NCC cadets to try F-16 flight simulators and operate drones as part of new curriculum

SINGAPORE – Cadets of the National Cadet Corps (NCC) will be able to operate land surveillance robots and try out F-16 flight simulators as part of changes to the youth uniformed group’s curriculum in the next few years.

This will prepare the cadets for an increasingly complex world, said Minister for Defence Chan Chun Sing at the uniformed group’s 125th anniversary celebrations at the Central Manpower Base on Aug 26.

“It is clear the world our cadets are growing up in is very different from that of their predecessors. Disinformation, cyberattacks, climate-related risks are complex, borderless and rapidly evolving on top of the geopolitical and geo-economic challenges that we must be prepared for,” he said.

“We must prepare our young leaders for this new world, not the last one.”

During the event, Chan announced NCC2030, a transformation of the corps’ curriculum, which will be rolled out from 2027 to 2030. It will expand the group’s training modules to offer cadets more activities involving specialised skills, and equip cadets with leadership tools.

The transformation will also introduce common core training that will expose all cadets to shared experiences and life skills across the branches of the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF). This means a sea cadet will be able to learn more about the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF), rather than just about the Republic of Singapore Navy, for instance.

These programmes include visits to SAF units, open houses and museums, as well as hands-on exposure to cyberskills meant to deepen the cadets’ understanding of each service.

Currently, NCC cadets focus only on their respective service.

Cadet Captain (NCC) Muhammad Raiyaan Arshad said he was envious of the cadets who will be able to take part in the high-tech activities that were not part of the NCC curriculum when he was a cadet in Zhenghua Secondary School’s unit.

“I’m also very happy that the cadets (will) have these opportunities early on to help them make a more informed decision about what kind of future they want to pursue,” said Raiyaan, who is a third-year aeronautical and aerospace engineering student at Nanyang Polytechnic.

The 20-year-old said that his experience as an NCC cadet set his eyes on the skies. He was introduced to the Singapore Youth Flying Club via the NCC and now aspires to sign on with the RSAF to be a pilot.

At the celebration, Chan also presented awards to teacher-officers in recognition of their long service to the NCC.

“People are, and will always be, at the heart of NCC’s success. The defence of our country depends on the will of our people to stand our ground. And all this will start from young,” he said.

He also announced that the NCC headquarters will move from Amoy Quee Camp to a new campus in Bedok Camp. The new campus is expected to be ready from 2032.

The NCC is the largest youth uniformed group in Singapore, currently with 135 units in 119 schools and more than 10,000 members.

It develops young Singaporeans through leadership training and military-related activities and experiences with the SAF.

For St Gabriel’s Secondary School principal Shawn Lim, the NCC has produced many of the school’s student leaders.

“They tend to be more composed when organising school events, work well with people and tend to push forth when there are challenges,” said Lim, adding that the cadets organise and facilitate their own activities.

Lim, who is also a member of the NCC council, said the uniformed group has been helpful in developing the confidence of its cadets.

He shared an anecdote of a Secondary 3 student in St Gabriel’s Secondary School who used to be shy, but stepped up after he was given leadership opportunities as the instructor for the precision drill squad.

Major Brandon Lim was an NCC cadet who signed on as a regular with the army “at the first available opportunity” when he was in polytechnic.

He still looks back fondly on his time in the NCC as formative years of his life, saying: “The NCC imbued in me the values of grit, resilience and determination that were vital for me in developing a strong sense of self and a mature outlook towards challenges that I face in life.”