Chief trainer has been through gruelling ‘Perisher’ submarine command course
Republic of Singapore Navy launches its first newly built submarine in Germany today
While Senior Lieutenant-Colonel Loh Mun Heng is fond of whisky, he was determined not to receive a bottle of it during the six-month- long "Perisher" submarine command course he attended in 2007.
That is because trainees who fail the course – including those who choose to give up at any point – are given a customary farewell bottle of whisky to drown their sorrows on board the ferry back to shore, said SLTC Loh in an e-mail interview last Thursday.
"I was determined not to receive that farewell. It dawned on me that the submariner's competency and character are key to the submarine's mission success," he said.
SLTC Loh, 46, shared his experiences with Singapore media ahead of the launch of the Republic of Singapore Navy's (RSN's) first newly built submarine, the Type 218SG, by Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen in the German city of Kiel today.
It is the first of four Type 218SG submarines, built by German defence contractor ThyssenKrupp Marine System, to be delivered from 2021.
The RSN has conducted more than 20 years of submarine training and operations since it began acquiring four Swedish Sjoormen-class submarines second-hand between 1995 and 1997, which underwent refurbishment and were named Challenger-class vessels.
For the Type 218SG, the RSN is also developing a Submarine Trainer Suite, including simulators such as the Command Team Trainer and the Steering and Diving Trainer to train submariners in realistic conditions.
Submariners now go through a nine-month course, which the navy is hoping to shorten to six months with the use of virtual technology.
SLTC Loh was the second of two officers from the RSN who have been sent to the Royal Netherlands Navy Submarine Command Course so far, which trains submariners to become commanding officers.
Both passed the course, which is known for its high failure rate of more than 50 per cent. The RSN is the first Asian navy to have sent personnel who passed. SLTC Loh said that throughout the course, he was stress-tested to his limits, especially mentally.
"But I persevered and overcame the difficulties because I knew I was carrying the reputation of our submarine force on my shoulders," he said.
As chief trainer of the Republic of Singapore Navy's submarine force, he is responsible for the training system to ensure there are sufficient numbers of well-trained submariners.
He has adapted aspects of his experience in the "Perisher" course to the RSN's training system, with local qualification courses redesigned to teach things beyond technical skills, to develop skills such as mental agility, situational awareness and command presence.
"To me, the term 'Perisher' is more than a gruelling course. It is an attitude, a spirit, if you will," he said.
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