SINGAPORE: Twelve Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) servicemen have been injured after two armoured vehicles collided during Exercise Wallaby in Queenslandeu9, Australia on Tuesday (Sep 24). 

The exercise is the SAF's largest unilateral overseas exercise and it takes place annually.

“At approximately 7.40pm Australia time (5.40pm Singapore time), one Hunter armoured fighting vehicle (AFV) rear-ended another while moving back to base at Shoalwater Bay Training Area," the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) said in a statement.

"Twelve SAF servicemen sustained non-serious injuries and they have been transported to the hospital. They are currently being treated or recovering well.

"The safety and well-being of our people is of paramount importance. The army has called for a safety pause to remind drivers to maintain proper distance. MINDEF/SAF wish the servicemen a speedy recovery."

Australian news outlet 9News initially reported that the incident involved an Australian tank and a Singaporean tank. The Australian Defence Force (ADF) later said it had provided assistance to the SAF, and that "no ADF personnel or vehicles were injured", according to 9News.

The injured servicemen were airlifted by military helicopter to Rockhampton Airport and then transported to hospital by ambulance, the Daily Mail Australia said.

Exercise Wallaby, which was first conducted in 1990, is held at the Shoalwater Bay Training Area in Queensland. This year's edition started on Sep 8 and will run until Nov 3, and involves about 6,200 personnel, including 500 operationally ready national servicemen.

The Hunter AFV is jointly developed by the Defence Science and Technology Agency, the Singapore Army and ST Engineering. It was commissioned in 2019 as the eventual replacement of the SAF's fleet of Ultra M113 AFVs, which have been in service since the 1970s.

It is equipped with, among others, a 30mm cannon, a 76mm smoke grenade launcher, and an automatic target detection and tracking system to enable the crew to detect targets faster and more effectively. 

According to MINDEF, the Hunter AFV is manned by a three-man crew and can hold eight other troops. It is also capable of travelling longer distances due to its increased speed and operating range.

Twelve Singapore Armed Forces servicemen were injured after a collision between two Hunter armoured vehicles in the Australian city of Rockhampton on Sep 24. They were air-lifted to Rockhampton Hospital. The Defence Ministry says their injuries are non-serious and they are recovering well. It has called for a safety pause for Exercise Wallaby. Nicolas Ng reports from Rockhampton.eu9

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