FIRE IN HIS BELLY

From the drawing board to the battlefield, it is a long journey before ammunition reaches the soldiers of the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF). Colonel (COL) (NS) Lim Beng Lee, however, has gone through every step of that process.

For recruits, the weapon presentation is often a symbolic moment. It is the first time that they receive their Singapore Assault Rifle (SAR) 21, marking the beginning of their transition to trained soldiers. Before long, these same recruits will be at the range, fine-tuning their marksmanship as they fire the 5.56mm rounds.

But have you ever wondered how the SAR 21 ends up in your hands? Just ask COL (NS) Lim, general manager of Advanced Materials Engineering (AME) which is responsible for the design and production of weapons such as the SAR 21, Ultimax 100 Section Automatic Weapon and 40mm Grenade Launcher, as well as their ammunition.

Working at AME was a natural choice for COL (NS) Lim, who was the former Commander of SAF Ammunition Command (SAFAC). "While in SAFAC, I focused on the end-products - the safety, quality, and security of ammunition were important areas that could have no compromises under my watch," he said.

"I hoped that I could also influence the up-stream activities (design and testing process) to ensure that the end-products would always be safe for usage," added COL (NS) Lim. "AME provided me with this opportunity."

Where it all started

COL (NS) Lim fondly recalled when he first enlisted in December 1985, citing the camaraderie, esprit de corps and discipline of military life as what attracted him to sign on as a Regular. "Army toughened me up and I felt a need to give back to the SAF."

An infantry commander by vocation, COL (NS) Lim began his journey in logistics with a stint as an Operations Officer in 1st Transport Battalion. In 1999, he graduated as the top Army student in the 30th batch of the Singapore Command and Staff Course (now known as the Goh Keng Swee Command and Staff Course).

Following that, COL (NS) Lim was given the opportunity by the Chief Supply and Transport Officer then to switch from the transport aspect of logistics to that of ammunition. He went on to attend courses such as the Ammunition Technical Course in the United Kingdom in 2001 to deepen his knowledge.

Heart of SAF's firepower

As Commanding Officer of SAF Ammunition Base and then Commander SAFAC from 2006 to 2011, COL (NS) Lim implemented a system of innovation and cooperation which would set the foundation for a long-term relationship with AME.

"We understood that there were many benefits to reap by working closely with our local defence industry," explained COL (NS) Lim. "For instance, we worked with AME to embark on more efforts for the shelf-life assessment of ammunition, extending the useful life of ammunition without compromising on safety.

"In 2010, we also worked with AME to implement a Just-In-Time concept for the 40mm high explosive dual purpose rifle grenades."

With this Just-In-Time concept, the SAF would rely on AME's inventory stocks of the 40mm rounds to meet ammunition requirements for operations as compared to stockpiling ammunition in SAF ammunition storehouses. This helped to reduce waste as it removed instances whereby the SAF had to dispose of excess stockpiled ammunition, COL (NS) Lim explained.

Coming full circle

After leaving the SAF in 2011, COL (NS) Lim took on the position of deputy general manager at AME before taking over as general manager in 2013. Now, he juggles the responsibilities of not only handling the technical aspects such as designs and planning, but also managing a workforce of over 600 individuals.

Under his charge, AME has continued to produce and improve on a whole range of firearms for the SAF such as the ubiquitous SAR 21, and is now a world leader in 40mm rifle-launched grenades.

One thing that remains clear to COL (NS) Lim, imbued in him from his days in the SAF, is a strong focus on safety.

"After more than three years in AME, I am confident that we have a robust system," he said. "Each production division and individual is always clear that there is to be no compromise on safety and accountability."

"Today, my son is a section commander in 30 SCE (30th Battalion, Singapore Combat Engineers)," COL (NS) Lim added. "My motivation is to ensure that we manufacture ammunition that is safe enough such that I can confidently allow everyone, including my son, to use it."

"Safety, quality, and security of ammunition were important areas that could have no compromises under my watch."

- COL (NS) LIM on his top priorities as then-commander SAFAC