SINGAPORE ARMED FORCES PARTICIPATES IN EXERCISE COBRA GOLD 2008
The Singapore Armed Forces (SAF), together with the Royal Thai Armed Forces (RTARF), the United States Pacific Command (USPACOM), the Japanese Self-Defence Force (JSDF) and the Indonesian National Defence Forces (TNI), will be participating in Exercise Cobra Gold 2008 from 8 to 21 May 2008 in Korat, Thailand.
Exercise Cobra Gold is a series of annual multilateral exercises that focuses on peace support and non-combatant evacuation operations. Representatives from Cambodia, China, India, Laos, Malaysia, Nepal, Pakistan, South Korea and Vietnam will be observing this year's exercise. The SAF, which had sent observers to Exercise Cobra Gold from 1993 to 1999, became a full exercise participant in 2000.
Commander, 9th Singapore Division and Chief Infantry Officer, Brigadier-General Chan Chun Sing, will lead a 106-member SAF delegation to participate in the command post exercise phase of Cobra Gold. The SAF officers will undertake the role of staff planners for the Combined Joint Task Force, alongside their Thai, US, Japanese and Indonesian counterparts. For the first time, a 35-man SAF team will also be participating in the field training exercise phase that simulates security operations in support of Humanitarian and Disaster Relief efforts. The SAF's participation in this phase, which previously involved only the US and Thai armed forces, marks a significant milestone in Singapore's involvement in the Exercise Cobra Gold series.
In addition, a SAF medical team will join teams from the Thai and US armed forces to provide medical and dental services to the local population in Korat, under the Medical Civil Assistance Programme (MEDCAP).
Exercise Cobra Gold enhances interoperability among the participating armed forces. It also promotes mutual understanding, friendship and professionalism among the officers and men of the participating armed forces.
###
