Singapore, Australia Expand Facilities at Shoalwater Bay Military Training Area in Queensland

(DEFENCE SECURITY ASIA) – The governments of Singapore and Australia have inaugurated new facilities and expanded existing ones at the joint Shoalwater Bay Training Area, located in Queensland, Australia.

Spanning an area approximately five times the size of Singapore, the training site is used by the armed forces of both nations.

The expansion of the Shoalwater Bay Training Area has been a collaborative effort under the Australia-Singapore Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, initiated in 2016. Construction work on the new and upgraded facilities was recently completed.

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, Singapore’s Senior Minister of State for Defence, Heng Chee How, highlighted the partnership and trust underpinning the project.

“These facilities enable the conduct of realistic and rigorous training to enhance the warfighting capabilities of the Singapore Armed Forces, preparing them for future conflicts.

“Both armed forces will benefit from these facilities for years to come,” Heng said, as quoted by *The Straits Times*.

Also present at the event was Australia’s Secretary of Defence, Greg Moriarty.

According to a statement by the Australian Ministry of Defence, the expanded Shoalwater Bay Training Area is designed to meet the future needs of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) while accommodating the increased number of Singaporean troops conducting unilateral training exercises.

The upgrades now allow up to 6,600 Singaporean military personnel to train for nine weeks annually, compared to the previous 45-day limit.

The enhanced training area includes:
– Two live-fire facilities, the first of their kind in Australia,
– An integrated air-land range,
– Accommodation for up to 2,000 personnel,
– Medical, administrative, and other essential support facilities.

These additions are expected to significantly improve the training quality for both nations’ armed forces.

“The expansion will enable both the ADF and the Singapore Armed Forces to conduct simultaneous unilateral training while supporting complex bilateral exercises,” the Australian Defence Ministry noted.

Currently, both militaries are engaged in Exercise Trident 2024, a bilateral exercise that involves transitioning forces from sea to land, conducting maneuvers, and targeting operations.

“This marks another historic milestone in the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between our two nations, and we welcome the opportunity to learn from each other during these exercises,” Moriarty said. — DSA