Republic of Singapore Air Force Discussions

ngatimozart

Super Moderator
Staff member
Verified Defense Pro
It is possible that there are options granted for further H225M aircraft; and given the need to replace 2 Super Puma squadrons, any total number of between 28 to 32, seems about right — if the plan for 125 Squadron (“Swift In Support”) is to remain land bound. According to the Scramble database, the RSAF still has 17 AS332M1s and 13 AS532ULs operational.

I am actually hoping they don’t exercise an option for 14 (as H225M does not have a folding tail for storage on the JMMS). I am of the view, Singapore needs more than 8 Seahawks and 16 H225Ms, and the question, for me is what is the right mix of helicopters to be deployed in the future JMMS.
The MH-60S can be a platform for the moving troops ashore, but it is limited in the number of fully equipped troops it can lift, compared to say the NH90 or the AW101, both of which have marinised variants. I would of thought that the French would have a marinised variant of the H225.
 
Last edited by a moderator:

OPSSG

Super Moderator
Staff member
The NH90 or the AW101 are beyond the SAF’s budget for troop lift helicopters that can occasionally land on our navy ships. Singapore has also used the Seahawk in the maritime security role, with the helicopter being embarked on a frigate for anti-piracy patrols in the Gulf of Aden as part of CTF 151.
...the French would have a marinised variant of the H225.
With French contracts, it’s in the fine print.... in that the 11 ton, five bladed H225M acquired has emergency flotation gear installed, can resist corrosion but lacks other marinised features like resistance to electromagnetic interference (through shielding up to USN standards), automatic blade folding to enable these helicopters to operate with ease on Singapore frigates. Like the CH-47Fs to be acquired, blade and tail folding is manual.

Every time a Super Puma lands on a Formidable class, certain radar modes have to be turned off (as the shielding is found to be inadequate). The main rotor blades are also manually folded and the JMMS design has to cater to these trade-offs. For deck landing, securing at high sea states,13 of the AS532ULs variant is fitted with ASIST.
 
Last edited:

OPSSG

Super Moderator
Staff member
Years of bilateral military cooperation between the air forces have enabled seamless delivery of some of the needed medial supplies to hospitals in need. Both Indian and Singapore military transport aircraft have demonstrated the capability to support Indian hospitals by flying the needed medical grade equipment (from an air base in Singapore into needed locations in India), in a rapid and timely manner.

Earlier, on 24 Apr 2021, 4 cryogenic tanks used to fill much-needed liquid medical oxygen was sent to India from Singapore by Indian C-17s.

On 28 Apr 2021, at Paya Lebar Air Base the Indian High Commissioner P Kumaran saw off two C-130Hs from carrying a consignment of 256 oxygen cylinders from the Singapore Government, to support India’s #COVID19 effort. The only way for the international community to overcome this challenge is to do it together. “As a close friend of India, Singapore will continue to support India’s efforts to overcome the pandemic”, said Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Meanwhile, the Singaporean Red Cross also launched a public appeal for the fund to deliver assistance and support to communities in India. These funds will be used to buy medical equipment and supplies including ventilators, oxygen cylinders and oxygen concentrators. The Singapore Red Cross has also bought and will deliver five ventilators to community hospitals in New Delhi through the Indian Red Cross Society.

Reflective of excellent people-to-people relations, two leading trade organisations in Singapore have launched a new relief fund to support India's battle against the COVID-19 pandemic. The initiative, jointly undertaken by the Singaporean Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SICCI) and the Little India Shopkeepers Association (LISHA) was launched on 26 Apr 2021 with the aim to provide monetarily support for India's battle against pandemic.
 
Last edited:

OPSSG

Super Moderator
Staff member
US to host 3 Singaporean fighter detachments by 2029

1. Two airbases in the US have been shortlisted to host the Republic of Singapore Air Force's (RSAF) F-35B and its F-16 training detachment (currently located at Luke Air Base, said MINDEF in a statement on 4 May 2021.

2. RSAF’s preferred location is the Ebbing Air National Guard Base at Fort Smith in Arkansas, although Selfridge Air National Guard Base at Harrison Township in Michigan is also an alternate should an environmental impact assessment find the Ebbing base unsuitable.
(a) The competition for the mission comes with an estimated US$800 million – US$1 billion economic impact on the region, according to the Fort Smith Regional Chamber of Commerce.​
(b) Staff members for U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton and U.S. Rep. Steve Womack said the delegation had petitioned the Federal Aviation Administration to increase military airspace over the River Valley at Ebbing to make the training site even more attractive.​

3. If things go as planned, the move of the 12 F-16C/Ds will be decided by 2023; and the US has agreed to host up to 36 RSAF fighters (1st 4 F-35Bs of 12 to be delivered in 2026) at Ebbing Air National Guard Base.
(a) Governor William Asa Hutchinson II, U.S. Senator John Boozman U.S. Senator Tom Cotton, and U.S. Rep. Steve Womack applauded the USAF announcement that Ebbing Air National Guard Base in Fort Smith was selected as the home of future F-35s and a Singaporean F-16 squadron.​
(b) Governor Hutchinson noted the progress toward building expansive fifth-generation airspace over Ebbing and an aerial range 4 miles from the base. In his meeting with the Singaporean delegation and the U.S. Department of Defense, Governor Hutchinson said it was clear they understood "the River Valley would wholeheartedly welcome the fighter-jet training."​
(c) Razorback Range, located on Fort Chaffee Joint Maneuver Training Center, is a 1,000-acre full-service air-to-ground range certified for laser-guided bombs, training munitions, precision-guided munitions, and strafe. It offers airspace from the surface to 30,000 feet with fully scoreable targets. Additionally, Arkansas’ current military operations area airspace combined with proposed expansions will provide nearly 250 miles of continuous air-to-air training space for fighter pilots to train.​

4. The RSAF also operates at other U.S. Air Force bases. The 428th Fighter Squadron flies F-15SGs out of Mountain Home, Idaho; and the RSAF also operates AH-64Ds from Silverbell Army Heliport (about 86 miles south of Phoenix) in Marana, Arizona.

5. By 2029, American air bases will host 3 Singaporean fighter detachments — namely, in Mountain Home (428th Fighter Squadron — 10 to 12 F-15SGs), in Ebbing (425th Fighter Squadron — up to 36 F-35Bs & F-16s) and in Guam (unknown number). The RSAF detachment to be established in Guam by 2029 will be a mixed squadron of different aircraft types (initially F-15SGs and F-16Vs) and associated personnel, and include the construction of hangars, aprons, and support facilities for the detachment footprint. This means that by 2030, Singapore’s fighter detachments abroad, in America (over 48 advanced fighters in 3 locations) and in France (12 M-346s) have more fighters than the total number of fighter aircraft in Malaysia and Philippines combined.
 
Last edited:

Sandhi Yudha

Well-Known Member

OPSSG

Super Moderator
Staff member
On 10 July 2021, two C-130Hs of the Republic of Singapore Air Force transported assistance packages from the Singapore Government to Indonesia.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Vivian Balakrishnan handed over Singapore’s assistance to Indonesia to Ambassador of the Republic of Indonesia to Singapore Suryo Pratomo at Paya Lebar Air Base. The assistance packages included contributions from MINDEF and the SAF that will be given to the Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Indonesia and the Indonesian National Armed Forces. The Republic of Singapore Navy will transport a second batch of supplies subsequently via an Endurance Class vessel.

Singapore and Indonesia share close and long-standing bilateral defence ties, and my country tries to support Indonesia in its fight against #COVID19.
 

Ananda

The Bunker Group

Asside the ventilators, and Oxygen Cylinder that Singapore send, the Government also doing commercial procurement for Oxygen Concentrators. This will be needed for those infected patients that are need only low-medium treatment, that doesn't need ventiloators or more hospital grade Oxygen facilities.

This will release some pressures from Hospitals, as those type of infected patients can be send to temporary facilities that being prepared in Sports Stadium, Government Hall, and even some goverment subsidise apartment (that has not been sold yet).

Frm what I heard from those in Government institutions. The increase so far mostly in Java and Bali. However it's already create distribution difficulties toward some rural area or secondary cities. What they afraid of if the run away hike happen on outer islands. Some region in Sumatra already shoem that.

That's why the Ministries of Industries asside increasing local oxygen industrial capacities, also talking to their peer in Singapore and some other East Asian nations to book more Industrial Oxygen supply if needed. Seems comsidering the trend, some will be needed. That's what the talk with Singapore more about, getting Industrial capacity back up.
 

OPSSG

Super Moderator
Staff member
Singapore’s A330 MRTT is likely to be used to fly the Qatar to Germany leg of the evacuation mission. An agreement with the German government allows Afghans to stay on a German base for only 10 days after their arrival.

A total of 77 SAF personnel, comprising pilots, aircrew, engineers and Singapore Army security personnel, flew off on A330MRTT 762 to Al Udeid Air Base, in Qatar for this humanitarian mission. The MRTT, which can carry up to 266 passengers or 37,000kg of cargo, or conduct medical evacuation.

Singapore’s MRTT can be configured to care for 3 ICU-level patients, or for 12 other patients requiring light to moderate care. The 3 ICU stations come with their own power supply and are elevated to the hip level for easy patient accessibility. This is a significant upgrade on the medical facilities in the KC-135, which strapped patients to the floor and required crew to haul in an 80kg battery pack to power the medical equipment. Major (Dr) Magdalene Lee, head medical plans and training branch at the Air Force Medical Services, said the MRTT’s aeromedical evacuation capability allows the Singapore Armed Forces to project its medical forces around the world.

I suspect, the number deployed includes a ground security screening element, along with a medical team (Covid-19 testing & basic trauma-care for security troopers), translators, an air planning cell to manage the flight plans and manifest plus an extra set of aircrew, to speed turnaround for the next flight. Providing some basic preflight screening (along with some basic medical/nursing care) would be a good chance for the SAF to evaluate if any Afghan passenger, have ulterior motives or is a member of a ISK sleeper cell.
 
Last edited:

OPSSG

Super Moderator
Staff member
The SAF team deployed shortly after PM Lee’s offer during Vice President Kamala Harris visit to the Istana on 23 Aug 2021.
Singapore’s A330 MRTT moves the first batch of evacuees from Qatar to Germany. The MRTT can carry up to 266 passengers or 37,000kg of cargo, or conduct medical evacuation. This is deployment to Qatar is the second operational mission for the A330 MRTT, as it was previously used to evacuate Private Joshua Quek Shou Jie, a commando trainee, who was injured in Taiwan during an unilateral parachute exercise in Jan 2020.

A 1st batch of batch of 149 evacuees from Afghanistan were flown from Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar to Germany.
 
Last edited:

OPSSG

Super Moderator
Staff member
Exercises Forging Sabre and Wallaby 2021 are being run concurrently in Mountain Home Air Force Base, Elmore County, Idaho, USA and in Shoalwater Bay, Queensland, Australia, respectively.

600 airmen and 200 soldiers took part in this exercise held at Mountain Home Air Force Base. The exercise area is 20 times the size of Singapore. 1SG Zames Koo, was thrilled to have the chance to operate the V15 mUAV as “provided our operators with the opportunity to test the capabilities of the V15 mUAV due to the vast training space & serves … to increase the effective range of the scout team tremendously...”

In a few years, Forging Sabre could also be held at Ebbing Air National Guard Base in Fort Smith, Arkansas.

Plane spotters at Rockhampton airport in Queensland rock! If past years is any indication, there will be a lot more pictures of Exercise Wallaby throughout Sep 2021.
 

Attachments

Last edited:

Meriv

New Member
Can I ask what's the rationale behind keeping the M-346 in France?

Wouldn't it be better to keep it with the rest of the fighters in the other bases abroad or near ones (like Guam?)

And is there any specific reason for no bases on Australian soil (since from an European POV it is something Australia doesn't lack and that we do,space, specially for military training)?
 

swerve

Super Moderator
Can I ask what's the rationale behind keeping the M-346 in France?

Wouldn't it be better to keep it with the rest of the fighters in the other bases abroad or near ones (like Guam?)
The M-346 isn't a fighter. It's an advanced trainer which can be armed. Singapore uses it solely for training, & it's based in France because for over 20 years Singapore has a deal with France to use Cazaux, the French advanced pilot training centre (also used by Belgium, last I heard). It's a big airbase in a sparsely populated area, has good facilities & infrastructure for training, & I think the Singaporeans have opportunities to take part in exercises with other air forces there.

M-346

"the airspace is 32 times Singapore's size!" - according to the RSAF.
Log into Facebook
 

swerve

Super Moderator
I think it's effectively a rolling one, with periodic reviews, changes to details when required or desired (e.g. replacemnt of A-4 by M-346) & provision for termination after notice, but I don't actually know.

It's been running since 1998.
 

greenbed

New Member
RSAF definitely needs more than 16 chinooks, given their taskings, a fleet size of 32 chinooks is more appropriate.

The seahawks will be due for replacement within the next decade. With this H225M buy, RSAF/RSN should use this opportunity to consolidate the super puma and seahawk missions around a single airframe. A 16/14 transport/naval split seems good. Most of high risk technical development to make the H225M capable of performing Seahawk’s missions have been done - naval combat variant, or can be leveraged from other developments- NH90 NFH for CMS. The next development step would be automatic foldable tails and rotors.

An upgrade programme for the fokker MPA is also a chance to choose the next ASW CMS for the H225M naval version while providing some form of development de-risk and commonality for training operators. Since the requirements would be the more or less the same.

It’s not the most sexy airframe around, but consolidating around a known and common airframe also provides for better pilot availability and maintenance support. This will be an important factor when paired with the JMMS. It allows RSAF/RSN to fully maximise the platform.

On the C-2, I think it’s actually a better fit for Singapore than expected. It might sound weird but i think Singapore is able to support the C-2 better. It uses the CF6 engine which Singapore has support and excellent maintenance experience to draw from. I suspect that PW4000 can be used too, which would be even better as the local aerospace industry does MRO for it. There won’t be a learning curve for engine maintenance. It also seems to have better availability rates compared to the a400m in service. For parts availability, the Japanese fly their planes for long time. They only just retired their f-4s which entered around the same time when RSAF took in the hawker hunters. I think that’s testament to their ability to support the airframes and parts availability.

The C-2 also has a shorter takeoff and landing distance compared to the a400m and longer range, which is better suited for air power generation in Singapore’s context. The only thing it misses out on is helicopter refuelling. But given its lighter weight and flaps, the C-2 should be able to fly in the same flight envelope as the a400m for helicopter refueling. That development project is a good opportunity for the local industry to stretch it’s capability.
 
Last edited:
Top