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SINGAPORE - Inspections did not detect any malfunction of the gun-lowering mechanism of the Singapore Self-Propelled Howitzer (SSPH) that crushed Singapore actor Aloysius Pang and led to his death, Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen told Parliament on Monday (Feb 11).
He also gave details of the two other servicemen in the howitzer's cabin with Corporal First Class (NS) Pang, 28, an NS armament technician who died four days after suffering injuries on Jan 19 this year during a military exercise in New Zealand.
The two other servicemen were an operationally-ready national serviceman (NSman), with the rank of Third Sergeant, who performed the role of gun detachment commander; and a regular holding the rank of Military Expert 2. He is an armament technician.
Both, who are experienced in SSPH maintenance, have been redeployed from their operational roles, said Dr Ng.
Dr Ng said this crew had been trained specifically on the SSPH and had conducted similar maintenance works on it in the past, adding that during the exercise in New Zealand last month, checks were done on the guns daily.
The defence minister was giving a ministerial statement in response to more than 10 questions filed by MPs relating to training deaths in the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) in the last two years, as well as the measures taken after the most recent incident involving CFC Pang.
On Jan 19, CFC Pang was taking part in an annual live-firing exercise called Thunder Warrior on his seventh in-camp training (ICT). The exercise was held at the Waiouru Training Area.
He was doing repair work on the gun's calibration system for accurate firing inside the SSPH when he could not get out of the way of the gun barrel in time as it was being lowered. He was crushed and died of his injuries four days later.
Following the incident, Dr Ng said the SAF's "immediate task" was to ensure that there was no "systemic machine malfunction of the SSPH", as this would put other maintenance crew members at risk.
"Inspections of the SSPH have not detected any machine malfunction of the gun-lowering mechanism," he said.
Dr Ng said the regular armament technician in the cabin with CFC Pang had been in service for more than 16 years, with eight years of working experience on the SSPH.
It was also his sixth time participating as a technician in Exercise Thunder Warrior.
The gun commander was in his eighth ICT and had undergone refresher training prior to his deployment in the exercise, said Dr Ng. Both personnel were not named.
Dr Ng said the SSPH's cabin is 2.3m in height, measuring 2.44m from front to rear, and 2.64m from side to side. The gun barrel divides the cabin into two. There is space for the three people within the cabin to occupy positions on either side of the gun.
He also gave details of the two other servicemen in the howitzer's cabin with Corporal First Class (NS) Pang, 28, an NS armament technician who died four days after suffering injuries on Jan 19 this year during a military exercise in New Zealand.
The two other servicemen were an operationally-ready national serviceman (NSman), with the rank of Third Sergeant, who performed the role of gun detachment commander; and a regular holding the rank of Military Expert 2. He is an armament technician.
Both, who are experienced in SSPH maintenance, have been redeployed from their operational roles, said Dr Ng.
Dr Ng said this crew had been trained specifically on the SSPH and had conducted similar maintenance works on it in the past, adding that during the exercise in New Zealand last month, checks were done on the guns daily.
The defence minister was giving a ministerial statement in response to more than 10 questions filed by MPs relating to training deaths in the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) in the last two years, as well as the measures taken after the most recent incident involving CFC Pang.
On Jan 19, CFC Pang was taking part in an annual live-firing exercise called Thunder Warrior on his seventh in-camp training (ICT). The exercise was held at the Waiouru Training Area.
He was doing repair work on the gun's calibration system for accurate firing inside the SSPH when he could not get out of the way of the gun barrel in time as it was being lowered. He was crushed and died of his injuries four days later.
Following the incident, Dr Ng said the SAF's "immediate task" was to ensure that there was no "systemic machine malfunction of the SSPH", as this would put other maintenance crew members at risk.
"Inspections of the SSPH have not detected any machine malfunction of the gun-lowering mechanism," he said.
Dr Ng said the regular armament technician in the cabin with CFC Pang had been in service for more than 16 years, with eight years of working experience on the SSPH.
It was also his sixth time participating as a technician in Exercise Thunder Warrior.
The gun commander was in his eighth ICT and had undergone refresher training prior to his deployment in the exercise, said Dr Ng. Both personnel were not named.
Dr Ng said the SSPH's cabin is 2.3m in height, measuring 2.44m from front to rear, and 2.64m from side to side. The gun barrel divides the cabin into two. There is space for the three people within the cabin to occupy positions on either side of the gun.
