\n<\/p>\n
Defence experts noted what a land connection between Pulau Tekong and the mainland could mean for national defence.<\/p>\n
Pulau Tekong, home to the Basic Military Training Centre (BMTC), currently has no land connection to the mainland, and recruits travel there by boat for military training. With an undersea tunnel, recruits may have an easier journey to the island, the prime minister said on Sunday.<\/p>\n
More reclamation planned for southern Tekong would create additional training space for the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF). With the island’s expansion and a potential undersea tunnel, the SAF could shift more of its training requirements from the mainland and place more military assets on the island, said Mr Thomas Lim from RSIS.<\/p>\n
The SAF could also conduct a wider variety of more complex training or exercises depending on the type of mission, he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
“Naturally, there are a lot of boxes that need to be ticked on these fronts, but land space is a valuable resource that militaries can utilise to design more realistic military exercises to improve training realism \u2013 think large groups of soldiers, military vehicles like armour or artillery assets, and training designs for elements such as urban or jungle-based operations.”<\/p>\n
Mr Lim, an associate research fellow, said Pulau Tekong could become a broader SAF training hub beyond its role as a BMT site, as better connectivity through the tunnel could cut travel time between the mainland and the island.\u00a0<\/p>\n
It could also open a new land-based route for transporting logistics needed for military training, which the BMTC schools could benefit from if supply movement becomes more convenient and efficient.<\/p>\n
Greater accessibility could bring more potential vulnerabilities, said Dr Chang Jun Yan, who heads the military studies programme at RSIS. But this is “by no means a dealbreaker”, as such vulnerabilities can be mitigated, he added.<\/p>\n
Mr Lim said he does not see major security concerns at the moment but stressed that this was difficult to assess given the project remains in its formative stages.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Like Dr Chang, he believes the risks can be managed as long as the right security checks are in place.<\/p>\n
For land-based travel routes, this could take the form of toll gates manned by security personnel, with additional measures to manage personnel and vehicle entries, Mr Lim said.<\/p>\n
On the roughly 500ha available for future civilian use, the prime minister said no decision has been made on how the land would be used.<\/p>\n
Dr Chang said speculation would be premature at this stage, but suggested civilian uses complementary to SAF needs could create synergies, such as defence-related industry or other security businesses.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Mr Lim added that the area could support civilian infrastructure such as research facilities for space, nuclear, energy or other related ventures with potential military or security applications.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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