HOVER OVER MARKERS TO JUMP SECTION

Finding their bearings amid choppy seas

09 Aug 2025 | COMMUNITY

HAPPY 60TH BIRTHDAY, SINGAPORE!

Relive the highlights of the year’s biggest birthday bash as Singapore turns 60! From the Padang to the Bay and across the island, NDP 2025 wowed Singaporeans with stunning fireworks, thrilling displays from the SAF and grand performances.

//STORY BY NICOLE YONG /PHOTOS BY PIONEER PHOTOGRAPHERS & TEDD JONG

Military assets across land, air and sea, the largest number of contingents at the Padang and a magnificent fireworks show? Check out what went down during the NDP celebrations here:

Oh… Yeah! A Red Lion landing at the Padang to loud cheers from the audience. This is the first time the Red Lions and Naval Divers are jumping into 2 different locations – the Padang and Marina Bay respectively – as part of a coordinated display!

Did you catch the Fly Our Flag aerial display? The state flag, carried by the RSAF’s CH-47 Heavy Lift helicopter, made its way to the heartlands along two routes to bring the celebration closer to every Singaporean.

For the first time ever, the uncasing of colours ceremony took place at Marina Square, opposite the Esplanade, allowing the public to show their support for the Guard Of Honour (GOH) marching contingents and Colours Party at an easily accessible location.

Did you know this year’s Parade & Ceremony (P&C) segment sets a few records? It’s the largest number of marching contingents at the Padang since 1990 – a total of 40 contingents comprising about 2,100 participants!

Grand entrance: The CH-47 Heavy Lift helicopter, escorted by 2 AH-64D Apache helicopters, carrying the State Flag over the Padang as the National Anthem plays.

Boom, boom boom! The Army’s gunners firing the 21-gun salute on board the Mobility 3rd Generation raft at Marina Bay, in tandem with the President’s review of the parade.

Another highlight of the P&C segment is the Feu-de-Joie, or “Fire of Joy”. This is a traditional celebratory rifle salute performed by the GOH contingents.

The Army’s Leopard 2SG tanks rolling into the Padang as part of the Mobile Column, which makes its highly anticipated return to NDP after six years.

Veterans from the Singapore Armed Forces and Home Team united for a tribute during the mobile column drive-past, on board a 6-tonner. The oldest veteran in the group is 95-year-old Staff Sergeant (Ret) Booi Seow Kiat (second row, second from left).

Over at the Bay, spectators are treated to a sail-past of 5 vessels, which includes the Navy’s Combatant Craft Medium (foreground, left) and Maritime Security Unmanned Surface Vessel (right), and the Singapore Police Force’s 3-series PC Class Patrol Craft (background, right).

This year’s NDP boasted a dazzling night show featuring 39 artistes, more than 3,000 performers, and a specially designed 360-degree centre stage!

This is what home means to me: Charlie Lim (in white) and Kit Chan (in red) performing the NDP 2025 theme song, “Here We Are”. The song represents Singaporeans standing together to face the future and taking stock of how far they’ve come.

Act Two takes on a more reflective mood, inviting audiences to consider their dreams and aspirations, with performers creating an atmosphere that resembles a starry night.

National icon Dick Lee singing “We Will Get There” while floating across the Padang in a hot air balloon. The performance is part of Act Three, which is centered on resilience through familial bonds and community spirit.

Singer Benjamin Kheng (right, in red) and 12 dancers from the Music and Drama Company performed on a 9m-long floating stage – the first of its kind – that is mounted on a Fast Craft Utility!

Singing “Not Alone” together with Benjamin Kheng is national songstress Rahimah Rahim at the Padang (on the highest platform), as part of NDP 2025’s special cross-venue performance.

Bringing together 398 performers from the Ministry of Education, 57 performers from SMU Samba Masala, 15 performers from MINDS and more, Act Four calls on Singaporeans to shape their future as a resilient and united country.

A shining finale culminating in a sing-along segment to crowd favourites such as “Stand Up for Singapore”, “One People, One Nation” and “Where I Belong”.

This is home, truly: As night falls, the buildings surrounding the Padang are lit up by stunning light projections and water floats at the Bay.

SG60 PARTY IN THE HEARTLANDS

COMMUNITY

10 Aug 2025

National Day may be over, but the celebrations continued into the weekend with festivities across the island

Feature

BASIC DRONE SKILLS, MORE PERSONALISED TRAINING FOR RECRUITS

OPS & TRAINING

04 Aug 2025

She used to serve on the In his first visit to BMTC as Minister for Defence, Mr Chan Chun Sing observed enhancements to training and support to better prepare soldiers for modern operations.

Feature

CHAMPIONS FOR INNOVATION

TECHNOLOGY

30 Jul 2025

She used to serve on the Eleven Minister for Defence Awards (MDA) were given out this year, for innovations by MINDEF and SAF personnel that led to improved efficiency and safer working conditions.

Feature

GIANT LEAPS INTO NEW BOOTS

PEOPLE

29 Jul 2025

She used to serve on the A career change is never easy, but a jump out of their comfort zones into the SAF is just what mid-careerists ME4 Jessica Ho and ME4 V. Yoginita wanted.

Feature

BEHIND THE PARADE

COMMUNITY

28 Jul 2025

She used to serve on the Months of hard work and burnt weekends, all for Singapore’s biggest birthday bash. Here’s your backstage pass to this year’s National Day Parade!

MINDEF VOLUNTEERS HONOURED FOR CONTRIBUTIONS TO S’PORE’S DEFENCE

COMMUNITY

24 Jul 2025

These volunteers play a key role in promoting public awareness on defence matters and inspiring support for National Service.

FROM AUDITOR TO AIR WARFARE OFFICER

PEOPLE

23 Jul 2025

LTA Liz Voon swapped financial audits for air defence missions. Meet this mid-careerist who left one of the “Big 4” accounting firms to pursue her purpose in the RSAF, in PIONEER’s “From Desk to Field” series!

SHIP-TACULAR NDP 2025 DISPLAY AT MARINA BAY

COMMUNITY

19 Jul 2025

The maritime display is part of this year’s special NDP mobile column, joining the aerial flypast over the Padang and the drive-past along St Andrew’s Road.

Cover story

COMMITMENT IS OUR GREATEST DETERRENCE: MR CHAN

OPS & TRAINING

19 Jul 2025

Minister for Defence Chan Chun Sing witnessed the commitment of NSmen to Singapore’s defence, during his visit to a mobilisation exercise involving over 2,000 soldiers.

Complementary Content