Singapore army invests in uncrewed systems to address manpower shortages
Singapore is ramping up its deployment of uncrewed systems and restructuring its armed forces to address a shrinking pool of potential military recruits amid demographic shifts.
Singaporean Defence Minister Dr. Ng Eng Hen described the declining number of service members as the “greatest internal challenge” facing the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF). To tackle this, Singapore is increasing automation and assigning conscripts and national reservists, known as “NSmen,” to roles aligned with their civilian expertise to boost efficiency and effectiveness.
The Defence Ministry is leading efforts to mitigate the impact of an aging population on force strength. The Navy, for example, expects a 30% decrease in personnel by 2044, according to US-based publication Defense News.
Muhammad Faizal Abdul Rahman, a research fellow at Singapore’s S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), noted that unmanned systems help offset manpower constraints and adapt to modern warfare, including the use of autonomous combat systems seen in global conflicts.
Over the past decade, the ratio of working-age adults to retirees in Singapore has dropped from 6-to-1 to less than 4-to-1, according to the Ministry of Manpower.
