In May ----, Reuters reported that Singapore s defence ministry had down-selected helicopters from Airbus and Leonardo-Finmeccanica for its Super Puma replacement programme. In April ----, Singapore s defence ministry confirmed its acquisition of the Elta EL/M----- multi- mission radar from Israeli Aerospace Industries. ...Safran Helicopter Engines reported in May ---- it had opened a new facility in Singapore. In the same month, Finmeccanica and Singapore s Nanyang Technological University (NTU) signed an agreement to collaborate on helicopter-related R&D. In February ----, NTU and BAE Systems signed an agreement to jointly develop cybersecurity technologies. ...In February ----, NTU and BAE Systems signed an agreement to jointly develop cybersecurity technologies. In January ----, Japan s NEC Corporation established a facility in Singapore to expand its cybersecurity offerings in the city-state and wider region.
...Singapore s government announced in March, a FY----/-- defence budget of SGD--.--bn - a significant increase on the FY----/-- budget figure. We forecast total defence spending to come in at USD-.--bn for the full year ----. ...We forecast total defence spending to come in at USD-.--bn for the full year ----. In August ----, Indonesian security forces announced the arrest of five members of local Islamist extremist group Kitabah Gonggong Rebus - an IS affiliate - at Batam Island, accused of planning a rocket attack on Singapore from across the Singapore Strait. In H---, IMB reported a sharp drop in the number of piracy and armed robbery incidents - globally and regionally. ...In July ----, a new, battalion-sized Army Deployment Force (ADF) was inaugurated, intended for response to terrorist threats in urban settings. Singapore s defence ministry has announced it is planning for a fully unmanned fleet to replace its mine counter-measure (MCM) vessels.
...Singapore s defence expenditure has seen steady growth over the past five years, in line with the broader region, and in response to growing security threats from tensions over the South China Sea dispute, transnational terrorism and maritime piracy. We forecast continued growth in defence spending over ---------, as these threats persist. ...
