The Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) is the aerial

service branch Military branch (also service branch or armed service) is according to common standard a subdivision of the national armed forces of a sovereign nation or state. Types of branches Unified armed forces The Canadian Armed Forces is the unifi ...

of the

Singapore Armed Forces The Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) are the military services of the Republic of Singapore, responsible for protecting and defending the security interests and the sovereignty of the country. A military component of the Ministry of Defence (MINDE ...

(SAF) responsible for controlling and defending the airspace of the country, and providing air support to the

Army An army (from Old French ''armee'', itself derived from the Latin verb ''armāre'', meaning "to arm", and related to the Latin noun ''arma'', meaning "arms" or "weapons"), ground force or land force is a fighting force that fights primarily on ...

and

Navy A navy, naval force, or maritime force is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval warfare, naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake-borne, riverine, littoral zone, littoral, or ocean-borne combat operations and ...

. It was established in 1968 as the Singapore Air Defence Command (SADC) before renaming to its current name in 1975. As the most powerful air force in Southeast Asia, the RSAF has undertaken a significant role in Singapore's

military defence A military, also known collectively as armed forces, is a heavily armed, highly organized force primarily intended for warfare. It is typically authorized and maintained by a sovereign state, with its members identifiable by their distinct ...

strategy since its formation. The RSAF has been considered by various analysts as being the most technologically advanced air force in the region, with the ability to successfully continuously act as a strong deterrence from potential hostile nations as well as defending the airspace of the island city-state. As of 2021, the RSAF uses four air bases domestically, most notably at

Paya Lebar Paya Lebar is a planning area located in the East Region of Singapore, bordered by Hougang to the west, Sengkang to the northwest, Tampines to the east, Bedok to the south and Pasir Ris to the north. As part of the Singapore Urban Redevelopment ...

and

Tengah ''Tengah'' is an Indonesian and Malay word meaning "Central". It can be found in topography, e.g. *Kalimantan Tengah * Tengah Islands or Central Archipelago. *Tengah, Singapore Tengah is a planning area and future HDB town located within the ...

, as well as at civil airports such as

Changi Changi () is a planning area located in the geographical region of Tanah Merah in the East Region of Singapore. Sharing borders with Pasir Ris and Tampines to the west, Changi Bay to the southeast, the South China Sea to the east and the Seran ...

and

Seletar Seletar is an area located in the north-east of Singapore. Its name can also refer to the Seletar Planning Area (as defined by the Urban Redevelopment Authority), situated in the North-East Region of Singapore. The place name was derived from th ...

. It has also overseas detachments in various countries, most notably in Australia, the United States and France. In 2021, the RSAF had a strength of 8,000 active personnel.

History

Early years

In January 1968, the United Kingdom, which by this time has lost most of its global prestige especially after the

Suez Crisis The Suez Crisis, or the Second Arab–Israeli war, also called the Tripartite Aggression ( ar, العدوان الثلاثي, Al-ʿUdwān aṯ-Ṯulāṯiyy) in the Arab world and the Sinai War in Israel,Also known as the Suez War or 1956 Wa ...

and was facing major financial difficulties that was greatly exacerbated by the devaluation of the pound, announced the imminent withdrawal of all its troops "

East of Suez East of Suez is used in British military and political discussions in reference to interests beyond the European theatre, and east of the Suez Canal, and may or may not include the Middle East.

" by the end of 1971.Britain's Retreat from East of Suez: The Choice Between Europe and the World?
by Houndmills and New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2002. xv + 293 pp. $65.00 (cloth), , Published on H-Levant (December, 2002) Prior to then, Singapore had depended heavily on Britain's

Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and ...

(RAF) for its air defence, while the newly established

(SAF) had concentrated its efforts mainly on building up the land-based Singapore Army. The predecessor to the RSAF, the SADC, was formed on 1 September 1968. The SADC's immediate task was to set up the Flying Training School to train pilots. Qualified flying instructors were obtained through Airwork Services Limited, a company specialising in defence services. Basic training for pilots was carried out using two Cessna light aircraft hired from the Singapore Flying Club. The SADC also enlisted the help of the Royal Air Force which introduced the first flying training syllabus and provided two ex-RAF pilots as instructors, as well as facilities and services at

Seletar Airport Seletar Airport is a civilian international airport serving the north-east region of Singapore. It is located approximately northwest from Changi Airport, the country's main airport, and about north from the main commercial city-centre. T ...

. Finally, the first batch of six pilot trainees were sent to the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...

in August 1968 to undergo training in various technical disciplines. The training was based on the

Hawker Hunter The Hawker Hunter is a transonic British jet-powered fighter aircraft that was developed by Hawker Aircraft for the Royal Air Force (RAF) during the late 1940s and early 1950s. It was designed to take advantage of the newly developed Rolls-R ...

, the SADC's first air defence fighter. The following month, another pioneer group of technicians, this time from the rotary wing, were sent to France to begin their technical training on 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 ...

helicopter. In 1969, a number of local RAF technicians were released to join the fledgling SADC. These local technicians (local other ranks) had experience working on fixed-wing RAF aircraft such as the Hawker Hunter,

Gloster Javelin The Gloster Javelin is a twin-engined T-tailed delta-wing subsonic night and all-weather interceptor aircraft that served with Britain's Royal Air Force from the mid-1950s until the late 1960s. The last aircraft design to bear the Gloster name ...

English Electric Canberra The English Electric Canberra is a British first-generation, jet-powered medium bomber. It was developed by English Electric during the mid- to late 1940s in response to a 1944 Air Ministry requirement for a successor to the wartime de Havil ...

English Electric Lightning The English Electric Lightning is a British fighter aircraft that served as an interceptor during the 1960s, the 1970s and into the late 1980s. It was capable of a top speed of above Mach 2. The Lightning was designed, developed, and manufa ...

and

Avro Shackleton The Avro Shackleton is a British long-range maritime patrol aircraft (MPA) which was used by the Royal Air Force (RAF) and the South African Air Force (SAAF). It was developed by Avro from the Avro Lincoln bomber, which itself had been a devel ...

;Jefford 2001, pp. 48–49. as well as rotary-wing RAF aircraft such as the

Bristol Belvedere The Bristol Type 192 Belvedere is a British twin-engine, tandem rotor military helicopter built by the Bristol Aeroplane Company. It was designed by Raoul Hafner for a variety of transport roles including troop transport, supply dropping and ca ...

Westland Wessex The Westland Wessex is a British-built turbine-powered development of the Sikorsky H-34 (in US service known as Choctaw). It was developed and produced under licence by Westland Aircraft (later Westland Helicopters). One of the main changes ...

and

Westland Whirlwind Westland or Westlands may refer to: Places *Westlands, an affluent neighbourhood in the city of Nairobi, Kenya * Westlands, Staffordshire, a suburban area and ward in Newcastle-under-Lyme *Westland, a peninsula of the Shetland Mainland near Vaila, ...

. Eight Cessna 172K aircraft—the SADC's first—arrived in May 1969 to be used for basic pilot training. By December, the first batch of students completed the course. Of these, six were sent to the UK to receive further training. On their return to Singapore in 1970, they were ready to operate the then newly acquired Hawker Hunter fighter aircraft. The pace of training pilots and ground crew picked up gradually. On 1 August 1969, Minister for the Interior and Defence,

Lim Kim San Lim Kim San ( zh, c=林金山, p=Lín Jīnshān; 30 November 1916 – 20 July 2006) was a Singaporean politician who served as a Cabinet minister between 1965 and 1981. He was credited for leading a successful public housing programme in the ...

, inaugurated the Flying Training School (FTS) at

Tengah Air Base The Tengah Air Base is a military airbase of the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) located in the Western Water Catchment, in the western part of Singapore. The air base is the most important airfield of the RSAF as it houses the majo ...

(then known as RAF Tengah). The inauguration of FTS brought SADC closer to its goal of fulfilling the heavy responsibility of defending Singapore's airspace. The subsequent arrival of the

BAC Strikemaster The BAC 167 Strikemaster is a British jet-powered training and light attack aircraft. It was a development of the Hunting Jet Provost trainer, itself a jet engined version of the Percival Provost, which originally flew in 1950 with a radial p ...

s in 1969, used for advanced phase flying training, meant that pilot trainees were now able to earn their initial wings locally rather than overseas. The first batch of locally trained fighter pilots were trained at the FTS and graduated in November 1970. Amongst this batch was 2LT Goh Yong Siang, who later rose to the appointment of Chief of Air Force on 1 July 1995. Gradually, the SADC had its own pilots, flying instructors, air traffic controllers, and ground crew. When Britain brought forward its plan to withdraw its forces by September 1971, the SADC was suddenly entrusted with a huge responsibility and resources. Britain's former air bases—

Sembawang Sembawang is a planning area and residential town located in the North Region of Singapore. Sembawang planning area is bordered by Simpang to the east, Mandai to the south, Yishun to the southeast, Woodlands to the west and the Straits of Jo ...

and

—were handed over to the SADC, as well as its air defence radar station and Bloodhound II surface-to-air missiles. In 1973, the SADC procured Shorts Skyvan search-and-locate aircraft and

Douglas A-4 Skyhawk The Douglas A-4 Skyhawk is a single-seat subsonic carrier-capable light attack aircraft developed for the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps in the early 1950s. The delta-winged, single turbojet engined Skyhawk was designed a ...

fighter-bombers. With a reliable mix of fighters, fighter-bombers, helicopters and transport aircraft, the SADC was ready to assume the functions of a full-fledged air force. On 1 April 1975, the SADC was renamed the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF). One of its first commanders was LTC Ee Tean Chye.

21st century

The RSAF celebrated its 50th Anniversary in 2018 with the theme "Our Home, Above All". The RSAF celebrated its Golden Jubilee with an extended flypast during the national day parade on 9 August and also performed 2 sessions of aerial display at the

Marina Barrage Marina Barrage is a dam in southern Singapore built at the confluence of five rivers, across the Marina Channel between Marina East and Marina South. First conceptualised in 1987 by then prime minister Lee Kuan Yew to help achieve greater self-s ...

on 11 and 12 August. Combat Operations: * 2004–2008:

Multi-National Force – Iraq The Multi-National Force – Iraq (MNF–I), often referred to as the Coalition forces, was a military command during the 2003 invasion of Iraq and much of the ensuing Iraq War, led by the United States of America ( Operation Iraqi Freedom), Unit ...

. Aircraft participated in the

Iraq War {{Infobox military conflict , conflict = Iraq War {{Nobold, {{lang, ar, حرب العراق (Arabic) {{Nobold, {{lang, ku, شەڕی عێراق (Kurdish languages, Kurdish) , partof = the Iraq conflict (2003–present), I ...

and returned home after two or three months of deployment in the

Persian Gulf The Persian Gulf ( fa, خلیج فارس, translit=xalij-e fârs, lit=Gulf of Persis, Fars, ), sometimes called the ( ar, اَلْخَلِيْجُ ٱلْعَرَبِيُّ, Al-Khalīj al-ˁArabī), is a Mediterranean sea (oceanography), me ...

without any ground troops involved. Singapore's withdrawal was acknowledged on 23 December 2008. * May 2007–June 2013:

International Security Assistance Force ' ps, کمک او همکاري ' , allies = Afghanistan , opponents = Taliban Al-Qaeda , commander1 = , commander1_label = Commander , commander2 = , commander2_label = , commander3 = , comman ...

. Deployment of close to 500 personnel including those from the Republic of Singapore Air Force, as part of Singapore's contributions to the multinational stabilisation and reconstruction efforts in

Afghanistan Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,; prs, امارت اسلامی افغانستان is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Referred to as the Heart of Asia, it is bordere ...

. * 2014–present:

Military intervention against ISIL In response to rapid territorial gains made by the so-called Islamic State during the first half of 2014, and its universally condemned executions, reported human rights abuses and the fear of further spillovers of the Syrian Civil War, many st ...

. Offering military aid in the ongoing

War on Terror The war on terror, officially the Global War on Terrorism (GWOT), is an ongoing international Counterterrorism, counterterrorism military campaign initiated by the United States following the September 11 attacks. The main targets of the campa ...

with a

KC-135 The Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker is an American military aerial refueling aircraft that was developed from the Boeing 367-80 prototype, alongside the Boeing 707 airliner. It is the predominant variant of the C-135 Stratolifter family of transpo ...

and assistant intelligence analysts.

List of chiefs of Air Force

Organisation

Commands and Units

On 5 January 2007, Defence minister

Teo Chee Hean Teo Chee Hean ( zh, s=张志贤, poj=Tiuⁿ Chì-hiân, p=Zhāng Zhìxián; born 27 December 1954) is a Singaporean politician and former two-star rear-admiral who has been serving as Senior Minister of Singapore since 2019 and Coordinating Min ...

announced that the Air Force organisation chart will be re-structured into five major commands, namely the Air Defence and Operations Command (ADOC), the Air Combat Command (ACC), the Participation Command (PC), the Air Power Generation Command (APGC) and the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Command (UC). The first to be inaugurated was ADOC, along the restructuring announcement.
ADOC
is the principal agency in charge of planning and executing peacetime operations and air defence. ADOC is also responsible for the development and operational readiness of the command and control and ground-based air defence units of the RSAF. Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Command was the second command to be inaugurated and become operational in May 2007. The next command to be inaugurated wa
PC
in January 2008. The last two commands
ACC
an
APGC
were inaugurated together in August 2008 in conjunction with the RSAF 40th Anniversary. The ACC will bring together fighter and transport squadrons under one command, with central planning, control and execution of the air battle in operations. The APGC will enhance the missions of the ACC by ensuring that all air bases remain operational at all times, as well as improving the servicing and turn-around of aircraft to ensure continuous and responsive operations.

Air Combat Command (ACC)

The ACC ("Poised And Deadly") is responsible for the planning, control and execution of the air battle in operations. It brings together all fighter and transport squadrons that will carry out these tasks under a single command which will be responsible for training the pilots and aircrew to think and operate in a fully integrated way. The ACC consists of the following groups: * HQ ACC * Integrated Systems Development Group (ISDG) * Operations Development Group (ODG) * Fighter Group (FG) ("Decisive And Deadly") ** 140 Squadron ("Stand Firm In Defence") ** 142 Squadron ("Honour And Glory") ** 143 Squadron ("We Dare") ** 145 Squadron ("Swift And Valiant") ** 149 Squadron ("Steadfast") ** Peace Carvin II – Luke Air Force Base, Arizona, USA ** Peace Carvin V – Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho, USA * Transport Group (TG) ("Project And Deliver") ** 111 Squadron ("Vigilance In Control") ** 112 Squadron ("Determined To Deliver") ** 121 Squadron ("Seek And Destroy") ** 122 Squadron ("Dependable")

Air Power Generation Command (APGC)

The APGC ("Generate And Sustain") is set up to enable the RSAF to generate and sustain effective, timely and robust air power to meet the operational needs of the SAF. With the APGC, higher operational efficiency within each RSAF Air Base, and secondly, greater integration across the four bases are achieved. Units are classified under Air Base Operability (ABO) and Aircraft Generation (AcG). The APGC consists of the following groups: * HQ APGC * Operations Development Group (ODG) * Changi Air Base ("Together In Excellence") ** 208 Squadron ("Reliable And Vigilant Always") ** 508 Squadron ("Unrivalled Support") ** 608 Squadron ("Vigour And Vigilance") ** 708 Squadron ("Agile And Dependable") ** 808 Squadron ("Ready And Vigilant") - under 5 AELG * Paya Lebar Air Base ("Strength Through Readiness") ** 207 Squadron ("Support Towards Excellence") ** 507 Squadron ("Forever Onward") ** 607 Squadron ("Dare Us") ** 707 Squadron ("Resolute And Responsive") ** 7 Air Engineering and Logistics Group (7 AELG) ("Pride In Support") *** 807 Squadron ("Swift And Effective") *** 817 Squadron ("Dedicated And Precise") * Sembawang Air Base ("Swift And Resolute") ** 206 Squadron ("Precision In Control") ** 506 Squadron ("Steadfast Support") ** 606 Squadron ("Uphold And Persevere") ** 706 Squadron ("Swift And Reliable") ** 6 Air Engineering and Logistics Group (6 AELG) ("Swift And Steadfast") *** 806 Squadron ("Agile And Expeditious") *** 816 Squadron ("Precise And Dependable") * Tengah Air Base ("Always Vigilant") ** 205 Squadron ("Excellence And Beyond") ** 505 Squadron ("Strive To Maintain") ** 605 Squadron ("Alert And Steadfast") ** 705 Squadron ("Zeal In Duty") ** 5 Air Engineering and Logistics Group (5 AELG) ("Excellence Always") *** 805 Squadron ("Responsive And Dependable") *** 815 Squadron ("Swift And Precise") The four support squadrons still remain organic to each Base but are under direct command of APGC. These four squadrons are: Airfield Maintenance Squadron (AMS), Ground Logistics Squadron (GLS), Field Defence Squadron (FDS) and Flying Support Squadron (FSS).

UAV Command (UC)

The main structures under UC("Persistent And Precise") are Operations & System Development Group (OSDG), headed by the Deputy Commander of UC. UC consists of the following groups: * HQ UC * UAV Group (UG) ("Persistent And Focused") ** 116 Squadron ("Courageous And Tenacious") ** 119 Squadron ("Precise And Cohesive") ** 128 Squadron ("Focused And Ready") * Imagery Exploitation Group (IXG) ("Precise And Timely") ** 129 Squadron ("Swift And Sharp") ** 138 Squadron ("Poised To Deliver") * 1 Air Engineering and Logistics Group (1 AELG) ("Swift And Sure") ** 801 Squadron ("Swift And Dependable") ** 811 Squadron ("Persistent And Sure")

Air Defence & Operations Command (ADOC)

The ADOC ("Vigilant & Ready") consist of the following: * HQ ADOC * Air Surveillance Control Group (ASCG) ("Vigilant And Decisive") ** 200 Squadron ("Sense Fight Kill") ** 202 Squadron ("Decisive And Resilient") ** 203 Squadron ("Serve To Preserve") * National Air Defence Group (ADG) ("Ever Vigilant") ** 160 Squadron ("Alert Always") ** 163 Squadron ("Above The Best") ** 165 Squadron ("Pride In Protection") * Air Operations Control Group (AOCG) ("Always In Control") * 9 Air Engineering and Logistics Group (9 AELG) ("With Unity We Support") ** 113 Squadron ("Mission First") ** 809 Squadron ("Ready And Swift") ** 819 Squadron ("Precise And Reliable")

Participation Command (PC)

The PC ("Integrate & Dominate") consists of the following groups: * HQ PC * Operations Development Group (ODG) * Helicopter Group (HeliG) ("Dare & Will") ** 120 Squadron ("Strive To Achieve") ** 123 Squadron ("Swift And Precise") ** 125 Squadron ("Swift In Support") ** 126 Squadron ("Ready And Able") ** 127 Squadron ("Strength Courage Swiftness") ** Peace Vanguard ("Forging Ahead") – Marana, Arizona, USA * Tactical Air Support Group (TASG) ("Integrated & Ready") ** 1 Medical Squadron ("Courage And Conviction") ** 101 Squadron ** 102 Squadron ** 103 Squadron ("Swift and Prompt") ** 105 Squadron ("Robust And Resolute") * Divisional Air Defence Group (DAG) ("Vigilant And Lethal") ** 3 Divisional Air Defence Artillery ("Vigilant And Valiant") ** 6 Divisional Air Defence Artillery ("Vigilant And Valiant") ** 9 Divisional Air Defence Artillery ("Vigilant And Valiant") ** 18 Divisional Air Defence Artillery ("Always Ahead") ** 201 Squadron ("Deploy Detect Defend")

Air Force Training Command (AFTC)

Th
Air Force Training Command
(AFTC) is an amalgamation of the former Air Force School, Flying Training School and UAV Training school which facilitates training of future pilots and ground crew of the RSAF. It is located at 550 Airport Road, Singapore 534236. The training schools and squadrons under AFTC ("Excellence") consist of the following: * HQ AFTC * Flying Training Institute (FTI) ("Strength Through Knowledge And Skills") ** 124 Squadron ("Strive For Excellence") ** 130 Squadron ("Aim To Strike" or "Eagle") – RAAF Base Pearce, Perth, Western Australia, Australia ** 150 Squadron ("Forward We Strive") – Cazaux Air Base, France ** Air Grading Centre ("Soar Through Knowledge") – Jandakot, Perth, Western Australia ** Standards Squadron ("Pride Through Professionalism") ** UAV Training School ("Redefine Perfection") * Air Warfare Training Institute (AWTI) ("Excellence Through Knowledge And Skills") ** C3 School ("Competency Through Knowledge") ** ADSS School ("Look Forward") * Air Engineering Training Institute (AETI) ("Towards Excellence") ** Advanced AFE School ("Inspiring Excellence") ** Aircraft Engineering School ("Engineering Excellence") ** Civil Engineering School ("Excellence In Resilience") ** Networks, C2 and Air Defence School ("Excellence In Networked Air Defence") ** Supply Chain School ("Delivering Excellence") * Training Development Group (TDG)

Retired Units

* 130 Squadron (Flying Training School at Tengah) (1968-1994) BAC Strikemaster and S211 * 131 Squadron ("Harrier") (1983-1986 at Paya Lebar, 1979-1983 at Tengah) T-33A and S211 * 141 Squadron ("Detect To Deter") (1972- c 2008) Hawker hunters and F5 * 144 Squadron ("Dare To Excel") (1979- c 2015) F-5E/T

Air bases

Changi Air Base (West) 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 ...

** 121 Sqn 10 Fokker 50 (Transport), 8 Fokker 50 ME2 (Maritime patrol) *

Changi Air Base (East) Changi Air Base (East), or Changi East Complex is a facility extending the facilities of Changi Air Base, the existing facilities hence renamed Changi Air Base (West). Built on a 2 square kilometre site of reclaimed land, the new base was located ...

** 112 Sqn 6 Airbus A330 MRTT (Aerial refuelling) ** 145 Sqn 20 F-16 Blk 52+ *

Paya Lebar Air Base The Paya Lebar Air Base is a military airbase of the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) located at Airport Road in Paya Lebar, in the eastern region of Singapore. The airbase goes by the motto of ''Strength Through Readiness''. It was ...

** 122 Sqn 10 C-130H (Transport), 5 KC-130B (Transport/Aerial refuelling) ** 142 Sqn 20 F-15SG (Strike) ** 149 Sqn 20 F-15SG (Strike) *

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 ...

** 120 Sqn 20 AH-64D Longbow Apache (Attack) ** 123 Sqn 8 S-70B Seahawks (ASW) ** 124 Sqn 5 EC120 Colibri (Training) ** 125 Sqn 32 AS332M Super Puma, 5 H225M Caracal (Transport/SAR) ** 126 Sqn 20 AS532UL Cougar (Transport/SAR) ** 127 Sqn 6 CH-47D, 12 CH-47SD, 8 CH-47F (Heavylift) *

** 111 Sqn 4 G550 (AEW & C) ** 116 Sqn Hermes 450 (Reconnaissance) ** 140 Sqn 9 F-16C (Interceptor), 6 F-16D Blk 52 (Strike) ** 143 Sqn 5 F-16C (Interceptor), 8 F-16D Blk 52 (Strike) **

RSAF Black Knights The Black Knights is the official aerobatics team of the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) featuring six F-16Cs Fighting Falcon in formation flight. The Black Knights' emblem is sported on the red vertical tail of each of the team's airc ...

– RSAF's aerobatic team. (Disbanded) * Chong Pang Camp SADA (Singapore Air Defence Artillery) ** 3rd DA RBS-70 SAM, IGLA SAM, Giraffe Radar ** 6th DA RBS-70 SAM, IGLA SAM, Giraffe Radar ** 9th DA RBS-70 SAM, IGLA SAM, Giraffe Radar ** 18th DA RBS-70 SAM, Mistral SAM ** 165 Sqn Rapier SAM, RBS-70 SAM, SPYDER SAM * Lim Chu Kang Camp II SADA (Singapore Air Defense Artillery) ** 163 Sqn Raytheon I-HAWK SAM (Medium altitude air defence)(*being replaced by Aster 30 SMTP) ** 160 Sqn Oerlikon 35 mm AA Guns (Airfield defence) *

Choa Chu Kang Camp The Western Water Catchment is a planning area located in the West Region of Singapore. The planning area borders Tuas and Pioneer to its south, Sungei Kadut, Choa Chu Kang and Tengah to its east, Jurong West to its southeast, Lim Chu Kang t ...

** 201 Sqn FPS 117 Radar (Fighter control, SAM control, Surveillance, ASP) * Other assets of SADA (Singapore Air Defense Artillery) ** 203 Sqn LORADS Radar (RASP, SAR, "listening watch" for distress signals) * Murai Camp ** 119 Sqn IAI Heron (Reconnaissance) ** 128 Sqn 400 IAI Searcher (Reconnaissance) * Classified ** 200 Sqn 'Air Defence' ** 202 Sqn 'Network Management'

Overseas detachments

933 at TA-4SU Skyhawk of the Singapore Air Force

* BA 120 Cazaux Airbase (France) ** 150 Sqn, 12 ×

Alenia Aermacchi M-346 Master The Aermacchi M-346 Master is a family of military twin-engine transonic advanced jet trainers and light combat aircraft. Originally co-developed with Yakovlev as the Yak/AEM-130, the partnership was dissolved in 2000 and then Alenia Aermacchi ...

Luke Air Force Base Luke Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States., effective 20 December 2007 It is located west of the central business district of Glendale, and west of Phoenix. Luke AFB is a major training ...

(United States) ** 425 FTS, 8 × F-16C, 6 × F-16D ( Peace Carvin II F-16 Training) * Mountain Home Air Force Base (United States) ** 428 FTS, 10 × F-15SG, (Peace Carvin V F-15 Training) *

Oakey Army Aviation Centre Oakey Army Aviation Centre is situated approximately from the town centre of Oakey in Queensland, Australia. It provides a training establishment for Australian Army Aviation, and also hosts the Republic of Singapore Air Force's "Cougar" 126 ...

(Australia) ** 127 Sqn, 6 × CH-47D (Training/Support for army exercises) *

RAAF Base Pearce RAAF Base Pearce is the main Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) military air base in Western Australia. The base is located in Bullsbrook, north of Perth. It is used for training by the RAAF and the Republic of Singapore Air Force. Pearce is ...

(Australia) ** 130 Sqn, 19 × PC-21 (Basic Training) * Silverbell Army Heliport (United States) ** E/1-285th AVN, 8 × AH-64SG (AH-64SG Training) *

Udorn Royal Thai Air Force Base Udorn Royal Thai Air Force Base (Udorn RTAFB) is a Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) base, the home of 23rd Wing Air Command. It is in the city of Udon Thani in northeastern Thailand and is the main airport serving the city and province. The RTAF 23 ...

(Thailand) ** For F-16 Training Purpose with

Royal Thai Air Force "Royal Thai Air Force March" , mascot = , anniversaries = 9 April 1937 (Royal Thai Air Force Day) , equipment = , equipment_label = , battles ...

Overview

The backbone of the RSAF is formed by the Block 52/52+

F-16 Fighting Falcon The General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon is a single-engine multirole fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics for the United States Air Force (USAF). Designed as an air superiority day fighter, it evolved into a successful ...

s. These are armed with US-supplied AIM-120C AMRAAM missiles and

LANTIRN LANTIRN (Low Altitude Navigation and Targeting Infrared for Night) is a combined navigation and targeting pod system for use on the United States Air Force fighter aircraft—the F-15E Strike Eagle and F-16 Fighting Falcon (Block 40/42 C & D mo ...

targeting pods, laser guided munitions and

conformal fuel tank Conformal fuel tanks (CFTs) are additional fuel tanks fitted closely to the profile of an aircraft that extend the endurance of the aircraft. Advantages CFTs have a reduced aerodynamic penalty compared to external drop tanks, and do not signif ...

s for long-range strike. While Singapore initially bought as many as 70 F-16 planes, on 18 November 2004, it was announced that the RSAF would offer its remaining 7 F-16A/Bs to the

Royal Thai Air Force "Royal Thai Air Force March" , mascot = , anniversaries = 9 April 1937 (Royal Thai Air Force Day) , equipment = , equipment_label = , battles ...

. It is believed that these early Block 15OCU aircraft were upgraded to "Falcon One" standard by

ST Aerospace ST Engineering Aerospace, formerly known as ST Aerospace, is the commercial aerospace entity of ST Engineering. Headquartered in Singapore, it has international offices and facilities located at aviation hubs in Asia-Pacific, Europe and the Unit ...

before the transfer and delivered in late 2005. In return, the RSAF was permitted to train at the Udon Royal Thai Air Force Base in north-east Thailand for a specified number of days each year. This would mean that the RSAF will operate only the Block 52/52+ model, as many as 62 F-16CJ/DJ planes. Due to severe airspace constraints within Singapore, the RSAF operates its aircraft at several overseas locations to provide greater exposure to its pilots. With the F-16C/D Fighting Falcons, KC-135R Stratotankers, AH-64D Apaches and CH-47SD Chinook helicopters based in the United States, the Marchetti S-211s, PC-21s, and

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 manufactu ...

helicopters in

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

, and the

in France, almost one third of the force's inventory is based outside Singapore. In 1994, the RSAF commenced a modernisation program for its fleet of approximately 49 operational (R) F-5E and F-5F aircraft. The upgrade was performed by Singapore Technologies Aerospace (STAero) and the upgraded aircraft were designated (R)F-5S and F-5T respectively, operating from Paya Lebar Air Base. These upgraded F-5S/T, equipped with the Galileo Avionica's FIAR Grifo-F X-band Radar are thought to be capable of firing the AIM-120 AMRAAM missile but to date, no actual live-firing has actually been reported. For

in-flight refuelling Aerial refueling, also referred to as air refueling, in-flight refueling (IFR), air-to-air refueling (AAR), and tanking, is the process of transferring aviation fuel from one aircraft (the tanker) to another (the receiver) while both aircraft ...

, four KC-135Rs and four KC-130Bs are commissioned to support the fighter force of F-16C/Ds and (R)F-5S/Ts.

Airborne Early Warning and Control Airborne or Airborn may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Films * ''Airborne'' (1962 film), a 1962 American film directed by James Landis * ''Airborne'' (1993 film), a comedy–drama film * ''Airborne'' (1998 film), an action film sta ...

(AEW&C) capability was introduced in 1987 when four E-2C Hawkeyes were delivered to 111 Squadron. The duty of Maritime Patrol and Coastal surveillance is performed by the eight Fokker 50 MPA (entered service in 1991) of 121 Squadron, which can be armed with long-range anti-shipping

AGM-84 Harpoon The Harpoon is an all-weather, over-the-horizon, anti-ship missile manufactured by McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing Defense, Space & Security). The AGM-84E Standoff Land Attack Missile (SLAM) and later AGM-84H/K SLAM-ER (Standoff Land Attack ...

missiles and ASW torpedoes. As part of its fleet renewal process, the RSAF officially withdrew its fleet of

ST Aerospace A-4SU Super Skyhawk The ST Aerospace A-4SU Super Skyhawk is a major upgrade project of the Douglas A-4S Skyhawk attack aircraft undertaken by Singapore Aircraft Industries (SAI, now ST Aerospace) in the 1980s. It was used exclusively by the Republic of Singapor ...

from front-line service on 31 March 2005 after 31 years of operations. The A-4SUs' achievements included flying directly from Singapore to the Philippines, incorporating the RSAF's first air-to-air refuelling mission in 1986, as well as the excellent aerobatic display of the 'red and white' Super Skyhawks flown by the

during Asian Aerospace 1990. A month before its retirement, the Skyhawk squadron won top honours in a strike exercise against its more modern F-16 and F-5 counterparts. Singapore ordered a total of twenty

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 helicopters in two batches. After a long period of negotiations over the delivery of the sophisticated Longbow

Fire-control radar A fire-control radar (FCR) is a radar that is designed specifically to provide information (mainly target azimuth, elevation, range and range rate) to a fire-control system in order to direct weapons such that they hit a target. They are sometim ...

, the first batch of eight aircraft, fitted with the Fire Control Radar, was delivered on 17 May 2002. The second batch of 12 Apaches were ordered in 2001 even before the first delivery took place. All of the initial eight Apaches are based in the United States. Three of the Apache Longbows returned in January 2006 at the request of the Minister of Defence. Apart from the fifteen CH-47SDs delivered from 1996, a new batch of fifteen aircraft was ordered in 1997, with an option of four extra airframes. At least 30 CH-47SD have been delivered and are in service at Sembawang Air Base. It is believed that these had been upgraded to the SD standard prior to delivery. Eight CH-47SDs were also deployed to support the relief efforts in the aftermath of the

2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami An earthquake and a tsunami, known as the Boxing Day Tsunami and, by the scientific community, the Sumatra–Andaman earthquake, occurred at 07:58:53 local time (UTC+7) on 26 December 2004, with an epicentre off the west coast of northern Suma ...

. It was the first and one of the few countries to reach the affected areas. The RSAF deployed dozens of C-130Hs, CH-47SDs and AS 332Ms there along with three of the RSN's latest Landing Ship Tanks (RSS Endurance, RSS Persistence and RSS Endeavour of the ''Endurance'' class LST) as well as

vehicles, engineers, and medical teams. In September 2005, the RSAF sent three CH-47SD Chinook helicopters, later augmented by a fourth CH-47SD Chinook, to provide assistance in the rescue and evacuation of stranded civilians after

Hurricane Katrina Hurricane Katrina was a destructive Category 5 Atlantic hurricane that caused over 1,800 fatalities and $125 billion in damage in late August 2005, especially in the city of New Orleans and the surrounding areas. It was at the time the cost ...

struck New Orleans and nearby areas in the United States. The humanitarian effort by Singapore involved more aircraft than any other foreign countries. Since 2003, the RSAF has also made deployments of KC-135 tankers and C-130 aircraft to the

in support of the multinational efforts for the

reconstruction of Iraq Investment in post-2003 Iraq refers to international efforts to rebuild the infrastructure of Iraq since the Iraq War in 2003. Along with the economic reform of Iraq, international projects have been implemented to repair and upgrade Iraqi water ...

. RSAF personnel have carried out airlift, transportation and supply, and air-to-air refuelling missions in support of the multinational forces, assisting the

Coalition A coalition is a group formed when two or more people or groups temporarily work together to achieve a common goal. The term is most frequently used to denote a formation of power in political or economical spaces. Formation According to ''A Gui ...

in carrying supplies and personnel, transporting humanitarian material and conducting medical evacuation operations. In September 2013, Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen stated in a parliamentary reply that Singapore would soon acquire the

Aster 30 Aster or ASTER may refer to: Biology * ''Aster'' (genus), a genus of flowering plants ** List of ''Aster'' synonyms, other genera formerly included in ''Aster'' and still called asters in English * Aster (cell biology), a cellular structure shap ...

land-based missile system. RSAF day is celebrated on 1 September annually, in 2018 a combined flypast including the new A330 MRTT with a special 50th anniversary livery took place at

Personnel

Military ranks in the Singapore Armed Forces are identical across the three services except for the flag ranks of the RSN. They are based on the Army model. The official table of ranks stops at three stars for all three services.

NATO The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO, ; french: Organisation du traité de l'Atlantique nord, ), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental military alliance between 30 member states – 28 European and two No ...

rank codes are not officially used, but are listed here for easy comparison with other armed forces. Like the

, the majority of Air Force personnel are regulars. This is due to the specialised and technical nature of many jobs. The employment of National Servicemen in various roles are limited mostly to the infantry-like Field Defence Squadrons which do not require such specialised training.

Aircraft

In February 2003, Singapore joined the JSF program's System Design and Development (SDD) Phase, as a Security Co-operation Participant (SCP). The first deliveries of the

F-35 Lightning II The Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II is an American family of single-seat, single-engine, all-weather stealth multirole combat aircraft that is intended to perform both air superiority and strike missions. It is also able to provide ele ...

are not expected before 2021, but replacement for the bulk of the A-4SUs was needed by 2007. As a start, 20 F-16D Block 52+ have been delivered from 2003 under project Peace Carvin IV. The RSAF embarked on its Next Generation Fighter (NGF) programme to replace the aging A-4SUs. The original list of competitors was shortlisted to the final two –

Dassault Rafale The Dassault Rafale (, literally meaning "gust of wind", and "burst of fire" in a more military sense) is a French twin-engine, canard delta wing, multirole fighter aircraft designed and built by Dassault Aviation. Equipped with a wide ran ...

and the

Boeing The Boeing Company () is an American multinational corporation that designs, manufactures, and sells airplanes, rotorcraft, rockets, satellites, telecommunications equipment, and missiles worldwide. The company also provides leasing and product ...

F-15SG Strike Eagle. The F-15SG is a variant of the F-15E Strike Eagle and is similar in configuration to the F-15K sold to

South Korea South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and sharing a Korean Demilitarized Zone, land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed ...

, but differs in the addition of the APG-63(V)3 active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar developed by

Raytheon Raytheon Technologies Corporation is an American multinational aerospace and defense conglomerate headquartered in Arlington, Virginia. It is one of the largest aerospace and defense manufacturers in the world by revenue and market capitaliza ...

. The F-15SG is powered by two

General Electric General Electric Company (GE) is an American multinational conglomerate founded in 1892, and incorporated in New York state and headquartered in Boston. The company operated in sectors including healthcare, aviation, power, renewable energ ...

F110-GE-129 thrust engines. The DSTA (Defense Science & Technology Agency) conducted a detailed technical assessment, simulations, and other tests to assess the final selection. On 6 September 2005, it was announced that the F-15SG had won the contract over the Rafale. An initial order placed in 2005 for 12 aircraft with 8 options. On 22 October 2007, Singapore's

Ministry of Defence {{unsourced, date=February 2021 A ministry of defence or defense (see spelling differences), also known as a department of defence or defense, is an often-used name for the part of a government responsible for matters of defence, found in states ...

(MINDEF) exercised the option to purchase eight more F-15SG fighters as part of the original contract signed in 2005. Along with this buy, an additional order for four F-15SGs was made, bringing the total number of F-15SGs purchased by the start of 2008 to 24. Singapore Peace Triton S-70B

In January 2005, it was announced that 6

Sikorsky S-70 The Sikorsky S-70 is an American medium transport/utility helicopter family manufactured by Sikorsky Aircraft. It was developed for the United States Army in the 1970s, winning a competition to be designated the UH-60 Black Hawk and spawning a ...

B (derivative of

SH-60 Seahawk The Sikorsky SH-60/MH-60 Seahawk (or Sea Hawk) is a twin turboshaft engine, multi-mission United States Navy helicopter based on the United States Army UH-60 Black Hawk and a member of the Sikorsky S-70 family. The most significant modificatio ...

) naval helicopters will be purchased, complete with anti-surface and anti-submarine weapons and sensors. 2 more Seahawks were ordered in 2013. The Seahawks are operated by RSAF pilots, with System Specialists of the

Republic of Singapore Navy The Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) is the naval service branch of the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) responsible for defending the country against any sea-borne threats, and the protection of its sea lines of communications, that would comprom ...

operating the sensors and weaponry. They operate from the Navy's new ''Formidable'' class frigates, and when operating from land are based at Sembawang Air Base. All 20 AH-64D Longbow attack helicopters have been delivered to the RSAF. 12 of these were deployed back to Singapore and took part in combined arms exercises with the Army, with the remaining 8 helicopters being part of the Peace Vanguard detachment based in the United States. In April 2007, it was announced that the 4 E-2C Hawkeyes were to be replaced with 4 Gulfstream G550s fitted with the

IAI EL/W-2085 The EL/W-2085 is an airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) multi-band radar system developed by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) and Elta Electronics Industries of Israel. Its primary objective is to provide intelligence to maintain air sup ...

radar which would become the primary airborne early warning aircraft for the RSAF. Not included in the deal is an additional G550 as an AEW trainer, which will be acquired and maintained by ST Aerospace on behalf of RSAF. ROSAF Lockheed Hercules DRW Butler

In July 2010, the

was selected by the RSAF to replace the A-4SU in the Advanced Jet Training (AJT) role, currently based at BA 120 Cazaux Air Base in France. In a press release by the MINDEF on 28 September 2008, ST Aerospace had been awarded the contract to acquire twelve M-346 and a ground based training system on behalf of RSAF. As stipulated in the contract, ST Aerospace will act as the main contractor to maintain the aircraft after delivery by Alenia Aermacchi while Boeing would supply the training system. Delivery date is scheduled from 2012 onwards. The backbone of the transport fleet are the four KC-130B, one KC-130H and five C-130H Hercules transport aircraft, which are expected to remain in service through 2030, will be undergoing an extensive modernisation process to bring all ten existing airframes to the same common standard. The first airframe, a KC-130B, was returned to frontline service on 21 September 2010. ST Aerospace, the main contractor behind the project, is expected to upgrade the other nine airframes for the RSAF within the next seven years. Included in the package is the replacement of cockpit

flight management system A flight management system (FMS) is a fundamental component of a modern airliner's avionics. An FMS is a specialized computer system that automates a wide variety of in-flight tasks, reducing the workload on the flight crew to the point that mode ...

with a modern

glass cockpit A glass cockpit is an aircraft cockpit that features electronic (digital) flight instrument displays, typically large LCD screens, rather than the traditional style of analog dials and gauges. While a traditional cockpit relies on numerous mech ...

avionics suite, central engine displays to replace analogue gauges, improved voice communications, digital autopilot, flight director as well as a digital weather radar, which will make the aircraft

Global Air Traffic Management {{Unreferenced, date=December 2009 Global air-traffic management (GATM) is a concept for satellite-based Communication, navigation and surveillance and air traffic management. The Federal Aviation Administration and the International Civil Aviation ...

-compliant. Also, the C-130Bs will receive an

auxiliary power unit An auxiliary power unit (APU) is a device on a vehicle that provides energy for functions other than propulsion. They are commonly found on large aircraft and naval ships as well as some large land vehicles. Aircraft APUs generally produce 115&n ...

and

environmental control system In aeronautics, an environmental control system (ECS) of an aircraft is an essential component which provides air supply, Air conditioning, thermal control and cabin pressurization for the Aircrew, crew and passengers. Additional functions incl ...

in common with the C-130Hs. Once the upgrade is completed, this will effectively give the RSAF five KC-130Hs and five C-130Hs. In December 2010, the RSAF issued a letter of request to inspect stored ex-US Navy

P-3C Orion The Lockheed P-3 Orion is a four-engined, turboprop anti-submarine and maritime surveillance aircraft developed for the United States Navy and introduced in the 1960s. Lockheed based it on the L-188 Electra commercial airliner.Defense Security Cooperation Agency The Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA), as part of the United States Department of Defense (DoD), provides financial and technical assistance, transfer of defense matériel, training and services to allies, and promotes military-to-milit ...

approved a possible sale to Singapore of four F-35B short takeoff and vertical landing (

STOVL A short take-off and vertical landing aircraft (STOVL aircraft) is a fixed-wing aircraft that is able to take off from a short runway (or take off vertically if it does not have a heavy payload) and land vertically (i.e. with no runway). The ...

) variants with the option to purchase an additional eight F-35Bs and up to 13

Pratt & Whitney F135 The Pratt & Whitney F135 is an afterburning turbofan developed for the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II, a single-engine strike fighter. It has two variants; a Conventional Take-Off and Landing ( CTOL) variant used in the F-35A and F-35C, and a ...

engines and other related equipment for an estimated total cost of $2.75 billion.

Equipment

Aircraft

RSAF Boeing F-15SG Strike Eagle DRW Butler

CSX55152-AermacchiM346-Italy-Farnborough2016-A1596

{, class="wikitable"{, class="wikitable" ! style="text-align:center; background:#acc;", Aircraft ! style="text-align: center; background:#acc;", Origin ! style="text-align:l center; background:#acc;", Role ! style="text-align:left; background:#acc;", Variant ! style="text-align:center; background:#acc;", In service ! style="text-align: center; background:#acc;", Notes , - ! colspan="6" style="align: center; background: lavender;" ,

Combat Aircraft A military aircraft is any fixed-wing or rotary-wing aircraft that is operated by a legal or insurrectionary armed service of any type. Military aircraft can be either combat or non-combat: * Combat aircraft are designed to destroy enemy equipm ...

, - ,

F-15E Strike Eagle The McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing) F-15E Strike Eagle is an American all-weather multirole strike fighter derived from the McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle. The F-15E was designed in the 1980s for long-range, high-speed interdiction without rely ...

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

strike fighter In current military parlance, a strike fighter is a multirole combat aircraft designed to operate both as an attack aircraft and as an air superiority fighter. As a category, it is distinct from fighter-bombers. It is closely related to the c ...

, F-15SG , 40 , , - ,

, multirole , F-16C/D/D+ , 60 , , - ,

, multirole ,

F-35B The Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II is an American family of single-seat, single-engine, all-weather stealth multirole combat aircraft that is intended to perform both air superiority and strike missions. It is also able to provide elect ...

, , 4 on order , - ! colspan="6" style="align: center; background: lavender;" , AWACS , - ,

Gulfstream G550 The Gulfstream G550 is a business jet aircraft produced by General Dynamics' Gulfstream Aerospace unit in Savannah, Georgia, US. The certification designation is GV-SP. A version with reduced fuel capacity was marketed as the G500. Gulfstream ...

Israel Israel (; he, יִשְׂרָאֵל, ; ar, إِسْرَائِيل, ), officially the State of Israel ( he, מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, label=none, translit=Medīnat Yīsrāʾēl; ), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated ...

, AEW&C , G550 AEW , 4 , , - ! colspan="6" style="align: center; background: lavender;" ,

Maritime Patrol {{Unreferenced, date=March 2008 Maritime patrol is the task of monitoring areas of water. Generally conducted by military and law enforcement agencies, maritime patrol is usually aimed at identifying human activities. Maritime patrol refers to ac ...

, - ,

Fokker 50 The Fokker 50 is a turboprop-powered airliner, designed as an improved version of the successful Fokker F27 Friendship. The Fokker 60 is a stretched freighter version of the Fokker 50. Both aircraft were manufactured and supported by Dutch airc ...

Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...

maritime patrol {{Unreferenced, date=March 2008 Maritime patrol is the task of monitoring areas of water. Generally conducted by military and law enforcement agencies, maritime patrol is usually aimed at identifying human activities. Maritime patrol refers to ac ...

, , 5 , , - ! colspan="6" style="align: center; background: lavender;" , Tanker , - , KC-130 Hercules ,

aerial refueling Aerial refueling, also referred to as air refueling, in-flight refueling (IFR), air-to-air refueling (AAR), and tanking, is the process of transferring aviation fuel from one aircraft (the tanker) to another (the receiver) while both aircraft a ...

transport Transport (in British English), or transportation (in American English), is the intentional movement of humans, animals, and goods from one location to another. Modes of transport include air, land (rail and road), water, cable, pipeline, an ...

, KC-130B/H , 5 , , - , Airbus A330 MRTT ,

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

KC-30A The Airbus A330 Multi Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) is a European aerial refuelling and military transport aircraft based on the civilian Airbus A330. A total of 16 countries have placed firm orders for approximately 68 aircraft, of which 51 ha ...

, 6 , , - ! colspan="6" style="align: center; background: lavender;" ,

Transport Transport (in British English), or transportation (in American English), is the intentional movement of humans, animals, and goods from one location to another. Modes of transport include air, land (rail and road), water, cable, pipeline, an ...

, - ,

, , 4 , , - ,

C-130 Hercules The Lockheed C-130 Hercules is an American four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft designed and built by Lockheed Corporation, Lockheed (now Lockheed Martin). Capable of using unprepared runways for takeoffs and landings, the C-130 ...

C-130H The Lockheed C-130 Hercules is an American four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft designed and built by Lockheed (now Lockheed Martin). Capable of using unprepared runways for takeoffs and landings, the C-130 was originally desi ...

, 5 , , - ! colspan="6" style="align: center; background: lavender;" ,

Helicopters A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by horizontally spinning rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forward, backward and laterally. These attributes ...

, - ,

AH-64 Apache 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 , AH-64D , 18 , , - ,

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 ...

utility As a topic of economics, utility is used to model worth or value. Its usage has evolved significantly over time. The term was introduced initially as a measure of pleasure or happiness as part of the theory of utilitarianism by moral philosopher ...

, CH-47SD/F , 26 , 5 CH-47Fs on order , - ,

, ASW /

SAR SAR or Sar may refer to: Places * Sar (river), Galicia, Spain * Sar, Bahrain, a residential district * Sar, Iran (disambiguation), several places in Iran * Sar, Tibet, Tibet Autonomous Region of China * Šar Mountains, in southeastern Europe ...

, S-70B , 8 , , - , Airbus Helicopters H225M ,

, , 3 , 13 on order , - ,

Eurocopter AS332 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 ...

, , 32 , , - ! colspan="6" style="align: center; background: lavender;" ,

Trainer Aircraft A trainer is a class of aircraft designed specifically to facilitate flight training of pilots and aircrews. The use of a dedicated trainer aircraft with additional safety features—such as tandem flight controls, forgiving flight characteristi ...

, - , Alenia M-346 ,

Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...

primary trainer A trainer is a class of aircraft designed specifically to facilitate flight training of pilots and aircrews. The use of a dedicated trainer aircraft with additional safety features—such as tandem flight controls, forgiving flight characterist ...

, , 12 , , - ,

Pilatus PC-21 The Pilatus PC-21 is a turboprop-powered advanced trainer with a stepped tandem cockpit. It is manufactured by Pilatus Aircraft of Switzerland. Development In November 1997 Pilatus flew a modified PC-7 Mk.II in order to test improvements for ...

Switzerland ). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...

, trainer , , 19 , , - ,

Eurocopter EC120 The Eurocopter (now Airbus Helicopters) EC120 Colibri ("hummingbird") is a five-seat, single-engine, light utility helicopter. Jointly designed and developed by Eurocopter, China National Aero-Technology Import & Export Corporation (CATIC), ...

, trainer , , 5 , , - ! colspan="6" style="align: center; background: lavender;" , UAV , - , Elbit Hermes 900, Hermes 900 ,

, ISTAR , , rumoured 12 , , - , Elbit Hermes 450, Hermes 450 ,

, Intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition, and reconnaissance, ISTAR , , unknown , , - , IAI Heron, Heron 1 ,

, Intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition, and reconnaissance, ISTAR , , unknown , , - , Aeronautics Defense Orbiter, Orbiter 4 , Israel , Intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition, and reconnaissance, ISTAR , , unknown ,

Retired aircraft

Previous aircraft operated by the RSAF consisted of the Northrop Grumman E-2 Hawkeye,

, BAC Jet Provost, Lockheed T-33, Douglas A-4 Skyhawk, A-4 Skyhawk, ST Aerospace A-4SU Super Skyhawk, A-4SU Super Skyhawk, Northrop F-5,

, Bell UH-1N Twin Huey, Bell 212, Bell UH-1 Iroquois, Bell UH-1H/B, the Eurocopter AS350 Écureuil, Aérospatiale AS350 helicopter, and the Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker, Boeing KC-135. Previous drone fleet of the RSAF were the Tadiran Mastiff, IAI Scout and IAI Searcher.

Armament

{, class="wikitable" ! style="text-align:center; background:#aabccc;", Name ! style="text-align: center; background:#aabccc;", Origin ! style="text-align:l center; background:#aabccc;", Type ! style="text-align: center; background:#aabccc;", Notes , - ! style="align: center; background: lavender;" colspan="7" , Air-to-air missile , - , AIM-120 AMRAAM, AIM-120C-5/C-7 AMRAAMTrade Registers
. Armstrade.sipri.org. Retrieved on 2015-02-18. ,

, beyond-visual-range missile , 550 missiles obtained , - , AIM-9 Sidewinder, AIM-9J/P/S Sidewinder ,

, AAM , 400 / 264 / 96 , - , AIM-9 Sidewinder#AIM-9X, AIM-9X Sidewinder ,

, AAM , 200 missiles obtained , - , AIM-7 Sparrow , United States , AAM , 400 missiles obtained , - , Python (missile), RAFAEL Python 4 ,

, AAM , 600 missiles obtained , - ! style="align: center; background: lavender;" colspan="7" , Air-to-surface missile Bombs , - , GBU-12 Paveway II, GBU-10/GBU-12/GBU-49/GBU-50 ,

, Laser-guided bomb , 68 / 140 , - , CBU-105 ,

, Unguided Bomb , ''Unknown'' , - , Joint Direct Attack Munition, GBU-38/B JDAM ,

, GPS/INS Guided Bomb , 700 , - , GBU-39 Small Diameter Bomb, GBU-39/B ,

, Precision-guided munition, precision-guided glide bomb , 20 ''(pending delivery)'' , - , Joint Direct Attack Munition, GBU-54/B LJDAM ,

, Air to ground , Unknown , - , - , AGM-65 Maverick, AGM-65B/D/G Maverick ,

, Air to ground , 350 , - , BGM-71 TOW ,

, Anti-armor , 500 , - , AGM-114 Hellfire ,

, Anti-armor , 192 , - , AGM-154 Joint Standoff Weapon, AGM-154A-1/C JSOW ,

, Air to ground , 214 , - ! style="align: center; background: lavender;" colspan="7" , Anti-ship missile , - ,

, , 44 missiles obtained

Air defence

The MBDA Aster 30 of the Republic of Singapore Air Force

{, class="wikitable" ! style="text-align:center; background:#aabccc;", Name ! style="text-align: center; background:#aabccc;", Origin ! style="text-align:l center; background:#aabccc;", Type ! style="text-align:l center; background:#aabccc;", In service ! style="text-align: center; background:#aabccc;", Notes , - ! style="align: center; background: lavender;" colspan="7" , Surface-to-air missile, SAM , - , Aster (missile family)#Land systems, MBDA SAMP/T ,

, Surface-to-air missile, SAM system , 12 launchers , SAMP/T battery includes a command and control vehicle, Arabel radar, and up to six launchers, each with eight missiles , - , Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, Rafael SPYDER ,

, SAM system , 12 launchers , 75 Python (missile)#Python-5, Python-5 / 75 Python (missile)#Derby, Derby missiles , - , MIM-23 Hawk ,

, SAM system , 4 systems , Being replaced by ASTER 30 , - , MBDA Mistral ,

, SAM system , 600 missiles , , - , , Variants of the M113 armored personnel carrier#Singapore, Mechanised Igla ,

/ USSR , SAM system , 300 missiles , Six ready-to-fire Soviet Igla SAMs configured for short-range air defense (SHORAD) with some equipped with an advanced fire-control radar , - ! style="align: center; background: lavender;" colspan="7" , Anti-aircraft warfare, MANPADS & AA Guns , - , RBS 70 , Sweden , MANPADS , 500 missiles , , - , 9K38 Igla , USSR , MANPADS , 640 missiles , , - , Oerlikon 35 mm twin cannon ,

, towed Anti-aircraft, anti-aircraft gun , 34 , weapon is a Self-propelled anti-aircraft weapon, self-propelled gun

Radars

Radar systems consist of one Lockheed Martin AN/FPS-117 unit, and a six Giraffe radar’s from Ericsson telecommunications. {, class="wikitable" , + !Name !Origin !Type !In service !Notes , - ! colspan="5" , Radars , - , Lockheed Martin AN/FPS-117 , United States , Air search radar system , 10 , , - , Lockheed Martin P-STAR , United States , , 20 , , - , Thales-Raytheon Groundmaster 200 , France/United States , , , , - , Ericsson GIRAFFE Radar, GIRAFFE-S/AMB , Sweden , , 6 , , - , Elta Systems EL/M-2084 ,

, , , , - , Tethered Aerostat Radar System , United States , Airborne ground surveillance system , ,

Bases

{, class="wikitable sortable" , - !Name !!Location !!class=unsortable, Unit(s) , - , Changi Air Base , , Changi , , * HQ Air Combat Command (HQ ACC) * 112 Squadron (112 SQN) * 121 Squadron, Republic of Singapore Air Force, 121 Squadron (121 SQN) * 208 Squadron (208 SQN) * 508 Squadron (508 SQN) * 608 Squadron (608 SQN) * 708 Squadron (708 SQN) * 808 Squadron (808 SQN) , - , Chong Pang Camp , , Yishun , , * HQ Air Defence and Operations Command (HQ ADOC) * HQ Participation Command (HQ PC) * 3 Divisional Air Defence Artillery (3 DA BN) * 6 Divisional Air Defence Artillery (6 DA BN) * 9 Divisional Air Defence Artillery (9 DA BN) * 18 Divisional Air Defence Artillery (18 DA BN) * 105 Squadron (105 SQN) * 165 Squadron (165 SQN) * 809 Squadron (809 SQN) * 819 Squadron (819 SQN) * 1 Medical Squadron (1 MS) , - , Murai Camp , , Western Water Catchment , , * 119 Squadron (119 SQN) * 128 Squadron (128 SQN) , - ,

, , Paya Lebar , , * HQ Air Power Generation Command (HQ APGC) * 122 Squadron (122 SQN) * 142 Squadron, Republic of Singapore Air Force, 142 Squadron (142 SQN) * 149 Squadron, Republic of Singapore Air Force, 149 Squadron (149 SQN) * 207 Squadron (207 SQN) * 507 Squadron (507 SQN) * 607 Squadron (607 SQN) * 707 Squadron (707 SQN) * 807 Squadron (807 SQN) * 817 Squadron (817 SQN) , - ,

, , Yishun , , * 120 Squadron, Republic of Singapore Air Force, 120 Squadron (120 SQN) * 123 Squadron (123 SQN) * 125 Squadron, Republic of Singapore Air Force, 125 Squadron (125 SQN) * 126 Squadron, Republic of Singapore Air Force, 126 Squadron (126 SQN) * 127 Squadron, Republic of Singapore Air Force, 127 Squadron (127 SQN) * 206 Squadron (206 SQN) * 506 Squadron (506 SQN) * 606 Squadron (606 SQN) * 706 Squadron (706 SQN) * 806 Squadron (806 SQN) * 816 Squadron (816 SQN) , - ,

, , Seletar , , * 124 Squadron (124 SQN) , - ,

, , Tengah , , * 111 Squadron, Republic of Singapore Air Force, 111 Squadron (111 SQN) * 140 Squadron, Republic of Singapore Air Force, 140 Squadron (140 SQN) * 143 Squadron, Republic of Singapore Air Force, 143 Squadron (143 SQN) * 145 Squadron, Republic of Singapore Air Force, 145 Squadron (145 SQN) * 205 Squadron (205 SQN) * 505 Squadron (505 SQN) * 605 Squadron (605 SQN) * 705 Squadron (705 SQN) * 805 Squadron (805 SQN) * 815 Squadron (815 SQN) *

Others

RSAF Black Knights

First formed in 1973 at Tengah Air Base, the Black Knights is RSAF's official aerobatic team and has been performing on an ad hoc basis since its inception, with volunteer pilots drawn from various front line squadrons within the RSAF. The aerobatics team has performed on events including the Singapore Airshow 2014.

RSAF Museum

The RSAF maintains the Air Force Museum, which was first located at Changi Air Base before it was relocated to a purpose-built building currently situated at 400 Airport Road, Singapore 534234 adjacent to Paya Lebar Air Base. The museum is open to the public and showcases the air force's history and capabilities. Exhibits include the Northrop Grumman E-2 Hawkeye and numerous A-4SU Super Skyhawk.

Tertiary Institutions

The Republic of Singapore Air Force has loaned several aircraft, and aircraft parts to the tertiary institutions in Singapore, including Institute of Technical Education, Ngee Ann Polytechnic, Singapore Polytechnic, Nanyang Polytechnic and Nanyang Technological University since 2005. Aircraft includes the A-4SU Super Skyhawk.

Past Symbols

Roundel

Ensign

References

;Citations ;Bibliography * * * * *
About the FlightGlobal Group , AirSpace Announcement

External links

*

– Contains scholarly articles on military issues, including those pertaining to the SAF's transformation into a 3rd Generation Fighting Force

accessed 23 October 2006.

Video clips

* , accessed 24 May 2011. * , accessed 24 January 2009. * , accessed 24 January 2009. * , accessed 24 January 2009. * , accessed 12 May 2009. {{DEFAULTSORT:Republic Of Singapore Air Force Republic of Singapore Air Force, Camps and bases of the Singapore Armed Forces Military units and formations established in 1968 1968 establishments in Singapore

History

Early years

21st century

List of chiefs of Air Force

Organisation

Commands and Units

Air Combat Command (ACC)

Air Power Generation Command (APGC)

UAV Command (UC)

Air Defence & Operations Command (ADOC)

Participation Command (PC)

Air Force Training Command (AFTC)

Retired Units

Air bases

Overseas detachments

Overview

Personnel

Aircraft

Equipment

Aircraft

Retired aircraft

Armament

Air defence

Radars

Bases

Others

RSAF Black Knights

RSAF Museum

Tertiary Institutions

Past Symbols

Roundel

Ensign

See also

References

External links

Video clips