Minister of State for Defence and Education Lawrence Wong
Chief of Defence Force,
Chief C4I,
Distinguished Guests, men and women of the C4I Community,
Good Afternoon.

Sun Tzu was quoted as saying, "Know your enemy and know yourself and you can fight a hundred battles without disaster". The history of warfare is replete with examples of battles turning on timely and superior information.

The SAF is a key proponent of this concept of operations to "know first". Indeed, information pervasiveness to provide real time situational awareness and networked systems to provide quick and multiple responses have been one of the cardinal hallmarks of our 3rd Generation transformation efforts. These large and strategic investments in integrating our command and control systems and processes play to our strengths, as our people possess technological expertise. It also mitigates our weaknesses in multiplying our limited manpower and providing early warning.

It gives me great pleasure therefore, to be here today to inaugurate the C4I community that brings together the soldiers, sailors and airmen behind our command, control, communications, computer and intelligence networks, whose critical mission is to operate the networks that provide the SAF with its edge in information superiority.

The establishment of the C4I community marks a significant milestone in the SAF's transformation into a networked and knowledge-enabled fighting force. Our recent acquisitions - the F-15SG, Terrex, HIMARS and frigate - prepare us well for new challenges across the air, land and maritime domains. But networking these systems together provides multiplier effects, so that the whole is greater than the sum of its individual components. As a result, the 3rd Generation SAF is able to operate and fight as one integrated and seamless system. With combined inputs, the SAF is able to see first and more. It also has the capability to strike the enemy from a variety of options. The result is a potent SAF that is more flexible, adaptable and more responsive to the demands of the modern battlefield.

The C4I network allows even the smallest individual unit to call upon the combined capabilities of the SAF. For example, with the operationalisation of the Army's motorised infantry capability last year, the individual infantry soldier is already capable of coordinating manoeuvres with the firepower of the SAF at his disposal to support his battle. In the latest Ex Forging Sabre conducted last December, soldiers and airmen came together in an integrated strike mission to neutralise a moving target in real time. This was possible because of the tight linkage of sensors, command post and shooters that allowed us to strike targets with a swifter and deadlier punch.

Through exercises and operations, C4I units are gaining experience and improving their expertise. In Oruzgan, our Imagery Analysis Teams (IATs) are now well regarded by other ISAF forces in their ability to translate raw data into accurate and actionable intelligence. During my visit there, ISAF commanders told me that the quality of analysis in our reports has been significant in enhancing the security of the Afghan population and international forces. As a testament to the valuable contribution of the IATs, the ops room in the ISAF HQ has been expanded to accommodate more Image Analysts.

Our C4 network and intelligence communities have thus far existed as separate entities across the Services. While this structure has served us adequately, the complexity of the modern battlefield will place more exacting and challenging demands on the 3rd Generation SAF. Our land, maritime and air forces need to seamlessly tap on each other's capabilities and further reduce the sense-to-strike cycle. It is now timely for us to bring the various C4I entities across the Services into a common community, to support and grow this strategic capability. With its inauguration, the C4I community will be primarily responsible for developing the professional competencies, expertise and knowledge of the servicemen under its charge. It will also raise, train and build upon existing capabilities of the C4I communities within the various services.

The strength of the C4I community is derived from the knowledge and operational expertise of its people. Many of you are Military Domain Experts. Whether as Image Analysts, UAV Operators, Communications Operators or Naval Intelligence Analysts or other vocations, you will need to be subject experts whose knowledge and skills remain relevant and effective to do your job well.

I have every confidence that you will constantly maintain and upgrade your expertise. Your professionalism, diligence and perseverance will be critical in building up a potent and effective C4I community that should aspire to be among the best in the world. If you do this well, then our information superiority will provide a critical fighting edge for the SAF to keep us safe and secure.