The 125 Squadron "Puma" is a helicopter squadron base 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 ...

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 ...

, the squadron goes by the motto of "''Swift in Support''", with the Puma as the squadron's motif.

Unit history

Formed in February 1985, the 125 Squadron consisted of twenty-two newly purchased Aérospatiale AS332M Super Puma medium lift helicopters. This was the Republic of Singapore Air Force's third helicopter squadron, after 120 Sqn and 123 Sqn. The pilots for the new helicopters were drawn from the two squadrons and led by Major Chia Sin Kwong, were sent to France to undergo a conversion course. The first Super Puma made its way to Singapore in July 1985 and the Squadron was officially inaugurated on 4 October 1985. The guest of honour for the ceremony was the then Chief of General Staff, Major-General (later Lieutenant-General) Winston Choo. Three of the Squadron's Super Pumas are permanently painted in red and white paint scheme for conducting

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 ...

(SAR) work, taking over the duty of SAR-configured Bell 212 Twin Huey helicopters from 120 Sqn, which were retired the same year, the motto of the SAR detachment is ''"That others may live"''. Based at Sembawang Air Base, the Super Pumas brought to the RSAF a new dimension in its operational capabilities. Prior to the acquisition of the

CH-47 Chinook The Boeing CH-47 Chinook is a tandem rotor helicopter developed by American rotorcraft company Piasecki Helicopter, Vertol and manufactured by Boeing Rotorcraft Systems#Background, Boeing Vertol. The Chinook is a heavy-lift helicopter that is a ...

, SAF relied on the squadron's Super Puma helicopters to transport its light vehicles and troops around on various detachments and training grounds. During Singapore's National Day, the Super Pumas take on a different, but no less important, role. Since 1986, they have been active participants of the parade, either flying the Singapore flag proudly or simply being part of the flypast. A Super Puma crashed landed on the compound at

, with no fatalities. In 2003 to 2007, then Commanding Officer LTC Yeap Hong Kiat led the squadron in the Banda Aceh Tsunami rescue. In 2010, then Commanding Officer LTC Ong Jack Sen and the squadron celebrated the 25th anniversary of Super Puma operations in the RSAF. In November 2016, it was announced that the AS332M Super Puma platform will be replaced by the new Airbus H225M. The RSAF acquired its first order of the new aircraft in 2021, as the

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...

had delayed its initial projected delivery of end-2020.

Aircraft operated

#22× AS332M Super Puma (1985–present) #??x H225M (2021–present)

References

;Notes

External links

RSAF web page on 125 Sqn & Sembawang Air Base(SBAB)
{{DEFAULTSORT:125 Squadron, Republic of Singapore Air Force Squadrons of the Republic of Singapore Air Force Mandai