From a PS21 Web Publication The Challenge

Don’t mess with him — he’s into guns



Koh Weng Kin is into guns — artillery guns to be precise. Early this year, this programme manager from the Defence Science & Technology Agency (DSTA) made news when a project he was in charge of — the first locally developed heavy artillery gun — proved its mettle as it went into action

The Primus is the most technologically complex product designed for Singapore’s Army. It is a 155-millimetre self-propelled artillery gun that moves like a tank. It has a 30- kilometre range, which means it can hit a target as far as the distance between Changi and Jurong.

As the programme manager for Primus, Weng Kin had to oversee every aspect of the work. And that was certainly no mean feat.

Biting the bullet
He first started working on the Primus programme in 1996. From the start, a major challenge his team encountered was designing a platform that could satisfy all of the Singapore Armed Forces’ (SAF) required specifications and operational needs.

Although the core team is small, they leveraged on expertise from other divisions such as communications and command and control.

Moreover, the project was extensive and elaborate. The many stages and processes included research and conceptualisation, working out details of the specific requirements, design review, prototype development, systems integration, developmental tests and evaluation, extensive live firing trials, final design review and production.

Due to the complexity of the programme, the team performed detailed assessment and extensive testing. Hence, it took the team six years from conceptualisation to delivery of the Primus. But at the end of the day, it was worth all the hard work.

Said Weng Kin, “When the Army commissioned the Primus, we felt a great sense of achievement in delivering a high-tech solution that will add to the firearms of our soldiers.”

Giving his best shot
Besides the Primus, Weng Kin has introduced two other systems to the military. His first project was a naval gun mounted on the Navy’s missile corvette. The second was another artillery gun — a 105-millimetre howitzer.

While the technical aspects of his work can be demanding, Weng Kin finds dealing with different groups of people even more challenging. He explained: “Engineers are basically strong-willed people, so it’s not easy to get them to work together.

“Contractors are another category of people, and there’s also the customer. We play a ‘bridging role’ between the two extremes. One will ask for the sky, the other will give you the land. We have to make sure we deliver cost-effective solutions that meet the operational requirements of the SAF.”

Besides managing people, Weng Kin also conducts courses for new engineers and looks into their training needs and career development.

Right on target
“I truly love my job!” said Weng Kin, who has been with the Armament Systems Division since 1988.

Indeed, few people can say that they make guns for a living. But for Weng Kin, the fulfilment he derives from his work is greater that the thrill of developing such a fine product.

He shared, “I like the element of working on something that contributes to national defence. It may sound cliché to some, but the systems we deliver are going to be used by many batches of NSFs in the next 20 years. I find that inspiring and satisfying!”

Also from The Challenge

Warships pack a formidable punch



Dr Koh Hock Seng is responsible for the building of Singapore’s first stealth frigate — the most technologically advanced battleship that the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) will add to its fleet in 2006.


Hock Seng, who works for the Defence Science & Technology Agency (DSTA), is one of the two programme managers in charge of a programme to construct six frigates.

When completed, the six frigates will be the RSN’s most sophisticated warships. Equipped with advanced sensor and weapon systems, they will possess enhanced anti-air, anti-surface and antisubmarine warfare capabilities. They will be able to detect and destroy targets faster and more accurately than the missile gunboats and corvettes which RSN currently have.

Another key feature of the frigate is its shape, which is designed to appear smaller than actual size on an enemy’s radar. This will delay detection by the enemy and give the RSN more time to react in a battle situation.

At the helm
“The frigate programme is DSTA’s largest and most complex programme to date,” said Hock Seng.

More than 50 staff across various divisions, who comprise sensor systems engineers, systems engineering specialists, naval platform and systems integration specialists as well as others, are working on the project fulltime.

Expectedly, the task is not plain sailing.

For a start, DSTA had contracted a French company to build the first ship, dubbed the RSS Formidable. It is now under construction in France. Hock Seng has to make regular trips there to supervise the progress.

Understanding the French, and overcoming the language and cultural barriers took time. And working with a large team is not easy.

“Dealing with different people, understanding their concerns, and at the end of the day, getting them to agree and work together is challenging,” he said. “Also, I have to balance all aspects, whether it is the schedule, cost or the design, in order to come up with a good solution that meets the RSN’s unique requirements.”

At the same time, Hock Seng and his team have to facilitate the technology transfer from France to Singapore for the other five ships being built locally. This arrangement ensures that the local industry will acquire the expertise to maintain, modify and upgrade the frigates in the long term.

A watershed
The RSS Formidable was launched on 7 January 2004, marking a significant milestone for the project.

Now that the bulk of the ship has been constructed, the ship is being fitted with combat systems and platform equipment. Hock Seng and his team are busy working on integrating the various sensor and weapon systems on board.

The schedule is tight as the RSN expects to take delivery of all six ships between 2005 and 2008.

A naval architect worth his salt
Since joining the Naval Systems Division in 1992, Hock Seng has been involved in several projects.

Prior to the frigate programme, Hock Seng worked on the Landing Ship Tank (LST) programme for four years. The LST is a large ship used to facilitate the mobility of equipment and personnel. It has unique features like a well-dock to allow small craft to enter and a flight deck for helicopter operations.

The frigate and the LST are two key naval projects that DSTA is very proud of. Hock Seng feels privileged to play a key role in both the projects and recalled some of his career highlights.

“I was extremely happy at the launch of the first frigate and that of the first LST,” he said. “But the greatest moment was when I learnt that the first LST had completed its trip around the world in 2000.”

With great passion and enthusiasm for his work, Hock Seng looks forward to conquering more uncharted waters in the years to come.

Kudos to the fine folks at DSTA and other agencies!

Nothing new, defence R&D , new procurement or anything new in the SAF , they have a hand in it, even the architecture & layout of any new army camp.

They help in building/ upgrading of SAF in term of new equipment, new bases & even new combat uniform but the running of SAF & formulation of doctrines are still by the top military brass of SAF, every thing else is under the "fourth service".

Rightfully so, there's nothing more disasterous than having civilians meddling in military doctrine and maneuvers. It's like putting a 3-year old kid in the seat of a ferrari F1 car.