Combat tracker teams in the SAF

• Sardaukar

  7 Jun 04, 15:16

  I was reading up on war dogs the other day and I came across accounts of war dogs used in the Vietnam War and World War Two in the form of combat tracker teams.
  
  I was just wondering whether Singapore has any similar units that play identical or similar roles such as that.
  
  Does the SAF have combat trackers teams that scout ahead of a main advance,or are dogs in the SAF simply used by the military police to guard bases and detect bombs?
• Fairyland

  7 Jun 04, 21:17

  These dogs can really make up for the numbers.....
  
  and they are force multipliers because they enhance our force survivability.
  
  Really useful in asymmetric warfare Eg peacekeeping and very relevant to nature of future conflicts to come.
  
  AI in machines still cannot match their sensory perceptions. Not to mention the aggressive nature.......
  
  You can use them to supplement the ppl guarding our vital installations.
• storywolf

  7 Jun 04, 22:37

  Originally posted by Sardaukar:

  I was reading up on war dogs the other day and I came across accounts of war dogs used in the Vietnam War and World War Two in the form of combat tracker teams.
  
  I was just wondering whether Singapore has any similar units that play identical or similar roles such as that.
  
  Does the SAF have combat trackers teams that scout ahead of a main advance,or are dogs in the SAF simply used by the military police to guard bases and detect bombs?

  Think they do have very small number of dogs trained as trackers. But singapore situation will not be of much use. In jungle situation, the vegetation is too thick, which confuse and tired out the dogs too fast, so not that effective to be deployed for that purpose
• ah_tee

  13 Jun 04, 12:48

  Was toking to CSM the other day, then he did mention SAF took him on a "tracking" course in NZ sometime ago, at first we tot he meant "trekking" then actually he says ur objective is insert into vegetation 3 days in advance and will proceed on in a pre-determined route not known to you
  
  3 days later, you, one person will be inserted to track him down, judging from the bashed vegetation, rations leftover, mud, soil displacement.....
  
  oh ya, hes from red berets
• damienthedevil

  14 Jun 04, 02:15

  SAF has utilised tracker dog teams in the past. they work in pairs(in training), very quiet and was used in jungle tracking ( Brunei ) effectively.The dog handlers were regulars and scout trained.