S'pore now 1st tier arms producer
By Felix Soh
SOME time this year, British troops will be deployed in made-in-Singapore Bronco armoured all-terrain tracked carriers in the treacherous combat zones of Afghanistan.
The significance of the British Army's acquisition of 100 of Singapore Technologies Kinetics' (STK) home-grown personnel carriers extends beyond the size of the contract which, at $330 million, is not an insubstantial sum.
But the deal is a breakthrough for Singapore's defence industry in that the Republic is now supplying weapons systems not to Third World countries, but to a First World nation like the United Kingdom.
Not only this, but STK beat a British defence company, BAE Systems Hagglunds, the market leader for armoured all-terrain carriers (ATCs), to win the contract.
Although Hagglunds offered an improved Mark 2 version of the Viking ATC, it failed to overcome the Bronco, which has better protection, higher payload and greater capacity.
The UK deal makes it an important 'reference customer' that opens the door to similar acquisitions by other First World countries serving in the Afghan theatre.
Mr Patrick Choy, STK's executive vice-president and chief marketing officer, told my paper:
"Breaking into the British market raises the potential of other countries serving in Afghanistan, like the Netherlands, following the British example."
There is no doubt that the Bronco deal is a watershed one.
It means that Singapore has acquired "first-tier" capability in the development and production of new and original weapons systems.
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