The Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) could be acquiring 2,000 precision-guided mortar rounds from the United States in an estimated US$66 million (S$92.6 million) deal, after receiving approval from the US State Department.

According to the US Defence Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA), Singapore had requested a possible sale of 2,000 XM395 Accelerated Precision Mortar Initiative (APMI) rounds, along with US government and contractor services as well as associated support equipment and services.

“The Government of Singapore intends to use these defence articles to modernise its armed forces to meet current and future threats, to strengthen its homeland defence, and to provide greater security for its economic infrastructure,” the DSCA said in a statement on Tuesday (March 14), adding that the State Department had given the green light.

In response to queries from TODAY, the Ministry of Defence said on Thursday that the SAF intends to acquire 120mm guided mortar munitions.

… Dr Graham Ong-Webb, a research fellow with the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, noted that the SAF’s interest in the APMI is in line with the global trend of advanced militaries deploying more precise munitions.