This Tiny Island Is the Most Densely Defended Country in the World | WSJ

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Transcripts

- [Jon] If you're watching TV in Singapore,

you might see a seemingly random combination of words

flash up on screen like bullet head,

sea mackerel, and water world.

These are military code words designed to be a signal

to members of Singapore's Reserve troops

to mobilize at army bases across the city.

If that seems unusual for a small, prosperous country

that's at peace with its neighbors,

that's because it is.

A city state that's around the same size as New York City,

has built one of the region's most advanced militaries.

Here's why this tiny island became

one of the most militarized places on earth.

In 2022, Singapore's defense budget

was over 11 billion dollars, ranking it per capita

among the highest in the world.

By comparison, Turkey, a country with a landmass

1000 times a larger than Singapore,

only spent 10 billion dollars.

- Singapore is possibly the most densely defended country

on the planet with more troops, tanks, warships,

and aircraft per square kilometer

than any other country you find in the world.

- Despite close economic links with China,

it has deep defense ties with the US,

buying billions of dollars worth

of American military equipment.

This is the F35, one of the most advanced fighter jets

in the world.

Singapore has ordered 20 of these planes,

and will be the first and only country in Southeast Asia

allowed to operate these jets,

cementing Singapore's Air Force

as the most advanced in the region.

Singapore's drive for military supremacy

can be explained through its geography.

It's surrounded by much larger neighbors,

and sits on the strait of Malacca,

Asia's most important shipping corridor

and a vital entrance to the South China Sea.

Singapore's founding Prime Minister said that in order

for the tiny nation to survive,

it would have to become a poisonous shrimp,

meaning the island would have a military so powerful

that larger powers would think twice

before trying to attack.

- Singapore sees its defense investments as a signal

to foreign investors that this place can be defended.

- [Jon] Singapore has spent so much on defense

that its military assets now far outweigh

many global powers.

Its navy is increasing its number of submarines to eight.

More than both its much larger neighbors,

Malaysia and Indonesia have, combined.

The country currently has more than

170 operationally ready tanks.

That's more than the United Kingdom,

which is the world's sixth largest defense spender.

In addition to the latest technology, all Singaporean men

serve two years of mandatory military service.

- The history of small states is that short

of outright aggression, there can be an escalation

in a period of tension where military force could be used

as an instrument of diplomacy to coerce a smaller party

or less defendant party to abide by your whims.

- Singapore is a resource scarce nation,

largely dependent on imports for its water, food,

and energy, and its small size puts it

at a military disadvantage.

If you wanna understand why Singapore is concerned about

defending its territory,

then you don't have to look any further.

This is the Singapore Strait.

It's one of the world's busiest shipping lanes,

and it also represents Singapore's southern border.

And just right over there is the heart of the city.

That is the central business district,

and that's where all decisions are made.

In military terms, Singapore lacks

what's called strategic depth.

This means there's little geographic distance

between the nation's borders and its critical assets

such as financial sensors and offices of state.

Singapore's Northern border is just 28 kilometers away

from the country's southern most point,

meaning it's armed forces have little room to maneuver.

The country has four air bases,

but Singapore's airspace is so small

that pilots on training missions at some bases

have less than a minute after taking off to turn

before they enter Malaysia's airspace.

- It puts the impetus on their ability to strike hard

and to strike fairly far to keep hostile forces at bay,

and if necessary, to bring the fight to the enemy.

- [Jon] Singapore has tried to counter

the strategic weakness by identifying

civilian infrastructure that can be repurposed

in times of conflict.

Two of its main highways can be converted into runaways

for jet fighters to land should military runways

be taken out of action.

Apartments and houses built after 1997

are required to have personal bomb shelters,

and subway stations can be converted into

emergency shelters.

The government has far reaching powers

to repurpose civilian infrastructure

and requisition vehicles, ships,

and aircraft during a conflict or crisis,

and that crisis may be fast approaching.

In February, Singapore announced it was increasing its

defense budget amid concerns that the US and China

may go to war over Taiwan.

- So I've reversed my assessment for today's generation

in Singapore and elsewhere.

The risk of regional and even global conflict,

even in the next decade, has become non-zero.

I do not make this assessment lightly.

- [Jon] Singapore has tried to strike

a military balancing act between the two powers,

conducting joint drills

with their Chinese and US counterparts.

The US military is allowed to use a port and airbase

in Singapore for its activities in the South China Sea,

making the island a key transit point

for US aircraft carriers operating in the region.

- When someone doubts that Beijing would sit back

and acquiesce if such basis are used

to support the American presence in around Taiwan,

in the event of, let's say a period of tension,

being a small trade dependent economy,

we will not escape any fallout

from any Taiwan, China for us.

- [Jon] For Singapore, building up its weapons arsenal

and flexing its defense readiness,

allows it to continue playing an outsized role

in an increasingly volatile region.