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19 Mar 2025
Working closely with the Singapore Army, DSTA conceptualised, designed and developed SAFTI City, an advanced urban training facility that provides soldiers with a realistic training environment to enhance their readiness for any scenario.
Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen (third from left) officiated the launch of SAFTI City, which was also attended by Permanent Secretary (Defence Development) Melvyn Ong (second from left) and DSTA Deputy Chief Executive (Operations) Roy Chan (far right).
DSTA played a pivotal role in bringing SAFTI City to life, driving the development of advanced training technologies and innovative infrastructure to enhance realism and effectiveness in urban operations training.
SAFTI City offers round-the-clock training in a safe and immersive space.
The facility is designed as an integrated training ecosystem where smart technology and infrastructure work seamlessly together.
The team developed road networks and buildings that can be reconfigured via “swing panels” to create different training scenarios. To enhance immersion, the team also incorporated realistic urban features inspired by locations such as MRT stations, housing estates, shopping malls and offices.
Beyond infrastructure, DSTA implemented smart training systems to challenge soldiers in urban settings. An integrated exercise control system allows Army exercise planners to oversee training missions, adjust scenarios on the go, and provide after-action reviews.
Buildings are equipped with over 11,000 sensors that track soldier movements, allowing for improved performance analysis as well as heightened realism – “shoot-through walls” register hits from weapons and provide less cover for soldiers once “damaged”.
Interactive targetry challenges the response of soldiers, requiring them to adapt to unpredictable threats, and immersive battlefield effects such as explosions, smoke and sound simulate real-world combat conditions.
Smart targetry challenges soldiers in unpredictable urban scenarios.
By leveraging deep engineering expertise and close user collaboration, DSTA has created a training facility that will evolve with the SAF’s needs, ensuring that soldiers remain prepared for the complexities of urban warfare.
DSTA’s multidisciplinary team brought together expertise in infrastructure, simulation technologies, and software development to create the next-gen smart training facility.