SWIFT MULTI-AGENCY TAKEDOWN AT EXERCISE HIGHCREST
PHOTO // Chai Sian Liang & Kenneth Lin
Would-be attackers will be up against rapid and coordinated responses from Singapore's security agencies. This was demonstrated at Exercise Highcrest, a large-scale five-day national exercise, which began on 2 Nov.
The on-going exercise involves about 900 personnel from 15 agencies, including the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF), Singapore Police Force, and Maritime And Port Authority of Singapore (MPA).
On 5 Nov, Permanent Secretary (Defence) Chan Yeng Kit and Permanent Secretary (Home Affairs) Leo Yip observed how the Singapore Maritime Crisis Centre (SMCC) orchestrated a multi-agency response to simultaneous threats.
They saw how the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN)'s prototype Unmanned Surface Vessel (USV) and the Police Coast Guard successfully intercepted a terrorist speedboat.
They also saw an RSN Patrol Vessel and PCG Patrol Boats intercept a hijacked merchant vessel, while the SAF's Special Operations Task Force (SOTF) stormed the ship to wrest control from the hijackers.
Once the merchant vessel was back in safe hands, the MPA activated its response craft to contain the resulting oil spillage and the SCDF's Marine Fire-fighting vessel put out a fire on the merchant ship.
"We are evaluating the SMCC's ability to handle multi-prong, simultaneous maritime attacks against Singapore," said Rear-Admiral (RADM) Frederick Chew, Commander Maritime Security Task Force.
The SMCC was established in 2011 to detect and deter maritime security threats as early, and as far away from Singapore, as possible.
Under the SMCC, there is the National Maritime Sense-Making Group (NMSG) and the National Maritime Operations Group (NMOG). Personnel of SMCC are drawn from multiple agencies comprising the RSN, SPF, MPA, Immigration and Checkpoints Authority, and Singapore Customs.
RADM Chew added: "We are stress-testing the system to make sure that we can handle a large range of threats. In addition, we are incorporating new players (as compared to the last exercise held in 2013)." For example, this year s exercise included the crisis negotiation unit from the SPF.
When asked how the agencies worked together for the exercise, Superintendent Ang Eng Seng said: "Multi-agency collaboration is not something new. At the planning and operational levels, we have always worked together." He is Head of Operations and Security, PCG.
Said Captain Kevin Wong, Deputy Port Master at the MPA: "At our ops centres, among the PCG, MPA and RSN, the systems are integrated and our duty officers work closely with each other and are communicating on a day-to-day basis."
On the ground, Exercise Highcrest helps to boost the units' confidence in operating together. "This type of exercises helps us to tie down the procedures and also firm up the communication protocols," said Military Expert (ME) 1 Eswaran s/o Kaliapermal, Command and Control System Supervisor, RSS Freedom.
"On the ground, it helps to make us more capable and able to deal with such situations, should they arise."
