National Day Parade 2024 to feature SAF's new light machine gun, PUB water wagons

SINGAPORE — The Singapore Armed Forces' (SAF) new light machine gun and PUB's water wagons will make their debuts at this year's National Day Parade (NDP) at the Padang. 

This year's parade will commemorate 40 years of Total Defence, Singapore's national defence concept.

The inaugural Total Defence segment at the Padang will showcase how the community and government respond to various scenarios such as air and maritime threats as well as civil emergencies and disruptions.

It will include 40 assets and more than 400 participants from the Singapore Army, Republic of Singapore Navy, Republic of Singapore Air Force, Digital and Intelligence Service, Singapore Police Force (SPF) and Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF).

National water agency PUB and the Singapore Red Cross will also be part of the segment, said the NDP executive committee in a news release on Friday (June 21).

PUB's water wagons will also be making their National Day Parade debut. Equipped with 1,000L water tanks, these wagons provide relief in times of disruption to the water supply.

This year's parade will also feature the Singapore Red Cross Transporter vehicle, which can carry volunteers and essential logistics during civil emergency exercises.

The vehicle is equipped with a wheelchair lifter and can seat up to 10 people, including the driver. It can also be used in peacetime.

Other assets making their appearance at the parade include F-16 fighter jets, the Leopard 2SG main battle tanks and the light fire attack vehicle, also known as the Red Rhino.

WHAT TO EXPECT DURING THE PARADE AND CEREMONY

More than 2,100 participants from diverse backgrounds will take part in this year's parade and ceremony.

A total of 35 marching contingents, including 24 from youth uniformed groups as well as social and economic organisations, will form the parade led by parade commander Lieutenant Colonel Roger Cheong Soon Yong.

Besides the usual contingents, this year's NDP will also feature the return of a contingent comprising volunteers from the SAF and Home Team. They will be making their first NDP appearance since 2019.

Sixteen supporting contingents — from the SAF, SPF and SCDF, as well as volunteer and youth uniformed groups — will move to create the characters "TD40" to commemorate 40 years of Total Defence, said the executive committee.

Speaking to CNA on Friday, Master Warrant Officer (MWO) Mohamed Ayub Said Abdul Kader, who is the parade Regimental Sergeant Major, explained that the formation's execution came with its own set of challenges as there was a lot of movement involved. 

With the contingents walking in different directions, the words "'TD40' must come up beautifully", he said. 

To overcome those challenges, MWO Mohamed Ayub said he spoke to his predecessor from 10 years ago — when there was a similar formation during NDP to mark 30 years of Total Defence — to learn the "tips of the trade".

The 42-year-old added that he is backed by a well-trained team, made up of members with years of experience, to give him guidance on how the formation can be achieved. 

During the parade, there will also be a choir music video featuring more than 130 students from nine school choirs, including seven special education schools. 

Crowd favourites such as the Red Lions, state flag flypast and presidential gun salute will continue to be part of the NDP and will be broadcast live on television and internet platforms. 

This year’s presidential gun salute will include four 25-pounder guns on the Mobility 3rd Generation raft that will sail around the Marina Basin.

The 21-gun salute is the highest military honour reserved only for the President and is timed to match his progress while inspecting the parade.

NDP 2024 will also feature an Onward March at the Padang for the first time, where marching contingents will march onto the spectator stand. CNA