A manpower crunch is seeing the Singaporean navy turn its recruitment radar to non-traditional sources such as women and mid-career professionals, Singapore newspaper Today reports. 

The Republic of Singapore Navy has seen recruitment numbers exceed targets over the last few years but navy chief Rear-Admiral Lai Chung Han anticipates the candidate pool to shrink by 20-25% in a decade.

He was reported as saying women account for less than 7% of navy personnel but he wants to double that within 10 to 15 years.

To attract new candidates, the navy will target recruitment websites, as well as its traditional in-school recruitment practices. 

It will also create family-friendly practices such as sending personnel with family out on shorter deployments and developing ways for them to communicate better with family when out at sea.