On This Day in 1971, The Naval Diving Unit Took Its First Deep Breath
53 years ago (12 Dec 1971) the British Royal Navy had packed up and left Singapore, along with its elite Far East Fleet Clearance Diving Team (FECDT). We were left with big flippers to fill.
Enter the Naval Diving Unit (NDU), Singapore's very own Frogmen, tasked with defending our shores and diving into danger whenever duty called. Let’s take a deep dive into this legendary unit under the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN).
Making waves
Back in 1959, the British Far East Fleet Clearance Diving Team (FECDT) was established at HMS Terror Camp. When the British left, Singapore Armed Forces Diving Centre under the leadership of Major Robert Khoo was tasked by then-Minister for Defence Goh Keng Swee to replace the FECDT.
10 brave souls were handpicked from over 200 volunteers to form the core of what would become the NDU. These pioneers were trained by Lieutenant Victor Rodrigues and tasked with maintaining naval assets for the Singapore Maritime Command, the precursor to today’s RSN.
By 1975, the unit had officially been renamed the Naval Diving Unit, ready to take on the seas with an unwavering resolve.
A legacy of courage
The NDU made headlines in 1983 in the wake of the tragic Singapore cable car crash, recovering the bodies of four victims. This marked their first major deployment.
Over the years, they’ve been involved in everything from recovery operations (for example, in the 1991 SilkAir Flight MI185 crash) to humanitarian missions (following the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami) as well as counter-piracy operations (for instance, in the Gulf of Aden from 2009 to 2018).
The NDU also contributed to Iraq’s reconstruction efforts from 2003 to 2008.
Training tough: Becoming a frogman
Joining the NDU isn’t for the faint-hearted. Selection is rigorous, with physical, medical, and psychological assessments to weed out all but the best. Even the fittest recruits face gruelling challenges in their journey to becoming combat divers.
The Combat Diver Course (CDC), which was initiated in 1987, spans 22 weeks of pure endurance. There’s Hell Week – where trainees brave sleep deprivation, icy baths, and non-stop physical exertion. Trainees must swim, run, climb, and jump, all while staying within strict time limits.
Only half (or fewer) make it through to earn their place as Frogmen.
Captain Angelia Tan (left) and Captain Jhosy Ng. | IMAGE: FACEBOOK/@SINGAPORENAVY
Breaking barriers
Earlier this year, Captain Angelia Tan and Captain Jhosy Ng became the first two women to complete the physically demanding CDC – Captain Jhosy Ng was also the first woman to have topped the course.
They follow in the footsteps of Major (Ret) Esther Tan, the first female diver in the NDU who joined in 2000.
50 Years Strong
In 2021, the NDU celebrated its 50th anniversary – a proud milestone for a unit that’s consistently gone above and beyond in service to the nation. These divers are the ultimate defenders of Singapore’s waters, ready to leap into action at a moment’s notice.
Think you've got what it takes to be a naval diver? Click here.
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