On Monday, January 26, 2026, the Singapore-based company ST Engineering announced that its Land Systems division had signed a contract in December 2025 with their country’s Ministry of Defence for the production and delivery of next-generation Terrex s5 wheeled infantry fighting vehicles under the program codenamed Titan. This milestone underscores ST Engineering’s leading position in delivering advanced defense solutions that address evolving operational requirements.
Photos: MILMAG Archive
The Titan infantry fighting vehicles, with deliveries scheduled to begin in 2028, will be based on ST Engineering’s Terrex s5 platform, the latest vehicle in the industrial group’s family of 8×8 combat platforms.
ST Engineering will also work closely with the Republic of Singapore’s Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) and the Defence Science and Technology Agency (DSTA) to integrate additional capabilities into the infantry fighting vehicles.
„MINDEF’s selection of the Terrex s5 as its next generation IFV reaffirms our ability in designing and building advanced armoured mobility platforms. With our multi-domain expertise and engineering depth, we are confident that the new IFV will deliver outstanding mobility, advanced smart technologies and unmatched adaptability to support Singapore’s future fighting force,” said Lim Kok Ann, President of Land Systems business at ST Engineering.
„As we continue to innovate and address the evolving needs of the modern armed forces, the Terrex s5 will strengthen our portfolio of integrated defence offerings for nations seeking proven and robust solutions to expand their national defence capabilities,” he adds.
The Titan program was announced on March 3, 2025, by the then Minister of Defence, Ng Eng Hen. He outlined the key assumptions of the program, stating that it would involve wheeled platforms equipped with remotely operated weapon stations armed with a 30 mm automatic cannon capable of firing programmable ammunition, optimized for counter-unmanned aerial systems (C-UAS) missions.
The Singapore Army (Tentera Singapura) currently operates 435 Terrex AV-81 wheeled armored personnel carriers developed by the domestic company ST Engineering, armed with 12.7 mm heavy machine guns, as well as an estimated 140 Hunter tracked infantry fighting vehicles fitted with the Samson 30 Mk.II unmanned turret from Rafael Advanced Defense Systems. In addition, the force fields around 800 older tracked Bionix II vehicles in the Bionix 40/50 and Bionix 25 variants.
Terrex s5
The baseline variant of the Terrex s5 made its debut at the Singapore Airshow 2024, while an amphibious variant was presented during the recent international defense exhibition DIMDEX 2026 in Qatar. It has not been disclosed which variant has been selected by Singapore’s Ministry of Defence under the Titan program.
The Terrex s5 is 8.3 m long, 3.0 m wide, and 2.7 m high without a turret system. It has a payload capacity of 12 metric tons and is capable of carrying 12 soldiers. In the presented amphibious configuration, the vehicle is able to operate in sea state 3. Work on this variant began in March 2025 and was revealed a month later during the presentation in Kazakhstan of the Terrex–Barys A 8×8 amphibious armored personnel carrier prototype, a licensed version of the Terrex II. A total of 200 vehicles are being produced for this customer.
The amphibious kit for the Terrex s5 consists of two propellers, enabling water speeds of 8–10 km/h. In addition, the hull buoyancy system, propulsion control, and associated equipment required structural changes to the hull: the vehicle’s armor protection had to be reduced from NATO STANAG 4569 Level 6 ballistic protection to Level 4, and mine protection to Levels 4a and 4b. As a consequence, combat weight was reduced from 35–36 metric tons to 32 metric tons.
Thanks to its independent suspension, the vehicle is capable of operating in difficult terrain. The approach and departure angles are both 40 degrees, while the side slope capability is 60% and the maximum climb gradient is 30%. The Terrex s5 can negotiate vertical obstacles up to 0.7 m high and trenches up to 2 m wide. Its fording depth is 1.8 m. The vehicle has a range of 1,000 km and a maximum speed of 120 km/h. These performance parameters are provided by a 711 hp Caterpillar diesel engine mated to an automatic transmission with seven forward gears and two reverse gears, complemented by independent suspension and hydraulic power management. The maximum armament supported by the turret system is a 30 mm automatic cannon. The amphibious variant is fitted with the lightweight ADDER Light remotely operated weapon station, while the earlier variant was equipped with the ADDER 30mm system.
In addition, thanks to integrated lithium-ion batteries, the wheeled infantry fighting vehicle can operate solely on electric power, enabling covert movement to the area of operations over distances of up to 50 km. The additional power supply also extends system operating time without engaging the main engine (silent watch). The combined output of the internal combustion engine and the electric motor amounts to 1,200 hp. Furthermore, the onboard batteries and expanded power distribution network allow the Terrex s5 to be fitted with advanced battlefield management systems based on artificial intelligence protocols.
Situational awareness is provided by the commander’s and gunner’s observation devices as well as integrated camera systems. With the support of artificial intelligence, this allows the crew to monitor the area around the vehicle in virtually all directions. In addition, both the commander’s and driver’s stations are equipped with standard periscopes. The driver monitors the route using three displays arranged to provide a panoramic view, further enhanced by an Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) that supports vehicle operation. The driver also has access to an automated obstacle detection system, which displays a bird’s-eye view of the surrounding terrain.
Thanks to advanced digital communications systems, the Terrex s5 is intended to be capable of cooperating with unmanned ground platforms under a Manned/Unmanned Teaming (MUM-T) concept. Integration of a drive-by-wire control architecture and remote driving systems is also possible.
MINDEF has awarded a contract to acquire ST Engineering’s Terrex s5 as the next-generation TITAN Infantry Fighting Vehicle! The TITAN is designed with new digitalised systems and advanced vehicle electronics. More: https://t.co/J8g5SQmvNs pic.twitter.com/8LcJuKPJ8Y
— Ministry of Defence (@mindefsg) January 29, 2026
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