Latest news with #Leopard2SG
New Paper
a day ago
- Automotive
- 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.
New Paper
a day ago
- Automotive
- 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.
Malay Mail
2 days ago
- Automotive
- Malay Mail
Singapore's Mindef says fault that caused tank crash an isolated incident, to rejoin National Day Parade after fleet-wide checks
SINGAPORE, July 11 — A technical fault that caused a Leopard 2SG Main Battle Tank to crash into a traffic light during a National Day Parade (NDP) rehearsal on July 5 was an isolated incident, Singapore's Ministry of Defence (Mindef) said today. CNA reported that its Mindef said that the incident was the first of its kind involving the tank fleet. 'All mobile column assets, including the L2SGs, undergo thorough checks before deployment. No issues were detected for the affected L2SG before it moved out,' the ministry reportedly said in a statement. 'Comprehensive checks performed across the L2SG fleet since the incident have determined that it was an isolated one.' The ministry confirmed that the Leopard 2SG tanks will return to NDP activities, with the cause of the malfunction identified and rectified, and additional precautions implemented. Investigators found that the malfunction stemmed from a failure in an internal component of the transmission system — specifically a conduit for transmission fluid to the service brake — which led to a drop in oil pressure and a partial loss of steering and braking power. The tank operator, a full-time national serviceman, followed protocol by engaging the independent parking brake to stop the vehicle, Mindef said. The transmission manufacturer, German firm Renk, had not previously encountered such a fault and will collaborate with the Singapore Army on new maintenance procedures to address the issue. Mindef added that extra fleet-wide checks have been carried out as a precaution and confirmed that all other tank transmissions remain fully operational. Last week, the Leopard tank brushed up against a traffic light as it was making a right turn past the Supreme Court here.
CNA
3 days ago
- Automotive
- CNA
NDP tank that hit traffic light: MINDEF says technical fault was the first in its Leopard 2SG fleet
SINGAPORE: The tank collision with a traffic light at a National Day Parade (NDP) national education show on Jul 5 was an isolated incident, the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) said, adding that the Singapore Army has concluded its investigation into the event. This was the first time the Singapore Army had experienced such a technical fault in its Leopard 2SG Main Battle Tank (L2SG) fleet, MINDEF said in a media release on Friday (Jul 11). "All Mobile Column assets, including the L2SGs, undergo thorough checks before deployment. No issues were detected for the affected L2SG before it moved out," it added. "Comprehensive checks performed across the L2SG fleet since the incident have determined that it was an isolated one." The affected tank was part of the Mobile Column segment for NDP. With the cause of the incident identified and rectified, and additional precautions taken, the L2SGs will resume their participation in this year's NDP, said MINDEF. WHAT HAPPENED The incident had occurred as the tank was turning towards North Bridge Road within the cordoned area, said MINDEF. The investigation found that an internal component within the transmission – specifically the conduit for the transmission fluid to the service brake – had malfunctioned, it said. This resulted in a loss of transmission oil pressure, causing the tank to experience a partial loss in its steering and braking power in the service brake, it added. The tank operator, a full-time national serviceman, responded with the appropriate standard operating procedure, and activated the parking brake to bring the affected tank to a stop, said MINDEF. RENK GmbH, the transmission's original equipment manufacturer, also indicated that this malfunction was previously unknown, the ministry said. The manufacturer will work with the Singapore Army on a maintenance regime for the affected component to prevent reoccurrence, it added.
Straits Times
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Straits Times
Leopard tank internal component malfunctioned resulting in partial loss of steering, brake power: Mindef
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox A video of the accident posted on Facebook page SGRV shows the traffic light slightly askew after the incident. SINGAPORE - A leopard tank went out of control during a National Day Parade (NDP) National Education show on July 5 because an internal component within the transmission had malfunctioned. Mindef in a statement on July 11 said this resulted in a loss of transmission oil pressure, causing the L2SG to experience a partial loss in its steering and braking power. The Leopard 2SG main battle tank participating in the mobile column on July 5 accidentally struck a traffic light while making a turn near Parliament House and the Supreme Court. The incident took place at about 7.22pm along North Bridge Road , just after the mobile column segment of the show had ended. The tank, which was moving w ithin the 20kmh speed limit inside a cordoned area, and no injuries were reported. The next day, the Ministry of Defence (Mindef) said the vehicle had experienced a 'technical issue', which resulted in the tank knocking into the traffic light. V ideo footage of the incident, put up later that day on the SGRV Facebook page, shows the tank making a right turn before gently knocking into the pole, leaving it slightly askew. The clip quickly gained traction online, racking up nearly half a million views overnight. While some netizens took the opportunity to joke about the situation - one quipping 'Tank-ful no one is hurt' - others expressed concern and speculated that the cause could be a mechanical fault, including a possible steering issue. Preliminary findings released on July 8 pointed to a 'faulty component' that caused the tank to lose both steering and braking power. Col onel David Kwe k, co-chairman of the NDP 2025 Heartland Celebrations Committee, told the media that the issue was linked to 'an isolated component' in the Leopard 2SG, and that safety checks are ongoing. While Mindef has confirmed that the tank sustained no significant damage and the traffic light has since been repaired, it added that detailed inspections are under way. The vehicle will only resume its role in the NDP mobile column and heartland celebrations after all necessary safety clearances are completed.
