Singapore Navy Marks Another Milestone in Its Training Transformation

The Naval Training Command (TRACOM) of Singapore Navy was restructured into the Maritime Training and Doctrine Command (MTDC) on 12 Jul.

Inaugurated by Chief of Navy RADM Ng Chee Peng at the Victory Hall in Changi Naval Base, it marked another milestone in the RSN’s training transformation journey to ensure that the 3rd Generation RSN will continue to be a capable, ready and flexible force.

“The environment that we operate in today is vastly different from yesteryear. To continue to meet our missions and tasks, we would have to constantly induct new capabilities and upgrade our fighting systems,” RADM Ng said in his address. “Our training and doctrine development system must be able to match the pace of change in both our operating environment and our fighting capabilities.”

The new organisational framework of the Maritime Training and Doctrine Command consists of three entities: the Naval Military Expert Institute (NMI), the Doctrine and Readiness Group (DRG), and the Headquarters (HQ) MTDC.

The formation of the NMI will create a spiritual home for the naval military experts. The commanding officers of the seven specialised schools within the NMI will also act as Vocation Advisory Authority for the respective vocations of the naval military experts.

“The implementation of the Military Domain Expert Scheme was extensive in the RSN and military experts comprise more than 70% of our regular personnel today. There is a need to put in place a holistic people development system to grow the deep vocational expertise of our military experts,” explained Commander of the Maritime Training and Doctrine Command, COL Gerald Heng. “The restructuring of the Institute of Maritime Operations & Systems (IMOS) into the NMI will create an institute dedicated to the training and educational needs of naval military experts.”

The DRG is restructured from the Naval Warfare Group (NAVWAR) and will drive pan-RSN doctrine development, such that greater synergy will be derived between training doctrine development. At the same time, DRG will oversee and conduct audits and inspections of warfare trainers and ship crew, to ensure high training readiness and standards of the operational units and assist commanders of naval task forces and groups in mission preparations and sea checks.

Whereas, the HQ MTDC will drive curriculum development, training design and training system evaluation to ensure that the latest learning pedagogies and technologies are incorporated into the RSN training system.

The TRACOM, the IMOS and the NAVWAR were stood down on 11 Jul.

Press Release, July 15, 2013; Image: Shipspotting

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