logo
NDP 2025: Tank that bumped into traffic light had faulty part

NDP 2025: Tank that bumped into traffic light had faulty part

New Paper3 days ago
A Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) tank that bumped into a traffic light during a National Day Parade (NDP) National Education show was found to have a faulty component that led to the loss of steering and braking power.
Speaking to the media at an NDP media event on July 8, Colonel David Kwek, the co-chairman of the NDP 2025 Heartland Celebrations Committee, said preliminary investigations show that the incident resulted from "an isolated component" on the Leopard 2SG main battle tank (L2SG).
"Out of an abundance of caution, we are doing more detailed reviews and the L2SG will resume its participation in the NDP mobile column and the heartland celebrations after all the necessary safety checks and clearances are completed," he said.
The accident happened on July 5 during an NDP National Education show - a preview of the parade primarily for students. A video of the incident showed the tank unable to stop and bumping into a nearby traffic light when it made a right turn outside Parliament House and the Supreme Court.
No injuries were reported and the tank remained within the cordoned area, away from the public. The accident did minor damage to the traffic light, which was left askew, but which has since been repaired.
The tank is part of a mobile column, where military hardware is displayed, for NDP 2025.
The Ministry of Defence earlier said the L2SG tank had experienced a technical issue and that the accident came after the mobile column segment of the parade.
Col Kwek said the safety and well-being of the public and the crew are of paramount importance.
The Straits Times has asked the Ministry of Defence (Mindef) whether this was the first time the component had experienced failure and on the expected duration of the checks.
Mindef said it will give more details after the checks are done.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

NDP 2025: Tank that bumped into traffic light had faulty part
NDP 2025: Tank that bumped into traffic light had faulty part

New Paper

time3 days ago

  • New Paper

NDP 2025: Tank that bumped into traffic light had faulty part

A Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) tank that bumped into a traffic light during a National Day Parade (NDP) National Education show was found to have a faulty component that led to the loss of steering and braking power. Speaking to the media at an NDP media event on July 8, Colonel David Kwek, the co-chairman of the NDP 2025 Heartland Celebrations Committee, said preliminary investigations show that the incident resulted from "an isolated component" on the Leopard 2SG main battle tank (L2SG). "Out of an abundance of caution, we are doing more detailed reviews and the L2SG will resume its participation in the NDP mobile column and the heartland celebrations after all the necessary safety checks and clearances are completed," he said. The accident happened on July 5 during an NDP National Education show - a preview of the parade primarily for students. A video of the incident showed the tank unable to stop and bumping into a nearby traffic light when it made a right turn outside Parliament House and the Supreme Court. No injuries were reported and the tank remained within the cordoned area, away from the public. The accident did minor damage to the traffic light, which was left askew, but which has since been repaired. The tank is part of a mobile column, where military hardware is displayed, for NDP 2025. The Ministry of Defence earlier said the L2SG tank had experienced a technical issue and that the accident came after the mobile column segment of the parade. Col Kwek said the safety and well-being of the public and the crew are of paramount importance. The Straits Times has asked the Ministry of Defence (Mindef) whether this was the first time the component had experienced failure and on the expected duration of the checks. Mindef said it will give more details after the checks are done.

NDP 2025: Leopard tank that hit traffic light to return to mobile column after fault identified
NDP 2025: Leopard tank that hit traffic light to return to mobile column after fault identified

New Paper

time3 days ago

  • New Paper

NDP 2025: Leopard tank that hit traffic light to return to mobile column after fault identified

A Leopard tank went momentarily out of control during a National Day Parade (NDP) National Education show on July 5 will resume its role in the NPD mobile column and heartland celebrations. The Ministry of Defence (Mindef), in a statement on July 11 after the Singapore Army concluded its investigations into the matter, said the incident happened because an internal component within the transmission had malfunctioned. This resulted in a loss of transmission oil pressure, causing the tank to experience a partial loss in its steering and braking power. The tank was found to have sustained no major damage and the traffic light has since been repaired. The cause of the malfunction was traced to a failure in the channel taking the transmission fluid to the service brake, Mindef added. The tank operator, a full-time national serviceman, responded according to standard procedures and activated the parking brake to bring the vehicle to a stop. The Leopard 2SG main battle tank, which features in the NDP mobile column, hit a traffic light on July 5 while making a turn near Parliament House and the Supreme Court. The incident took place at about 7.20pm in North Bridge Road, just after the mobile column segment of the show had ended. The tank was moving within the 20kmh speed limit inside a cordoned area, and no injuries were reported. The next day, Mindef said the vehicle had experienced a technical issue which resulted in the accident. In video footage of the incident, put up later that day on the SGRV Facebook page, the tank can be seen making a right turn before hitting the traffic light, leaving it slightly askew. The clip was widely watched online, racking up nearly half a million views overnight. Several people online speculated that the cause could be a mechanical fault, including a possible steering issue. Preliminary findings on July 8 said a "faulty component" caused the tank to lose both steering and braking power. Colonel David Kwek, co-chairman of the NDP 2025 Heartland Celebrations Committee, said the issue was linked to "an isolated component" in the Leopard 2SG, and that safety checks are ongoing. Mindef, on July 11, said this is the first time the army has experienced such a fault in its Leopard 2SG fleet. The affected tank underwent standard checks before deployment and no issues were detected. The ministry said: "Comprehensive checks performed across the L2SG fleet since the incident have determined that it was an isolated one." Renk, the German manufacturer of the tank's transmission system, said the malfunction had not previously occurred in its systems. It will work with the army to establish a maintenance regime for the affected component. All transmissions in the fleet have since been verified to be in good working order.

NDP tank hits traffic light: NSF responded with the appropriate SOP, says Mindef, Singapore News
NDP tank hits traffic light: NSF responded with the appropriate SOP, says Mindef, Singapore News

AsiaOne

time4 days ago

  • AsiaOne

NDP tank hits traffic light: NSF responded with the appropriate SOP, says Mindef, Singapore News

The full-time national serviceman (NSF) operating the Leopard 2SG Main Battle Tank (L2SG) involved in a recent incident responded with the appropriate standard operating procedure, said the Ministry of Defence (Mindef). In a statement on Friday (July 11), Mindef said that investigations into the technical issue experienced by the L2SG on July 5 have concluded and that the tanks will resume participation in the NDP mobile column. "The L2SG operator, a full-time National Serviceman, responded with the appropriate standard operating procedure, and activated the parking brake to bring the affected L2SG to a stop," said Mindef. This was the first time the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) has experienced such a technical fault in its L2SG fleet, added the ministry. "No issues were detected for the affected L2SG before it moved out," Mindef said, adding that all mobile column assets undergo thorough checks before each deployment. Investigations found that an internal component within the transmission, specifically the conduit for the transmission fluid to the service brake, had malfunctioned. The faulty component led to a loss of transmission oil pressure, subsequently resulting in a partial loss in its steering and braking power. "Comprehensive checks performed across the L2SG fleet since the incident have determined that it was an isolated one," Mindef said. According to RENK GmbH - the transmission's original equipment manufacturer - the malfunction observed during the incident was "previously unknown", and that they are working with SAF to ensure that this doesn't happen again. Following additional checks, all transmissions in the L2SG fleet have been deemed to be "in good working order", and will resume their participation in NDP celebrations. "The safety and well-being of the public and our crews remain of paramount importance. Our crews are trained to respond to different situations with established standard operating procedures," Mindef said. [[nid:719980]]

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store