Singapore’s Defence Science and Technology Agency (DSTA) and Thales have established a joint laboratory aimed at advancing AI-enabled technologies to enhance the combat systems used by the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF).
This collaboration will initially concentrate on creating solutions for counter-uncrewed aircraft systems (C-UAS) and advanced sensing.
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To date, they have jointly created sophisticated AI algorithms that enhance the ability of combat systems to adapt and respond to the rapidly changing dynamics of drone-based threats.
The outcomes were recently showcased at the Singapore Defence Technology Summit held between 18-20 March 2025.
The partnership between DSTA and Thales was first formalised through a memorandum of understanding in 2022 to enhance collaboration on smart technologies and system supportability.
The Co-Lab is an outcome of this agreement.
This new initiative marks a significant progression in the strategic alliance between DSTA and Thales, highlighting their commitment to equipping the SAF with capabilities to address both conventional and unconventional security challenges.
In 2023, DSTA signed a ‘master agreement’ with Thales, which focused on streamlining the establishment of long-term service contracts.
This covered areas such as support, maintenance, operational availability, and local development.
Over the past five months, engineers from both organisations have worked together to create ML-enabled software modules.
These modules reduce false alarms in drone detection, thereby enhancing radar sensor performance.
With the integration of AI, operators and end-users benefit from improved situational awareness, enabling quicker and more precise drone detection and classification.
Thales International president and CEO Pascale Sourisse said: “Thales’ AI for critical systems must meet the stringent reliability, safety and security requirements for armed forces worldwide. It is a true recognition when our customers trust us to co-develop solutions alongside them that address the pain points and challenges of the end-user.
“We have achieved the outcomes of the MoU in a relatively short span of time, with our teams harnessing AI to create solutions with real-world implications. This Co-Lab with DSTA speaks to the years of collaboration between us and our joint commitment to provide the best technologies for the SAF and the Singapore Ministry of Defence.”
Thales also contributes through its Defence Hub in Singapore, which provides local expertise for the support and maintenance of systems currently deployed by the armed forces.
This hub plays a role in the ongoing partnership with DSTA and the Ministry of Defence.
Singapore’s defence budget has increased from $11.4bn in 2021 to an estimated $17.7bn in 2025, according to a report by GlobalData titled “Singapore Defense Market 2025-2030”.
Additionally, Singapore’s acquisition budget saw a rise from $2.1bn in 2021 to $3.3bn in 2025, growing at a compound annual growth rate of 12.4%.
