Singapore’s ST Engineering showcased its innovation and forward-thinking at MSPO 2026 in Kielce, Poland, from 8 to 11 September 2026 with its Terrex S5 HED (Hybrid Electric Drive) combat vehicle.
What differentiates the S5 8 X 8 from other advanced combat vehicles is its emphasis on providing the onboard electrical power needed to support the growing number of power-hungry systems demanded on battlefield platforms. In the Terrex S5 HED, ST Engineering recognises that on-board power joins mobility, protection and firepower as defining features in future combat vehicles.
Cheng Ze Wei, ST Engineering’s Director of Wheeled Platform Business, Land Systems, said the Terrex S5 HED specifically addresses the need to “power drones, lasers, comms and radars on the vehicle”, as well as enhance survivability. Together, these require power levels beyond what is practical with conventional propulsion. The Terrex s5 HED generates up to 400 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electrical power, enough to meet current requirements and reserve capacity for future demands as other technologies are identified and integrated.
The HED system provides 1,200 hp of traction output, comprising an internal combustion engine, electric motors driving each axle, and regenerative braking. Lithium-ion batteries store power, allowing not only operation of vehicle systems with the combustion engine off but also silent movement for up to fifty kilometres. An added benefit of the hybrid is that the power pack takes up 15% less space than conventional packs, allowing more internal space in the vehicle. The Terrex S5 HED has a combat weight of thirty-five tons, a payload capacity of thirteen tons, and a crew of two, with up to ten equipped soldiers in the rear compartment. The crew sits side-by-side up front and can use AI-assisted vehicle and armament control, surveillance, and unified manned-unmanned teaming. This includes AI voice-activated control prompts, automatic target/threat detection, and navigation assistance. Either station can operate any vehicle function.
Its extensive digital suite supports 360-degree situational awareness, automatic target detection and tracking, drive-by-wire controls, thermal/multi-sensor imaging, driver-status monitoring, lane-departure warning, and blind-spot warning. Its drive-by-wire capability enables autonomous operation. ST Engineering has also incorporated an architecture that would allow it to manage independent unmanned air or ground platforms. This builds on a previous tactical concept the company presented, in which the vehicle serves as a command-and-control centre with AI-enhanced functions for multiple drone operations. In fact, the vehicle at MSPO features a tethered unmanned aerial system in a roof-mounted box on the rear deck.
The Terrex s5 builds on the legacy of the Terrex 8 X 8 introduced in 2009 and fielded by Singapore’s forces. It has continued to evolve, incorporating state-of-the-art technologies, often pioneering new capabilities and features. Singapore first displayed the Terrex S5 (Smartness, Superiority, Sustainability, Survivability and Serviceability) at the 2024 Singapore Airshow. It incorporates digitalised systems, advanced vehicle electronics, networked data-sharing Command and Control (C2), a Generic Vehicle Architecture, panoramic crew situational awareness, waypoint navigation, obstacle detection, and the ability to control unmanned aerial and ground vehicles. Passive protection is offered at STANAG Level 4, with its mobility assured through its independent double-wishbone hydropneumatics suspension.
The Terrex s5 shown at MSPO was fitted with ST Engineering’s Adder Remote Weapon Station 30. It uses a stabilised 30×173 mm cannon and a coaxial 7.62 mm machine gun with -20 to + 60-degree elevation. The controls include automatic surveillance, target detection, tracking, and classification. It can integrate anti-tank guided missiles and counter-UAS sensors. The company, however, indicates that the Terrex modular design can not only accept other weapon stations but can also be configured for a range of mission configurations.
In December 2025, Singapore’s Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) ordered the Terrex s5 as the SAF’s next-generation TITAN Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV), with delivery beginning in 2028.
The Terrex s5 HED addresses the battlefield need to incorporate a range of on-board capabilities such as counter-drone, active protection, electronic warfare, self-reconnaissance, data exchange, and networking all simultaneously. On-board electrical power is now a paramount demand in combat vehicle design, and ST Engineering has offered a solution.
by Stephen W. Miller
