# 東南亞最強的新加坡空軍，獨立時連一架飛機都沒有

URL: https://www.shicheng.news/zh-hant/v/wvjMy
Published: 2024-08-30
Source: 獅城新聞

2024年7月26日，國務資政李顯龍出席軍人日晚宴。新加坡國防部也在晚宴上表彰了李顯龍在過去二十年中對新加坡和武裝部隊發展做出了貢獻。

**以下內容為新加坡眼根據國會英文資料翻譯整理：**

國防部長黃永宏醫生、

武裝部隊總長孟耀誠少將

尊敬的來賓、

武裝部隊的男士們、女士們、

各位，

大家晚上好，

感謝國防部和武裝部隊邀請我參加今晚的晚宴。我非常高興能夠回到新加坡武裝部隊軍訓學院，與大家一起慶祝軍人日。我很開心看到許多熟悉的面孔，包括許多已經退休多年的老戰友，他們在多年前曾與我並肩作戰。我還要感謝武裝部隊今晚給予我的巨大榮譽。我對你們製作的視頻以及國防部長剛才慷慨發表的講話深感動容。這些超出了我應得的榮譽。

在幾十年間發展壯大的武裝部隊

武裝部隊的發展故事與新加坡的發展故事息息相關。當新加坡在1965年8月9日成為獨立國家時，起步時資源非常有限。武裝部隊也同樣起步艱難，僅有兩個步兵營、兩艘木製船隻，沒有空軍。那時，面對的是持續的對抗局勢，馬來西亞和印尼的關係緊張。英國軍隊在新加坡的存在，雖然保障了我們的安全，但由於倫敦面臨財政壓力，是否繼續駐留東蘇伊士仍然不確定。

因此，我們必須緊急建立武裝部隊，以便在危險的世界中保護自己。我們的建國領導人迅速採取了行動。他們引入了國家服務制度。我們創建了新的武裝部隊編制——炮兵、裝甲兵、工程兵、通信兵、後勤兵。雖然大致按字母順序排列，但首先是炮兵。我們建立並發展了空軍和海軍。我們採購了新的（實際上常常是二手的）設備，並訓練我們的部隊操作這些設備。我們發展了指揮結構和作戰概念來使用這些新單位。逐步地，我們學會了以聯合武裝力量的形式進行操作和作戰，隨後成為一個一體化的三軍合一力量。年復一年，隨著新加坡的發展和繁榮，我們為國防分配了穩定的預算。年復一年，我們現代化了部隊，提升了能力，鞏固了新加坡的長期安全。

今天，新加坡已經成為一個成功的已開發國家，武裝部隊則成為了一支專業、可信賴且受尊敬的力量。第三代武裝部隊已經成為現實。我們創建了第四軍種——數碼部隊（Digital and Intelligence Service，簡稱DIS），在數字領域為我們提供保護。但建設新加坡和升級武裝部隊的工作從未停止。新加坡正在推進「新加坡攜手前進」（Forward Singapore）議程，而武裝部隊也正在轉型為下一代武裝部隊，準備應對各種新威脅。

實現任務成功

近60年來，新加坡享有了和平與安全，而武裝部隊的存在和戰備狀態是其中一個主要因素。因此，武裝部隊從未需要通過戰爭來捍衛我們的家園。這是巨大的福祉，願這種局面長久保持。

然而，和平的代價是永恆的警惕。我們的軍人全天候值守——在空中、陸地、海洋和數字領域。在這些年裡，無論我們何時需要武裝部隊，它總是隨時待命，並且始終如一地完成任務。

武裝部隊進行了威懾巡邏、反恐行動以及為特殊事件提供安全部署，比如幾年前的特朗普-金正恩峰會。我們定期進行人員和裝備的召回及動員演習。偶爾，我們也需要提升警戒狀態，有時是公開的，有時是隱秘的，可能是為了應對緊急情況或默默傳達我們的決心。

武裝部隊還在海外行動中證明了其實力。它參與了聯合國維和行動，包括在東帝汶的任務。它還加入了國際反恐和打擊海盜的行動。例如，在亞丁灣進行反海盜巡邏，以及參與阿富汗的多國穩定與重建工作。

除了執行任務，武裝部隊還參與了與地區和國際夥伴的聯合演習。我們的部隊在演習中展示了自身的能力，揚起了我們的旗幟，並默默向夥伴們證明，我們掌握了專業技能，值得被認真對待。

武裝部隊還迅速而有效地響應了區域和國際的人道主義危機及災難。2004年，當海嘯襲擊時，武裝部隊在48小時內啟動了第一次運輸任務，將急需的救援物資送往班達亞齊、米拉務和其他受災地區。2011年，當基督城發生地震時，一支恰好在當地進行演習的衛隊部隊，包括全職國家服役人員，迅速參與了震後救援工作。今年3月，武裝部隊在加沙進行空投行動，為那裡的平民提供急需的人道主義援助。

在國家緊急情況下，例如2003年的SARS疫情，以及最近的新冠疫情，武裝部隊也積極參與並為抗擊新型病原體做出了巨大貢獻。

每次，無論任務是什麼，武裝部隊總是準備充分，我們的部隊和軍人展示了他們的能力，並使武裝部隊和新加坡感到自豪。在新加坡，很少有其他組織具備像武裝部隊那樣能夠在短時間內應對任何情況並付諸行動的能力、準備狀態和機動性。因此，這給政府和新加坡人民帶來了極大的安慰和信心，因為我們擁有隨時可以動用的武裝部隊，隨時準備應對任何突發需求。

武裝部隊的經驗

對我來說，能夠在服役多年後進入政界是一種榮幸。和許多新加坡人一樣，我開始時是全職國民服役人員，曾在荷蘭路基地的第二步兵營服役。後來，我獲得了武裝部隊獎學金，成為了一名正式軍人。在那個時代，我們是永久性的職業軍人，也就是說，會一直服務到退休。之後，我有幸指揮部隊——從排、炮兵到一個營。我在總參謀部服務，幫助建立了第一個聯合參謀部門，這使武裝部隊走上了成為三軍合一的道路。這是極其充實的經歷。訓練和激勵我的部下，使部隊具備作戰準備。協助制定武裝部隊的能力、概念和編制。參與規劃和塑造武裝部隊的發展和未來。我早已離開了武裝部隊，但其他人接過了接力棒，在過去40年里將武裝部隊推進了更高的水平。順便提一下，新加坡武裝部隊軍訓學院——我們今天所在的地方——對我意義非凡。當我在1971年作為軍官候補生時，見習軍官學府和軍訓學院在巴西立營，對面而已。直到1987年，我們才決定建設這個軍訓學院校園。作為當時的國防部第二部長，我參與了這一決定，並有幸在武裝部隊軍訓學院的委任遊行晚宴上宣布這一消息！我感到非常高興，也非常高興看到武裝部隊軍訓學院繼續履行其使命，培養一代代來自各軍種、各級領導的軍官、專家和軍事人才。

個人而言，我從在武裝部隊的經歷中獲益良多。我結識並了解了來自各行各業的同袍，學會了如何團隊合作、如何領導和關懷部下，承擔指揮責任。這些經驗在政府工作中極為寶貴，並伴隨我一生。

同樣持久的是與那些曾與我並肩作戰的戰友們建立的友誼和聯繫。其中包括在視頻中慷慨而熱情發言的朱維良中將、Chan Jwee Kay上校、Mukhtiar Singh中校、Lim Puay Sia軍士長。他們和許多其他人曾指導我、指導我、支持我，在必要時糾正我，成為了我親密的朋友和終生的戰友，我對此深感感激。每當遇到老戰友，或有人走到我面前說：「先生，我曾在某某單位和某某營是您的兵，雖然那個營不復存在，但我還在這裡」，或者說：「我們在1970年代在同一個營地服役，我不在您的單位，但我們在同一個營地待過，我認識您。」這總是讓我感到溫暖。這意味著他為自己在武裝部隊中的服務感到自豪，為曾認識我並與我共事感到自豪，我們之間有著一種無形而強大的紐帶，將我們永遠聯繫在一起。我為武裝部隊以及我們的戰友情誼感到驕傲。我們的心緒回溯到那些歲月，回憶起我們經歷的訓練演習、克服的困難和挫折，以及那些我們至今仍感到自豪的成就。

我的經歷並不是獨一無二的——這是我們所有穿上軍裝的人共同經歷並珍惜的寶貴體驗。這種戰友情誼和自豪感正是國家服務對我們作為新加坡人的身份和社會凝聚力如此重要的原因。這也是為什麼幾代新加坡人支持他們的兒子服兵役，積極參與保衛國家的原因。這使得武裝部隊成為一個新加坡人全心認同的國家機構。

武裝部隊必須始終保持新加坡人民的信任和支持。履行國家服務責任是一項沉重的承諾——兩年的全職服役，以及之後許多年的戰備國家服務人員職責。政府將確保我們的人員得到良好的裝備、培訓和領導；武裝部隊將確保他們的安全，並提供積極的國家服務體驗；新加坡人民將為我們的軍人感到自豪，並給予你們充分的道義和實際支持。我們將全力支持你們！

如果沒有我們的軍人付出的辛勤工作和犧牲，也沒有他們的家人和新加坡人民的強力支持，我們不可能建立一個強大的武裝部隊。沒有強大的武裝部隊，新加坡也不會享有近六十年來的和平與進步，更不會與鄰國保持如此穩定和友好的關係。我們彼此尊重，相互欣賞，這也是我們成為朋友的原因。這就是為什麼每年在武裝部隊日，我們都會銘記並尊敬那些為建設和服務武裝部隊做出貢獻和犧牲的人們，使新加坡能夠走到今天。我想對所有過去和現在的軍人說一聲：非常感謝你們！

結論

展望未來，我們面臨的是一個日益動盪和危險的世界。60年前，我們無法預測會享有如此多年的和平與安全。這一美好的結果，不僅歸功於武裝部隊和我們的全面防禦，也因為我們幸運遇到了亞太地區的穩定，以及戰略形勢使得一個小而脆弱的國家能夠通過自身的努力生存和發展。

今天，我們當然不能自信地預測接下來的60年會像過去60年那樣平靜。我們也不能假設未來的事件會像之前那樣順利和平。雖然我們希望一切順利，但我們必須為最壞的情況做好準備。我們絕不能自滿或措手不及。我們必須繼續為自己挺身而出，保持我們的防禦力量強大而準備充分，並與友好的鄰國合作，共同維護區域安全。這要求我們擁有一支在國內外都受到尊重的可信賴的武裝部隊，並且得到我們所保護的人民的強力支持。

各位士兵、海員、飛行員以及武裝部隊的守護者們，

武裝部隊誓詞中寫道：「我們將以生命保衛國家的榮譽和獨立。」近60年來，武裝部隊一直踐行這一誓詞。新加坡人能夠安穩地入睡，因為武裝部隊的男女們在默默守護，時刻保持警覺。如今，武裝部隊比以往任何時候都更加需要保持戰備狀態。我們依賴於你們以及未來幾代的軍人繼續履行這一神聖的任務，保衛我們稱之為家的國家。

在此，我祝大家武裝部隊日快樂。前進吧，新加坡！

![東南亞最強的新加坡空軍，獨立時連一架飛機都沒有](https://www.shicheng.news/images/image/1750/17500954.avif?0)





以下是英文質詢內容：

Minister for Defence, Dr Ng Eng Hen,

CDF, Vice Admiral Aaron Beng,

Distinguished Guests,

Men and women of the SAF,

Ladies and gentlemen,

A very good evening to all of you,

I thank MINDEF and the SAF for inviting me to join you on this wonderful evening. I am very glad to be back in SAFTI MI today, celebrating the SAF Day Dinner with all of you. I am very happy to see so many familiar faces, including old comrades now quite long retired, who served with me many years ago. I also thank the SAF for doing me a great honour tonight. I am very moved by the video you made, and the remarks which the Defence Minister generously delivered earlier. It is more than I deserve.

**Growing the SAF through the decades**

The SAF story parallels the Singapore story. When Singapore found itself an independent nation on 9th August 1965, it started off with very little. The SAF too started off with precious little. Just two infantry battalions, two wooden boats, and no air force. Konfrontasi was still ongoing, relations with Malaysia and Indonesia were difficult. The continued presence of British forces in Singapore, securing our safety, was uncertain, with London under fiscal pressure to withdraw from east of Suez.

There was therefore great urgency to build up the SAF to defend ourselves in a dangerous world. Our founding leaders moved quickly. They introduced National Service. We created new SAF formations – artillery, armour, engineers, signals, logistics. Roughly in alphabetical order, but starting with artillery. We created and built up the Air Force and Navy. We procured new (actually often second-hand) equipment, and trained our troops to operate them. We developed the command structures and operational concepts to employ the new units. Progressively, we learnt to operate and fight as a combined armed force, and then as one integrated, tri-service force. Year after year, as Singapore developed and prospered, we allocated a steady budget for defence. Year after year, we modernised our forces, upgraded our capabilities, and strengthened the long-term security of Singapore.

Today, Singapore is a successful, developed nation, and the SAF is a professional, credible, and respected force. The 3G SAF is a reality. We have created a fourth Service – the Digital and Intelligence Service (DIS) – our guardians in the digital domain. But the work of building Singapore and upgrading the SAF never ceases. Singapore is moving ahead with the Forward SG agenda, and the SAF is transforming itself again into the Next Generation SAF, operationally ready to handle all sorts of new threats.

**Achieving mission success**

For almost 60 years, Singapore has enjoyed peace and security. And one major contributing factor has been the existence and readiness of the SAF. As a result, the SAF has never had to fight a war to defend our homeland. It is a great blessing and long may this continue.

But the price of peace is eternal vigilance. Our servicemen are on guard 24/7 – in the air, on land, at sea, and in the digital domain. During these decades, whenever we have needed the SAF, it has always been there, and it has always delivered.

The SAF has conducted deterrence patrols, counter-terrorism operations, and security deployments for extraordinary events, like the Trump-Kim Summit a few years ago. Regularly, we conduct recall and mobilisation exercises, for men as well as equipment. Occasionally, we have had to raise our alert status, sometimes overtly, sometimes quietly, perhaps in response to some exigency or to quietly signal our resolve.

The SAF has also proved its mettle in overseas operations. It has participated in UN peacekeeping operations, including in Timor Leste. It has joined international missions to counter terrorism and piracy. For example, on anti-piracy patrols in the Gulf of Aden, and the multinational stabilisation and reconstruction efforts in Afghanistan.

Besides carrying out operations, the SAF also participates in combined exercises with regional and international partners. Our units go through their paces, flying our flag high, and quietly showing our partners that we know our stuff, and deserve to be taken seriously.

The SAF has also mounted swift and effective responses to regional and international humanitarian crises and disasters. When the Boxing Day tsunami struck in 2004, the SAF launched our first transports just 48 hours later, delivering much needed relief supplies to Banda Aceh, Meulaboh, and other affected areas. When an earthquake hit Christchurch in 2011, a Guards contingent that happened to be there on exercise, including full-time National Servicemen, quickly joined the quake relief efforts. And in March this year, the SAF conducted airdrop operations over Gaza, to provide desperately needed humanitarian aid to the civilian population there.

In national emergencies too, such as SARS in 2003, and more recently COVID-19, the SAF stepped up to and contributed greatly to the fight against the novel pathogens.

Each time, whatever the mission, the SAF was ready, our units and servicemen have shown what they could do, and they did the SAF and Singapore proud. Very few other organisations in Singapore have the capability, readiness, and resourcefulness to respond to any situation at short notice, and to make things happen, like the SAF. And so it gives great reassurance and confidence to the government and to Singaporeans that we have the SAF at the nation’s disposal, ready to respond whenever the need arises.

**The SAF experience**

It has been my privilege to have served for many years in uniform, before entering politics. Like many other Singaporeans, I started out as a full-time National Serviceman, I was a recruit in 2 SIR, then at Holland Road Camp. Later, I took up an SAF Scholarship, and signed on as a Regular. In those days, we were permanent regulars, that means you served until retirement. Later, I had the great privilege of commanding troops – platoons, batteries, and later a battalion. I served in the General Staff, and helped to set up the first Joint Staff elements, which set the SAF on the path to becoming a tri-service force. It was an immensely fulfilling experience. To train and motivate my men, and make the units operationally ready. To help work out the SAF’s capabilities, concepts, and force structures. To help plan and shape the development and future of the SAF. I left the SAF a long time ago, but others took over the baton, and have taken the SAF so much further forward over the past 40 years. Incidentally, SAFTI MI – where we are today – holds special meaning for me. When I was an officer cadet in 1971, OCS and SAFTI were in Pasir Laba Camp, across the road. Only many years later, in 1987, did we decide to build this SAFTI campus. As then Second Minister for Defence, I was involved in that decision, and had the privilege of making the announcement at the SAFTI Commissioning Parade Dinner! I was very happy, and I am very happy that SAFTI MI continues to fulfil its mission, training generations of officers, specialists and military experts from all Services, and at all levels of leadership.

Personally, I have benefitted enormously from my time in the SAF. Getting to know and understand fellow servicemen from all walks of life. Learning how to work as a team, how to lead and take care of men. Taking on command responsibility. These lessons proved invaluable in government, and have lasted me a lifetime.

Also lifelong are the friendships and bonds formed with those who have served alongside me. Including those who spoke so generously and warmly in the video just now – LG Winston Choo, COL Chan Jwee Kay, LTC Mukhtiar Singh, MWO Lim Puay Sia. They and many others have guided me, mentored me, supported me, put me right when necessary, became good friends and lifelong comrades, and I am eternally grateful. It is always heartwarming to run into an old comrade, or to have someone come up to me and say 「Sir, I was your soldier in such and such unit and such and such camp, the camp is no more but I am still here」, or to say, 「we served in the same camp, in the 1970s, I was not in your unit but we were in the same camp together, I knew you」. It means he is proud of his service in the SAF, he is proud to have known me and served with me, and we share something intangible and powerful that will always bind us together. And I am proud of the SAF and I am proud of our comradeship too. Our minds go back through the years, and conjure up the training exercises we went through, the difficulties and disappointments we overcame, the achievements and successes that we still feel proud of.

Mine is not a singular experience – it is something precious that all of us who have served in uniform have experienced and treasured. This camaraderie and pride is the reason NS is so important to our identity and social cohesion as Singaporeans. It is also why generations of Singaporeans have supported their sons to serve in their turn, and to play their part to defend our nation. It makes the SAF a national institution that Singaporeans identify with wholeheartedly.

The SAF must always retain the trust and support of Singaporeans. It is a heavy commitment, to fulfil your National Service duty – two years full-time, and for many years after that as Operationally Ready NSmen. For their part, the Government will always ensure that our personnel are well-equipped, well-trained, and well-led; the SAF will see to it that they are kept safe and have a positive NS experience; and Singaporeans will take pride in our servicemen, and give you full moral and practical support. We are with you all the way!

We could not have built a strong SAF without the hard work and sacrifices of our servicemen, and the strong backing of their families and of Singaporeans in general. And without a strong SAF, Singapore would not have experienced the peace and progress that we have had for almost six decades now, nor enjoyed such stable and friendly relations with our neighbours. We are friends because we respect each other, and have a healthy regard for each other. That is why, every year on SAF Day, we remember and honour all those who have contributed and sacrificed to build up and to serve the SAF, so that Singapore could get here today. To all our servicemen and women past and present, I say: a very big Thank you very much!

**Conclusion**

Looking ahead, we see an increasingly turbulent and dangerous world. 60 years ago, we could not have predicted that we would enjoy so many years of peace and security. This happy outcome owes not a little to the SAF and our Total Defence. But it was also our good fortune that the broader Asia Pacific region was stable, and the strategic situation enabled a small, vulnerable country to survive and thrive through its own efforts.

Today, we certainly cannot confidently predict another 60 years as peaceful as the last 60. Nor can we assume that events will turn out as favourably and peacefully as they did the last time. While we hope for the best, we must prepare for the worst. We must never let ourselves be lulled into complacency or caught by surprise. We must continue to stand up for ourselves, to keep our defences strong and ready, and to work with friendly neighbours on regional security. That demands a credible SAF that is respected both overseas and domestically, and enjoys strong support from the population that it is defending.

Soldiers, sailors, airmen, and guardians of the SAF, The SAF Pledge says – 「we will protect the honour and independence of our nation – with our lives」. For nearly 60 years, the SAF has lived by that Pledge. Singaporeans can sleep peacefully at night, because the men and women of the SAF are there – quietly watching, always alert. Now, more than ever, the SAF needs to remain combat-ready. We count on all of you, and the generations of servicemen and women yet to come, to continue upholding this sacred task of defending the nation which we call home.

On this note, I wish you all a very happy SAF Day. Majulah Singapura!

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HQ丨編審

新加坡總理公署丨來源

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