Special Report: Singapore's DSTA leverages industry partnerships to advance emerging defence technologies

DSTA has worked with BeeX to co-develop solutions for its autonomous underwater vehicle, pictured above. (DSTA)

Singapore's procurement authority, the Defence Science and Technology Agency (DSTA), is advancing emerging technologies and applications inthe country's defence base through collaborations with local and international industry.

DSTA, a statutory board under Singapore's Ministry of Defence (MINDEF), engages with domestic and international defence companies, research institutions, and foreign militaries with the aim to enhance the technological capabilities of the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF).

The defence agency's partnerships over the past year have spanned key technologies including artificial intelligence (AI) and digitalisation, autonomous systems, maritime technology, electronic warfare (EW), and counter-unmanned systems.

DSTA Chief Executive Ng Chad-Son told Janes in March that the “biggest shift” in the country's operating landscape is the rise of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), counter-unmanned aircraft systems (C-UASs), robotics, autonomy, and AI, alongside the increasing adoption of dual-use technologies, some of which have the potential to be “disruptive” because of their low cost.

“We are paying special attention to these technologies as the tech and the concepts are fast evolving,” he said. “We collaborate widely to advance them and bring key capabilities to [the] SAF and MINDEF.”

To accelerate adoption of emerging technologies within the SAF, engineers from DSTA are deployed within the force's units, both in Singapore and overseas exercises, enabling rapid prototyping, testing, and refinement of new solutions, Ng added.

“For these technologies, speed and agility are important,” he said. By embedding engineers with military users, the agency ensures that feedback loops are short and adjustments can be fielded quickly.