On 8 October it was announced that Australia and Singapore have agreed to upgrade our defence and security partnership, as part of the enhanced bilateral Comprehensive Strategic Partnership announced by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Prime Minister Lawrence Wong.
The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence, Richard Marles, and Singapore’s Minister for Defence, Chan Chun Sing, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) providing a framework for deepening defence cooperation. Through the MOU, Australia and Singapore will:
- Enhance our respective militaries’ reciprocal access to defence facilities in Australia and Singapore, including expanded access for the Australian Defence Force (ADF) in Singapore and increased access for the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) to training areas in Australia;
- Deepen and increase defence science and technology collaboration;
- Enhance collaboration on defence supply chains and logistics ecosystems; and
- Expand professional defence exchanges between both militaries.
This week’s MOU builds on and supersedes the 2008 MOU concerning Defence Cooperation.
Australia has supported rotations of SAF personnel training in Australia for over 30 years, and Singapore has provided longstanding access for the ADF personnel, ships and aircraft operating in Southeast Asia. Both defence establishments also engage in multilateral cooperation through the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus and the Five Power Defence Arrangements.
Specifically the new MOU will facilitates the following:
- Enhanced ADF Access in and through Singapore. The MOU builds on Singapore’s existing support for Australia’s longstanding presence in Singapore since the formation of the Five Power Defence Arrangements in 1971. This support is anchored on the shared belief that Australia’s presence is vital to our region’s peace, stability and security. As Australia seeks to step up its presence in our region, the SAF will support more frequent port calls and stopovers by the ADF’s vessels and aircraft.
- Increased SAF access to Australian defence facilities. Australia will increase the SAF’s access to enhanced training areas and facilities in Australia. Building on the provisions of the Agreement concerning Military Training and Training Area Development in Australia, signed in 2020, Australia will increase provisions for the SAF’s annual unilateral training at the Shoalwater Bay Training Area and Greenvale Training Area. Singapore will work with Australia to establish a Rotational Fighter Training Detachment, which will allow the Republic of Singapore Air Force to conduct unilateral fighter training.
- Science and Technology. Singapore and Australia will step up collaboration in defence science and technology through a range of activities in areas of mutual interest. These include information exchanges, joint research initiatives, collaborative trials and experiments, as well as exchanges of scientific and engineering personnel. Both countries will also continue to explore opportunities for science and technology demonstrations or integration trials during relevant bilateral exercises, including Exercise Trident. This joint effort will enhance science and technology capabilities that align with both countries’ defence technology priorities, and in turn enhance interoperability between the ADF and SAF.
- Logistics and Supply Chains. Singapore and Australia will mutually enhance supply chain resilience through the establishment of a comprehensive bilateral arrangement. The arrangement will explore opportunities for both countries to cooperate in the areas of sustainment, production, and supply chain risk management. Both countries will also enhance professional exchanges and strengthen linkages within their respective logistics ecosystem by expanding and systemising practical logistics support, enhancing defence logistics education and training programs, and strengthening dialogue on defence logistics platforms and emerging areas.
- Exchanges and Collaboration. Singapore and Australia will formalise collaboration in emerging areas, such as cyber and information. Both countries will also explore the conduct of exchanges in future warfighting concepts, joint collective training and modernisation. The SAF and ADF will also deepen people-to-people exchanges.
