Armoured Infantry Trooper: Run Beside Tank? Eat Sand? How?

captainkidzs SG

Hi all, I have just got my posting today and I am being posted to 41 SAR at kranji. Can anyone tell me more about this vocation, what is it like? Is there any like route marches, shellscrape digging? And most of the time what do we do? I am taking A levels this year as private candidate so I am trying to make plans to this. Please help if you know have have been in this vocation. thanks!

eac SG

Refer:

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mechanized_infantry

2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Singapore_Armoured_Regiment

Jacksonteo1991 SG

There are currently 3 armoured infantry battalions in its operational structure: 40 SAR, 41 SAR & 42 SAR. A fourth battalion, 46 SAR, was deactivated in Jan 2011.

There is another additional tank battalion, 48 SAR. There are also a number of NS Reserve battalions that are activated during reservist recalls. NS SAR units are numbered in three-digit formats(i.e. 442 SAR, 453 SAR, 485 SAR) to distinguish them from active units. These three-digit designations are given to each active battalion's mono intake when they complete of their 2-year mandatory service with their respective active battalions and then form a reservist battalion.

An armoured infantry battalion is made up of 5 companies: HQ coy, 3 Combat coy and Support coy. (The name of each company/coy differs across battalions and may start with other letters i.e. H(Hawk) coy & J(Jaguar) coy.)

While on operation, each combat team will be attached with a vehicle maintenance and Pioneer section. The ATGM & Mortar elements can be attached to either combat company at their commanders direction depending on mission profiles.

Armoured Infantry (A.I) battalions shared similar traits as compared towards their regular Infantry counterparts (roles such as Advancing towards an opposing force, Assaulting an opposing force dug in positions and Delaying an opposing force advancement) but the differences are each section in an A.I of an A.I platoon have their own individual armoured tracked platform, A.I platoon carry more firepower on a dismounted role as compared to regular infantry and A.I platoons specialise conducting water bodies crossing with their armoured platforms through flotation devices.

During training or operations, external units can be attached to armoured battalions as needed. Examples of such units are the Combat Engineers' armoured vehicle launch bridge and mine clearance vehicles, or the Artillery's self-propelled howitzers. When required by the nature of operations, heavy tanks can be attached to the armoured infantry battalions, either to the unit or to specific companies.

nslife...haizz SG

hey captainkidzs, i am also retaking A levels this year in the army, haizz got posted to cdo... wondering if you want to study together or something? :)

Zhangbin83140175 SG

Refer: www.cmpb.gov.sg

All NS pre-enlistees, here's CMPB, your one-stop service centre for NS enlistment!

Check, check, check it out, yo!

Refer: www.cmpb.gov.sg

Brian2016 SG

For all combat personnel who either join Armour as a regular or by being posted to Armour after basic training, there are two main combat vocations within Armour: a Tank Operator and the other is being an Armoured Infantry. Vocation varies depending on the unit that the personnel are being sent to.

Tank operators will be trained to maintain and fire the tank, while Armoured Infantry will be trained in basic infantry and armoured warfare tactics

The Armour formation's main training institute is called the Armour Training Institute (ATI) located in Sungei Gedong Camp which trains and evaluates all active and NS Armour units.^[16]

The four schools under ATI are:

ATI is staffed with senior and well experienced officers, Warrant Officers and specialists where they supervise, train and mentor all Armour personal who are undergoing training regardless if they are an active or reserve unit.

ATI maintains a combat company containing three platoons to play the role of aggressors otherwise known as OPFOR against active and reserve units during the units ATEC evaluation. Their role is to simulate a real enemy force through the use of the battlefield instrumentation (BFI) system^[17]

Neutral-Thinker SG

Armoured troopers are basically infantry soldiers who have an armouned vehicle to sit in. They fight as a team from the vehicle as well as dismount to protect the vehicle or perform the role of ordinary infantry soldiers.

However, armoured troopers are more of attack-role soldiers. For this reason, they seldom have to dig shellscrapes . Because they have a vehicle to sit in, they also hardly have route marches.

Norokkkk SG

The Singapore Army's first armoured unit, 40 Singapore Armoured Regiment, SAR for short (then known as 40 Singapore Armoured Battalion), was formed in November 1968. In that year, the Army decided to purchase both the V-200 Commando vehicles and the AMX-13 tanks. 41 SAB was formed to operate AMX-13 tanks in 1969, and was the first armour unit to be equipped with the tanks.^[5] The V-200 Commando vehicles were divided between 40 and 41 SAB to form a mixture between the tanks and armoured infantry.^[6]

That same year, 40 SAB thrilled the crowd at the National Day Parade in a drive past of 18 tanks to salute the President of Singapore.^[7] HQ Armour has since organised armour column drive-pasts during the National Day Parades in the years 1978, 1982, 1984, 1993, 2002 & 2010. In addition to this, during every National Day Parade, men of the formation are given the honour of the Presidential Lance Guards who will form up upon the President's arrival and departure. They carry lances with a pennon that features the insignia of the Armour formation attached beneath the spearhead. This tradition is modelled after the knights in armour of old who would form up to protect their king.

The AMX-13 which was acquired back in 1969 was upgraded to the AMX-13 SM1 in 1988.^[8]

In July 1970, with the creation of 4th Singapore Armoured Brigade (HQ 4 SAB), 40 & 41 were re-flagged as 40 SAR & 41 SAR respectively. 2 further armoured units were created: 42 SAR was created in 1971 & 46 SAR in 1976. With the inception of full-time national service in 1967, 40 SAR received her first mono intake in March 1970 & 41 SAR received her first intake in July 1970.

In 1973, the formation acquired the M113 to replace the V-200 Commando, which was further upgraded to the M113A2 Ultra IFV in 1993 to keep up with the modern age.^[9]

The Regimental Colours of 40, 41 and 42 SAR were presented by President Sheares at Selarang Camp on 6 September 1977. 46 SAR Regimental Colours was presented to them on 29 October 1991.^[10] 48 SAR's Regimental Colours was presented by President Tony Tan on 1 July 2013 at the year's SAF day parade.

In 2006, it was announced that the AMX-13 SM1 Tanks would be replaced with Germany's Leopard 2A4 Main Battle Tanks.^[11]

The formation also adopted the Black Beret as its official headdress in line with other armour formations worldwide.^[12] The black beret is recognised as a traditional symbol or identity of an armoured unit.

In the Singapore Armed Forces Best Unit Competition, Only 5 Armour units have won the title of Best Combat unit: 41 SAR (1978 & 1984), 42 SAR (1979 & 1982) & 40 SAR (2002).

programX SG

Mechanized infantry are infantry equipped with armored personnel carriers (APCs) or infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs) for transport and combat (see also mechanized force).

Mechanized infantry is distinguished from motorized infantry in that its vehicles provide a degree of protection from hostile fire, as opposed to "soft-skinned" wheeled vehicles (trucks or jeeps) for motorized infantry. Most APCs and IFVs are fully tracked, or are all-wheel drive vehicles (6×6 or 8×8), for mobility across rough ground. Some nations distinguish between mechanized and armoured infantry, designating troops carried by APCs as mechanized and those in IFVs as armoured.

The support weapons for mechanized infantry are also provided with motorized transport, or are built directly into combat vehicles, in order to keep pace with the mechanized infantry in combat. For units equipped with most types of APC or any type of IFV, fire support weapons, such as machine guns, autocannons, small-bore direct-fire howitzers, and even anti-tank guided missiles, are often mounted directly on the infantry's own transport vehicles.

Compared with "light" truck-mobile infantry, mechanized infantry can maintain rapid tactical movement and (if mounted in IFVs) possess more integral firepower. They require more combat supplies (ammunition and especially fuel) and ordnance supplies (spare vehicle components), and a comparatively larger proportion of their manpower is required to crew and maintain the vehicles. For example, most APCs mount a section of seven or eight infantrymen, but have a crew of two. Most IFVs only carry six or seven infantry, but require a crew of three. To be effective in the field, mechanized units also require large numbers of mechanics with specialized maintenance and recovery vehicles and equipment.

fuksaf SG

The Singapore Armoured Regiment is a formation of the Singapore Army responsible for armoured warfare. Armour provides mobile firepower support and rapid mobility for the Army by helping to spearhead an advance past the enemies defences and onto seizing and holding key objectives on the battlefield. Armour also acts as an active deterrent role towards any possible aggressors towards Singapore. Armour is known to act swiftly as they can be deployed at a moment's notice to dominate the battlefield hence their motto: Swift and Decisive.