NAVAL divers on duty in the Middle East were armed and ready to shoot if they needed to, when they searched ships in the northern Arabian Gulf last year.
But by the end of their two months stationed off the coast of Iraq, the contingent aboard the RSS Endurance warship - which was there to support reconstruction efforts in Iraq - had not fired a single shot during their 70-plus boarding operations.
One of the divers, Captain Tan, 31, who had taught his colleagues how to conduct ship boardings, recounted how each time the men boarded a vessel suspected of smuggling items out of Iraq, they were all keyed up for action.
'Bullets can fly both ways in a firefight,' he explained, 'and going out with a live round in the chamber means there's a high possibility of a bullet coming your way.'
That's why he led by example and made it a point to be the first up the rope ladders of the ship they were checking, and the last to leave the ship after an inspection.
'There's no room for mistakes, no 'semula' kind of scenario, during real operations.'
'Semula' is a Malay term used during foot drill lessons when instructors want their men to repeat a movement.
Members of the Naval Diving Unit have to be prepared to board all sorts of craft, and in the Gulf these ranged from dhows to ultra-large crude carriers which towered several storeys above sea level.
The on-board inspections were done in seas where waves around 2m high were common and the temperature could dip to around 10 deg Celsius.
The boarding of ships - whether their crews agree to have these inspectors on board or not - is one of the unit's less publicised capabilities.
Its more lethal capabilities include augmenting the protection of naval bases and providing security for Singapore's warships deployed on peace support missions.
The unit's commanding officer, Colonel Chng Ho Kiat, 37, said: 'One contribution is the protection of friendly forces, particularly warships coming into port.
'We also help protect Republic of Singapore Navy warships sent on overseas missions against suicide bombers who may attack using speed boats.
'And if the SAF needs to investigate a merchant ship at sea, our divers can board it even when the vessel's crew is uncooperative and there's a chance the divers may be shot at.'
Indeed, the unit's men are experts at getting on board all manner of vessels, whether they are at anchor or under way.
While how they do so is a closely guarded trade secret, it is possible to pick up clues from the extensive range of training facilities at the group's camp.
There, drills at a multi-storey rappelling tower show, for instance, how the divers can descend onto a vessel from a helicopter.
There is also a large structure built over a swimming pool that's up to 10 metres deep. This allows divers to practise techniques used to board ships and other structures at sea.
The pool has an underground viewing gallery that allows instructors to monitor the divers at all times. This adds an extra element of safety and the instructors can also easily spot mistakes made.
To become part of the select crew who carry out such daring and dangerous tasks, a national serviceman must pass a battery of medical and psychological tests.
The 10 weeks of basic training at the Naval Diving Unit is similar to what other military recruits undergo. In addition to that, they also have about three hours of swimming training every day.
The strict selection and manner of training mean a high percentage of each cohort earns the diver's qualification after six weeks of physical training and a diving course that lasts 12 weeks.
'The training is not a culture shock, as we don't expect a newcomer to run like the wind or fly like Superman,' said Second Warrant Officer Norris Lucius, 35, a training development officer with the unit. 'The recruits are brought up to standard progressively.'
The warrant officer, who has been in the navy for 16 years, said recent recruits are different from those who joined in its early days. They are now better educated and more motivated. 'They absorb instructions very fast. You don't have to explain what to do many times,' he said.
This means the pace of lessons can be speeded up, and trained divers are more self-confident when sent on operations.
'They are also very creative,' he added.
He recounted how the men on the RSS Endurance had built the sandbag walls for their machine-gun nests on cargo pallets, so the nests could be moved quickly with a forklift when aircraft needed to use the flight deck.
The men's diving training has also improved because of the better facilities they are provided with, he said.
The times they have spent over the years training with elite diving teams from countries like Australia, Britain and the United States have helped the group benchmark its capabilities against special forces from foreign navies.
A high level of dive proficiency and readiness for operations has proved useful after September 2001, when the unit was given more tasks to handle.
The unit's commanding officer, Col Chng, said that since the 9/11 attacks and the heightened awareness of terrorist threats, the unit has had to take on more tasks, such as safeguarding warships in naval bases.
Col Chng said: 'What keeps me busy day to day is making sure the training we give them is relevant. The security environment out there is evolving.
'The full capability of the diver lies in the skills we impart to them. It is not simply giving them a bigger gun but making sure their minds are able to adapt.'
STORM TROOPERS: How they do it is a closely guarded secret but naval divers can board all manner of vessels whether at anchor or underway. Mock exercises (above and below) are regularly carried out to hone their skills at storming ships.
WATER WARRIORS: Trainees are put through vigorous tests at the Naval Diving Unit in Sembawang Camp, such as being tossed - while bound hand and foot - into a pool (below) and have to perform various manoeuvres like somersaults as part of their "drown proofing" programme. -- PHOTOS: JOYCE FANG
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