The additional 86 million dollars, which comes on top of 4-5 percent budgeted for research and development, will go towards exploring weapons, tactics and capabilities the military will need in the event of a war.

Defence Minister Teo Chee Hean said in the Sunday Times that the move to beef up defence technology was necessary given the city-state's limited resources.

"If warfare today were still fought on the basis of swords and shields and bows and arrows, we would be in deep trouble because we don't have as many arms to carry swords and shields as other people," said Teo.

The defence ministry has 3,000 scientists, engineers and technology specialists involved mostly in research and development to invent solutions that will give the Singapore military an edge in battle, Teo said.

Singapore, a small but affluent city-state, has one of Asia's most modern naval, air and land forces.

In addition to the terrorist threat, Singapore considers itself vulnerable to regional instability and spends a vast amount on beefing up its defence and keeping its military and reservists fully trained.

WAR.WIRE