Singapore Army inducts Hunter new armored fighting vehicle.

The Hunter AFV has been jointly developed by ST Engineering, Defence Science and Technology Agency, and the Singapore Army. It was commissioned in 2019. It is the Singapore Army's first fully digitalized platform and is designed to provide armored forces with enhanced capabilities to operate more effectively and efficiently in various phases of military operations.
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Hunter Armoured Fighting Vehicle (AFV) at Singapore AirShow 2018 (Picture source: Army Recognition)

Development of the Hunter started in 2006 as a project of the Singapore Defence ministry's Defence Science and Technology Agency (DSTA). In March 2017, Singapore Technologies Engineering Ltd (ST Engineering) announced that its land systems arm, Singapore Technologies Kinetics Ltd (ST Kinetics), has been awarded a contract by the Singapore Ministry of Defence for the production and supply of the Next Generation Armored Fighting Vehicle (NGAFV). The prototype model was exhibited at the Singapore Airshow in 2018.

The 29.5-tonne AFV will replace the Ultra M113 AFV as a key component of the Singapore Armed Forces’ mechanized forces which has been in service with the Singapore Army since the early 1970s. In June 2019, the Hunter AFV was commissioned for the Singapore Army. Deliveries began late in 2019. The vehicle is being delivered in troop carrier, command and recovery variants. The pioneer batch of instructors and commanders started training in mid-2019, with the first battalion planned to be formed in early 2020. The 42nd Battalion, Singapore Armoured Regiment (42 SAR) was designated as the first battalion to operate the Hunter.

The Hunter accommodates a commander, a driver, and a gunner. It features an integrated combat cockpit enabling the gunner and commander to operate the vehicle using common controls. It comes equipped with a health and utilization monitoring system (HUMS), which is a fully-digitalized platform using data analytics and algorithms to ensure timely maintenance and efficient vehicle management. The Hunter’s drive-by-wire design, which controls its movements electronically instead of through rods and pistons attached to the driver’s pedals, allow the vehicle commander to drive when required.