Precision Drill Squad (PDS) is a form of exhibition drill practised in Singapore which involves the execution of rifle drills in complex series of movements with great co-ordination and precision. The natures of these drills exhibit a plethora of diversity; they may be sharp and quick, graceful and flowing, or include a wide variety of tossing and spinning techniques. During performances, performers move in unison through choreographed patterns with the rifles moving under their control, always synchronised with the rhythm of the music. Drills are executed without command and the only sound that is heard is the snap and pop of the rifles on every step, in perfect synchronisation and with precision.
PDS is mainly performed and executed by the Singapore Armed Forces Military Police Command and a few privileged National Cadet Corps units, National Police Cadet Corps units and National Civil Defence Cadet Corps units in Singapore, usually at school events, inter-unit competitions or open houses.
Origin PDS is derived from rifle exhibition drill, which originated from United States' various drill teams such as the Marine Corps Silent Drill Platoon and have since spread to many other countries such as Norway, Australia, Slovenia and Taiwan. PDS is identical to the Silent Precision Drill Squad (SPDS) of the SAFMPC.
Introduced in 1984, SPDS is performed in the Changing of Guard Ceremony at the gates of the Istana on the first Sunday of every month and in major events like Singapore National Day Parades and Chingay Processions, and was adopted in its present form by the National Cadet Corps, where it is performed by NCC school units which have adopted PDS in their training syllabus by 1999, with an initial participation of only about 20 school units. Due to its rarity and difficulty, the element of PDS in NCC units and NPCC units is considered a great privilege. The first time the PDS appeared in public was in the 1994 National Day Parade.
Equipment
Rifles
PDS is most commonly executed with either the 4 kg (8.8 lbs) Lee–Enfield Mk IV rifle, or the many variations of the Mk IV fiberglass or wooden replica rifles, which are 105.5 cm long, 3.2 cm thick at the muzzle, and weigh from 1.6 kg to 5.0 kg. Variations include the Performance rifle or the heavier Competition rifle. The dummy rifles are black by default, but come in various colours and designs to match the nature of the performance. Some versions include metal bases, tips or other additions to enhance the 'feel' of the performance. M-16 rifles are also sometimes used, and on occasion, with bayonets fixed.
Attire
The official attire for PDS stipulated by HQ NCC is the Smart No. 4 or Half No. 4 uniform for all cadets, although air or sea units are permitted to wear their respective No. 3 uniforms without badges. Since male cadets in Land units only receive their No.3 uniform upon graduation from the Cadet Officer Course, No. 3 uniforms are sometimes borrowed for the sake of performances. In this case, the No. 3 uniform is worn with white stable belts, white polyester laces and combat boots with trousers tucked into garters, in imitation of the Military Police No. 3 Uniform. Modified versions of the attire can be worn to increase the aesthetic appeal of the performance, notable examples being Half No. 4 with Jockey Cap, Half No. 3, No. 3 with Brassards labelled "PDS", "Precision Drill" or with ranks embroidered, also in imitation of the SAF Military Police No. 3 Uniform. White gloves can also be worn for performances.
Participating schools These are the NCC units that are known to practise Precision Drill: School District Achievement Admiralty Secondary School Central Ahmad Ibrahim Secondary School Central Anglican High School East National 4th (2010), National 3rd (2013), National 11th (2012, 2014), National 13th (2016), National 2nd (2024) Anglo-Chinese School (Barker Road) Sea Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) West Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) Sea National 13th (2011), National 5th (2012), National 8th (2013), National 14th (2014), National Last (2015) Ang Mo Kio Secondary School Air National 6th (2010), National 3rd (2011), National 17th (2012), National 9th (2013), National 6th (2010, 2014) Anderson Secondary School Central Bartley Secondary School Air Bartley Secondary School East Beatty Secondary School Central National 12th (2013), National 13th (2012, 2014), National Champions (2019) Bedok Green Secondary School East National 5th (2014) Bedok South Secondary School East Bedok View Secondary School East National 8th (2012), National 10th (2023), National 2nd (2025) Bendemeer Secondary School East Bukit Merah Secondary School West Bukit Panjang Government High School West National 10th (2012), National 4th (2013), National 3rd (2014), National 5th (2015, 2016) Catholic High School Air National 16th (2014), National 12th (2015), National 2nd (2013, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2023)Catholic High SchoolCentral Chong Boon Secondary School Central Chung Cheng High School (Main) East Chung Cheng High School (Yishun) Air Christ Church Secondary School Central National 17th (2014) Christ Church Secondary School Girls Girls 4th (2019) Clementi Town Secondary School West National Last (2013) Crescent Girls' School West Girls 3rd (2015, 2016, 2017), Girls 2nd (2014, 2018, 2019), Girls Champions (2022, 2023) Deyi Secondary School Central National 12th (2011), National 9th (2012), National Champions (2017), National 3rd (2018) Dunman Secondary School Air East Spring Secondary School East Fairfield Methodist School (Secondary) West National 14th (2011), National 4th (2012), National 10th (2013), National 7th (2015), National 9th (2016), National 2nd (2014, 2022), National Champions (2026) Fajar Secondary School West Fuhua Secondary School West National 7th (2023), National Champions (2024, 2025), National 2nd (2026) Gan Eng Seng School West Greendale Secondary School Air Guangyang Secondary School Central Hillgrove Secondary School Air National 3rd (2024) Holy Innocents High School Central Hougang Secondary School Central Hwa Chong Institution West National Champions (2010, 2013, 2014, 2015), National 6th (2016), National 2nd (2011, 2012, 2017) Junyuan Secondary School East National 6th (2013) Jurong Secondary School West Jurong West Secondary School West Kranji Secondary School West National 3rd (2025), National 4th (2026) Manjusri Secondary School East Mayflower Secondary School Central National 21st (2012) Montfort Secondary School Central National 13th (2015) Nan Hua High School West National 7th (2012), National 8th (2014, 2015, 2016) Naval Base Secondary School Central Nan Chiau High School Central National 3rd (2022, 2026), National Champions (2023), National 4th (2025) New Town Secondary School West National 19th (2012) Ngee Ann Secondary School East National 18th (2023) Northbrooks Secondary School Central National 18th (2012) North Vista Secondary School Central Pasir Ris Crest Secondary School East National 5th (2010, 2013), National 6th (2015), National 7th (2016) Pasir Ris Crest Secondary School (Girls) East National 12th (2012), Girls Champions (2014, 2015, 2016, 2019), Girls 3rd (2018, 2022), Girls 2nd (2017, 2023) Pei Hwa Secondary School Central National 9th (2023) Peirce Secondary School Central National 20th (2012), National 7th (2014), National 8th (2016) Punggol Secondary School Central Queenstown Secondary School West Raffles Girls' School Central Girls Champions (2017, 2018), Girls 3rd (2014, 2019), Girls 2nd (2015, 2016, 2022) Regent Secondary School (defunct) West National 19th (2014) River Valley High School West National 3rd (2023) Sembawang Secondary School Sea Sengkang Secondary School Central National 4th (2019) Serangoon Garden Secondary School Central Springfield Secondary School East National 14th (2012), National 3rd (2015), National 12th (2014, 2016) St. Joseph's Institution Air St. Joseph's Institution Central National 2nd (2010), National 4th (2011), National 15th (2012) Tanjong Katong Secondary School East National 5th (2011), National 3rd (2012), National 12th (2014), National 10th (2015), National 11th (2023) Tanjong Katong Secondary School Sea National Last (2012), National 15th (2014), National 2nd (2015), National 10th (2016) Temasek Secondary School East National 6th (2012) Unity Secondary School Air National 11th (2015) Victoria School East National 16th (2012) West Spring Secondary School West Woodgrove Secondary School Central National 15th (2011) Woodlands Secondary School Central Woodlands Ring Secondary School Central National 3rd (2017, 2019), National Champions (2016, 2018, 2022) Xinmin Secondary School Central Yishun Secondary School Central National 4th (2014, 2015), National 3rd (2016) Yishun Town Secondary School (defunct) Central National Champions (2011, 2012), National 9th (2014, 2015), National 4th (2016) Yuying Secondary School Central
Centre of Excellence The NCC PDS Centre of Excellence was set up to allow NCC units that wish to introduce Precision Drill as part of their training curriculum but do not have the necessary expertise may send their specialists and cadet officers for training at the centre. As a Centre of Excellence, the unit's Centre of Excellence Council is given the autonomous right to train key stakeholders of NCC units of other schools and issue them Basic PDS badges and patches on their course completion, the first unit awarded the title being Hwa Chong Institution in 2007.
List of Training Centers
To qualify as PDS training centre, the NCC school unit must, on a regular and yearly basis, conduct PDS training for different NCC units in their respective District.
Catholic High School
Hwa Chong Institution
Fairfield Methodist School (Secondary)
Anglican High School
Deyi Secondary School
NCC PDS Committee The NCC PDS Committee was formed on 25 May 2012 by a group of PDS Auxiliary Instructors, intended to improve and maintain the standard and prestige of PDS in the National Cadet Corps. The PDS Committee assists HQ NCC in running the Basic PDS Certification and any other PDS-related HQ Courses.
Training courses
Basic Course and Certification Cadets from NCC PDS units have the opportunity to attend the Basic PDS course, held at the NCC campus at Amoy Quee Camp or the five NCC PDS Training Centres quad-annually. During the 3-day course cadets are instructed in the execution of basic PDS drills, more commonly referred to as the basic 21 and the conduct of PDS Rifle Physical Training (PT). Cadets are tested based on two categories, Drill Execution and Presentation. Upon passing of the test, cadets will attain the Basic PDS badge, Basic PDS patch and a certificate. Units that include Basic PDS in their training syllabus may skip the course entirely and send their cadets for Basic PDS certification directly.
Auxiliary Instructor Course Upon passing of a stringent selection test, outstanding cadets will have the privilege of attending the PDS Auxiliary Instructor Course. Cadets may enroll in the Enhanced PDS Auxiliary Instructor Course, held in HQ NCC (Amoy Quee Camp) and conducted by SPDS instructors from the SAF Military Police Command SPDS unit. The 5-day course will cover 7 advanced arm drills and train participants on the conduct of PDS as an instructor and cadets will be tested based on MOI (Method-of-Instruction), which is how the cadets teach the drills, and execution of the 7 Drills. Upon graduation from the course, these cadets are qualified to conduct PDS trainings in their respective school units, as well as attaining the PDS AI badge, the PDS AI patch and a certificate.
Inter-unit competition