Modern Warfare and Digital Transformation in the Republic of Singapore Air Force
In today's modern context, conflicts extend into the digital domain. Leveraging cloud technologies can significantly improve how we approach warfare, allowing us to rethink operational processes and gain an advantage over adversaries. Major Chiaot Yi Qian (callsign Rob) from the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) works within RAID, an agile innovation and digital startup delivering value to warfighters.
The Challenge of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS)
The increasing congestion and complexity of airspace, largely due to the proliferation of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), presents significant challenges. These small drones can create substantial problems and are becoming increasingly difficult to track. This disrupts standard Air Force operations and introduces safety hazards.
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How can airspace be effectively managed to separate manned and unmanned flight?
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How can coordination between various agencies be streamlined to ensure the safe and efficient use of drones for homeland defense?
Leveraging Cloud Technology for Enhanced Situational Awareness
The RSAF is utilizing commercial cloud technologies to address these challenges. Instead of coordinating through multiple agencies, operators are presented with a single platform, providing a shared common operating picture for commanders, decision-makers, and drone operators. This enhances situational awareness, enabling quicker, more informed decision-making in critical moments.
Exercise Wallaby: A Platform for Innovation
Exercise Wallaby, a large-scale overseas exercise for the Singapore Armed Forces, provided a unique opportunity to integrate software developers with warfighters. This allowed developers to directly observe and understand the needs of the end users, fostering innovation in the digital dimension.
Unique Collaboration and Rapid Development
The RSAF's approach is unique in that it integrates military personnel with operational experience and technical expertise. This synergy, combined with a cloud platform, enabled the rapid development of an initial functional prototype in just 90 days. Traditional software development processes often require significantly longer timelines, ranging from three months to one or two years. The use of AWS services facilitated the quick deployment of code into the cloud environment, allowing for near-instantaneous feature implementation.
Industry Partnerships and Continuous Learning
RAID actively partners with industry to leverage best practices and knowledge. Most of the workforce are utilizing AWS Skill Builder to gain a solid foundation in commercial technology to meet specific defense requirements.
Preparing for an Uncertain Future
The Air Force recognizes the increasingly uncertain, volatile, and ambiguous nature of future battlefields. While the exact characteristics of future conflicts are unknown, disruption is inevitable. By integrating cloud-based technologies, the RSAF aims to provide warfighters with a crucial cognitive edge. Collaboration with industry partners also fosters a learning environment, allowing the RSAF to incorporate valuable organizational characteristics into its core values.