
ST Engineering has established itself as a global leader in innovative defense and public security solutions, with a strong foundation built on advanced engineering expertise and cutting-edge technological capabilities. As part of its ongoing mission to expand its international footprint, ST Engineering places significant emphasis on cultivating strategic partnerships and delivering tailored solutions to meet the evolving needs of regional markets, including the Middle East.
Defense Arabia had the opportunity to engage in an exclusive interview with Mr. Chua Jin Kiat, Head of International Business and Market Development for Defense and Public Security at ST Engineering. In this in-depth conversation, Mr. Chua shares valuable insights into his role, the company’s strategic approach to innovation, and how ST Engineering’s adaptable technologies align with the unique operational requirements of Middle Eastern defense clients.
The discussion delves into ST Engineering’s longstanding collaborations with key regional partners, such as EDGE and SAMI, highlighting the company’s contributions to defense localization and joint innovation initiatives.
Mr. Chua highlights key flagship solutions, including the Ground Deployed Advanced Mortar System (GDAMS) and the AUTONOMAST™ USV autonomy system, which address critical defense challenges and operational needs. Additionally, he emphasizes the transformative impact of emerging technologies like AI, autonomy, and cyber defense in enhancing military capabilities and securing national infrastructure.
Looking to the future, ST Engineering remains committed to deepening its partnerships and expanding its presence in the Middle East. Mr. Chua outlines the company’s forward-looking strategies and key priorities, offering a glimpse into the innovations and collaborative projects that will shape the region’s defense landscape over the next five years.
• How does ST Engineering ensure its innovative technologies remain adaptable and relevant to the unique operational and strategic needs of Middle Eastern defense clients?
We regard innovation as the bedrock of our company. We place great emphasis on innovation through building our engineering capabilities and innovation programmes, and we have committed to investing up to 5% of our annual revenue in R&D, of which up to 75% will be spent on digital technologies.
Singapore is a small nation with a conscript military. It shares similar manpower constraints as some Middle Eastern nations. We leverage technology to try to address these issues, such as augmenting human capabilities to be more efficient or to build autonomous capabilities.
With many countries focusing on digitalising their armed forces, we have the capabilities and engineering expertise to deliver to the Middle Eastern end users.
For example, our AGIL® Connect integrated secure communications suite, which we worked closely with our Middle Eastern partner to integrate their products with our 5G and satellite communications solutions designed for the Middle Eastern market.
We also have smart vehicle platforms such as our latest generation Terrex s5 8×8 Infantry Fighting Vehicle, which is designed from the ground up to be fully digitalised, suited for the region’s terrain, and able to expand its digital systems for future-ready technologies.
Our advanced naval vessels, such as the Littoral Mission Vessel (LMV), are well suited in size for the Gulf region, and design considerations were made in consultation with our end users. For example, the concept of an integrated ship bridge and command information centre in the vessel supports more effective collaboration between the crew. Given the operational and environmental similarities, it is suited for deployment in the Middle East.
Lastly, our advancements in digital MRO have proven to be a valuable after-sales service, ensuring the operational readiness of our client’s assets and maintaining the capabilities of their forces with the latest technology.
• What are the immediate and long-term goals of your collaboration with EDGE?
Before formalising our collaboration with the signing of an MoU in September 2023, we had already been engaged in a successful partnership with EDGE for over a decade, focusing on developing mortar systems and ammunition.
At present, we are actively involved in several ongoing collaborations and new opportunities. Notably, we were contracted by ADSB, a key part of the EDGE Group, to design the Falaj 3-Class Offshore Patrol Vessels for the UAE Navy.

EDGE and ST Engineering bring a unique combination of complementary capabilities, and our immediate goal is to leverage mutual strengths to pursue joint market opportunities. For instance, we are working with EDGE to explore prospects in the Middle East, while also supporting their efforts in Asia.
Specifically, we are looking to supply EDGE’s small calibre ammunition to markets in Asia where we do not manufacture these products, while EDGE is helping to introduce our Training and Simulations solutions to the UAE.
Through these ongoing efforts, we aim to deepen our partnership with EDGE and drive innovation and growth in key regions. In the longer term, we envisage co-developing technologies together for resource optimisation.
• How are partnerships with organizations like SAMI and Rakaa Security contributing to ST Engineering’s regional strategy and supporting defense localization in the Middle East?
Our strategic partnership with SAMI covers all business areas, with ongoing projects and pursuits in ammunition production and unmanned systems. We are also working on a partnership with Rakaa Security to offer relevant capabilities to the region.
We have a significant interest in the region and have set up offices in Saudi Arabia and Abu Dhabi a few years ago to support partnerships in the Middle East. We are also supporting some customers in their efforts to build up in-country capabilities.

• Can you share insights into the flagship solutions ST Engineering is offering in the region, such as GDAMS, USV/AUTONOMAST, and Platform Digitalisation, and how they address the evolving defense needs of Middle Eastern countries?
In recent conflicts, we have seen more focus on manoeuvre-centric warfare, long logistics tails, the need to see further and shoot faster, and the need for stronger networking and shared situational awareness. Modern militaries are investing in capabilities that address gaps in these areas, and we have been focusing on delivering solutions in our markets of interest.
Our Ground Deployed Advanced Mortar System (GDAMS) has been receiving interest in NATO markets such as the United Kingdom and the Middle East. The platform-agnostic 120mm mortar system is an affordable tactical firing solution that can be mounted on most 4×4 vehicles and offers shoot-and-scoot capability for tactical echelons.
With increasingly urbanised battlefields and distributed forces, the need for reliable, secured connectivity and networks, coupled with a robust command and control system, will enable shared situational awareness and more effective decision making. Our platform digitalisation and secured communications solutions are designed to support such requirements and are further enhanced with AI-at-the-edge computing and AI video intelligence and anomaly detection.
Another area where our products can address the evolving needs of Middle Eastern nations is maritime security. Our AUTONOMAST™ USV autonomy system can convert existing or new vessels into unmanned vessels capable of being configured for various missions. The AI-powered system has been in use in Singapore and in the Malacca Straits, one of the busiest waterways in the world, and its collision avoidance and navigation system has proven effective in supporting maritime security missions. We have also been pursuing opportunities in the Middle East region to help navies modernise their fleets and to make them more effective and safer.
• What role do emerging technologies such as AI, autonomy, and cyber defense play in ST Engineering’s product development for the Middle East market?
Technologies such as artificial intelligence and autonomy can augment human capabilities, allowing them to be more efficient and effective or free up resources to perform higher-value activities.
For example, using AI in video analytics can revolutionise the speed of search and retrieval when dealing with vast amounts of data. It enables security and regulation enforcers in all industries to run real-time searches on multiple camera feeds using simple, natural language, reducing decision-making to mere seconds. Our AGIL® Vision video analytics and AGIL® Ops Hub incorporate AI technologies to help operators reduce reliance on human cognition.

We have seen the rise of large-scale sophisticated cyber-attacks orchestrated by threat actors that can cause substantial damage to vital infrastructure. With governments’ and militaries’ increasing reliance on digital infrastructure, cyber defence is imperative to the day-to-day functioning of governments and armies.
We consider cybersecurity an inherent part of our solutions, whether in platforms or C5ISR solutions. We have also invested in developing Quantum Cybersecurity capabilities and AI-enhanced threat detection to ensure our customers are protected and future-ready.
• How does ST Engineering leverage its participation in events like IDEX to strengthen partnerships and identify new opportunities?
Since its inception three decades ago, IDEX has grown into one of the main shows on the international defence calendar, with more exhibitors and visitors in each iteration. Such events give us the opportunity to reconnect with partners and customers and meet new ones.
It also allows us to showcase our wide range of solutions across multiple domains—air, land, sea, digital, and cyber. Our technology and engineering capabilities across domains are one of our strengths, and we believe they can bring value to our customers.

We can also get a sense of where the industry is heading regarding the technologies being developed and the priorities for the different markets.
All these insights allow us to better understand customers’ needs, and through our interactions with them, we can iterate our solutions to address their challenges.
• Looking ahead, what are ST Engineering’s top priorities for expanding its portfolio and presence in the Middle East over the next five years? Are there any specific innovations or projects in the pipeline tailored to this region?
The Middle East, along with our partners is a focus market for our business. One of our key priorities is to expand and strengthen our partnerships in the region.
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