Editing SSPH Primus (section)

==Production history and development==
The idea for a self-propelled howitzer within the SAF was developed in the early 1990s, with the aim of providing better fire support to the armour brigades in the Combined Arms Divisions. This new weapon system would require the ability to keep pace with the high tempo of armoured operations, while providing the range, firepower and accuracy that the artillery is renowned for. The 155&nbsp;mm self-propelled howitzer was seen as the obvious choice.

The decision to develop the Primus was made after a market survey in 1995 and 1996 of some of the world's best self-propelled guns from the United States ([[M109 Paladin]]), United Kingdom ([[AS-90|AS90 Braveheart]]), Japan ([[Type 75 155&nbsp;mm Self-propelled howitzer|Type 75]]) and Russia ([[2S3|2S3M1]]) found them either too heavy or too wide for local terrain.

Leveraging its experience with designing, developing and producing various towed artillery systems (the [[FH-88]] and [[FH-2000]]) for the SAF, ST Kinetics, together with DSTA began the development of the Primus in earnest in 1996.

By April 2000, the first working prototype was rolled out, using a vehicle chassis adapted from a [[United Defense]] armoured chassis (the ''Universal Combat Vehicle Platform''; UCVP) which includes components from the US [[M109 Paladin]] howitzer, [[M2 Bradley]] IFV & [[M8-AGS]]. The next 2 years saw the system undergoing a series of comprehensive tests to ensure that the Primus was able to withstand the rigors required of it. As land in Singapore is scarce, firing tests were first done at the [[Waiouru Army Camp]] live-firing range in New Zealand as part of Exercise Thunder Warrior in February 2004.<ref>{{cite web |last=Boey |first=David |date=12 February 2004 |title=DSTA shares experiences and challenges of developing the Primus |url=http://www.dsta.gov.sg/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3220&Itemid=401 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090211203908/http://www.dsta.gov.sg/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3220&Itemid=401 |archive-date=11 February 2009 |access-date=29 September 2008 |publisher=The Straits Times (reproduced by DSTA)}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=23 April 2007 |title=New Zealand Defence Force update: The Singapore connection |url=http://www.nzdf.mil.nz/downloads/pdf/defence-update-newsletter/defenceupdatemar04.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181006070509/http://www.nzdf.mil.nz/downloads/pdf/defence-update-newsletter/defenceupdatemar04.pdf |archive-date=6 October 2018 |access-date=29 September 2008 |publisher=New Zealand Defence Force: Defence Update Newsletter}}</ref> The guns have also participated in Exercise Wallaby at the [[Shoalwater Bay|Shoalwater Bay Training Area]] in [[Queensland]], Australia.<ref>{{cite web |date=29 November 2006 |title=Singaporean and Australian Defence Ministers visit Exercise Wallaby 06 |url=https://www.nas.gov.sg/archivesonline/data/pdfdoc/MINDEF_20061129001.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240119141127/https://www.nas.gov.sg/archivesonline/data/pdfdoc/MINDEF_20061129001.pdf |archive-date=19 January 2024 |access-date=29 September 2008 |website=Ministry of Defense of Singapore}}</ref>

In September 2002, the Primus was officially certified to have met the SAF's criteria, and was formally adopted in the SAF. Since then, this Artillery platform is utilised by the 21st Battalion Singapore Artillery as their primary weapon system for training and operation purposes.