Singapore’s Defence Minister Addresses SSPH Incident
During a parliamentary session on Monday (Feb 11), Defence Minister Dr Ng Eng Hen confirmed that thorough inspections found no malfunction in the gun‑lowering mechanism of the Singapore Self‑Propelled Howitzer (SSPH) that tragically crushed actor and National Service (NS) armament technician Aloysius Pang and caused his death.
Meet the Crew That Hung Out with Pang
- Third Sergeant – An operationally ready NSman and gun detachment commander.
- Military Expert 2 – A regular armament technician with over 16 years of service and eight years on the SSPH.
Both were redeployed from their usual roles and had previous experience maintaining the SSPH. Dr Ng noted that the crew had been specifically trained on the vehicle, with hands‑on maintenance work, and that checks were performed daily during the January exercise in New Zealand.
Thunder Warrior: The Incident Unfolds
On Jan 19, Pang attended the annual live‑firing exercise called Thunder Warrior as part of his seventh in‑camp training (ICT). While repairing the gun’s calibration system for accurate firing, the gun barrel began to lower. Unfortunately, Pang couldn’t evade in time, was crushed and succumbed to injuries four days later.
Following the tragedy, Dr Ng highlighted the SAF’s immediate priority: ensuring that the SSPH had no systemic machine malfunction that could jeopardise other maintenance crews.
SSPH Cabins and Crew Dynamics
The SSPH cabin measures:
- 2.3 m in height,
- 2.44 m from front to rear,
- and 2.64 m from side to side.
The gun barrel splits the cabin into two sections, allowing space for three crew members to occupy positions on either side.
While the names of the individuals present with Pang remain confidential, the Defence Ministry assures that the crew’s extensive experience and refresher training were fully considered before the exercise.
Safety Spotlight: When a Lowered Howitzer Gun Backed Up a Cadet
What Went Down
The Incident in a Nutshell
CFC (NS) Pang was working on a Self‑Propelled Howitzer (SSPH) during a routine maintenance task.
While the barrel was lowering, he found himself wedged between the gun and the cabin interior, squeezing his chest and belly and ending up with a nasty compression injury.
He’s not a stranger to the equipment: he had done refresher training in New Zealand and had helped service more than 10 SSPHs in the “Thunder Warrior” exercise.
What Dr. Ng Says
The Design Check
Dr. Ng highlighted that the SSPH prototype had been tried out from 2000–2002 before hitting the field in 2003.
He also pointed out that the design meets international military standards; other countries – the U.S., South Korea, Germany – run similar tracked 155 mm guns that use the same lowering mechanism.
