ST Engineering recently unveiled a groundbreaking new variant of its Terrex s5 eight-wheeled armored vehicle at the Singapore Airshow. This innovation, dubbed the Terrex s5 HED (Hybrid Electric Drive), promises to redefine the capabilities of modern armored vehicles by generating a significantly greater amount of electric power to fuel vital auxiliary systems, including small unmanned aircraft.
A New Generation of Electric Power for the Battlefield
The hybrid electric drive system is the heart of this new platform. Cheng Ze Wei, the company’s Director of Wheeled Platform Business in its Land Systems division, explained that the Terrex s5 HED combines a downsized internal combustion engine with electric motors that drive the individual axles. This configuration allows for the generation of up to 400 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electrical power, a spectacular increase compared to the 20 kWh of a similar traditional vehicle.
„If you want to power drones, lasers, comms, and radars on the vehicle, you will need all this power,” Cheng emphasized, highlighting the critical importance of this capability in the context of modern, technology-dependent warfare.
More Space, More Flexibility
The reduction in the size of the internal combustion engine brought a significant additional benefit: 15 percent more internal volume compared to a previous version of the Terrex s5, which was solely powered by a conventional engine. This extra space can be used for additional equipment, ammunition, or to enhance the comfort of the 10 fully equipped troops it can carry, along with its two crew members. With a gross weight of 35 tons and a payload capacity of 13 tons, the Terrex s5 HED is a robust and adaptable platform.
Ready for Modern Warfare: Smart Weaponry and Anti-Drone Capabilities
The vehicle displayed at the event was fitted with an ST Engineering Adder 30 remote control weapon station, mounting a Leonardo 30mm X-Gun autocannon. The information board stated that this weapon can fire Air Burst Munitions and has been optimized for Counter-Unmanned Aircraft Systems (c-UAS) operations, an essential capability in the face of the growing drone threat.
Singapore Army’s Digital Titan: The Contract Announcing a New Era
The unveiling of the Terrex s5 HED follows an announcement by Singapore’s Ministry of Defence in January that it had issued a contract to ST Engineering for an undisclosed number of Terrex s5 IFVs. These will be known as the „Titan” in Singapore Army service. The Ministry stated that the „Titan is designed with new digitized systems, advanced vehicle electronics, and a Command and Control (C2) architecture to support networked motorized operations.”
Deliveries of these vehicles, which will also be equipped with a 30mm cannon and c-UAS capabilities, are scheduled to commence from 2028 onwards, marking a significant step in the modernization of Singapore’s land forces.
