Often known as "the enemy", these soldiers from the Opposing Force (OPFOR) company have an unusual task: playing the foe to make the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) stronger.

It is 11pm. Despite the light from the full moon, one of the OPFOR's M113 armoured personnel carrier is well-hidden behind a bend in the road. It is quiet except for the chirping of crickets and the occasional cackle from signals equipment. The OPFOR soldiers from the Armour Training Institute (ATI) have been lying in ambush for hours and are ready for some action.

At midnight, the update that everyone has been waiting for arrives. "Enemy contacted. Let’s rock and roll."

The OPFOR's opponent in this battalion-level exercise was the 428th Battalion, Singapore Armoured Regiment (428 SAR), who were back for their In-Camp Training.

The National Service (NS) unit had returned to camp a week earlier to begin preparations for the four-day-three-night Army Training Evaluation Centre (ATEC) evaluation. The unit will be assessed on their combat proficiency and operational standards and given a Readiness Condition status.

This is where the OPFOR plays an indispensible role as an evaluation partner, said Commander ATEC Colonel (COL) Lee Kuan Chung.

Neutrality and realism

"Can you imagine a unit going through an exercise without an opposition force? One where the unit assaults objectives like trenches and dummies and there is no feedback?" asked COL Lee.

"At the other extreme, to have a real enemy firing real bullets at you is something that we cannot replicate. So we have something in-between, an opposition force, a 'thinking enemy' that gives you a fight, provides you with feedback and forces you to think about how to capture the objectives."

When he joined the SAF in 1991, there was no dedicated OPFOR unit, recounted COL Lee, and units took turns to play the OPFOR. He elaborated: "To make sure that we had consistency and for all evaluations to be credible, we set up an OPFOR company."

Established in 1995 under HQ ATEC, OPFOR later branched out to form two OPFOR companies - one housed under the Infantry Training Institute (ITI), for infantry, guards and commando units' evaluation, and the other in ATI for armour units' evaluation.

COL Lee said that with the OPFOR, who plays the role of the Red Forces (hostile forces in military lingo), there is now added neutrality and realism in any evaluation exercise. This is because units, who play the role of "friendly" Blue Forces, fight the same OPFOR each time, and the OPFOR simulates a real-life opponent.

"Whenever the evaluated units complain that the OPFOR is giving them a tough time, that's an indicator for me that the OPFOR is doing a good job," said COL Lee.

With two forces coming head to head, tensions may run high, especially when the two have their meals in the same canteen.

"When the units go for evaluation, they even take a picture of the Officer Commanding (OC) and say 'This is the company commander of the OPFOR. Shoot to kill'."

COL Lee regards this as healthy tension because with the OPFOR, there is now a common enemy to focus on and it becomes a means to rally the troops.

sumber: http://www.mindef.gov.sg/imindef/res...l#.UWv8U0r7A0e

==========================

kapan ya Indonesia punya?