Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!sdd.hp.com!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!pacific.mps.ohio-state.edu!linac!att!cbnews!cbnews!military From: rz02+@andrew.cmu.edu (Rudolph R. Zung) Newsgroups: sci.military Subject: Re: Singapore and Viet Nam Message-ID: <1991Feb21.032002.12916@cbnews.att.com> Date: 21 Feb 91 03:20:02 GMT References: <1991Feb13.032228.27177@cbnews.att.com> Sender: military@cbnews.att.com (William B. Thacker) Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories Lines: 175 Approved: military@att.att.com From: "Rudolph R. Zung" >From: ARTABAR@MTUS5.cts.mtu.edu >I am looking for data on Singapore's military (size, equipment, etc.) and >Viet Nam's. (for those of you who think this is an odd question, Singapore >is deathly afraid of Viet Nam 'coming over the wall') >Please send your responses directly to me (artabar@mtus5.cts.mtu.edu) >Thanx in advance >Andy This is the information on Singapore's military as I know it. Much of the structure is similar to the US Army/Marines structure. This information is biased towards small infantry units and may have gaps and holes in it. This is because when I was in the Army there, I was an Infantry Combat Officer serving in OCS as an instructor. And as you know, structure in schools are differents from operational units. Unless otherwise noted, personal weapon is M16S1. 1 group (Closest US Marine equivalent: 1 fire team): 2 individuals (weapons vary by groups) 1 section (7 men) (Closest US Marine equivalent: 1 Squad): 3 groups 1 section commander (CPL. Usually attached with first/point section) (Weapons: 2 LAW 2 SAW 2 M203 1 SSS (M16 with optical sights) 1 GPMG team (2, 3 men): Gun commander (SGT) (FN MAG) Number 2 man (ammo bearer) Number 3 man (ammo bearer, tripod bearer)* 1 Pl HQ (4 men): 1 Medic 1 Signaller (Coy Command Net) 1 Pl Sergeant (SGT) 1 Pl Comd (2LT or LTA) 1 Pl (28 men): 3 sections 1 GPMG team 1 Pl HQ Coy HQ: 1 OC (1LT or CPT) 1 2IC (1LT) 1 CSM (SSG) 2 Signaller (Bn Command Net, Bn Admin Net) 1 Runner (Coy Command Net) 1 CQ 1, 2 Storeman 1 Coy: 3 Pl 1 Coy HQ Bn HQ: 1 CO (MAJ, LTC) 1 Bn 2IC 1 S1 (Manpower) (The order here could be wrong, 1 S2 (Intelligence) I find it hard to remember those 1 S3 (Planning) numbers) 1 S4 (Logistics) Many service support (clerks, cooks, drivers, etc) Possibly other Bn support elements (RR, Armor, etc) 1 Bn: 1 Bn HQ 3 rifle companies Support Company/companies 1 Bde: 1 Bde HQ 3 Bn 1 Div: 3 Bde Ranks: Other ranks (Closest US equivalent: Enlisted ranks) REC Recruit PVT Private PFC Private First Class LCP Lance Corporal Other ranks, NCO: CPL Corporal CFC Corporal First Class Other ranks, SNCO: SGT Sergeant SSM Staff Sergeant WO2 Warrant Officer Class 2 WO1 Warrant Officer Class 1 SWO Senior Warrant Officer Officers 2LT 2nd Lieutenant LTA Full Lieutenant CPT Captain MAJ Major LTC Lieutenant Colonel COL Colonel BG Brigadier General MG Major General LG Lieutenant General Abbreviations: 2IC Second in Command/Charge. Unless otherwise noted, usually refers to a company 2IC. (Closest US equivalent: Executive Officer) Bde Bridage Bn Battalion CIS Chartered Industries of Singapore CO Commanding Officer; Battalion Commander Coy Company CQ Comapany Quartermaster CSM Company Sergeant Major Div Division GPMG General Purpose Machine Gun HQ HeadQuarters LAW Light Antitank Weapon NCO Non-Commissioned Officer OC Officer Commanding (Closest US equivalent: Company Commander) Pl Platoon RR Recoilless Rifle SAW Section Automatic Weapon SNCO Senior Non-Commissioned Officer SSS Section SharpShooter Weapons: FN MAG Fabrique Nationale Mitrailleuse Automatique Generale. French (maybe Belgian) 7.62mm caliber, belt fed. LAW German ArmBrust. M16S1 A standard US Colt M16A1 manufactured in Singapore by CIS under license from Colt. M203 M203 grenade launcher mounted on M16. SAW CIS made Ultimax 100. 5.56mm caliber; 100 round drum magazine or standard M16 magazine. Note Bene: Ca approximately 1990, due to shortage of manpower and success of govermental population control campaigns in 70s, there was some reorganization of structure. Prior to that, each group was 3 men instead of the current 2. The GPMG team may have been cut from 3 men to 2 men. In the Singapore context, there is no differentiation between Battalion and Regiment. Part of this reason is that the Singapore Army is insufficiently large to field Regiments, but in order to preserve historically the British names of units, Singapore retains Regimental names. Thus, the unit 5SIR (5th Singapore Infantry Regiment) is actually a battalion sized unit. There are currently 3 Divisions, and possibly plans for a fourth. I believe that there are 50,000 personnel on active service with a full potential of 200,000 if all reserves are recalled for duty. (Numbers could be wrong) The Air Force flies: C130, SkyVan, F5s, F16s, E2s, among others. -- ...Ru Names and places have been identified to protect the anonymous. mcmxcI Make the world a better place. One love, one song; one heart, that's strong. InterNet: rz02+@andrew.cmu.edu BITnet : rz02+@andrew UUCP : ...!{ucbvax, harvard}!andrew.cmu.edu!rz02+ R Zung \ (412) 682-0532 \ CMU Box 231 \ Pittsburgh PA 15213