RSAF turns 57: What has Singapore's air force been busy with?

"Above all" has been the Republic of Singapore Air Force's (RSAF) catchy tagline for generations.

But what else do you know about them?

RSAF turned 57 today (Sept 1), and for an idea of what this modern air force does, a good starting point is a Facebook video posted by Dr Ng Eng Hen, then the Defence Minister, in April.

It set out three pillars that guided RSAF's work over the past year - Ready Today: Safeguarding our Interests, Sharpening our Edge; Ready Tomorrow: Developing Capabilities; and People at Heart.

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From NDP to humanitarian missions

The past two months were a great example of RSAF demonstrating its readiness for today's challenges. 

Along with its Singapore Army counterparts, RSAF completed on Aug 25 a nearly two-week-long deployment to Jordan, from where airdrop operations were conducted to deliver humanitarian aid supplies to the people of Gaza.

Our C-130 Hercules transport aircraft conducted five sorties, dropping nearly 15 tonnes of aid. 

Mere days before that deployment on Aug 12, the air force put up a spectacular performance with aerial displays and the mobile column showcasing its capabilities at the SG60 National Day Parade (NDP).

In July, RSAF's helicopters and personnel from the Special Operations Aviation Task Group honed their special operations airmanship and competency alongside 40,000 troops from 18 countries at Exercise Talisman Sabre, a biennial multinational military exercise led by Australia and the United States.

Inter-operability exercises like this enhance partnerships and foster mutual understanding and trust as part of Singapore's defence diplomacy. At the same time, it allows the air force to enhance its own operational readiness.

RSAF and the wider Singapore Armed Forces' (SAF) involvement in humanitarian operations, like in Gaza, also underlines Singapore's principled and pragmatic approach to respecting the rule of law and relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions. 

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Preparing for tomorrow's battlefield

Speaking on the Ministry of Defence's spending plans for the year on March 3, Dr Ng said that unmanned platforms such as drones will become a part of modern warfare. 

Owing to the pace and scale of drone use and availability, RSAF established the Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) Warfare and Tactics Centre to drive the development of UAS and its integration across SAF, while establishing a Counter-UAS Development and Operations Group to guard against the threat posed by drones. 

The centre was inaugurated on July 29.

Meanwhile, after the acquisition of 20 F-35 fifth-generation fighters, Dr Ng also announced that the air force was evaluating replacements for our three-decade-old Fokker-50 Maritime Patrol Aircraft.

Given the importance of maritime trade for Singapore, the move seeks to modernise our maritime air-surveillance capabilities.

But it is not just about buying hardware, especially in an era of networked battlefields. 

RSAF has moved to adopt new technology for learning and training, such as the use of Apple Vision Pro.

It even has its own military 'start-up', codenamed RAiD (RSAF Agile, innovation and Digital), to develop software which can enable war fighters. This was demonstrated at last year's Exercise Wallaby where an airspace management software was developed within nine days for operations alongside its Australian counterparts. 

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Developing people

Beyond the modern and capable hardware, what about the people behind the machines at RSAF?

The air force regularly sends its personnel overseas for courses and professional development programmes, while inking memorandums of understanding with institutes of higher learning to maintain a nexus for learning and skills.

Two weeks ago, it announced that one of its officers topped the international cohort at the People's Liberation Army Air Force Command College. 

In July, it signed a memorandum of understanding with Ngee Ann Polytechnic to allow aerospace engineering students to fast-track their careers and step into the role of an air force maintenance engineer even before graduation.

Then there is the inconvenience to nearby residents from daily flight operations at air bases, given Singapore's land scarcity.

To foster support and understanding, RSAF gives back to the community through community events, allowing residents and their families to get a better understanding of its work in Singapore's safety and security.

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