Built to Endure: Singapore Army Chief Outlines Future Force Centered on Resilience and Trust

HONOLULU — Singapore Chief of Army Maj. Gen. Cai Dexian delivered a keynote address at the Land Forces Pacific Symposium and Exposition, calling for continuous transformation, deeper partnerships, and a fundamentally resilient force to meet the demands of an increasingly contested Indo-Pacific, on May 14, 2026.
Dexian underscored the urgency of change in modern warfare during his opening remarks.

“In an increasingly contested, uncertain, and dangerous world, it cannot be business as usual or more of the same,” he said. “If we expect to stand a chance at prevailing in the next conflict, we must transform and innovate, not just one off, but continuously and enduringly.”

He framed Singapore’s defense posture in light of its unique strategic constraints as a city-state. “Singapore is a city-state half the size of the island of Oahu…City-states don't have a great track record of survival,” he noted, referencing historical examples such as Athens, Sparta, and Venice.

Against that backdrop, Dexian described the Singapore Army’s mission as both clear and uncompromising: “The Singapore army must therefore be the final backstop to defend our country's sovereignty and independence… to deter aggression, and should deterrence fail, to secure a swift and decisive victory over the aggressor, being ready in peace, decisive in war, and respected by all.”

Central to that mission, he said, is resilience across both people and systems. “Warfare is a competition, not just between militaries, but between ecosystems,” Dexian said. “Resilience is our ability to pre-empt, to withstand and then to overcome disruptions, to ensure that our ecosystem can outlast that of our adversaries.”

He highlighted growing dependencies on energy infrastructure as a future operational vulnerability. “In future conflicts, it is not an over-exaggeration to say that energy may become as operationally decisive as ammunition,” he said, citing the importance of batteries, charging networks, and energy storage systems.

Dexian also emphasized the cultural shift required to fully leverage unmanned systems and emerging technologies.

“The real disruption is not in the platforms themselves… it's the change in mindset and organizational culture that is required,” he said.

He urged leaders to rethink innovation itself: “To fall in love with a problem, not the solution… This is not a technology challenge. It's a leadership one.”

Beyond modernization, Dexian stressed that Singapore’s defense model remains rooted in society. “The Singapore army is, at heart, a Citizen Army,” he said, noting that operational readiness depends on public trust and national commitment.

He also emphasized the importance of regional cooperation. “We recognize that no army can address emerging challenges alone,” he said, pointing to the interconnected nature of Indo-Pacific security.

“Trust is really the most powerful currency. It cannot be bought. It can only be earned, and even then, only with time and consistency.”

In closing, Dexian summarized his vision in three pillars: “First, we must be resilient in both our soldiers and our systems… Second, we must be dynamic, not just as a matter of technology, but as a matter of culture… And last, we must be rooted, rooted in the societies we are part of and with the partners and the friends that we nurture.”

His remarks reinforced a central theme of LANPAC 2026: that future deterrence in the Indo-Pacific will depend not only on capability, but on the endurance of ecosystems built on trust, adaptability, and shared purpose.

The LANPAC Symposium & Exposition is an annual forum that brings together Indo-Pacific military leaders, industry, academia, and government partners to strengthen cooperation, share best practices, and advance integrated land operations across the USINDOPACOM area of responsibility.