The 120 Squadron "Kestrel" (also known as the "Red Hawks") is a helicopter squadron of the
Republic of Singapore Air Force
The Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) is the aerial service branch of the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) responsible for controlling and defending the airspace of the country, and providing air support to the Army and Navy. It was establish ...
based at
Sembawang Air Base
The Sembawang Air Base is a military airbase of the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) located at Sembawang, in the northern part of Singapore. The base motto is ''Swift and Resolute''.
History RAF Sembawang
Before Singapore's independence ...
. First formed in 1969, it is the first and oldest RSAF operational squadron in service.
The squadron goes by the motto of "''Strive To Achieve''". Since 2006, it operates the
AH-64D Apache Longbow
The Boeing AH-64 Apache () is an American twin-turboshaft attack helicopter with a tailwheel-type landing gear arrangement and a tandem cockpit for a crew of two. It features a nose-mounted sensor suite for target acquisition and night vis ...
attack helicopter and has participated in Singapore's
National Day Parade
The National Day Parade (NDP) is an annual parade held in Singapore to commemorate its independence. Held annually on 9 August, it is the main public celebration of National Day, consists of a parade incorporating contingents of the Singapo ...
together with
127 Squadron CH-47SD Chinook for the traditional National Flag Fly Pass.
Roles and Missions
The
AH-64D Apache Longbow
The Boeing AH-64 Apache () is an American twin-turboshaft attack helicopter with a tailwheel-type landing gear arrangement and a tandem cockpit for a crew of two. It features a nose-mounted sensor suite for target acquisition and night vis ...
s of the squadron, armed with its varied payload of
AGM-114 Hellfire
The AGM-114 Hellfire is an air-to-ground missile (AGM) first developed for anti-armor use, later developed for precision drone strikes against other target types, especially high-value targets. It was originally developed under the name '' Heli ...
missiles,
Hydra 70
The Hydra 70 rocket is a diameter fin-stabilized unguided rocket used primarily in the air-to-ground role. It can be equipped with a variety of warheads, and in more recent versions, guidance systems for point attacks. The Hydra is widely used by ...
rockets and a single
30 mm
30 mm caliber is a specific size of popular autocannon ammunition. Such ammunition includes NATO standard 30×113mmB and 30×173mm (STANAG 4624), Soviet 30×155mmB, 30×165mm, and 30×210mmB, Yugoslav 30×192mm, Anglo-Swiss 30×170mm, and ...
M230 Chain Gun
The M230 Cannon is a 30 mm (30×113 mm), single-barrel electrically-driven autocannon, using external electrical power (as opposed to recoil or expanding gas generated by the firing cartridge) to cycle the weapon between shots. It was desi ...
, can be called upon in support of the
SAF SAF, S.A.F or saf might refer to:
Companies
* SAF Tehnika, a producer of digital microwave data transmission equipment
* Strip Art Features, a comic book publishing house
* Svenska Automobilfabriken, a Swedish auto manufacturer
Computing
* Ser ...
in any operations that requires it. Provisions has also been made to integrate the helicopters into the SAF's Integrated Knowledge-based Command and Control network, a concept similar to the United States Department of Defense's
network-centric warfare
Network-centric warfare, also called network-centric operations or net-centric warfare, is a military doctrine or theory of war that aims to translate an information advantage, enabled partly by information technology, into a competitive advantag ...
doctrine. This locally developed Combat Management System integrates all the sensors and weapon systems on board, increases battlespace awareness and allows little time for the enemy to react due to the short sensor-to-shooter loops as it effectively shares information between its army and navy counterparts.
Unit history
When the British decided in 1967 to
withdraw their forces from the Far East, Singapore saw the need to build up its own armed forces. The Singapore Air Defence Command (SADC) was formed as part of the initial set-up. The Alouette Squadron, established in September 1969, thus lay the foundation for RSAF's helicopter force.
Alouette Squadron
The Alouette Squadron was initially based at the
Seletar Airfield, occupying the Lockheed (now ST Aerospace) hangar. In January 1971, the Squadron became the first SADC unit to be deployed overseas when four of her aircraft participated in the
Kuantan
Kuantan ( Jawi: ) is a city and the state capital of Pahang, Malaysia. It is located near the mouth of the Kuantan River. Kuantan is the 18th largest city in Malaysia based on 2010 population, and the largest city in the East Coast of Penin ...
flood relief operation in
Malaysia
Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federation, federal constitutional monarchy consists of States and federal territories of Malaysia, thirteen states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two r ...
. Shortly thereafter, the Alouette Squadron gained operational status becoming the first operational unit in the SADC. Relocated to
Changi Air Base
The Changi Air Base is an airfield military airbase of the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) located at Changi, in the eastern tip of Singapore. Sited at two locations to the east and west of Singapore Changi Airport, it co-shares runwa ...
shortly after
New Year's Day
New Year's Day is a festival observed in most of the world on 1 January, the first day of the year in the modern Gregorian calendar. 1 January is also New Year's Day on the Julian calendar, but this is not the same day as the Gregorian one. Wh ...
1972, the Squadron's main roles included search-and-rescue, air recce, internal security, rappelling, trooplift and logistics support.
New Designation
On 16 December 1973, the squadron's designation was changed to 120 Squadron (120 SQN). The squadron continued to operate the
Alouette III
Alouette or alouettes may refer to:
Music and literature
* "Alouette" (song), a French-language children's song
* Alouette, a character in ''The King of Braves GaoGaiGar''
Aerospace
* SNCASE Alouette, a utility helicopter developed in France i ...
s until 1977, when the aircraft were no longer able to meet the SAF's growing needs. In 1977, three
Bell 212
The Bell 212 (also known as the ''Twin Two-Twelve'') is a two-blade, medium helicopter that first flew in 1968. Originally manufactured by Bell Helicopter in Fort Worth, Texas, United States, production was moved to Mirabel, Quebec, Canada in ...
s and seventeen
UH-1H
The Bell UH-1 Iroquois military helicopter, first introduced in 1959, is the first production member of the prolific Huey family of helicopters, and was itself developed in over twenty variants, which are listed below.
XH-40 and YH-40
The firs ...
s were acquired, and the helicopters joined the squadron in February and August respectively.
120 SQN initiated the RSAF's first permanent overseas detachment in September 1978, when three UH-1Hs were deployed to Brunei for the first time. Their role was primarily to support the SAF's jungle training conducted there.
Tasked with the duty of airborne
Search and rescue
Search and rescue (SAR) is the search for and provision of aid to people who are in distress or imminent danger. The general field of search and rescue includes many specialty sub-fields, typically determined by the type of terrain the search ...
around Singapore and parts of
South China Sea
The South China Sea is a marginal sea of the Western Pacific Ocean. It is bounded in the north by the shores of South China (hence the name), in the west by the Indochinese Peninsula, in the east by the islands of Taiwan and northwestern Phil ...
, the Bell 212s operated from 1977 to 1985 when
Super Puma
The Airbus Helicopters H215 (formerly Eurocopter AS332 Super Puma) is a four-bladed, twin-engine, medium-size utility helicopter developed and initially produced by the French aerospace company Aérospatiale. It has been subsequently manufactur ...
helicopters of the
125 Squadron took over the duty.
In 1983, the squadron relocated for the last time and settled down at
Sembawang Air Base
The Sembawang Air Base is a military airbase of the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) located at Sembawang, in the northern part of Singapore. The base motto is ''Swift and Resolute''.
History RAF Sembawang
Before Singapore's independence ...
as the helicopters had vacated Changi and settled in
Kangaw Camp
The Battle of Hill 170 was a battle between the British 3rd Commando Brigade and the Japanese 54th Division during the Second World War. The battle was fought in January 1945, as part of the Burma Campaign.
The 3rd Commando Brigade were giv ...
. Kangaw was then used as an artillery base, although it was previously a British airfield –
RAF Sembawang
Semba is a traditional type of music and dance from Angola. Semba comes from the singular Massemba, meaning "a touch of the bellies" - one of the most recognizable and entertaining movements in semba.History of Semba , Kizombalove Academy
Chara ...
or better known as
HMS Simbang. When the Singapore Artillery shifted to Khatib Camp in 1983, Kangaw Camp was handed over to the RSAF and renamed as Sembawang Air Base (SBAB). Since then, SBAB became the focal point of helicopter operations and one of the five formations in the RSAF.
Notable Deployments
In the 1980s, three dramatic events thrust 120 SQN into the headlines. In October 1980, the squadron starred in a high-rise rescue drama at the unfinished Raffles Tower in Battery Road. A Bell 212 was sent to rescue a crane operator from the roof of the building after a fire on the 18th floor had trapped him.
Then, in January 1983, three people had to be winched to safety from the
Singapore Cable Car
The Singapore Cable Car is a gondola lift providing an aerial link from Mount Faber (Faber Peak Singapore) on the main island of Singapore to the resort island of Sentosa across the Keppel Harbour. Opened on 15 February 1974, it was the secon ...
by a Bell 212 after a drill-ship accidentally
ploughed into and severed the cables off the waters of World Trade Centre, Singapore.
The third occasion was the Hotel New World disaster in March 1986. After the hotel collapsed, 120 SQN deployed three UH-1Hs to the disaster site to provide round-the-clock casualty evacuation.
Other Recognitions
As recent as October 2002, 120 SQN deployed a detachment of four UH-1H to
East Timor
East Timor (), also known as Timor-Leste (), officially the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, is an island country in Southeast Asia. It comprises the eastern half of the island of Timor, the exclave of Oecusse on the island's north-weste ...
in support of the UN peace keeping mission there.
Also amongst its achievements, the 120 SQN won several
ASEAN
ASEAN ( , ), officially the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, is a political and economic union of 10 member states in Southeast Asia, which promotes intergovernmental cooperation and facilitates economic, political, security, militar ...
Helicopter championships; and has been winning the best tactical support SQN for the years 88/89, 91/92, 94/95, 95/96 and 99/00.
Aircraft operated
#8×
SA316B Alouette III (1968–1978, subsequently transferred to
Royal Malaysian Air Force
The Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF, ms, Tentera Udara Diraja Malaysia; TUDM; Jawi: ) was formed on 2 June 1958 as the Royal Federation of Malaya Air Force (; ). However, its roots can be traced back to the Malayan Auxiliary Air Force format ...
)
#3×
Bell 212
The Bell 212 (also known as the ''Twin Two-Twelve'') is a two-blade, medium helicopter that first flew in 1968. Originally manufactured by Bell Helicopter in Fort Worth, Texas, United States, production was moved to Mirabel, Quebec, Canada in ...
(1978–1985, subsequently sold to
Sri Lanka Air Force
The Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) ( si, ශ්රි ලංකා ගුවන් හමුදාව, Śrī Laṃkā guwan hamudāva; ta, இலங்கை விமானப்படை, Ilaṅkai vimāṉappaṭai) is the air arm and the yo ...
)
#24×
UH-1H
The Bell UH-1 Iroquois military helicopter, first introduced in 1959, is the first production member of the prolific Huey family of helicopters, and was itself developed in over twenty variants, which are listed below.
XH-40 and YH-40
The firs ...
(1978–2005) 17× UH-1H delivered in 1978 with another 2× UH-1D (later modernised to UH-1H standard) and 5× UH-1H supplied in 1984. In 2003, 7 airframes was modernised and sold to
Philippine Air Force
The Philippine Air Force (PAF) ( tgl, Hukbong Himpapawid ng Pilipinas, , Army of the Air of the Philippines) ( es, Ejército Aérea del Filipinas, , Ejército de la Aérea de la Filipinas) is the aerial warfare service branch of the Armed Forc ...
in a deal.
#20×
AH-64D
The Boeing AH-64 Apache () is an American twin-turboshaft attack helicopter with a tailwheel-type landing gear arrangement and a tandem cockpit for a crew of two. It features a nose-mounted sensor suite for target acquisition and night visi ...
(2006–present)
Photo gallery
File:120Sqn shoulder patch (old).jpg, The old 120Sqn shoulder patch with the Skylark
''Alauda'' is a genus of larks found across much of Europe, Asia and in the mountains of north Africa, and one of the species (the Raso lark) endemic to the islet of Raso in the Cape Verde Islands. Further, at least two additional species are ...
(''Alouette'' in French
French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to France
** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents
** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...
) as the centerpiece.
File:Aérospatiale Alouette III at the Republic of Singapore Air Force Museum.jpg, RSAF 1st helicopter in service - the Aérospatiale Alouette III
The Aérospatiale Alouette III (, ''Lark''; company designations SA 316 and SA 319) is a single-engine, light utility helicopter developed by France, French aircraft company Sud Aviation. During its production life, it proved to be a relatively p ...
(phased out of service in 1978) with 1st generation RAF styled roundels.
File:RSAF AH-64D Longbow Apache.jpg, Static display of RSAF AH-64D Longbow Apache during open house.
File:SingaporeFlag-NDPRehearsal-20060729.jpg, Two of 120 Sqn's AH-64D Apaches escorting a 127 Sqn's CH-47SD Chinook helicopter during the rehearsal for NDP 2006.
References
;Notes
External links
RSAF web page on 120 Sqn & Sembawang Air Base(SBAB)
{{DEFAULTSORT:120 Squadron, Republic of Singapore Air Force
Squadrons of the Republic of Singapore Air Force
Mandai