The Units of SAF Armour

There are currently four active armour units, namely 40 SAR, 41 SAR, 42 SAR and 46 SAR. In addition there are a RATC (Reserve Armour Training Centre, now known as the ATC), and a tank training school in the SAF. The command of these units are split between two armour brigades, HQ 4 SAB and HQ 8 SAB, of which are subordinate to HQ Armour and their respective divisions. The School of Armour (SOA) is solely under the charge of HQ Armour.

A typical armoured infantry battalion is made up of 5 companies namely, HQ, A coy, B Coy, C Coy and SP Coy. The HQ company include elements made up of the battalion intelligence, motor transport and tracked vehicle maintenance group, signal platoon and the bulk of the logistics team. The A, B and C companies are called combat teams and they are made up of three armoured infantry platoons and one tank platoon each. The Support Company is the last company of the battalion and is made up of one mortar platoon, one armoured pioneer platoon and a scout platoon.

In addition to the ABGs which are under its command, an Armoured Brigade comprises a few additional forces in the form of an Armoured Engineers Coy, a Reconnaissance Coy (known as the BRC, Brigade Recce Company), and a 120 mm Artillery Battalion.

HQ 4th Singapore Armoured Brigade

Date of formation : 28 October 1970
Unit Base : Sungei Gedong Camp
Motto : Terror On Tracks
Previous designation : -

The Formation of an Armoured Brigade Headquarters, the HQ 4 SAB was to be a Brigade HQ which will provide command and control, and facilitated the building of new Brigade HQs and the supporting infrastructures. Barely one year after its formation, the HQ conducted its first full-scale brigade exercise in October 1971 and became the first operational Armoured Brigade of the SAF.

HQ 8th Singapore Armoured Brigade

Date of formation : 1 January 1977
Unit Base : Keat Hong Camp II
Motto : United We Dare
Previous designation : -

The HQ 8 SAB was the second armoured brigade to be formed. Conceived as a reserve brigade, it had three reserve units under its command. It was temporarily based at Kranji Camp and before moving to Nee Soon Camp in March 1980. The Brigade's first commander was LTC Patrick Choy. As part of the reorganisation of the SAF into combined arms divisions, HQ 8 SAB's role was redefined in 1990. It became the generic active armoured element of HQ 3 Division.

The 40th Battalion, Singapore Armoured Regiment

Date of formation : 1969
Unit Base : Keat Hong Camp II
Motto : Victory Unto Victory
Previous designation : 40 SAB

Based in Keat Hong Camp II, this unit has the distinction of being the first tank-trained armour unit of Singapore. The unit operates AMX-13 SM1 light tanks, 120mm modified M113A1 self-propelled mortars, M113A2 tracked APCs, Land Rover Defender 110 utility vehicle and Iveco 75-14WM cargo trucks. In western military jargon, it is basically a mechanised infantry battalion.

The 41st Battalion, Singapore Armoured Regiment

Year of formation : 1 October 1969
Unit Base : Kranji Camp
Motto : Pressure Forward
Previous designation : 41 SAB

Originally established at Keat Hong Camp, the unit operated on V200 APCs before conversion to M113s in 1974. Currently based in Kranji Camp, this is the only active tank battalion in the entire SAF. The unit operates AMX-13 SM1 light tanks, 120mm modified M113A1 self-propelled mortars, M113A2 tracked APCs, Land Rover Defender 110 utility vehicle and Iveco 75-14WM cargo trucks. The tank-to-APC ratio is different from the rest of the other units.

The 42nd Battalion, Singapore Armoured Regiment

Date of formation : 1 October 1971
Unit Base : Sungei Gedong Camp
Motto : The Cutting Edge
Previous designation : -

The 42nd Battalion Singapore Armoured Regiment was raised at Selarang Barracks with the transfer of one Armoured Infantry company from 41 SAR to form the former's first company. In June 1972, 42 SAR took in another company from 41 SAR. In 1973, the unit became operational. Temporarily decommissioned in 1982, as part of the restructuring of Armour Corp, it was raised again in 1990 at Sungei Gedong Camp. Currently based at Sungei Gedong Camp, this unit operates AMX-10P 25 Dragar ICVs, AMX-10 PAC 90 FSVs, AMX-13 SM1 light tanks, 120mm modified M113A1 self-propelled mortars, M113A2 tracked APCs, Land Rover Defender 110 utility vehicle and Iveco 75-14WM cargo trucks. It is an armoured infantry battalion.

The 46th Battalion, Singapore Armoured Regiment

Date of formation : 1975
Unit Base : Sungei Gedong Camp
Motto : Precision, Speed, Accuracy
Previous designation : -

The unit was originally a brigade reconnaisance company of the 4 SAB which was formed in 1971. In 1975, the company was upgraded to an armoured reconnaissance battalion with the designation, 46 SAR, and given a new role. While elements of the brigade reconnaisance company were phased out, 46 SAR was raised at Jalan Bahar Camp in July 1976. The unit shifted to Holland Camp in March 1979, and was subsequently transferred to the command of HQ 4 SAB in 1980, with its new home at Sungei Gedong Camp. This unit operates AMX-13 SM1 light tanks, 120mm modified M113A1 self-propelled mortars, M113A2 tracked APCs, Land Rover Defender 110 utility vehicle and Iveco 75-14WM cargo trucks. It is also an armoured infantry battalion.

School of Armour

Date of formation : 1971
Unit Base : Sungei Gedong Camp
Motto : Lead By Example
Previous designation : -

After the School of Armour (SOA) was set up in 1971 at Jalan Bahar Camp, it took over the commanders' course (which was formerly conducted locally by the operational units). SOA grew rapidly and within three years, it was capable of conducting all commanders', specialists', reconnaissance and upgrading courses for Armour personnel.

Armour Training Centre

Date of formation : May 1977
Unit Base : Sungei Gedong Camp
Motto : Lead By Example
Previous designation : Reserve Armour Training Centre (RATC)

In the earlier days, the staff of RATC conducted continual training for all armoured reserve personnels while concurrently assuming operational appointments in HQ 8 SAB. With the implementation of the Combined Arms Concept, HQ 8 SAB became an active unit. Now ATC concentrates on centralised command, control, planning and co-ordination of all NS training, assuming the previous role of the HQ 8 SAB.

BEST ARMOUR UNIT