SINGAPORE, July 11 — A technical fault that caused a Leopard 2SG Main Battle Tank to crash into a traffic light during a National Day Parade (NDP) rehearsal on July 5 was an isolated incident, Singapore’s Ministry of Defence (Mindef) said today.
CNA reported that its Mindef said that the incident was the first of its kind involving the tank fleet.
“All mobile column assets, including the L2SGs, undergo thorough checks before deployment. No issues were detected for the affected L2SG before it moved out,” the ministry reportedly said in a statement.
“Comprehensive checks performed across the L2SG fleet since the incident have determined that it was an isolated one.”
The ministry confirmed that the Leopard 2SG tanks will return to NDP activities, with the cause of the malfunction identified and rectified, and additional precautions implemented.
Investigators found that the malfunction stemmed from a failure in an internal component of the transmission system — specifically a conduit for transmission fluid to the service brake — which led to a drop in oil pressure and a partial loss of steering and braking power.
The tank operator, a full-time national serviceman, followed protocol by engaging the independent parking brake to stop the vehicle, Mindef said.
The transmission manufacturer, German firm Renk, had not previously encountered such a fault and will collaborate with the Singapore Army on new maintenance procedures to address the issue.
Mindef added that extra fleet-wide checks have been carried out as a precaution and confirmed that all other tank transmissions remain fully operational.
Last week, the Leopard tank brushed up against a traffic light as it was making a right turn past the Supreme Court here.
