Singapore Armed Forces facts for kids
The Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) is like Singapore's shield. It's the part of the government that protects the country from dangers outside its borders. The SAF works closely with the Ministry of Defence, which is the government department in charge of keeping Singapore safe.
The SAF has three main parts, like different teams working together: the Singapore Army, the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF), and the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN). The SAF's most important job is to keep Singapore safe. This includes protecting its land, its right to be an independent country, and its borders from any outside threats.
The SAF uses a special system called National Service. This means that many young Singaporean men join the SAF for a period of time. These people are called "conscripts" or "National Servicemen" (NSmen). They form a very important part of the SAF. In fact, more than 80% of Singapore's defense system is made up of these NSmen, who are the backbone of the SAF. The SAF has about 71,600 people serving full-time and can call upon over 900,000 reservists if needed.
The SAF uses modern equipment, like the SAR-21 rifle, to help its soldiers do their job.
Images for kids
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Soldiers of the SAF speaking with local contractors at the site for the Singaporean-funded Bamyan Regional Health Training Center in Afghanistan
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Singapore Armed Forces Basic Military Training passing out parade ceremony
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Old uniforms on display at the Army Open House 2022
