More than 1,000 organisations take part in a two-week national exercise to prepare Singapore for digital disruptions and power outages.

The third edition of Singapore’s national-level Total Defence exercise, Exercise SG Ready (ESR) 2026, officially kicked off today at the Total Defence Commemoration Event (TDCE) held at Our Tampines Hub. Over the next two weeks, more than 1,000 organisations across Singapore will participate in simulated activities to test readiness for disruptions.

The launch event was attended by Minister for Digital Development and Information Mrs Josephine Teo and Senior Minister of State for Defence Mr Zaqy Mohamad, together with community leaders and representatives from participating organisations. The exercise focuses on strengthening preparedness for degraded digital connectivity and prolonged power outages.

In her speech, Mrs Josephine Teo said preparedness is a shared responsibility. She highlighted the role of businesses, individuals, and communities in Total Defence, alongside the SAF and Home Team. She also unveiled the pilot National Simulated Scams Exercise (NSSE), a joint initiative by the Cyber Security Agency of Singapore and the Ministry of Home Affairs, aimed at strengthening public awareness and resilience against scams.

As part of the launch, the Public Warning System (PWS) “Important Message” signal was broadcast islandwide at 3.00pm. The Land Transport Authority also conducted a pilot test of Broadcast Alert Messages via ERP 2.0 On-Board Units, with motorists receiving alerts ahead of the PWS activation.

Following the signal, a Total Defence message by Coordinating Minister for National Security Mr K Shanmugam was aired across all local radio stations and free-to-air television channels. He reminded Singaporeans of recent cyber threats to critical infrastructure and attempts by foreign actors to undermine trust, calling on the public to take part in the exercise and be prepared for evolving threats.

A pilot Community Mobilisation activity was also conducted at two HDB blocks in Tampines. During a simulated scenario involving prolonged power outages and disrupted digital services, Total Defence Champions worked with People’s Association Community Emergency Response Team (PA CERT) volunteers to reach out to residents, share key information, and identify households requiring assistance.

Exercise SG Ready 2026 runs from 1 February to 15 February 2026 and is co-led by MINDEF, together with IMDA, EMA, PA, and SCDF. The exercise encourages individuals, communities, and organisations to plan for disruptions, prepare to respond, and play their part in keeping Singapore safe and resilient.

Members of the public can find more information and check activities near them on the Exercise SG Ready website.

Source: MINDEF

MINDEF/SAF marks a major sustainability milestone with the opening of its first solar farm, boosting energy resilience and green efforts.

The Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) and the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) have achieved a key sustainability milestone with the completion of their first solar farm at Sembawang Air Base (SBAB). The opening ceremony was officiated by Minister for Defence Mr Chan Chun Sing today.

The solar farm strengthens MINDEF/SAF’s operational resilience while advancing its sustainability goals. Its completion marks the achievement of 50-megawatt peak (MWp) of solar deployment across MINDEF/SAF facilities to date, contributing to Singapore’s targets under the Singapore Green Plan 2030.

The SBAB solar farm currently includes 13.5MWp of ground-mounted solar photovoltaic (PV) systems deployed within the air base. By the end of 2026, an additional 4.5MWp of rooftop solar PV systems will be installed on buildings within SBAB. Once completed, the solar farm will have a total capacity of 18MWp, generating enough energy to power about 4,700 four-room HDB flats annually. This is expected to deliver potential cost savings of around $1.9 million per year.

During his visit, Mr Chan toured the solar farm and was briefed on other MINDEF/SAF sustainability initiatives. These included the Smart Utilities Metering System, the automated Chinook wash shed, and the use of Eco-Asphalt for runway repair training. Mr Chan highlighted that energy resilience is Singapore’s next major national challenge, requiring both sustainable energy generation and careful demand management. He also noted the need for the SAF to adapt its operations and training in response to climate change.

Beyond Sembawang Air Base, MINDEF/SAF plans to install about 13.5MWp of solar PV systems across other SAF camps and bases by end-2027. This will raise total solar deployment across all MINDEF/SAF facilities to approximately 68MWp.

Senior officials from MINDEF/SAF, the Defence Science and Technology Agency, members of the External Advisory Panel for Environmental Sustainability, and project committee members were also present at the opening ceremony.

Source: MINDEF

Singapore, 31 May–1 June 2025 – US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth participated in the 2025 Shangri-La Dialogue and associated meetings, underscoring America’s enduring commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific. At the dialogue’s opening on 31 May, he delivered a keynote address in which he reiterated the United States’ intent to deter aggression through strength, highlighted ongoing modernisation efforts, and stressed the need for alliance burden-sharing. During his speech, held at the Shangri-La Hotel and hosted by the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), Secretary Hegseth outlined the Department of Defense’s priorities: restoring the warrior ethos, rebuilding military capabilities, and reestablishing credible deterrence across the region.

On 30 May 2025, Secretary Hegseth held a bilateral discussion with Philippine Secretary of National Defense Gilberto Teodoro, Jr. in which both officials reaffirmed the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty and reviewed steps to bolster alliance readiness. They celebrated the recently concluded Exercise BALIKATAN, the largest joint exercise to date and noted the deployment of advanced systems such as the Typhon missile and unmanned surface vessels. The following day, he met with ������’s Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Phumtham Wechayachai to review US assistance provided after the 28 March earthquake and to renew their long-standing bilateral security cooperation.

On 31 May, Secretary Hegseth joined counterparts from Australia and Japan, Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Richard Marles and Minister of Defense Nakatani Gen in a joint statement emphasising concern over China’s actions in the East and South China Seas. The four-way meeting also included Philippine Secretary Teodoro. Collectively, they announced synchronized defence investments, expanded information-sharing arrangements, enhanced cybersecurity cooperation, and plans for greater operational interoperability, including trilateral and multilateral exercises and air surveillance initiatives.

On 1 June, Secretary Hegseth concluded his Singapore engagements with a bilateral meeting with Australia’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Richard Marles. They discussed aligning defence investments to the Indo-Pacific security environment, accelerating US force posture initiatives in Australia, and bolstering supply chain resilience. Secretary Hegseth also welcomed the new Precision Strike Missile Memorandum of Understanding America’s first long-range fire cooperation on foreign soil and urged Australia to raise defence spending to 3.5 percent of GDP.

Source: ,