The Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) has revealed fresh details of its latest Hunter tracked armoured fighting vehicle (AFV), its first armoured combat platform equipped with an anti-tank guided missile (ATGM) capability. The new vehicle was commissioned into service during the Singapore Army armour formation’s 50th anniversary parade on 11 June.
The 29.5 tonne Hunter AFV – earlier known as the Next-Generation Armoured Fighting Vehicle (NGAFV) prior to its commissioning – will replace the army’s upgraded but ageing M113A2 Ultra armoured personnel carriers (APCs) which entered service from the 1970s and will operate alongside the in-service Bionix II infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs). The new vehicle has been under development by Singapore’s Defence Science and Technology Agency (DSTA) in partnership with ST Engineering Land Systems since 2006.
The Singapore Army's new Hunter armoured fighting vehicle seen performing a high-speed manoeuvre during a mobility demonstration. (IHS Markit/Kelvin Wong)
“The [Hunter] AFV represents the predatory spirit to sense, track, and pursue its prey,” said Chief Armour Officer Brigadier General Yew Chee Leung during a media briefing on 7 June, revealing that the platform family will include five variants: namely combat, command, bridge, engineer, and recovery.
“The Hunter works collectively as a pack to hunt in a networked fashion,” Brig Gen Yew added. “It is also the protector and provider for the tribe, so we believe that these characteristics bode well with [its ability] to manoeuvre and overcome any potential aggressors to secure a swift and decisive victory.”
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