Singapore Armed Forces Best Unit Competition

The Singapore Armed Forces Best Unit Competition is an annual competition which confers awards of recognition to the most outstanding units of the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) in combat readiness, operational proficiency and administrative excellence. Besides encouraging the above, the award also seeks to promote esprit-de-corps and camaraderie among participating Army, Air Force and Navy units through friendly competition.

The assessment factors of the competition are:

• Combat Proficiency Test
• Marksmanship Test
• Individual Physical Proficiency Test
• Standard Obstacle Course
• Unarmed Combat
• Security
• Manpower Matters
• Logistics Readiness Inspection
• Vehicle State
• Training Safety

The competition was started for active SAF units in 1969, before being extended to the reservist units (now known as NS units) in 1993. These units are conferred their awards at the annual Singapore Armed Forces Day parade.

The types of units that participate include:

• Singapore Infantry Regiment (SIR)
• Singapore Combat Engineers (SCE)
• Ordnance Supply Base (OSB), the Kranji base^[1]

(See also Camps and bases of the Singapore Armed Forces for acronyms used.)

Past active unit winners

Active Army units

The 1st Commando Battalion has won the Best Combat Unit for an unprecedented 28 times since the award was launched in 1969, and for 12 consecutive years since 2004.

Year	Best Army Units
	Combat	Combat Support	Infantry/Guards	Armour	Artillery	Engineers	Signals	Combat Service Support[2]
1969	1 SIR	Not contested	Not contested	Not contested	Not contested	Not contested	Not contested	Not contested
1970
1971	3 SIR
1972	4 SIR	GEB
1973	2 SIR	1 SIB
1974	1 CDO BN	1 SIB
1975		30 SCE
1976		30 SCE
1977		36 SCE	1 SIR	41 SAR	24 SA	36 SCE
1978	41 SAR	1 SIG BN	4 SIR	41 SAR	24 SA	35 SCE	1 SIG BN
1979	42 SAR	SAFPU	6 SIR	42 SAR	160 BN	38 SCE	2 SIG BN
1980	7 SIR	SAFPU	7 SIR	41 SAR	160 BN	38 SCE	1 SIG BN
1981	3 GDS	2 SIG BN	3 GDS	46 SAR	22 SA	38 SCE	2 SIG BN
1982	42 SAR	SAFPU	3 GDS	42 SAR	23 SA	38 SCE	2 SIG BN	GSMB
1983	3 GDS	2 SIG BN	3 GDS	46 SAR	25 SA	35 SCE	2 SIG BN	OSB
1984	41 SAR	40 SAR	3 GDS	40 SAR	22 SA	35 SCE	1 SIG BN	OSB
1985	1 CDO BN	40 SAR	1 CDO BN	41 SAR	22 SA	35 SCE	1 SIG BN	OSB
1986	5 SIR	40 SAR	5 SIR	40 SAR	23 SA	36 SCE	1 SIG BN	1 TPT BN
1987	1 CDO BN	SAFPU	6 SIR	40 SAR	24 SA	36 SCE	-	OSB
1988		20 SA	5 SIR	40 SAR	20 SA	35 SCE	-	OSB
1989		20 SA	2 SIR	41 SAR	20 SA	36 SCE	-	OSB
1990		24 SA	5 SIR	41 SAR	24 SA	36 SCE	-	6 DSMB
1991	3 GDS	24 SA	3 GDS	46 SAR	24 SA	35 SCE	-	GSMB
1992	1 CDO BN	22 SA	1 GDS	42 SAR	22 SA	36 SCE	-	GSMB
1993		23 SA	5 SIR	42 SAR	23 SA	36 SCE	-	GSMB
1994		20 SA	5 SIR	40 SAR	20 SA	36 SCE	3 SIG BN	1 TPT BN
1995		22 SA	3 GDS	42 SAR	22 SA	36 SCE	1 SIG BN	1 TPT BN
1996		36 SCE	1 GDS	42 SAR	23 SA	36 SCE	1 SIG BN	1 SAF TPT BN
1997	3 SIR	36 SCE	3 SIR	40 SAR	21 SA	36 SCE	2 SIG BN	9 DSMB
1998	1 SIR	36 SCE	1 SIR	40 SAR	21 SA	36 SCE	1 SIG BN	9 DSMB
1999	1 CDO BN	21 SA	1 SIR	40 SAR	21 SA	36 SCE	2 SIG BN	1 TPT BN
2000		20 SA	3 GDS	40 SAR	20 SA	36 SCE	2 SIG BN	3 DSMB
2001		2 SIG BN	3 GDS	40 SAR	24 SA	35 SCE	2 SIG BN	9 DSMB
2002	40 SAR	20 SA	1 SIR	40 SAR	20 SA	36 SCE	2 SIG BN	3 TPT BN
2003	1 GDS	3 SIG BN	1 GDS	46 SAR	24 SA	36 SCE	3 SIG BN	GSMB
2004	1 CDO BN	3 TPT BN	3 SIR	46 SAR	24 SA	36 SCE	3 SIG BN	3 TPT BN
2005		23 SA	1 SIR	41 SAR	23 SA	35 SCE	3 SIG BN	3 TPT BN
2006		3 SIG BN	5 SIR	46 SAR	23 SA	36 SCE	3 SIG BN	GSMB
2007		3 SIG BN	2 SIR	40 SAR	24 SA	36 SCE	3 SIG BN	1 AMB
2008		24 SA	3 GDS	40 SAR	24 SA	30 SCE	2 SIG BN	3 TPT BN
2009		39 SCE	3 SIR	42 SAR	23 SA	39 SCE	3 SIG BN	3 TPT BN
2010		39 SCE	3 GDS	42 SAR	21 SA	39 SCE	1 SIG BN	3 TPT BN
2011		24 SA	3 SIR	48 SAR	24 SA	39 SCE	1 SIG BN	3 TPT BN
2012		11 C4I	3 SIR	48 SAR	24 SA	35 SCE	11 C4I	6 AMB
2013		1 SIG BN	4 SIR	40 SAR	24 SA	35 SCE	1 SIG BN	6 AMB
2014		1 SIG BN	4 SIR	40 SAR	24 SA	38 SCE	1 SIG BN	6 AMB
2015		38 SCE	1 GDS	48 SAR	24 SA	38 SCE	1 SIG BN	6 AMB
Year	Combat	Combat Support	Infantry/Guards	Armour	Artillery	Engineers	Signals	Combat Service Support[2]

Retired award

Year	Best Army Units
	Minor (1974-1976)
1974	OMB
1975	SAFPU
1976	36 SCE

Active Navy units

Two new awards in maritime security and in naval engineering and logistics were introduced in 2015.

RSS Intrepid (Formidable-class frigate), winner of Best Ship Award in 2013

RSS Victory

Year	Best Navy Units
	Fleet[3]	Maritime Security	Naval Engineering & Logistics
1981	RSS Independence (Fast patrol craft)	Not contested	Not contested
1982	RSS Sea Scorpion (Sea Wolf-class gunboat)
1983	RSS Justice (Fast patrol craft)
1984	RSS Dauntless (Fast patrol craft)
1985	RSS Persistence (County-class LST)
1986	RSS Swift Archer (Coastal patrol craft)
1987	RSS Sea Scorpion (Sea Wolf-class gunboat)
1988	RSS Sea Hawk (Sea Wolf-class gunboat)
1989	RSS Sea Wolf (Sea Wolf-class gunboat)
1990	RSS Sea Dragon (Sea Wolf-class gunboat)
1991	RSS Sea Scorpion (Sea Wolf-class gunboat)
1992	RSS Vigilance (Victory-class corvette)
1993	RSS Valiant (Victory-class corvette)
1994	RSS Sea Hawk (Sea Wolf-class gunboat)
1995	RSS Victory (Victory-class corvette)
1996
1997	RSS Sea Dragon (Sea Wolf-class gunboat)
1998	RSS Sea Lion (Sea Wolf-class gunboat)
1999	RSS Victory (Victory-class corvette)
2000
2001	RSS Vigour (Victory-class corvette)
2002
2003	RSS Vigilance (Victory-class corvette)
2004	RSS Vengeance (Victory-class corvette)
2005	RSS Resolution (Endurance-class Landing Ship Tank)
2006	RSS Vengeance (Victory-class corvette)
2007
2008	RSS Formidable (Formidable-class frigate)
2009	RSS Victory (Victory-class corvette)
2010	RSS Stalwart (Formidable-class frigate)
2011	RSS Chieftain (Challenger-class submarine)
2012	RSS Valiant (Victory-class corvette)
2013	RSS Intrepid (Formidable-class frigate)
2014	RSS Formidable (Formidable-class frigate)
2015	RSS Tenacious	RSS Resilience	Systems Readiness Engineering Centre (Weapons)
Year	Fleet[3]	Maritime Security	Naval Engineering & Logistics

Active Air Force units

The Best Helicopter Squadron award was introduced in 2010 to recognise the contributions of the RSAF helicopter squadrons. In 2014, two new awards in Control and Air Engineering were introduced. A new award in air logistics was introduced in 2015.

Year	Best Air Force Units
	Fighter Squadron	Helicopter Squadron	Ground Based Air Defence[4]	Air Combat Support[5]	Control Squadron	Air Engineering	Air Logistics
1985	145 SQN (A-4S Skyhawk)	Not contested	165 SADA	Not contested	Not contested	Not contested	Not contested
1986	140 SQN (Hawker Hunter)		165 SADA
1987	149 SQN (F-5E/F Tiger II)		165 SADA
1988	149 SQN (F-5E/F Tiger II)		160 SADA
1989	143 SQN (A-4SU Super Skyhawk)		160 SADA	120 SQN (UH-1H)
1990	143 SQN (A-4SU Super Skyhawk)		165 SADA	122 SQN (C-130 Hercules)
1991	140 SQN (F-16A/B Fighting Falcon)		160 SADA	111 SQN (E-2C Hawkeye)
1992	140 SQN (F-16A/B Fighting Falcon)		165 SADA	120 SQN (UH-1H)
1993	140 SQN (F-16A/B Fighting Falcon)		160 SADA	125 SQN (Super Puma)
1994	140 SQN (F-16A/B Fighting Falcon)		160 SADA	126 SQN (Cougar)
1995	144 SQN (F-5S/T Tiger II)		160 SQN	120 SQN (UH-1H)
1996	140 SQN (F-16A/B Fighting Falcon)		3 DA BN	120 SQN (UH-1H)
1997	145 SQN (A-4SU Super Skyhawk)		165 SQN	121 SQN (Fokker F-50 MPA/UTL)
1998	145 SQN (A-4SU Super Skyhawk)		165 SQN	122 SQN (C-130 Hercules)
1999	140 SQN (F-16A/B Fighting Falcon)		160 SQN	125 SQN (Super Puma)
2000	145 SQN (A-4SU Super Skyhawk)		163 SQN	120 SQN (UH-1H)
2001	142 SQN (A-4SU Super Skyhawk)		163 SQN	111 SQN (E-2C Hawkeye)
2002	149 SQN (F-5S/T Tiger II)		3 DA BN	121 SQN (Fokker F-50 MPA/UTL)
2003	140 SQN (F-16C/D Fighting Falcon)		18 DA BN	121 SQN (Fokker F-50 MPA/UTL)
2004	149 SQN (F-5S/T Tiger II)		160 SQN	120 SQN (UH-1H)
2005	144 SQN (F-5S/T Tiger II)		160 SQN	122 SQN (C-130 Hercules)
2006	140 SQN (F-16C/D Fighting Falcon)		160 SQN	112 SQN (KC-135 Stratotanker)
2007	140 SQN (F-16C/D Fighting Falcon)		3 DA BN	127 SQN (CH-47SD Chinook)
2008	149 SQN (F-5S/T Tiger II)		3 DA BN	121 SQN (Fokker F-50 MPA/UTL)
2009	144 SQN (F-5S/T Tiger II)		3 DA BN	112 SQN (KC-135 Stratotanker)
2010	140 SQN (F-16C/D Fighting Falcon)	127 SQN (CH-47SD Chinook)	3 DA BN	121 SQN (Fokker F-50 MPA/UTL)
2011	149 SQN	120 SQN	165 SQN	121 SQN
2012	145 SQN (A-4SU Super Skyhawk)	126 SQN	163 SQN	111 SQN
2013	149 SQN (F-15SG Strike Eagle)	126 SQN	163 SQN	116 SQN
2014	145 SQN (A-4SU Super Skyhawk)	125 SQN	163 SQN	122 SQN	203 SQN	807 SQN
2015	144 SQN (F-5S/T Tiger II)	126 SQN	163 SQN	112 SQN	206 SQN	807 SQN	Air Force Supply Centre
Year	Fighter Squadron	Helicopter Squadron	Ground Based Air Defence[4]	Air Combat Support[5]	Control	Air Engineering	Air Logistics

Past National Service unit winners

NS army units

Year	Best NS Army Units
	Infantry / Guards	Armour	Artillery	Combat engineers	Signals	Combat Service Support
1994	67 GDS / 88 GDS / 187 SIR	422 SAR	211 SA	307 SCE	6 SIG BN	9 DS MED BN
1995	514 SIR / 543 SIR / 70 GDS / 91 GDS	432 SAR	204 SA	307 SCE	8 SIG BN	9 DS MED BN
1996	184 SIR / 188 SIR / 504 SIR / 514 SIR / 543 SIR / 70 GDS	423 SAR	265 SA	307 SCE	6 SIG BN	6 DS MED BN
1997	83 SIR / 188 SIR / 525 SIR / 541 SIR / 70 GDS / 550 GDS	423 SAR	204 SA	321 SCE	6 SIG BN	6 DS MED BN9
1998	184 SIR / 514 SIR / 525 SIR / 542 SIR / 531 GDS / 549 GDS	416 SAR	204 SA	308 SCE	6 SIG BN	6 DS MED BN
1999	185 SIR / 187 SIR / 523 SIR / 573 SIR / 531 GDS / 548 GDS	425 SAR	211 SA	322 SCE	6 SIG BN	6 DS MED BN
2000	85 SIR / 187 SIR / 524 SIR / 573 SIR / 595 SIR / 548 GDS	466 SAR	211 SA	323 SCE	6 SIG BN	6 DS MED BN
2001	516 SIR / 542 SIR / 557 SIR / 602 SIR / 86 GDS / 90 GDS	466 SAR	274 SA	326 SCE	6 SIG BN	6 DS MED BN
2002	652 SIR / 621 SIR / 596 SIR / 550 GDS / 86 GDS / 524 SIR	466 SAR	254 SA	324 SCE	6 SIG BN	6 DS MED BN
2003	652 SIR / 652 SIR / 595 SIR / 550 GDS / 90 GDS / 548 GDS	466 SAR	271 SA	327 SCE	9 SIG BN	6 DS MED BN
2004	652 SIR / 657 SIR / 596 SIR / 543 SIR / 566 SIR / 583 GDS	424 SAR	278 SA	328 SCE	6 SIG BN	6 DS MED BN
2005	588 SIR / 596 SIR / 657 SIR / 682 SIR / 550 GDS	466 SAR	275 SA	324 SCE	6 SIG BN	9 DS MED BN
2006	626 SIR / 657 SIR / 596 SIR / 581 SIR / 609 SIR	442 SAR	278 SA	324 SCE	6 SIG BN	6 DS MED BN
2007	652 SIR / 622 SIR / 596 SIR / 609 SIR / 566 SIR	466 SAR	256 SA	328 SCE	6 SIG BN	31 FCCS BN
2008	652 SIR / 622 SIR / 596 SIR / 634 GDS / 663 SIR	442 SAR	280 SA	327 SCE	6 SIG BN	31 FCSS BN
2009	652 SIR / 622 SIR / 696 SIR / 685 GDS / 628 SIR	442 SAR	282 SA	329 SCE	6 SIG BN	31 FCSS BN
2010	588 SIR / 700 SIR / 720 SIR / 685 GDS / 663 SIR	442 SAR	280 SA	329 SCE	9 SIG BN	31 FCSS BN
2011	688 SIR / 700 SIR / 720 SIR / 724 GDS / 693 SIR	453 SAR	282 SA	329 SCE	9 SIG BN	31 FCSS BN
2012	778 SIR / 700 SIR / 803 SIR / 745 GDS / 747 GDS	452 SAR	282 SA	329 SCE	6 SIG BN	31 FCCS BN
2013	688 SIR / 755 SIR / 720 SIR / 745 GDS / 747 GDS	430 SAR	287 SA	321 SCE	6 SIG BN	3 CSH
2014	668 SIR / 755 SIR / 787 SIR / 734 GDS / 611 GDS	483 SAR	289 SA	324 SCE	6 SIG BN	32 CSS BN
2015	688 SIR / 700 SIR / 787 SIR / 740 GDS / 611 GDS	485 SAR	289 SA	321 SCE	9 SIG BN	8 CSH

Retired award

Year	Best NS Army Units
	People's Defence Force Command
1994	73 SIR / 184 SIR
1995	63 SIR / 504 SIR

NS Navy units

A new Best NS Naval unit award was introduced from 2015.

Year	Best NS Navy Units
	Naval
2015	RSS Vigilance (Victory-class missile corvette)

Controversies

In 2009, three regulars from the 24th Battalion Singapore Artillery were convicted of falsifying their unit's test scores. Soldiers' results for the standard obstacle were doctored. As a result, the unit was disqualified that year and the trio were convicted and fined by the General Court Martial.^[6]

References

1. An example of past Ordnance Supply Base
2. Known as "Best Logistics" before 2006.
3. Known as Best Ship before 2015.
4. Known as "Best Air Defence Artillery" before 2010.
5. Known as "Best Tactical Support Squadron" before 2010.
6. Chow, Jermyn (Dec 16, 2009). "Three altered scores for best unit contest". The Straits Times.

• Factsheet - List of Best NS Unit Competition Winners 2000
• Factsheet: Best Unit Award Winners for SAF Day 2006
• Factsheet: Best Unit Award Winners for SAF Day 2007
• Factsheet: Best Unit Award Winners for SAF Day 2008
• Factsheet: Best Unit Award Winners for SAF Day 2009
• Fact Sheet: Best Unit Award Winners (for 2010)
• Fact Sheet: Full List of Winners (for 2011)
• Fact Sheet: Singapore Armed Forces Best Unit Competition 2012
• Fact Sheet: Full List of Winners (for 2013)
• Winners of Best Unit Competition 2014

External links

Video clips

• CyberPioneer: Honour - Being The Best, 2008 on YouTube, accessed 4 December 2008.