The Naval Diving Unit (NDU) is a Special Forces

Special forces

Special forces, or special operations forces are terms used to describe elite military tactical teams trained to perform high-risk dangerous missions that conventional units cannot perform...

 unit of the Republic of Singapore Navy

Republic of Singapore Navy

The Republic of Singapore Navy is the naval component of the Singapore Armed Forces , responsible for the defence of Singapore against sea-borne threats and protection of its sea lines of communications. Operating within the crowded littoral waters of the Singapore Strait, the RSN is regarded as...

, and is regularly tasked in salvage operations, underwater mine demolition and commando-type warfare.

Recruitment

In NDU, NSFs and regulars are expected to undergo the same training before they are qualified to become frogmen. Recruitment begins with a vocational assessment, whereby NSFs are selected among the thousands that enlist each year. Prior to being even selected for the vocational assessment, physical fitness results and medical records are being evaluated and only the best are selected. Basic requirements are perfect eyesight, which explains the absence of people wearing spectacles in NDU, and tip top health condition, not suffering from any chronic illnesses that might jeopardise their training, such as asthma. From then on, the selected few will undergo a battery of tests in the camp, amongst them, water confidence as well as psychological evaluation. Those that meet all of these stringent requirements will then be selected to the NDU, which takes precedence over all other units and formations in Singapore.

Organization

Commander: Colonel Tan Tai Tiong

Dive School
This is the place where trainees undergo the specialised training required to be a frogman. Here, they will undergo 9 months of grueling training, including Basic Military Training (BMT), Land Combat Training (LCT), followed by Combat Diver Course (CDC). Advancing through the different stages, increasing amount of people drop out from the course as they are unable to keep up with the intense physical and mental demands required of them. Trainees are given lesser amount of sleep as the training goes on and numerous vetoes are set in place, which trainees are required to pass before they qualify to be a naval diver. Vetoes includes timed run, sea swim, IPPT, among others. All these training culminates to the final evolution, Team Building Week (TBW), more commonly know as Hell Week. TBW is an intensive 5 day exercise whereby sleep deprivation and non-stop physical and mental exertion are commonplace. This is to separate the man from the boys, the tough from the weak. Only the most motivated and dedicated trainee, which exhibits outstanding team work and spirit is allowed to pass this final test. By the end of the 9 month training, as many as 50% of the initial batch will not make it through as a naval diver. Following this, they are then sent to either the Underwater Demolition Group (UDG) or Clearance Diving Group (CDG).

Underwater Demolition Group
This is where the bulk of the trainees go, and further training takes place here. Here, naval divers are sent overseas for further training and upgrading of skills.

Clearance Diving Group
Special Warfare Group

Training

Basic training includes:

• drown-proofing training
• pool competency
• fast roping
• improvised explosive device disruption
• underwater mine disposal
• explosive ordnance disposal
• special land operations

Drown-proofing has its roots from the Vietnam War when it was found that captured U.S Navy SEALS were thrown into rivers with their hands and legs bound, and thus drown as they were not trained in drown proofing. Drown proofing teaches NDU divers to swim with their hands and legs tied.

Pool competency is a module to test the divers' water confidence, as well as their ability to keep calm under hectic situations. There are 3 parts to pool competency but is mainly being 'attacked under water. The diver's face mask and regulator will be ripped out and depending on the stage of the test, tied onto his air cylinder. Shoulder straps will be unraveled and the waist belt will be unbuckled. To pass the test, the diver will have to hold his breath throughout this incident and remedy the situation by getting back his air source and donning the air cylinder in the proper manner.

Divers also go through a "Team Building Week", more infamously known as "Hell Week", where divers are pushed to their ultimate limits, going through evolutions such as cold treatment and 3 km night paddling, while receiving only minimal hours of sleep, sometimes only 3 hours collectively over 5 days. After "Hell Week", they will be nearing the end of their 9-month combat diver course.

NDU divers are also regularly sent overseas for training, in particular, with the US Army Special Forces

United States Army Special Forces

The United States Army Special Forces, also known as the Green Berets because of their distinctive service headgear, are a special operations force tasked with six primary missions: unconventional warfare, foreign internal defense, special reconnaissance, direct action, hostage rescue, and...

 (Green Berets), US Navy SEALs and the British Special Air Service

Special Air Service

Special Air Service or SAS is a corps of the British Army constituted on 31 May 1950. They are part of the United Kingdom Special Forces and have served as a model for the special forces of many other countries all over the world...

. In 2001, naval officer Captain Wong Foo Chan became the first foreigner to top his class in the Green Berets course, and received a commendation medal for this achievement. He had also completed the Navy SEAL course in 1999.

NDU divers were sent to conduct salvage operations after the crash of SilkAir Flight MI185

SilkAir Flight 185

SilkAir Flight 185, a Boeing 737-36N, registration 9V-TRF, was a scheduled passenger flight from Jakarta, Indonesia to Singapore, which crashed on 19 December 1997 into the Musi River after abruptly plunging from its 35,000-foot cruise altitude, killing all 97 passengers and 7 crew on board.The...

on 19 December 1997, which killed all 104 people on board.

External links

• Official NDU Website