Dependance on SAF
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If I'm not wrong, SCDF & Police rely quite a bit on RSAF & RSN, namely RSAF helicopters & RSN divers.
Of course during peace time that's fine & dandy but what if touch wood, war breaks out? I'm sure the SAF in general will be too busy engaging in offence & defence & will not be able to spare any resources.
So then what happens if SCDF needs a helicopter or divers? Aren't they screwed?
Take the cable car tragedy in the 80s. It was RSAF SAR ppl & RSAF copter involved in the rescue. Isn't it time SCDF bought a copter or 2 and trained their DART team for this kinda mission? So that god forbid, if war breaks out, at least SCDF doesn't need to rely on an already taxed SAF.
Similarly, SCDF bought 2 huge water "pails" (no idea wat's the proper name) to be used with RSAF copters for dousing large flames. Aren't these pails useless if RSAF is unable to spare an copters? I've no idea wat SCDF's budget is like but surely 2 medium lift copters aren't gonna break the bank.
Same goes for divers. Hong Kong's Fire and Ambulance Service has their own divers for underwater SAR missions. Even M'sia's bomba has their own divers. Our SCDF has to rely on NDU. Even when the police wants to search for a dead body or recover a lost revolver, they go running to NDU.
What if there's war & NDU is unable to spare any resources? Do we watch haplessly as drowning victims die 'cos SCDF has no divers? Isn't it more practical for SCDF to set up a small diving unit for SAR? I'm sure they can spare 10 men or so. -
Ok, so SCDF should have their own squadron of aircraft and fleet of watercraft too?
Won't logistics be a burden? -
There is no point in giving seperate helicopters to SCDF because it would be terribly inefficient. The same point applies to other assets. In war, I am sure SCDF's helicopter will be used for the war effort anyway.Originally posted by sgf:If I'm not wrong, SCDF & Police rely quite a bit on RSAF & RSN, namely RSAF helicopters & RSN divers.
Of course during peace time that's fine & dandy but what if touch wood, war breaks out? I'm sure the SAF in general will be too busy engaging in offence & defence & will not be able to spare any resources.
So then what happens if SCDF needs a helicopter or divers? Aren't they screwed?
Take the cable car tragedy in the 80s. It was RSAF SAR ppl & RSAF copter involved in the rescue. Isn't it time SCDF bought a copter or 2 and trained their DART team for this kinda mission? So that god forbid, if war breaks out, at least SCDF doesn't need to rely on an already taxed SAF.
Similarly, SCDF bought 2 huge water "pails" (no idea wat's the proper name) to be used with RSAF copters for dousing large flames. Aren't these pails useless if RSAF is unable to spare an copters? I've no idea wat SCDF's budget is like but surely 2 medium lift copters aren't gonna break the bank.
Same goes for divers. Hong Kong's Fire and Ambulance Service has their own divers for underwater SAR missions. Even M'sia's bomba has their own divers. Our SCDF has to rely on NDU. Even when the police wants to search for a dead body or recover a lost revolver, they go running to NDU.
What if there's war & NDU is unable to spare any resources? Do we watch haplessly as drowning victims die 'cos SCDF has no divers? Isn't it more practical for SCDF to set up a small diving unit for SAR? I'm sure they can spare 10 men or so.
In such a small country as Singapore, and in a country with a limited budget, consolidating of assets is probably going to be the most efficient way of using those assets. -
I have heard that the Police Coast Guard going to have an air unit soon. But this is not verified as yet.
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Why not give them the de-commissioned Hueys?
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Originally posted by wonderamazement
Why not give them the de-commissioned Hueys?
I think this is a great idea.
1. No need to spend extra money to buy new helicopters other than maybe giving them a new paint job with new logo.
2. No need to train new pilots just used the same reservist RSAF pilots.
I am sure some of these Hueys will be kept in storage for emergencies such as war so just need to transfer a few reservist RSAF pilots and decommisioned helicopters in storage to either SCDF or SPF during war time. During peace time just have exercises with the equipment such as the SCDF giant 'water buckets' once in a while. -
If those Hueys are actually still air worthy. Not that I am implying they are not, but they really have been flying for a long time. Safety factor is a consideration now.
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FYI, SCDF DART is oredi trained in diving...dey even hav thier own inflatable rubber dingy...so i suppose tt ans ur doubt abt SCDF's water rescue capablity?
As for a helicopter, i believe incidents which involve the usage of helicopters for rescue are too few to justify the cost of owning even 1 helicopter. It would be more cost-effective to borrow and loan a helicopter from SAF
Mabi in the future when there are many incidents (*touch wood) which require SCDF to use a helicopter, there might be considerations 4 SCDF to own 1. -
Haha.Originally posted by ditzy:Ok, so SCDF should have their own squadron of aircraft and fleet of watercraft too? Won't logistics be a burden? 
When does SCDF need aircraft for local rescues? Its only when they are flown for humanitarian missions overseas. And if S'pore is at war, do you seriously think SCDF will be sent overseas to help others? -
To threadstarter, just a few questions and purposes in this thread:
1. It's good for each entities have their own unit of resources and logistics, but think of the long term, maintaining and managing logistics ain't going to be cheap.
2. The various home forces are right now pooling resources and maximising their strengths. In times of war, critical units will be strongly relied on either for offence or defence, and in times of peace, these critical units are constantly trained realistically to home in their capabilities. Even regularly, we have mobilisations for civil resources, and civil resources are a big untapped pool of resources that SPF and SCDF are working on refining and capitalising.
3. Remember Singapore has five arms of defences to make the longstanding Total Defence. We people also have a part to play, not totally depending on our law-enforcers and civil rescuers to do all the work. We can make a difference also. -
no need to do anything extra now. more thing to have means more things to do
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If SAF does its mission right, SCDF may not need to do much.
If SAF does its mission wrong, nothing much left for SCDF to do
STRIKE FIRST, STRIKE HARD, KEEP STRIKING UNTIL THEY SURRENDER
- Not me say one, yeah
Of course, If SAF does nothing, it can help out SCDF (which is the correct thing to do) -
don't think so much.
SCDF cannot afford to maintain a helicopter. -
we call those water buckets.Originally posted by sgf:Similarly, SCDF bought 2 huge water "pails" (no idea wat's the proper name) to be used with RSAF copters for dousing large flames. Aren't these pails useless if RSAF is unable to spare an copters? I've no idea wat SCDF's budget is like but surely 2 medium lift copters aren't gonna break the bank.
for every flight there's a spare. so u tell me if we have enough helicopters.