The Singapore Armed Forces Guards Formation, also referred to as Guards and Guardsmen, is the heliborne rapid deployment infantry formation of the Singapore Armed Forces, specialising in conducting air assault, expeditionary, and amphibious operations.
History
The Guards formation was created on 1 January 1975 as the 7th Singapore Infantry Brigade (7 SIB) with four officers, five specialists and a few clerks. 7 SIB subsequently took command of the Infantry Training Depot (ITD) on 1 January 1976 and the 7th Battalion, Singapore Infantry Regiment (7 SIR) and 8th Battalion, Singapore Infantry Regiment (8 SIR) on 9 February 1976. On 1 July 1976, 7 SIB was declared operational.
|7th Singapore Infantry Brigade
|Dieppe Barracks
|-
|3rd Battalion, Singapore Guards (3 GDS)
Guards specialise in air assault and are trained for heliborne insertions into combat zones. They can do this either by rapid disembarkation while the helicopter is landing, or by rappelling from a hovering helicopter, or fast-roping straight onto rooftops.
This may involve rappelling head-first as they are also trained for exigencies. If, due to an injury they are unable to brace themselves against a cliff face, they may be required to rappel unconventionally, with their backs facing the cliff, or with a stretcher.
Equipment
thumb|A Guardsman and a [[United States Marine Corps|United States Marine examine a SAR 21 during the 2009 Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) exercise.]]
thumb|Spider LSV with SPIKE ATGM launcher extended at the 2008 [[Singapore Airshow.]]<!--- Entries must have verifiable sources --->
{| class="wikitable"
|+
! Equipment !! Image !! Origin !! Notes !! References
|-
| SAR 21 || 180px || || ||
|-
| Colt IAR6940E-SG ||frameless|150px|| || Replaced Ultimax 100 Used by designated section light machine gunner ||
|}
See also
- Army Deployment Force (Singapore)
- Singapore Commandos
- Singapore Infantry