armoured Regiment and 2nd Squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment executing a Company-level combat operations. This was supported by sense-strike elements such as the Singapore Army’s Strike Observer Mission (STORM) team and the US Army’s Fire Support Team (FiST), with US Army Field Artillery unit and Intelligence collection units providing real-time target surveillance and acquisition. In addition, both armies conducted subject matter expert exchanges on Counter-Improvised Explosive Device (C-IED) and Chemical, Biological and Radiological Defence (CBRD) operations, which culminated in the conduct of a C-IED live firing exercise.

Speaking on the significance of the exercise, Commander of 6 Div/ HQ SS, Colonel Anand Sathi Kumar said, “The safe and successful conduct of Exercise Tiger Balm 2023 reaffirmed the commitment of both our Armies to strengthen our partnership, deepen our cooperation and most importantly, build close friendship.”

First conducted in 1981, Exercise Tiger Balm is the longest-running bilateral exercise between the Singapore Army and the US Army. This annual exercise allows both armies to collaborate and share tactics, techniques and procedures, and is the hallmark of close relationship and longstanding ties between both armies. Both armies also interact extensively through professional exchange programmes, cross-attendance of courses, and other bilateral and multilateral exercises. These regular interactions have fostered and enhanced the professionalism, friendship and mutual understanding among personnel from both armies.