Singtel Partners DSTA and HTX To Enhance Defence and National Security
Agencies to employ customised advanced 5G solutions to fortify their security capabilities and better combat evolving threats
Singtel today announced that it has partnered the Defence Science and Technology Agency (DSTA) and HTX (Home Team Science and Technology Agency) to deploy network slicing technology islandwide to bolster their capabilities and the national security of Singapore.
Singtel, DSTA and HTX co-developed a customised solution that leverages the telco’s advanced 5G technology which allocates dedicated network resources including reliable high-speed connectivity, low latency and bandwidth for the agencies to employ in areas such as enhancing situational awareness and response, command and control operations, swift threat detection, and rapid incident response.
As online and offline threats from cyberattacks to terrorism continue to evolve, the use of network slicing will enable these agencies to take advantage of new technologies like autonomous vehicles, robotics and artificial intelligence, as well as help them analyse large volumes of data securely and expeditiously, allowing first responders to make better decisions and take action swiftly.
Mr Ng Tian Chong, Chief Executive Officer, Singtel Singapore, said, “As a homegrown technology company, our nation’s security is paramount to us. The threat landscape is growing increasingly more complex and cross-border in nature. With Singtel’s 5G network capabilities, security agencies will be able to conduct their operations with high precision, imperative to safeguarding and ensuring the continuous success of Singapore.”
This partnership follows the successful trial on the use of 5G in video-intensive transmissions and autonomous control of unmanned vehicles and drones with DSTA and HTX at Sentosa in July last year. The trial was also supported by the Digital and Intelligence Service and MINDEF’s Future Systems and Technology Directorate to ensure the performance and capability of the 5G technology for operations.
“DSTA is constantly exploring and harnessing new technologies to strengthen Singapore’s defence capabilities. The high bandwidth, low latency characteristics and network slicing capability of 5G holds great potential for use in defence applications, enhancing operational flexibility, effectiveness and efficiency,” said Mr Wong Chia Sern, DSTA’s Director Infocomm Infrastructure.
Mr Vincent Ho, Director, Enterprise Comms & Digital Infra (xCDI), HTX, said, “In today’s digital and technologically augmented operating environment, reliable and stable connectivity is essential for Home Team operations. As the usage for 5G in Singapore increases, it is imperative that we have a dedicated capacity that ensures Home Team operations are not affected even during scenarios where a surge in the number of network connections slows down data transmission speeds for normal users.”
Singtel has always invested ahead to meet the future digital needs of the nation. Since achieving nationwide 5G coverage in 2022, it has been exploring security-related use cases with both public and private sector agencies to capitalise on the capabilities of 5G. An integrated security firm is harnessing Singtel’s 5G network and multi-edge computing solutions to power remote surveillance operations. Singtel’s 5G has also been deployed to ensure stable, encrypted communication channels to ensure coordination and safety at large scale national events.
In preparation of future quantum computing threats, Singtel launched Southeast Asia’s first national quantum-safe network and a pilot programme for businesses to learn and adopt the technologies to protect their critical assets and data. This supports Singapore’s Digital Connectivity Blueprint, which includes protecting Singapore enterprises and key infrastructure as the nation continues building a world-class and future ready digital economy.
