SINGAPORE: The Defence Science and Technology Agency (DSTA) is stepping up efforts to diversify its sources of defence technology, expanding beyond its traditional partners in the West to markets such as Japan, South Korea, the Nordics and parts of Eastern Europe.
The move comes as geopolitical uncertainties and supply chain disruptions reshape global defence procurement, said Mr William Peh, director of DSTA’s newly established Horizon Tech Office.
The office pairs promising start-ups and new innovative companies with its own programmes and potential users.
For DSTA, the Singapore Armed Forces’ (SAF) central procurement agency, unmanned systems remain a key priority - not only in terms of acquisition but also in countering them.
This year, the agency’s attention is not just on what technologies to buy but where they come from.
Lessons from recent armed conflicts, including the war in Ukraine, have shown that startups - rather than traditional defence giants - are increasingly at the forefront of innovation in areas such as drones, artificial intelligence and autonomy.
“We have seen rapid advancements in these three technology areas and the increasing use of such technologies in the modern battlefield. We are therefore doubling down our efforts in terms of scouting and developing our internal capabilities in these three areas,” said Mr Peh.
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The move comes as geopolitical uncertainties and supply chain disruptions reshape global defence procurement, said Mr William Peh, director of DSTA’s newly established Horizon Tech Office.
The office pairs promising start-ups and new innovative companies with its own programmes and potential users.
For DSTA, the Singapore Armed Forces’ (SAF) central procurement agency, unmanned systems remain a key priority - not only in terms of acquisition but also in countering them.
This year, the agency’s attention is not just on what technologies to buy but where they come from.
Lessons from recent armed conflicts, including the war in Ukraine, have shown that startups - rather than traditional defence giants - are increasingly at the forefront of innovation in areas such as drones, artificial intelligence and autonomy.
“We have seen rapid advancements in these three technology areas and the increasing use of such technologies in the modern battlefield. We are therefore doubling down our efforts in terms of scouting and developing our internal capabilities in these three areas,” said Mr Peh.
Continue reading...