Republic of Singapore Air Force

[OPSSG]

Training to contribute to Coalition Air Power in campaigns on Land or at Sea

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Brunei -- A Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) F-15SG deploys flares during the 4th biennial Brunei Darussalam International Defense Exhibition, at the BRIDEX Exhibition Center in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei, Dec. 5, 2013. (U.S. Air Force photo/Master Sgt. Jerome S. Tayborn)

Having been dealt a geo-strategically disadvantaged hand at the country's formation on 9 August 1965 in the mist of tension with its ambitious neighbours, Singapore has to build military capabilities that it needs, first, and that has been the country's singular focus since August 1967. The SAF is not an expeditionary army, nor is the Singapore Navy a blue water navy; but it is the world's smallest country with a tertiary air force. Singapore's lack of depth has resulted in a clear focus on the building the basic force structure for regional over-match, if threatened; and the RSAF's capabilities serve to deter larger powers from acting unilaterally and buys valuable time for the citizen soldiers should they be required to engage in the forward defence of Singapore. Over the years, along with falling birth rates and as the SAF became more capable the duration of service required of Singapore men, as citizen-soldiers, has been reduced. This means the SAF is able to conduct manoeuvre warfare in the near abroad, in a synchronised manner while utilising its air and naval power to destroy or disrupt enemy C4I, lines of communications, logistics; and attack enemy operational reserves. See this video for background on the 50 minute total lock-down of Singapore's busy airspace because of an airspace intrusion (due to an aircraft entering Singapore airspace with no flight plan) in January 2008 to get an idea of Singapore's integrated air defence capabilities: [nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7oCeEHLsIm4"]Guardian of Our Skies - YouTube[/nomedia].

Below, Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen (centre) accompanied by Minister of State for Defence Dr Mohamad Maliki Bin Osman (2nd from right), unveiling a plaque to commemorate the achievement of FOC by the F-15SG on 18 September 2013.

On 18 September 2013, Dr Ng said in his speech:-

"The RSAF's current orbat, with the F-15SG and other advanced RSAF systems like the G550 airborne early warning aircraft, the SPYDER air defence system and the ASTER-30 surface-to-air missile system, provides a robust and multi-layered air defence shield to protect Singapore against a spectrum of airborne threats."​

Below is an extract of an article by David Boey on air-land integration that does a wonderful job describing the narrative for Exercise Forging Sabre 2013. The sequence of events for the exercise is quoted below:

Life imitates art? SAF demonstrates Dynamic Targeting during Exercise Forging Sabre 2013

...Arrayed before NATO Hill were targets the SAF was tasked to demolish within minutes. Whether by intention or uncanny coincidence, the narrative for Forging Sabre's light and sound show reflects the logical sequence for taking out conventional threats.

From here, we have a ringside seat as the SAF's meanest and deadliest war machines move into action. It was executed according to the sequence below.

Cripple the rocket launchers
First to go was a remote-controlled vehicle that ran for its life along a sinuous desert dirt track, raising a banner of dust in its wake. This simulated a moving target, in this case a rocket launcher. The moving vehicle was tracked by SAF sensors that guided a laser JDAM bomb dropped from a high flying F-15SG warplane, orbiting at some 16,000 feet, dead on target. After the strike, the narrative indicated that the F-15SG returned to its holding area to await orders to take out another target. As each F-15SG can carry up to 15 JDAMs, the war load of the RSAF's most advanced warplane is noteworthy, considering Singapore has bought 24 of these combat proven warplanes.

Blind the anti-aircraft radars
Next on the target list were radars for the enemy's anti-aircraft weapons. Two F-16 warplanes entered the arena to deliver a pair of laser guided bombs on a "radar site". As the bombs blew the target apart, the F-16s left the scene at high speed, releasing a trail of blazing flares that could have deceived heat-seeking missiles launched against them. The evasive manoeuvres were not just for show: during the air strike mock SAMs were launched against the jets to simulate an enemy air defences abuzz with retaliatory moves.

Clip the wings
After this strike came the main strike team, made up of just two F-15SGs. Each carried four Mark 84 2,000-pound bombs - the largest bombs in the RSAF's arsenal - to demolish aircraft fuel and ammunition storage at a hostile air base. As the bombs blasted the simulated air base, they created a tall column of smoke that marked the death of an air force. The narrator noted that a real air base target may involve eight or more F-15SGs, and that single strike by a fraction of what would be fielded in a shooting war gave observers some idea of the damage such a main strike could inflict.

It is interesting to note that the opening phases of the Forging Sabre firepower demo placed air bases and surface to air missile sites high on the target list, as such a game plan was indeed pursued by air power planners who fought in Iraq and the former Yugoslavia. SAF defence planners understand that warplanes are weapons only when they are in the air, sustained with weapons, fuel and pilots. A warplane on the ground is a high value target just waiting to have its wings clipped.

Shred the tank columns
In came the Apache attack helicopters that drizzled a simulated town with rockets fired at a column of enemy vehicles parked in civilian areas. Red buildings indicated civilian targets that could not be hit as these could result in civilian casualties. The cloud of rockets that smashed the tank column would have shredded enemy armour and stopped a real one in its tracks.

Strike the command centre
The finale came from the Singapore Army's HIMARS - its name means High Mobility Artillery Rocket System - which were tasked to destroy static, high value targets such as command posts. The observers on NATO Hill scrutinised the live firing area to pick out the HIMARS launchers...

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Below, aircrew from the RSAF and their American Army counterparts from the Peace Prairie detachment conducting a mission brief, as part of Exercise Forging Sabre 2013.

Below, a Flight Engineer from the Peace Prairie detachment preparing a General Purpose Machine Gun to be mounted at the doors of the CH-47D Chinook helicopter before a mission. The Chinook has been activated to insert a team of Commandos into hostile territory, as part of Exercise Forging Sabre 2013.

Below, an Aerial Gunner on a Singaporean Chinook using his machine gun to apply suppressive fire to defend his helicopter, in Arizona, USA; as part of Exercise Forging Sabre 2013.

Below, one of two Singaporean Chinook deployed from Grand Prairie, Texas, gets ready to take to the skies, in Arizona, USA. The Chinook was activated to insert a team of Commandos into hostile territory. These Commandos from the Singapore Army will act as 'eyes' on the ground. Together with the Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, they provide a clear situation picture of the battlefield for the Division Strike Centre.

It is important to train Singaporean troops in realistic conditions abroad that broadly simulate war time scenarios. Exercise Forging Sabre 2013 is a wonderful opportunity for the army, air force and navy to work together, as one to shape the land battle. The act of training provide deterrence to any aggressor with hostile intent.

 

[OPSSG]

Exercise Forging Sabre 2013: Air-Land Integration

[nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jl0ixxdN4ns"]Ep 1: Power Pact! (Exercise Forging Sabre) - YouTube[/nomedia]


Below, the Peace Carvin II detachment's aircrew conducting pre-flight checks on an inert GBU-12 laser-guided bomb (500-pound) before a mission in support of Exercise Forging Sabre. Luke Air Force Base in Arizona is home to the RSAF's Peace Carvin II F-16C/D training detachment and is also where Exercise Forging Sabre 2013 is being held.

[nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_Iu7xOVHM4&feature=c4-overview&list=UU4BCUrNe2X5UJkvzeRG12gQ"]Ep 2: Power Pact! (Exercise Forging Sabre) - YouTube[/nomedia]


Below, Peace Carvin II detachment's aircrew conducting pre-flight checks before a mission.

Luke Air Force Base is hosting Exercise Forging Sabre 2013 (from 4 December to 15 December 2013), an exercise involving the 425 Fighter Squadron, the 428th Fighter Squadron from Mountain Home AFB, Idaho, the Peace Vanguard (Apache training detachment at Silver Bell Army Heliport in Marana, Arizona) and the Peace Prairie (Chinook training detachment at Grand Prairie Army Aviation Support Facility in Texas) detachments, and members of the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF). The purpose of the exercise is to provide the SAF with an opportunity to exercise and train its full spectrum of command, control and execution. Below, F-16Cs taxiing off for an evening mission in support of Exercise Forging Sabre 2013.

As Lee Kuan Yew once said, a small country like Singapore seeks a maximum number of friends, while maintaining the freedom to be itself as a sovereign and independent nation. Both parts of the equation – a maximum number of friends and freedom to be act - are equally important and inter-related. This is why the SAF's mission in furtherance of Singapore's forward defence posture is as follows:-

"To enhance Singapore's peace and security through deterrence and diplomacy, and should these fail, to secure a swift and decisive victory over the aggressor."​

The reality is the SAF does not exist to just defend Singapore, within Singapore. The SAF serves to defend Singapore's interests; and Singapore's interests as a port-city, has a strong maritime character.

Above, Defence Minister Dr Ng Eng Hen observed the integrated Command Post engage a moving target. He noted that Exercise Forging Sabre 13 provided the 3rd Generation SAF an excellent opportunitiy to validate its integrated strike capabilities in a realistic and challenging environment. He said:-

"The ability to pick up real-time moving targets, track them, and strike them while they are moving is something very difficult to do militarily. It calls for a very high state of what we call sense-making - the ability to know what is happening at that point of time because things can change."

[nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t2pib5uoei8"][TVC] SAF - A Force in Transformation - YouTube[/nomedia]​

Below, no matter how challenging the environment may be, the RSAF crew members are always prepared. Even in facing the drastic changes in temperature in Arizona, USA, they ensure that the F-15SGs are always prepared ahead in time for their missions. Below, a F-15SG taking off, in Arizona, USA.

The four roles of air power for Singapore are as follows:-

(i) to fight for control of the air in support of SAF operations, through the use of F-16C/Ds, F-15SGs and F-35Bs (in the near future), supported by G550 AEWs and KC-135Rs, to gain air superiority;

Above picture (a G550 AEW from the RSAF on public display for the first time in 2010) and link to the story by Flight Global (see also this IAI video on its capabilities: [nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TnUo1xew7-M"]IAI G550 CAEW - YouTube[/nomedia]).

(ii) to attack any aggressor's forces, through the use precision munitions delivered by fighters or other platforms, on land or at sea;

(iii) to provide air mobility to enable the SAF to insert troops or send supplies in support of missions conducted on land or at sea; and

(iv) to conduct ISR, in other words to gather intelligence, conduct surveillance or reconnaissance using fighters (as ISR assets), MPAs, Heron 1 UAVs, Hermes 450 UAVs and Scaneagle UAVs launched from land or from the sea.​

Striking at enemy targets by day or by night, Exercise Forging Sabre 2013 is the most complex integration of how the SAF finds, fixes, and finishes the enemy. Below, the exercise continues into the night as pilots and ground crews swing into action to get the AH-64D Apache ready to inflict Hellfire on enemy targets, with the aid of Scaneagle UAVs (which I note is in service with the Singapore Navy and integrated into the Victory Class corvette).

Below, groundcrew of the Peace Vanguard detachment loading the Hellfire missile onto the AH-64D Apache before a mission. The Apaches are able to fly both day and night missions, employing their Longbow Radar and full-suite of weapons like Laser Hellfire missiles, 70mm rockets and 30mm guns against the 'enemy'. Five Apaches were deployed from their Peace Vanguard training detachment based in Marana, Arizona, to participate in Exercise Forging Sabre 2013.

Below, Air Force, Army and Navy personnel working together in the exercise command post in coordinating the fight against the thinking enemy. Please keep in mind that Singapore is a small island nation (it is the smallest country by land size in South East Asia) and to defend Singapore, our forces need to travel over-seas to take the fight to the aggressor or aggressors.

Below, a ScanEagle UAV's surveillance image shows a moving target being hit by a Laser JDAM. And if you haven't already caught the video, do check it out at http://goo.gl/xeaG5B

No. 4 of 4 air power roles — ISTAR is the process of integrating the intelligence process with surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance tasks in order to improve a commander’s battle-space awareness and consequently their decision making. Air forces or naval air usually prefer to use the term ISR, rather than the term ISTAR (which is more army centric in its origins). ISR is not just about air forces operating unmanned aerial systems. Many air forces will retain an ISR capability on manned combat aircraft and it is a key component of joint ISR capability. In particular, manned fast jets provide a capability to penetrate contested battle-space. A pervasive ISR capability also requires sensors that can perform throughout the electromagnetic spectrum across the physical domains and defeat adversary counter detection techniques. Therefore, ISR or ISTAR can be defined as:-

"An activity that synchronises and integrates the planning and operation of sensors, assets, and processing, exploitation, analysis and dissemination systems in direct support of current and future operations."​

Ongoing technical innovations will shape the continued evolution of PGMs to overcome limitations on precision weapon use imposed by inclement weather conditions. Further, the employment of military force has traditionally been conceived in terms of the functions find, fix, strike and exploit. This approach was formalized later as the F3EAD concept: find, fix, finish, exploit, analyze, and disseminate.

Above is a picture of the faithful vehicle that was remotely controlled by a driver that was hit by the Laser JDAM.

Below, a F-15SG taking-off for a mission. F-15SG pilot MAJ Goh She Wan, on having to fight against enemy fighters in the exercise said: "We are employing live ammunition and still have to handle a more dynamic Red Force out there. So that has been a big challenge as we have had to step up our tactics."

Below, behind every mission conducted by the F-15SG, there is a team of dedicated Air Force Engineers who ensure that the multi-role fighter aircraft is well maintained, prepared and loaded. This is no exception for the team from the Peace Carvin V detachment that was deployed to Exercise Forging Sabre 2013.

"The experience here has been awesome. It warms my heart each time when the aircrew take the aircraft out for a mission and they return telling me, 'Thank you, mission succeeded'. It certainly makes me proud to be in the team F-15SG."

- Military Expert 1 Eric Ng (left), an Air Force Engineer working on the Communications, Navigation and Electronic Warfare systems of the F-15SG. Even when facing with a high exercise tempo, he says he is able to tap into the experience he has gained from participating in other large-scale exercises like Exercise Red Flag and Exercise Maple Flag with the PCV detachment.

"The greatest challenge to the weapons load team is having to load up the aircraft with the correct munitions during the short turnaround time between missions. But together with my teammates, we have the proficiency and teamwork to work together as one to get the job done."

- Military Expert 1 Lim Wee Tiong (centre), one of the Weapons Load Crew who work in a team of three. He was part of the winning team of the Quarterly Weapons Loading Competition held in July 2013 in Mountain Home Air Force Base - home to the PCV detachment.

"Back in PCV, we train alongside our USAF counterparts and that has prepared us to carry out our missions safely and efficiently. Even though we work in a different environment here, our training comes into good play. Our timely delivery of the aircraft is crucial to ensure mission success in Exercise Forging Sabre."

- Military Expert 1 Ricky Woon (right), a Flight Line Crew of six months with PCV. This is his first deployment to a large-scale exercise and he says "being able to be part of this exercise is an honour"

Above, by day or by night, yet another 'enemy' target is successfully destroyed by Mark 84 2000lbs bombs dropped by the F-15SGs.

 

[OPSSG]

MEDIA ADVISORY!!

F-35B aircraft expected to visit Luke AFB Dec. 10 ...

F-35B aircraft from Marine Corps Air Station Yuma are expected to be flying at Luke AFB from approximately 10:30 a.m. to noon on Tuesday, Dec. 10. The aircraft will be at Luke at the request of senior defense officials from Singapore, who are visiting the base as part of Forging Sabre, a Singapore armed forces exercise taking place at Luke and at the Barry M. Goldwater training range. Singapore is considering purchasing F-35s in the future.

The F-35B is the “short takeoff and vertical landing” variant of the aircraft developed for the U.S. Marine Corps. It is configured differently than the F-35A “conventional takeoff and landing” variant used by the U.S. Air Force. The first of Luke’s F-35A aircraft are expected to arrive in early 2014...

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Above, the STOVL F-35B completing the 500th vertical landing.

In conjunction with Exercise Forging Sabre 2013, the US Marines staged a aerial display for Defence Minister Dr Ng Eng Hen and Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) officials. A Singaporean blogger, David Boey, who was invited to the event, reported that the aerial 16-minute display took place after Dr Ng and Chief of Air Force of the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF), Major-General Hoo Cher Mou were introduced to another F-35B on static display at Luke AFB. For more pictures of the F-35B at Luke AFB, see here. Links to the news reports from The Gazette and Military Times on the F-35B visit are also provided.

Below, as David Boey has reported that 'USMC F-35B performs for Singaporean Minister of Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen', in Arizona. The short take-off, vertical landing F-35B, staged a 16-minute aerial display for Dr Ng and Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) officials, stoking speculation among military watchers that Singapore's position on the JSF is imminent. Photo credit: United States Air Force

Reuters has reported that Singapore's Defense Minister Ng Eng Hen said his country was seriously considering buying Lockheed Martin's F-35 fighter jet but was in "no particular hurry" to buy new jets since its F-16 fighters were still in good shape during a joint news conference with U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel. Dr Ng said:-

"We're in no particular hurry, because our F-16s are still very operational, and they're due for upgrades. But it is a serious consideration."​

Singapore's Indigenous Defence Science Ecosystem

Below, Second Minister for Defence Chan Chun Sing (second from left) and Chief Defence Scientist Professor Quek Tong Boon (third from left) viewing the first locally-built satellite, called X-SAT. Developed by scientists from Nanyang Technological University and DSO Laboratories, the X-SAT can capture images of ocean red tides, oil pollution at sea and forest fires. This is just one example of the collaboration between MINDEF and NTU which commemorated the Temasek Laboratories at NTU's (TL@NTU's) 10th anniversary with a technology showcase (see, here for details).

Chief Defence Scientist Professor Quek Tong Boon lauded TL@NTU's achievements and attributed its success to its ability to translate research breakthroughs into real-world applications. As Second Minister for Defence, Mr Chan Chun Sing, said at TL@NTU's 10th anniversary:-

"MINDEF has therefore made it our mission to build up a robust defence science and technology ecosystem in MINDEF, DSTA and DSO. Each year, we recruit some of the best minds in science and technology, passionate and talented individuals, to work on state-of-the-art capabilities for the SAF. The work of the defence technology community, in applied research, system development and engineering support, ensures that the SAF is always equipped with the right hardware and technology.
...

We will continue on this path to make sure that we tap on the talents and resources across the entire nation for our defence purposes, and not just only in DSTA or DSO. Only so will we be able to build a first class and a strong defence ecosystem that will meet the unique needs of the SAF going forward.
...

Let me share with you some of these examples of what TL@NTU has achieved over all these years. The Advanced Materials team in TL, who worked with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), had found a way to create flexible ceramics. The super-elastic ceramics can bend, and then recover upon heating. This breakthrough means that the ceramics could potentially be used for body or vehicular armour, strengthening our ability to operate in dangerous environments. Also, TL@NTU's research on algorithms for communications signals enables very weak signals to be picked up in a noisy environment. This technology is useful for the SAF, and will help improve the robustness of our radio communication systems. Singapore is a small place not just physically, but also very congested in our electromagnetic spectrum. For us to provide all the 4G and other telecommunications services in such a confined environment, it is a very big challenge."

 

[OPSSG]

Peace Carvin II

Below, a RSAF team loading the AIM-9 missile onto the wingtip of an F-16. Weighing about 190 lbs or 86kg, the missile requires the strength and coordination of all three members of the crew to load.

This year, 425th Fighter Squadron of Peace Carvin II - the Republic of Singapore Air Force's training detachment in the United States - had one qualifying team in the final round, consisting of Military Expert (ME) 2 Thia Daoli, ME2 John Ong Kok Hao, and ME1 Roger Wong. After a tough and close fight, Peace Carvin II defended its champion title for the third consecutive year, beating other Aircraft Maintenance Units to be recognised as the best load crew in Luke Air Force Base, the largest F-16 training base in the world.

Below, American and Singaporean members of the 425th Fighter Squadron pose for a group photo on the flightline at Luke Air Force Base, on 13 Nov 2013. The squadron celebrated reaching a milestone of 50,000 flying hours. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Luther Mitchell Jr.)

Training in the US to fight for Control of the Air : RSAF pilots deploy to Luke to receive upgrade training after being qualified as wingmen. "As an operational squadron, we work to get pilots through advanced upgrade training," said Lt. Col. Ryan Nudi, 425th Fighter Squadron's director of operations. "It typically takes two years and 60 to 70 upgrade sorties, including two upgrades while they're here and typically one upgrade per year. Then they return to the operational squadrons in Singapore." Pilots receive their two-ship upgrade, which means they can now lead a wingman into combat and their four-ship upgrade certifying they can lead three other aircraft into combat. RSAF pilots rotate through the squadron every two years, with a change-over of 10 pilots every year. "We typically fly 14 sorties a day," Nudi said. "That's about 280 sorties a month and 1.3 to 1.5 hours per sortie to meet the pilots' training requirements."

Below, a newly painted tail flash of a Merlion celebrates 20 years of partnership between Luke, RSAF. The Merlion is a mythical creature with the head of a lion and the body of a fish and is a trademarked national symbol of Singapore (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Grace Lee).

Below, the 425th Fighter Squadron revealed a second painted tail flash Nov. 25 on the flightline. The Singapore detachment celebrates its 20th anniversary. In line with the celebration, two commanders’ aircraft were painted with unique tail flash designs by the 56th Equipment Maintenance Squadron.

Minister of Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen in his speech at the Peace Carvin II 20th Anniversary parade on 12 December 2013 said:-

"The opportunity to train in the US and some of the best pilots in the US reaped great dividends for Singapore’s Air Force. In its second year of operations, the RSAF detachment in the US, PC II, took part in the 56th Fighter Wing Turkey Shoot in 1994 and emerged as the Top Operations Squadron, Top Maintenance Squadron and Top Squadron. Our pilots, engineers and technicians knew that these training facilities and opportunities in the US were precious and integral to our defence capabilities for Singapore. They were committed and focused and were able to benchmark themselves against the USAF, among the best in the world. As a result, the RSAF acquired the operational, technical and logistics capabilities to bring the RSAF’s F-16C/Ds to Full Operational Capability in less than five years."​

Below, Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen inspecting the Peace Carvin II 20th Anniversary parade.

Reporting on the 20th anniversary of Peace Carvin II (i.e. the RSAF F-16 training detachment at Luke Air Force Base) in December 2013, David Boey noted the following:-

Statistics shared by the Peace Calvin II (PC2) detachment speak volumes of the intensity of training here. This is no holiday camp: more than 50,000 flying hours, 92 live air-to-air missiles of three types launched, 2,492 bombs of five types dropped during war games...

USAF Lieutenant-Colonel Kevin S. Cruikshank, commander of the 425th Fighter Squadron, 56th Fighter Wing, which is the joint USAF-RSAF command that steers PC2, commended RSAF personnel for their professionalism when sent war games outside their comfort zone. These include winter training in Alaska... He also noted that RSAF airmen had done well during large-scale air warfare exercises, including helming leadership positions that involved conceptualising, planning, briefing and directing air operations for large numbers of warplanes...

At present, the RSAF flies four detachments in the US. These are the PC2 detachment with F-16C/Ds, Peace Vanguard with AH-64D Apache attack helicopters, Peace Prairie CH-47 with Chinooks and Peace Carvin V with F-15SGs.​

Below, from left to right: Commander, US Pacific Air Forces, General Herbert J. Carlisle; Minister for Defence, Dr Ng Eng Hen; Glendale, Arizona, Mayor Jerry Weiers, and Chief of Air Force, Major-General Hoo Cher Mou.

On the 20th anniversary of Peace Carvin II, a video was released that noted the following:-

PCII 20th Anniversary Video - YouTube

Below, pictures from Red Flag (Alaska) 2012.

The 425 fighter squadron has taken part in a number exercises, including 13 Red Flag (Nellis), 4 Red Flag (Alaska), 9 Maple Flag, 9 Combat Archer and 3 Forging Sabre.

​

20 Years of Partnership & Excellence in Peace Carvin II

It was an evening of celebration, catching up on old friendships and forging new ones at the Peace Carvin II 20th Anniversary Dinner held on 11 December 2013.

Below, from left to right, Commander U.S. Pacific Air Forces, General Herbert Carlisle, Chief of Air Force, Major-General Hoo Cher Mou, and Deputy Under-Secretary of the Air Force for International Affairs, Miss Heidi Grant.

Jointly hosted by Chief of Air Force, Major-General Hoo Cher Mou, and Commander U.S. Pacific Air Forces, General Herbert Carlisle, the dinner aptly marked this significant milestone together with past and present personnel of PCII and their family members. The dinner was also graced by Deputy Under-Secretary of the Air Force for International Affairs, Miss Heidi Grant.

The dinner came after a parade earlier in the day that celebrated 20 years of 'Partnership & Excellence' at the F-16 training detachment in Luke Air Force Base, Arizona. PCII is currently the RSAF's longest running detachment in the US.

"PCII is a true testament to the close and long-standing bilateral relationship between the United States Air Force and The Republic of Singapore Air Force," said MG Hoo in his opening speech.

"Here in Luke Air Force Base, we are training amongst the best fighter pilots and engineers in the world. Iron sharpens iron – so that ability to push other in a relentless pursuit for excellence is a key force that underpins the progress that we have made together and a testament to the men and women of PCII," he said.

General Carlisle also highlighted the importance and accolades of PCII in his speech. "I’m proud that PCII has been part of RSAF’s transformation, enabling quality training for the RSAF over the last 20 years. From bilateral engagements such as Commando Sling, to full scale multilateral exercises such as Red Flag, the RSAF has been a staunch supporter of high fidelity training with the United States for almost a quarter of a century. Incredibly impressive," he said.

"If you look at the accomplishments of the squadron over the past 20 years, it is truly a mark of a winning squadron. And this squadron is made up of winners," added General Carlisle.

Below, Military Expert 4 Chia Loy Ngee.

"As we look back with pride on the journey that PCII has taken, there are some in the audience today who were there at the very beginning. The current Command Chief of PCII, Military Expert 4 Chia Loy Ngee, was part of the first logistics crew that received our first F-16s back in 1993. Just like Loy Ngee, I am sure that all of you have many fond memories to share around the table tonight, and can testify to how far the detachment - and by extension the partnership between our two Air Forces - have progressed in the past two decades." - Chief of Air Force, Major-General Hoo Cher Mou

“When we first came here to Peace Carvin II, it was something new to the RSAF. The initial focus was to assimilate our operations to the processes that the base had, as they may not be the same as those we practised back home. Today after 20 years, we are matured and established. We have formed a partnership between both Air Forces and have many opportunities to cross-share our experiences and best practices. On a personal level, I am also more confident in communicating. Everyday I meet the Americans, I talk to them and we exchange ideas and that’s how we learn more.”

Military Expert 4 Chia Loy Ngee
Command Chief of Peace Carvin II detachment
Luke Air Force Base, Arizona, USA.​

 

[OPSSG]

Deployment of the SAF's Capabilities in Support of Operations (Part 1 of 2)

On 22 Jun 2013, the SAF concluded 6 years of its deployments in Afghanistan as part of Singapore's contributions to the International Security Assistance Force's (ISAF) multinational stabilisation and reconstruction efforts there. The Singapore flag was lowered in Tarin Kowt located in Oruzgan to mark the end of operations. The SAF has deployed 492 personnel to Afghanistan since May 2007 as part of Singapore's contributions to the multinational stabilisation and reconstruction efforts there. Operating as part of the ISAF, SAF personnel have contributed their expertise in humanitarian assistance and reconstruction efforts, force protection, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance as well as the training of the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) .

Below, strong international ties were developed or reinforced by SAF servicemen, while deployed to Afghanistan.

The SAF Imagery Analysis Team in Tarin Kot, Oruzgan

Captain Tim Tiller of the Australian Army has described the battlespace at Oruzgan as:-

"Characterised by distinct geographical features, with bare mountain ranges separated by discrete valleys and belts of arable land concentrated along the banks of perennial water courses (ruds). The population is generally dispersed across rural areas, located in small and open remote pockets of land. The restrictive mountainous regions canalise traffic and limit movement between urban centres. The terrain around the rivers is much closer and the agriculture, especially grape trellises, hinders movement and provides extensive cover. Affecting all human activity and of significance to military operations are the weather effects, including a very hot and dry summer (35–50°C) and exceptionally cold winter with sub-zero temperatures and snow. The population is tribal and centred around villages and tribes without strong loyalty to central and in many cases regional governments. These considerations combined with religious Pashtun culture significantly affect the human terrain." ​

While Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) captured images of the surroundings, these images needed to be analysed to identify what was happening on the ground. This was done by an expert in the field of imagery analysis, who is able to tell the difference between a stationary person lying in wait and a rock.

Tribute to the 492 soldiers who took part in Ops Blue Ridge - YouTube

The SAF’s Imagery Analysis Team (IAT) deployed at MBTK augmented the ISAF’s surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities. They were entrusted with the analysis of images captured not just by our own UAVs but also those of the coalition detachments. It reflected the level of confidence that the other militaries had for our servicemen.

On 28 July 2011 (see BBC report), a coordinated attack by the enemy took place, where the Deputy Provincial Governor’s compound and the Radio station were targeted at the same time. Our IAT team was activated by the Headquarters shortly after the attack commenced to provide analysis of the attacked sites. Their inputs allowed all those besieged by the enemies in the attacks to be rescued. The violence included three suicide bombings followed by fighting in a market, with all eight attackers killed.

Below, a video from the Australian Army's 131 Battery, 20th Surveillance and Target Acquisition Regiment (operating the Scaneagle UAV), describing their role in Tarin Kowt, Afghanistan and how they work with the IAT: Australian Scan Eagle U.A.V. Operating In Afghanistan - SSG Bernardo Fuller - 16th MPAD - YouTube

Below, the Singapore UAV Task Group from RSAF's 128 squadron in Tarin Kowt, Oruzgan from October 2010 to January 2011, that was under constant threat of indirect fire and operated outside of the inner base security perimeter at the runway. To reduce exposure time to indirect fire, an improved Searcher II tow trolley was designed and fabricated in Singapore and the active receive observation station was assigned with a small Singapore Army force protection section. Force protection provided over watch for the UAV launch/recovery operations and manned prepared fighting positions, should the UAV Task Group come under direct attack - a sensible precaution in light of the 14 September 2012 Camp Bastion attack, where six AV-8B II were destroyed and a number of Marines killed. To achieve mission success, the 1,000 kg transmitter was placed on top of 4 twenty foot containers, to maintain line-of-sight communications with the Searcher II. To minimize the logistics requirement for spare engines, a number of air force engineers were deployed with depot-level maintenance capability (a role that is normally outsourced to a contractor in Singapore).

Within a week of setting-up, the UAV team had produced for their commanders a 99-page report on how to improve UAV operations to gain maximum impact against the enemy in the contested province of Oruzgan. Operating in Tarin Kowt, Oruzgan from October 2010 to January 2011, the UAV Team flew 112 missions that provided ISR for Combined Team Oruzgan.

Below, SAF's 'Owls' in Tarin Kowt, Oruzgan, led by LTC Paul Tan as Detachment Commander. For lean manning purposes, the Mission Commanders were triple qualified as internal pilot and payload operators while augmenting the work done by the two Mission Planners. The UAV pilots were triple qualified as internal pilot, payload operators and as members of the active receive observation station. The UAV logistics crew, led by ME6 Nelson Lim (as Senior Maintenance Officer) was also multi-qualified to perform each other's roles, including the capability to conduct engine tuning. By planning ahead, when one Mission Commander fell ill, other members of the team was able to shuffle manpower requirements to ensure that they were on time and on target everyday for the 112 missions flown.

Note for non-Singaporean readers: The Singapore Army provides imagery analysts as part of the S2/G2 function for the data gathered by the UAVs deployed by Singapore but it is the RSAF that owns the Searcher UAVs. RSAF provides the UAV with the mission commander, external pilot, the internal pilot, sensor operator and the maintenance crew. That is why, the Singapore UAV Team in Afghanistan is a SAF Task Group. For more info, watch part 1 and part 2 of these videos on the RSAF's UAV crew.

[nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lCn3yVDH05g"]Hide and Seek (Part 1): The UAV Logistics Crew - YouTube[/nomedia]

[nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NyUnmbmZfPM"]Hide and Seek (Part 2): The UAV Pilots - YouTube[/nomedia]


h/t to xtemujin's blog for the picture of the "Timika 1996" campaign streamer below:

I note that Afghanistan is not the only operational deployment of Singapore owned pilotless drones. The TNI and SAF also worked together in hostage rescue operations in West Papua in 1996. An SAF Remotely Piloted Vehicle detachment worked closely with the Indonesian special forces in Timika in West Papua, providing surveillance which proved crucial in facilitating the successful rescue of Indonesian and foreign hostages (from the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Germany) taken by the Organisasi Papua Merdeka or Free Papua Movement. The RSAF's then Tactical Air Support Command (now renamed Air Defence and Operations Command) received a campaign streamer for that. The streamer is navy blue with a red stripe between two thin yellow lines throughout its length and inscribed with "Timika 1996" in white and the streamer was inherited by the UAV Command Regimental Colour in 2011. See this indirect reference of that hostage rescue by the then Singapore Defence Minister, in a Dec 2010 speech at the Indonesia Defence University, where he said:- "In previous years, we have managed to operate together to carry out some missions to safeguard the lives of Indonesian and foreign citizens in Indonesia."

 

[OPSSG]

Deployment of the SAF's Capabilities in Support of Operations (Part 2 of 2)

RSAF's Searcher II was seen on overwatch, in the background, during the then Australian PM, Julia Gillard's surprise visit to Afghanistan in early October 2010.

Source: The Australian
Picture: Gary Ramage

Above, Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston, left, Julia Gillard and head of the Combined Team Oruzgan, US Colonal Jim Creighton.
[h/t to LaoTiKo]

As Maj. Gen. Robert "Abe" Abrams said on 22 June 2013 to mark the SAF's end-of-mission in Afghanistan:

"The Singapore Armed Forces have done tremendous work across Afghanistan for the last six years... They are the utmost professionals. They are committed, dedicated, and have performed superb work in many different niche capabilities."​

Click on the book for a link to OBR ebook below:


Terrorist Target: Singapore - YouTube

Below, Master Warrant Officer Ng Soy Soy, Sergeant Major of Imagery Analyst Team in Oruzgan receiving his ISAF medal from Colonel Simon Stuart, Commander Combined Team Oruzgan.

Maj. Gen. Robert Abrams' praise is also echoed by Commander Combined Team Uruzgan, Col. Simon Stuart, who said:

"You have demonstrated professionalism and technical mastery in equal measure and you should depart with the knowledge that your efforts have contributed to helping protect the lives of coalition soldiers and Afghans alike... You are a credit to the combined team, to the Singaporean Armed Forces and to your nation.”​

Above, SAF servicemen waiting for the event to begin.

Above, Minister for Defence, Dr Ng Eng Hen with recipients of the SAF Overseas Service Medal and guests at the post event reception.

Extracts of the Speech by Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen at the Overseas Service Medal Presentation Ceremony on 19 July 2013.

Let me first acknowledge the contributions and efforts of the 28 servicemen who will receive their Overseas Service medal today. Amongst them are SLTC Lum Hon Yuen, SLTC Patrick Ong, LTC Pang Tzer Yeu and LTC Yong Yik Fung, who served in the Headquarters International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), HQ ISAF. LTC Heng Aik Fine and LTC Tan Yueh Phern led our Imagery Analyst Teams (IAT). ME5 Daryl Cheong and ME5 Ng Swee Yew were in the National Support Element (NSE) to sustain our operations. And MAJ Eric Teo led a six-man team to recover our people and equipment...

Many people may not realise that our JI members here, were already plotting and training before 9/11. These JI members in Singapore had gone to Afghanistan to learn how to handle explosives and guns. They were learning to execute missions. As they confessed and shared what they were planning to do, they were preparing to attack targets in Singapore, just as their counterparts were preparing to and did carry out attacks subsequently on targets in the US, Indonesia and elsewhere.

It was this recognition that terrorism was a global problem which could affect us all, that prompted our decision to deploy the SAF into Afghanistan in 2007. The SAF was there as part of the larger multinational effort to prevent extremists from using Afghanistan as a base to export terrorism to the rest of the world...

Knowing that we had to be in Afghanistan as part of the fight against global terrorism did not make it easier to accept the very real possibility of harm to our soldiers...

I am happy to report that every SAF soldier deployed to Afghanistan, including the 28 we honour today, has lived up to our expectations and each one of them returned unharmed. For this, for each one of you that returned unharmed, we give thanks. Over the course of six years, we deployed nearly 500 SAF servicemen and women to Afghanistan. At our peak in November 2010, the SAF had almost 100 servicemen deployed in Afghanistan...​

Beyond Operation Blue Ridge (the SAF's 6 year mission in Afghanistan), 998 Singaporeans from the army, navy and air force also served in Iraq and the Northern Arabian Gulf from 2004 to 2008. The SAF deployments in support of Operation Blue Orchid included:-

(a) Navy: 5x deployments of Endurance Class LPDs for the seaward defence of Iraq for 300 days against suicide boat attacks - which included NDU boarding teams conducting routine inspection of ships and dhows for explosives and other threats to protect Iraqi's two oil terminals. The Singapore Navy also trained the Iraqi Navy and helped them extend their operating range by refueling their patrols boats at sea (see this video on SAF in Iraq: [nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IpC4TTkT8Iw"]In The Service of Peace - YouTube[/nomedia]);

Below, Col. Larry Martin welcomes Singapore air force Capt. Colin Leong April 16 to a Southwest Asian air base. Colonel Martin is the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing vice commander, and Captain Leong is a Singapore air force KC-135 pilot. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Johnny Saldivar)

(b) Air Force: 1x C-130 deployment for 2 months carrying men, cargo and equipment and performing evasive manoeuvres for about 1/3 of their 29 missions completed in 190 hrs of flight time (in the above video, you can see the force protection team deployed with the C-130); 5x KC-135R deployments for 3 months, each, all facing the danger of short-range SAM attacks with 303 missions completed in 1,800 hrs of flight time (see also: [nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DUstvXSytRc"]DHL Airbus A300 Struck By Missile, Baghdad - YouTube[/nomedia]); and

(c) Army: 4 officers, each, serving a 6 month tour under coalition command in Iraq.​

 

[OPSSG]

Exercise Wallaby 2013 (3 Oct to 30 Nov)
@ Shoalwater Bay Training Area

Below, RSS Resolution participating in the bilateral Australia-Singapore military exercise that has been scheduled more than a year ago. NSmen involved and their employers would have been given notice of the duration they would be away from work to meet their training obligations, at least 6 months ago.

It is 2030hrs. Troops from the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) are working hard at their military manoeuvres in the Shoalwater Bay Training Area (SWBTA). All of a sudden, they hear news that a tsunami has struck Queensland, Australia. Working together with the Australian Defence Force, the soldiers quickly swing into action to offer whatever aid they can. This was the scenario painted on 18 Nov, as part of a bilateral Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) exercise component of Exercise Wallaby 2013. This was the first-ever HADR component of Exercise Wallaby, and this segment involved 605 soldiers, 232 sailors, 100 airmen and 14 ADF planners and observers. Brigadier-General (BG) Desmond Tan, the SAF Exercise Director for frame three of Exercise Wallaby, elaborated that this was because of the recent increase in natural disasters occurring in the ASEAN region. He said:-

"Australia has a huge coastline and this allowed us to conduct Ship-to-Shore operations which were akin to what we did in Operation Flying Eagle when the tsunami struck Aceh in 2004. Since then, we haven't deployed this level of task force, so we thought we would try to keep our HADR readiness and capabilities current."​

The Chief Guards Officer also added that Exercise Trident allowed the SAF and ADF to exchange ideas and practices, learn from each other and maintain the ability to send their forces to assist any country when disaster strikes. The exercise involved a substantial amount of planning and coordination among the SAF officers from the Army and Navy, as well as the ADF planners. Termed Liaison Officers (LOs), these personnel from both countries gathered information from their respective agencies - the SAF from their ground troops and the ADF from their civilian agencies and armed forces - to update and coordinate their plans with each other, and fed the information back to their agencies so that the operations could run smoothly. For CPT Joshua He, working with the ADF was a valuable learning experience as there were ample opportunities for the sharing of information and processes. The information shared by the ADF also included their knowledge of the local areas and the sea conditions, which made it easier for the SAF to execute the mission effectively. CPT He added:-

"They gave us some tips… and I also showed them how we do things on board our ships. This allowed us to improve our best practices as well as our standard operating procedures."​

Once the initial planning was done, the CTF HQ sent out two teams to survey the site. The Needs Assessment Survey Team (NAST), consisting of engineers and doctors, were flown into the disaster area by a Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) Super Puma to assess the damage while the Beach Survey Team (BST) travelled by Fast Craft Utility (FCU) boats to scout for beach-landing sites. The FCUs and Lighter, Amphibious Resupply, Cargo Vs (LARC-Vs) were then used to ferry 5-tonner trucks containing reconstruction materials and supplies in a Ship-to-Shore operation. These carriers also transported bulldozers which helped to pave the way for the trucks to move with ease to the disaster site and to clear the roads for the ADF to enter. After finding an appropriate location for the set-up of a makeshift medical station, the NAST team gave the go-ahead for the medical team from Combat Service Support Battalion (CSSB) to fly into the disaster area. Despite being armed with limited medical supplies, the Operationally Ready National Servicemen (NSmen) battalion created eight medical stations. With 60 SAF personnel, including five doctors, these NSmen worked on a 12-hour shift in order for the medical stations to be run 24/7. Throughout this time, the team's reaction to various scenarios, such as a mass casualty situation, was tested. Explaining the rationale for the multiple scenarios, Lieutenant Colonel (LTC) (NS) (Dr) Koh Poh Koon said:-

"This puts NSmen in their training mindset…so that when overwhelming casualties happen, they know how to prioritise and issue timely treatment."​

The CSSB Commanding Officer (CO) added that being on a three-week In-Camp Training session and working in an HADR operation allowed the NSmen team to better understand the needs of victims in such situations.

Below, Australians and Singaporeans working together in Exercise Trident while embarked on the RSS Resolution. This exercise also involved NSFs from the 7th Singapore Infantry Brigade (7 SIB) and NSmen from combat service support units.

Exercise Trident Down Under - YouTube

This year's Exercise Wallaby is conducted from 3 Oct to 30 Nov 2013, and involves more than 5,000 SAF personnel and over 300 SAF platforms, including the Heron 1 Unmanned Aerial Vehicle which is participating in the exercise for the first time to provide persistent and precise ISR in support of operations. Below, a file picture of the Heron 1 Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (right), which replaced the Searcher-class UAV (left) that has been in service since 1994 (see this IAI video: IAI - Maritime Heron 1 - Shoval - Israeli Navy - Heil HaYam HaYisraeli - YouTube).

The 3rd Transport Battalion's Air Terminal Company at Exercise Wallaby 2013.

Below, the video explains how the Precision Aerial Delivery System (PADS) works. PADS uses GPS and a guidance, navigation and control system to accurately fly itself to a designated location point on the ground. Its gliding ram-air parachute lets it land a significant distance from its point of release, while its guidance allows high-altitude airdrops, from between 5,000 to 25,000 feet, to a single location or multiple locations at one time, within an accuracy of 50 – 75 meters. PADS offers several main benefits, including an increase in the number of available drop zones and an increase in the cargo's precision, which benefits the user. PADS also increases the survivability of the delivery aircraft and its crew because it enable the aircraft can actually drop the load higher and at a good distance away from the drop zone, free of enemy threats which may be near the area where the load is being dropped. [nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-Z9Pe_OL7w&list=UU4BCUrNe2X5UJkvzeRG12gQ&index=72"]Air Supply - Precision Aerial Delivery System - YouTube[/nomedia]


Below, the Singapore Army practicing with the eXtracted Container Delivery System (XCDS), which is also being used by the US. The new airdrop method is designed to pull the bundles out of the C-130H at a faster rate than the older airdrop process, which improves the overall accuracy of the drop itself. With XCDS, an additional parachute attached to a group of bundles pulls them out of the aircraft together and at a faster speed, resulting in about a two-thirds smaller dispersion area on the ground.

Below, MAJ Chow Wing Cheong, Commanding Officer of 3rd Transport Battalion commending the good work of the riggers at dropzone.

Below, safety brief by SSG Joseph Ho, Platoon Sergeant, Air Terminal Company, before the forklift operation.

Below, a Red Hat Presentation by the Senior Red Hat. The "Red Hat" is a unique headdress worn by aerial cargo riggers who serve as inspectors. This highly visible "Red Hat" helps to mark the position of inspectors at critical locations. More importantly, it sets the inspectors apart from normal riggers and is a symbol of their pride. It represents the professionalism and leadership of these inspectors, who are empowered with greater responsibilities.

 

[OPSSG]

The M-346, the RSAF's AJT

h/t to the BaseLeg for images of RSAF's first M-346 from 2012.

In September 2010, ST Aerospace, as the prime contractor, teaming with Alenia Aermacchi (a Finmeccanica company) and the Boeing Company, was awarded a contract to supply 12 M-346 aircraft and ground based training system for the RSAF’s Advanced Jet Trainer (AJT) programme. On 7 August 2012, the first M-346 advanced trainer for the RSAF was rolled out in a ceremony held at Alenia Aermacchi’s plant in Venegono Superiore, Italy.

The Italian defence ministry's General Directorate of Air Armaments awarded Alenia Aermacchi a contract in November 2009 to supply its air force with 15 M-346 trainers. Further, the M-346 received its Military Type Qualification Certificate from the Italian Ministry of Defence - National Armaments Directorate in June 2011, an essential requirement to certify the full correspondence to aircraft specifications and to international military requirements. In July 2012, Alenia Aermacchi, signed a contract with Israeli Ministry of Defence to supply 30 M-346 advanced trainer aircraft. The deal is part of a larger Government-to-Government agreement between Israel and Italy that includes aircraft, engines, maintenance, logistics, simulators and training, provided also by other Israeli and international companies. These aircraft will replace the A-4 Skyhawks currently in service and will make up the new trainer fleet of the Israeli Air Force. Delivery of the first Israeli M-346 is expected in the middle of 2014.

On 8 March 2012, the French Defence Ministry has announced that France and Singapore are expanding the facilities of the RSAF AJT detachment at the Armee de l'Air base at BA120 Cazaux, in the south of France. In a ceremony attended by the RSAF's Chief of Staff (Air Staff) Brigadier-General (BG) Wong Huat Sern and General Jean-Luc Crochard of the Armee de l'Air, ground was broken for a new two-storey building at Cazaux to house flight simulators, equipment and instructional materials, interactive classrooms and briefing rooms for the RSAF's AJT detachment. The building is scheduled to be completed in late 2013.

Below, are pictures of Singapore Combat Engineers flown abroad in three operational scenarios:-

(1) Operation Blue Ridge: Singaporean counter-IED trainers from recently returned from Afghanistan, where they had developed a training programme on how to spot, identify, avoid and disable roadside IEDs in Oruzgan. Singaporean trainers have imparted their counter-IED skills to 211 Afghan soldiers (see posts #62 and #67 in the Singapore Army Pictures thread). Below, 1 of 55 Combat Engineers deployed in 6 rotations demonstrating a search for IEDs while their Afghan trainees look on.

(2) Exercise LionWalk become an Operation when an Earthquake Struck: In February 2011, an earthquake struck Christchurch, New Zealand in the middle of a bilateral military exercise between NZDF and the SAF. Below, Combat Engineers removing an unstable balcony with their NZDF counterparts in the residential Mt Pleasant area.

(3) Operation Swift Lion: Below, modular deployment kits, are being used by the Singapore Combat Engineers (working with the TNI) to construct two clinics in earthquake-hit Pariaman and Padang in October 2009.

 

[OPSSG]

Tri-Service Air-Sea Integration in an Era of Uncertainty (Part 1 of 2)

From 2002 to 2012, Asia's defence spending rose from US$203 billion to US$356 billion; a 75% increase compared to a 12% increase in Europe over the same period. In 2012, for the first time, Asia spent more on defence than Europe. This trend is likely to continue. In particular, rapid economic growth in China has seen it overtake Japan as the world's second-largest economy. On the one hand, the concomitant expansion of Beijing's political, diplomatic and military might have set alarm bells clanging across the region. On the other, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, as unrepentant Japanese nationalist has his own agenda. It is an agenda that makes the US and the 10 members of the ASEAN wince with anxiety, especially since Japan's population has been shrinking for several years. In 2013, Japan's population declined by a record 244,000 people. Likewise, Singapore also faces its own demographic time bomb, with a total fertility rate of less than 1.2 (and way, way below the replacement rate of 2.1). This is why Singapore is pressured by demographic changes to modernise its military hardware; and also believes in a 'balance of powers' in its attempt to navigate in the sea of change in Asia.

Below, members of the 425 and the 428 Fighter squadrons standing before a F-15SG at Ex. Maple Flag 2013 (see this video on the role of the flight-line crew: [nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ipGf_eE2hdk"]Ep 1: The Hand Dancer (Maintaining Flight) - YouTube[/nomedia] ).

As we head into 2014, one thing is clear about the outlook for Asia: No one outside of Asia has a clue what’s in store for this diverse and unpredictable region. Using data from the Military Balance 2013, the Japanese Ministry of Defence made a comparison of the military strength of China, South Korea, Japan and all of South East Asia. It is clear that spending on defence by the North East Asian powers of China, South Korea, and Japan dwarf any country's defence spending in South East Asia.

(i) China: 1.6 million ground troops, 2,580 combat aircraft, total tonnage of vessels is 1,469 million tons; and a defence budge of US$96.3 billion;

(ii) South Korea: 522,000 ground troops, 620 combat aircraft, total tonnage of vessels is 193,000 tons; and a defence budge of US$26.8 billion;

(iii) Japan: 140,000 ground troops, 410 combat aircraft, total tonnage of vessels is 452,000 tons; and a defence budge of US$57.3 billion; and

(iv) South East Asia: 1.655 million ground troops, 820 combat aircraft, total tonnage of vessels is 645,000 tons; and a defence budge of US$36.4 billion.​

Prudent naval planners must anticipate those situations that place a powerful force at risk. Chokepoint passage represents an operational situation where a blue-water navy, like that of China, Japan or the US, can be vulnerable — even against a coastal force. In the case of chokepoints at sea, geography plays a key role in shaping the factors of space and time in a way that does not necessarily favor blue-water navies. For nations that wish to project power to distant areas, a chokepoint will define the lines of operation and lines of communication. h/t to Information Dissemination for the image on oil trade flows through 4 maritime choke-points, namely, the Strait of Malacca (length of 520 nautical miles, with a minimum width of 8 nautical miles), the Strait of Singapore (length of 42 nautical miles, with a minimum width of 2 nautical miles), the Sunda Strait (with a minimum width of 11 nautical miles), and Lombok Strait (length of 25 nautical miles, with a minimum width of 11 nautical miles), below:-

It should be noted that in October 2012, the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) announced that it had build a submarine base at at Sepanggar, Kota Kinabalu (which is part of Sabah, East Malaysia for its two Scorpène submarines); and it was also building a Scorpène simulator training facility there. Later in April 2013, the Indonesian Navy opened a new submarine base in Palu, Central Sulawesi. The Palu Naval Base is located on a 13-hectare plot in Palu’s Watusampu subdistrict, Ulujadi district, built at a cost of Rp 7 billion (US$717,000). Palu Bay was picked as a submarine bases (for KRI Cakra 401 and KRI Nanggala 402 and in future its three new U-209 type submarines to be delivered in 2015 and 2016) because the bay's strategic location (given the base’s close proximity with the Malaysian border). Carl Thayer has noted that South East Asian states continue to procure submarines for a variety of strategic goals.

Above, RSS Daring, one of eleven Fearless class patrol vessels, in a scene from the latest commercial. The Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) is the smallest of the three services, but it is the home of big ideas; and effectively communicating its ideas to the public in Singapore. This two minute commercial captures the navy's contributions towards Singapore's seaward defence, centred on four key roles:-

(i) ensuring maritime security, everyday by patrolling Singapore's waters;

(ii) enhancing diplomacy by working with like minded nations;

(iii) protecting Singapore's Sea Lines of Communication (SLOCs); and

(iv) securing the peace for Singapore and its citizens.

[nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uecbDdItsxM&feature=c4-overview&list=UU4BCUrNe2X5UJkvzeRG12gQ"]Defending our Everyday - YouTube[/nomedia]​

Please take two minutes to watch the above video, to fully appreciate the importance of these four key roles to Singapore (as a port, and as a city-state) to understand the RSAF's focus on developing maritime ISR and attack capabilities to support the RSN.

Exercise Highcrest 2013

Exercise Highcrest 2013: Testing our Homeland Security - YouTube

6 Nov 2013 -- Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong visited Exercise Highcrest (HC) 2013 and observed the coordinated response by Government agencies under the National Maritime Security System (NMSS) to simulated terrorist threats from sea and on land. Ex HC is jointly led by the Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of Home Affairs. The successful execution of Ex HC validates the attainment of Full Operational Capability by the NMSS. Held from 29 October to 7 November 2013, Ex HC involved over 1,600 personnel from 20 agencies including the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF), the Singapore Police Force (SPF), the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF), the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA), Singapore Customs, and the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA).

At the NMSS Command and Control Centre at Changi, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Deputy Prime Minister, Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs Teo Chee Hean and other Ministers observed various maritime and land-based agencies sharing information and coordinating operations against simulated terrorist attacks which included:-

(i) storming a simulated hijacked ferry and intercepting a small boat by the SAF's Special Operations Task Force (SOTF), Republic of Singapore Air Force and SPF's Police Coast Guard;

(ii) dealing with the aftermath of the incident by SCDF, MPA and ICA;

(iii) acting against multiple gunmen on a shooting rampage and rescuing hostages on a passenger coach at Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal by SPF's Special Operations Command and SAF's SOTF; and

(iv) rescue and fire-fighting operations by SCDF Special Rescue Unit and SCDF firefighters.​

Below, these USAF photos show a laser-guided GBU-10 (2,000-pound) bomb dropped from a fighter aircraft targeting a mobile surface vessel at a training range in the Gulf of Mexico on 4 Sept 2013.

 

[OPSSG]

Tri-Service Air-Sea Integration in an Era of Uncertainty (Part 2 of 2)

Below, a F-15SG at Exercise Maple Flag 2013 (see these two videos on how the aircrew work together for mission success: [nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SRG6MQwryZQ&list=PLbOSqJKglMt1hYL5ZrptVHQrwjV8rEbHf"]Brotherhood of the Skies (Part 1) - YouTube[/nomedia] and [nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=21_PkfuqyVU&list=PLbOSqJKglMt1hYL5ZrptVHQrwjV8rEbHf"]Brotherhood of the Skies (Part 2) - YouTube[/nomedia]).

Developing Attack and ISR capabilities for Sea Control : The US Air Force is stepping up its collaborative efforts and capabilities with key regional air forces, including with Australia, Singapore, South Korea and Japan. In a November 2013 Breaking Defense interview with Pacific Air Forces, Gen. Hawk Carlisle, underscored that the US Air Force is adopting innovations from partners and he said:-

“Singapore is doing very innovative things with their F-15s, notably in evolving the capabilities of the aircraft to contribute to maritime defense and security. We are looking very carefully at their innovations and can leverage their approach and thinking as well. This will certainly grow as we introduce the fleet of F-35s in the Pacific where cross national collaboration is built in.”​

But maybe the USAF are talking about the RSAF using the AN/ASQ-236 externally mounted sensor pod's synthetic aperture radar or such other sensor (that provides detailed maps for surveillance, coordinate generation and bomb impact assessment purposes) for use in a maritime domain. Instead of just using the AN/ASQ-236 pod to precisely geo-locate points of interest and conduct surveillance activities day or night, in adverse weather conditions, the RSAF could also use it as an AESA sea-search sensor, in combination with the use of the F-15SG's Sniper targeting pod. I suspect that Singaporean WSOs could be developing tactics for searching or targeting ships by using both pods.

In the November 2013 Breaking Defense interview, Gen. Hawk Carlisle also noted "the ability of 5th generation aircraft to provide forward target identification for strike missiles from a surface or subsurface maritime asset. He described the ability of advanced aircraft, in this case the F-22, to provide forward targeting through its sensors for submarine based T-LAMS (cruise missiles) as both a more effective use of the current force and a building block for the emergence of the F-35 fleet in the Pacific. This is a harbinger of things to come with the emergent weapons revolution associated with the laydown of a new generation of combat systems enabled aircraft." As Dr. Robbin Laird recently said:-

"We usually think of technology as the driver.. but in fact we are entering a decade where the CONOPs changes are as important as the technologies."​

The future is no longer about platforms but how these platforms are used as part of coalition CONOPS. As Mike Yeo of the Baseleg blog has recently noted on the maritime role of the F-15SGs:-

"While not some exciting, big bang secret weapon many of us were probably hoping for, this is essentially the future of warfare: where disparate, totally different platforms can communicate and work together seamlessly to maximise their effectiveness during a time of conflict. One can only imagine F-15SGs, using their sophisticated AESA radars and distributing information over secure networks via datalinks while operating from high altitude, providing updated, over the horizon targeting information for the Republic of Singapore Navy's Formidable-class frigates. Or in the future, even working with the recently-acquired Type 218SG submarines in a similar fashion. And that may not even be restricted to Singaporean platforms. It is not entirely inconceivable that the F-15SG's can do the same for allied ships, for example with Australia's upcoming Hobart-class Air Warfare destroyers in a future coalition ops scenario.

Or, it may really be an exciting, big bang secret weapon. Like the AGM-154 Joint Stand-Off Weapons that were included in an U.S. Foreign Military Sales notification to Singapore a few years back having been upgraded to C-1 standards to add the capability to hit moving targets. But there's nothing too 'innovative' there, is there?

While we're on the F-15SG, latest counts indicate there could be 20 airframes already in Singapore..."​

The RSAF operates Fokker-50 Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA) and it was reported that the air force is looking for possible future replacements. One of these MPA was based in Djibouti from April to July 2011. It provides the Combined Task Force 151 with a comprehensive sea situation picture and was used to investigate suspicious vessels (see: [nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4DIM5nUZb3s&feature=related"]Ep 2: Eyes In The Sky (Securing Safe Passage - SAF In The Gulf Of Aden) - YouTube[/nomedia]).

Above, CPT Yeo (right) in the MPA communicating with other vessels in Gulf of Aden. Led by the Commanding Officer of 121 Squadron LTC Song Chun Keet, the one MPA and 36 personnel generated 20 missions per month. This would not have been possible without the rigorous aircraft preparation and support provided by the 11 personnel from ST Aero engineering. ME2 Don Chua Koon, a sensor operator, highlighted that the fast-paced operational tempo was another significant hurdle.

By 2020, the six 62 metre Victory class missile corvettes (armed with Harpoon and Barak missiles), which has been recently upgraded with new sensors (including its own ScanEagle UAV), will be the oldest but fastest vessels of the Singapore Navy. Below, an upgraded RSS Valiant (91) on patrol in the Singapore Strait.

The Fearless Class replacement for the Singapore Navy is the 80 metre Littoral Mission Vessel (LMV). It was announced that these eight 1,150-tonne LMVs to be built by ST Marine will enter operational service from 2016 onwards. Baselined for maritime security operations, the LMVs are configurable to meet specific mission requirements, with a twin stern ramp capable of launch and recovery of two RHIBs or USVs at the same time.

Above, an info-graphic with details on the Singapore Navy's two Swedish made Archer Class submarines. By way of background on the Archer Class (see this video:[nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zb3R0ouZQYA"]Navy Launches Archer-Class Submarine - YouTube[/nomedia], for details):-

(i) RSS Archer (ex-HMS Hälsingland) was commissioned into service on 2 December 2011; and

(ii) RSS Swordsman (ex-HMS Västergötland) was commissioned into service on 30 April 2013.​

From 22 to 24 April 2013, Dr. Ng visited Germany; and on 22 April 2013, met with his counterpart Dr Thomas de Maizière in Berlin, where they discussed political and security developments in Europe and Asia, as well as bilateral defence cooperation. Dr Ng also conveyed Singapore's appreciation for the German government's support for the SAF's armour training in Germany. With the recent agreement to provide a second training window from 2013 onwards, the SAF will now be able to train in Germany twice a year. Singapore and Germany interact regularly in a range of defence interactions, such as visits, military exchanges, professional courses, policy dialogues and technology collaboration. Both countries signed a Defence Cooperation Agreement in September 2005 and Singapore will acquire two new Type 218SG submarines from Thyssenkrupp Marine System GmBH. These new submarines (with a customised design) are to be delivered by 2020; with ST Electronics, co-developing the combat system with Atlas Elektronik GmbH. Felix Seidler, has a post on the Type 218SG at the Center for International Maritime Security blog. Select extracts of this post is quoted below. While it contains a few minor factual errors, it is still useful in that it provides a rare German perspective on maritime and security developments in Asia:-

"Why Singapore Needs U-boats

Lately, international attention has largely been on aircraft carriers and, through China’s ADIZ, with air forces. However, Asia’s arms race takes pace underwater as much as it does on the surface. China is expanding its fleet of nuclear and conventionally powered attack submarines in quality and quantity and the U.S. will commission even more new Virginia-class nuclear subs. Japan, South Korea, Vietnam, Indonesia, Australia... all maintain programs to start, modernize, or expand their submarine fleets. South Korea has already been a customer of Germany’s submarines. Especially small countries, who are missing the resources and capacities for large expeditionary fleets, will respond to China’s increasing capabilities by expanding of their submarine forces.

The U.S. and Britain will favor... Singapore’s procurement of top-of-the-line German U-boats, but the purchase will certainly not please China’s navy. All Chinese warships underway to the Indian Ocean by the far-most economic route have to pass the shallow waters around Singapore, thereby coming in range of the barely detectable 218s.

The purchase of a German product also helps keep Singapore’s fleet interoperable with Western navies. For the West this is advantageous in the event that continued Chinese “assertiveness,” spurs the formation of new coalitions in Southeast Asia. Japan is already pursuing that track. Given China’s desire to establish an ADIZ in the South China Sea, at least one aircraft carrier would have to transit to the south of the South China Sea to enforce it. China’s fighter jets lack the range to launch from the mainland and aerial refueling capabilities are too immature. Thus, Singapore’s Type 218s would pose a serious challenge to any Chinese carrier task force.

How far China has advanced in sonar techniques and submarine detection is hard to say. If German Type 212s can make their way through the anti-sub-defense of a U.S. aircraft carrier, the even more advanced 218s should have no major difficulty embarrassing the Chinese navy...

...

Strategic Value for Germany

The announced deal is also a win for Germany. Besides the good deal for the German defense industry, the secured jobs, and the revenue, the deal’s strategic value must also be examined. By purchasing amphibious landing ships, new frigates and the F-35, Singapore, with its central geo-strategic location, is on the way to become a military powerhouse. It is therefore in the interests of a maritime trade-dependent nation like Germany, to have good relations with Singapore, as it inhabits one of the world’s most important ports..."​

 

[OPSSG]

Below, HMNZS Canterbury at Exercise Southern Katipo.

Trailer - Exercise Southern Katipo - YouTube

Below, coalition air planners from NZ, France, US and Singapore working together.

Training with coalition forces to provide Air Mobility : As burden sharing partners in numerous coalition operations, air assets and defence personnel from Australia, US, NZ, and Singapore train together to ensure inter-operability. “We came here with the intention of performing to our best ability,” said RSAF Maj. Jeff Lee, detachment commander from the RSAF’s 122 Squadron in Singapore. “I think we achieved our overall objectives and in some cases exceeded our own expectations - it’s interactions such as these that enhance a combined effectiveness.”

Below, troops from Tonga in the foreground providing security, as a RSAF C-130H lands to provide air mobility support for Exercise Southern Katipo.

Below, NZ Forces arrive at Timaru Airport aboard a RSAF C-130H Hercules, during the Air Mobility portion of Exercise Southern Katipo. Both the Australian and the New Zealand transport aircraft were diverted from Exercise Southern Katipo (to respond to Typhoon Haiyan aid efforts), leaving two US Air Force C-17 Globemaster IIIs, one RSAF C-130H and a French CASA 235 from New Caledonia to fly more sorties than planned to provide airlift in support of Exercise Southern Katipo.

Below, NZ and Singapore riggers loading cargo prepared for tactical air drops in support of Exercise Southern Katipo.

Below, NZ and Singapore army riggers to prepare cargo for tactical air drops in support of Exercise Southern Katipo.

Southern Katipo is New Zealand Defence Force's largest multilateral, joint-force, amphibious exercise with eight other nations participating (United States Army and Marines, Australia, Canada, France, Malaysia, Singapore, Papua New Guinea and Tonga).

Below, US Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel meets with Minister of Defense Dr. Ng Eng Hen to the Pentagon Dec. 12, 2013. DoD photo by Glenn Fawcett (Released)

It is significant that Japan, South Korea and Singapore are different stages of acquiring or planning to acquire the F-35; and also establishing operations hubs and training ranges. As Lt. General (Retired) Deptula also noted in discussing the future of air power:-

"Today the situation is reversed—finishing adversaries is easy… finding them is the challenge, and that places a premium on the importance of conducting effective intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance or ISR. ISR today is the linchpin of our ability to conduct traditional find-fix-finish operations, and it’s increasingly being performed by fighter aircraft as an integral part of their traditional missions."​

Below, US Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel hosts an honor cordon welcoming Singapore's Minister of Defense Dr. Ng Eng Hen to the Pentagon Dec. 12, 2013. DoD photo by Glenn Fawcett (Released)

See below for excerpts from the transcript of Joint Press Conference between US Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel and Singapore Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen:-

Question: Dr Ng and Secretary Hagel, given the changing stance of china in the East China Sea and South China Sea I was wondering if you see the role of the US in those regions changing and how does the US-Singapore relationship fit into the broader strategy in preserving peace and intentions in the region?

Secretary Hagel: I will begin and Dr Ng I'm sure will have a comment. As I have said in my remarks and what we talked about today and yesterday with the ASEAN ambassadors. This country, the United States of America, is committed and will continue to stay committed to our allies, our partners and our friends in the Asia Pacific and these issues of the ADIZ and dispute in the South China Sea, East China Sea are realities that we are going to have to work through. I have also made very clear, the President has made clear, Secretary Kerry, that our commitment to our allies in this area remains strong and we will honour those commitments; we will honour them in every way. Our force protection, the commitment of our forces, that's not going to change, we've made that very clear. we have to work within the framework especially the institutions that are there to try resolve these issues but these issues have to be resolved carefully, diplomatically, peacefully and we run into dangers and this is why this unilateral decision by China to impose the ADIZ was done just exactly that way - unilaterally trying to influence the status quo without any consultation, without any collaboration or cooperation. That's what makes all this so dangerous when that happens so we're continued to stay committed, we are committed, we will be committed, as I have made very clear in my comments and in our meeting today.

Dr Ng: Well, I have said that the US presence, from SIngapore's point of view, is critical for stability in the Asia Pacific region. We've also said that the China-US relationship is the relationship that will impact all countries as well as the stability. We're very cheered by comments from President Obama and President Xi Jinping that the Pacific region is big enough to accommodate both a resident power and a rising power. There will be strategic competition but Secretary Hagel and I discussed at length how we need to use the platforms to reduce the risk of miscalculation, that we don't precipitate tensions and we talked about how we can take this forward using various platforms whether it is ASEAN Defence Ministers Meeting-Plus or the Shangri La Dialogue so that we avoid conflicts and precipitating tensions. So i think we have our work cut out for us and we're very happy that Secretary Hagel invited the ASEAN ministers to Hawaii and we're looking forward to that meeting.

Secretary Hagel: I might just add that much of Vice-President Biden's agenda in that part of the world Japan, China, South Korea, was focused on this overall issue and during those visits made very clear the US' continued commitment to Asia Pacific.

Question: For Minister Ng, could you tell us about Singapore's interest in the F-35B. I know some of you were watching that demonstrations this week in Arizona.

Dr Ng: I've said in Parliament during the last budget that Singapore is seriously looking at the F-35s to replace our F-5s. We're in no particular hurry because our F-16s are still very operational, they are due for upgrades but it is a serious consideration and during my visit here to Luke Air Base, the US marines were kind enough to have a demonstration of the F-35Bs and it's quite an engineering marvel. We recognise that there are aspects to consider and we will make our deliberate decision because as I said we are in no particular hurry but we are seriously considering.

 

[OPSSG]

Cope Tiger 2014

The opening ceremony for Exercise Cope Tiger was held on 19 December 2013. Held at Paya Lebar Air Base, the ceremony was opened by Chief of Air Force, Major-General (MG) Hoo Cher Mou, Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF), Air Chief Marshal (ACM) Prajin Juntong, and Mobilization Assistant to Pacific Air Forces Commander, Major-General Kevin Pottinger of the United States Air Force (USAF).

Launched in 1994, Exercise Cope Tiger is an annual trilateral air exercise between the RSAF, RTAF, and USAF. It provides a platform for Air Force personnel from the 3 countries to improve their air defence and air combat skills, develop friendships and strengthen ties between each nation.

The exercise, the 20th in its series, was conducted in two phases. The first phase was a command post exercise, held in Singapore in December 2013, while the second phase was a flying training exercise, will be conducted at Korat Air Base in March 2014. Participants will conduct five major types of training during the exercise, which includes dissimilar basic fighter manoeuvre training, air combat tactics training, close air support training, tactical airdrop training and large force employment training.

The close ties between Thai and Singapore air forces, result in the conduct of numerous, complex air exercises for ASEAN's two most capable air forces. Beyond exercises, the two air forces conduct annual meetings to discuss bilateral matters, including mutual briefings on capability developments. From 13 to 16 August 2013, a Royal Thai Air Force delegation, led by Air Marshal (AM) Johm Rungswang, Assistant Chief of the Air Staff (Operations), visited Singapore for the 15th RSAF-RTAF Air Working Group. In this trip, AM Johm Rungswang was briefed on both the RSAF’s and Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Command’s organisational structure and operations. He also gained insights on the daily activities and viewed a static display of the Heron 1 UAV.

Royal Thai Air Force Chief receives military award from Singapore

The Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF), Air Chief Marshal (ACM) Prajin Juntong, was conferred Singapore's prestigious military award, the Pingat Jasa Gemilang (Tentera) [or the Meritorious Service Medal (Military)], by President Tony Tan Keng Yam. Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen presented the award to ACM Prajin at the Ministry of Defence on 17 December 2013.

Below, the Thai and Singapore air force chiefs together with their respective wifes after the ceremony.

In Exercise Cope Tiger 2013, the RSAF’s SPYDER ground-based air defence system participated for the first time.

Cope Tiger 2013's Facebook page has more pictures.

The US deployed its C-130 Hercules, A-10 Thunderbolt II, C-17 Globemaster III and F-15 Eagle aircraft for the exercise, which also featured maiden participation from the RSAF's SPYDER ground-based air defence system (see this video: [nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=62nZJLoHLTI"]Cope Tiger 2013 - Mass Take off. - YouTube[/nomedia]).

 

[OPSSG]

Training at Maple Flag, Red Flag and Combat Archer

Below, members of the 425 and the 428 Fighter squadrons at Ex. Maple Flag 2013. Ex. Maple Flag, a Canadian directed exercise conducted annually that provides training for warfighters in large-force employment of 50 aircraft at a time. The exercise, which took place at Cold Lake, Canada, was designed to give real-world experience to participants and promote the ability of coalition nations to work together. Ten nations came together to practice combat tactics in an international training environment.

As Major-General J.M. Duval of the Canadian Air Force noted sometime ago:-

"Exercise Maple Flag – Genesis and Background

Maple Flag is a Canadian variation of the United States Air Force’s Exercise Red Flag, which is held several times a year at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada. Flag exercises were developed in response to a Vietnam War determination that 90 percent of aircraft losses took place during the first 10 combat missions flown by aircrew. Those who survived these critical first 10 missions were deemed more likely to survive the remainder of their combat tours. Maple Flag is one of a number of “Flag-type” events held in a typical exercise year. In addition to several annual iterations of Red Flag, variations have included Green Flag (tactical affiliation with the U.S. Army), Black Flag (aimed at aircraft maintenance), Blue Flag (a planning exercise), and, more recently, the simulation-based Virtual Flag.

The Air Force Tactical Training Centre (AFTTC), located at 4 Wing Cold Lake, directs and hosts Exercise Maple Flag. AFTTC’s fundamental mandate is to provide realistic training to participants in order to simulate the critical lessons presumed to be amassed by operational aircrew during those first 10 combat missions in a hostile environment.

Initially conceived as Red Flag North in 1977, the Canadian version was later renamed Maple Flag in 1978. Two four-week exercises were held each year until 1987. After that time, it became an annual event lasting six weeks, broken into three self-contained, two-week periods. Traditionally, the main focus of the exercise has been directed toward fighter operations and supporting airframes, and it was primarily focused upon the Large Force Employment (LFE) of those entities.

The Evolution of Maple Flag Technology

The technology available to participants at Maple Flag is second-to-none. The high technology systems resident at 4 Wing enable the CF to provide high quality aircrew training to support NATO and peacekeeping operations. They also ensure that both participants and Canada’s military are adequately prepared for the challenges that lie ahead. The Cold Lake Air Weapons Range is a world-class range possessing the ability to simulate a multitude of ‘real world’ targets and ground-based threat systems.

• Tactical Range Infrared Scoring System (TRISS)
Falling within the CLAWR, Jimmy Lake Range (JLR) is equipped with TRISS–four infrared cameras that provide day and night laser scoring capability.

• Infrared/Radio Frequency (IR/RF) Targeting
Wooden targets, designed in the 1960s, worked well when fighter pilots were flying at low level and could visually locate them. However, during the late 1990s, the CF changed its flying doctrine, mandating medium-level attacks for CF-18 Hornet aircraft. In this environment, pilots are employing precision-guided munitions requiring sensory feedback. They are no longer dependent upon the visual acquisition of targets. Year 2007 enhancements with respect to infra-red (IR) reflective tape and metal meshing generated improved participant targeting ability by increasing surface target radar and IR reflectivity to more accurate levels.

• Aircraft Combat Manoeuvring Instrumentation (ACMI)
The ACMI is a pod carried on the wingtip of fighter aircraft that tracks the aircraft from take-off to landing. It provides speed, azimuth, the number of ‘Gs’ pulled, the angle of attack, and additional information. The Data Transfer Device (DTD) is the ‘brains’ of the operation. Fundamentally, it is a programmable cartridge that records the mission. Additionally, a GPS tracking capability provided by Cubic Systems was recently improved. In 2007, it incorporated airframes that previously were unable to be tracked in detail for debriefing purposes. Prior to the advent of ACMI, debriefs were based upon results garnered from 8mm tapes, and debates were initiated from acetate slides. ACMI provided ‘real-time’ air-to-air experiences integrated with surface threats that were then recorded for post-mission debriefs.

• Surface Threat Electronic Warfare (STEW)
The $14 million STEW project provides a fully integrated system, based upon production hardware that meets the CF’s requirements for year-round operations at the CLAWR. The system is integrated with the ACMI system for CF-18 training, and it is a proven, low risk and cost-effective solution to the Electronic Warfare (EW) training needs of the CF. The system is made up of five threat emitters that can be reconfigured to replicate a range of threat systems. It is responsive to jamming and manoeuvres, and it automatically records an engagement for later playback and aircrew debriefing. This training enhances the ability of aircrew to survive during warfare against the wide array of lethal gun and missile air defence systems that are employed worldwide.

• Satellite Videos
Ground threats actively target fighter and transport aircraft, and the results are taped on video. Until 2007, 417 Combat Support Squadron’s CH-146 Griffons were used to conduct ‘tape runs,’ whereby they would collect the tapes from each site and return them to AFTTC for the debriefing. Thereafter, a cost-saving and time-saving digital transfer initiative was implemented, resulting in significant savings to the CF for each exercise.

• OPFOR Initiatives
MF 40 marked the first-time participation of the 65th Aggressor Squadron from Nellis Air Force Base, flying the F-15 Eagle. Previous participation had consisted of the 64th Aggressor Squadron, employing F-16 Vipers. This change provided a different flavour to the problems faced by Allied Forces participating in the exercise.

• Operations and Planning Facilities Modernization
The Tactical Command Centre (TCC) and Package Commander facilities were revitalized for MF 40 with the addition of custom-built computer terminals, mission planning tables, and GPS clocks. An older trailer was completely revamped for the dedicated use of Information Systems."​

The presence of Singaporean fighter detachments in the US has allows RSAF pilots and ground crew the opportunity to take part in large scale air warfare exercises in North America. These include USAF two-sided war readiness exercises such as Red Flag, Green Flag, Night Flag and Maple Flag with the Canadian Air Force. At Red Flag, the international training exercise, hundreds of pilots meet for the most challenging flying of their careers. The object is to make the exercises as real and challenging as possible -- to take the pilots, ground crews, mechanics and rescue personnel to the limits of what they can handle. Below is a video that follows the USAF's Captain John "Otter" Stratton as he makes his way through this extraordinary event held in the desert of Nevada. As he participates in the exercise, he realizes that being a hero is not quite as simple as he once believed:-

[nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_xxqANpA3I"]IMAX | Fighter Pilot - Operation RED FLAG movie | 1080p - YouTube[/nomedia]​

Below, a trolley of missiles for the 425th Fighter Squadron at CFB Cold Lake, Canada during Ex. Maple Flag.

Maj. Nicholas Holmes, 425th FS assistant director of operations, said:-

"I am very proud of the 425th as a whole. They safely moved 122 personnel, 21 pallets of equipment and completed 154 sorties without a hitch."​

Below, a GBU-12 laser-guided bomb being loaded and prepared for a mission.

Below, crew chiefs standing before their respective F-16C/Ds, that are fired-up and ready to go at CFB Cold Lake, Canada during Ex. Maple Flag. This picture shows the RSAF working in coalition with other air forces at a large force employment exercise (see this video: [nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-auCMIfagE"]Exercise Maple Flag 2013 - Canadian Forces, Belgian Armed Forces, Bundeswehr and Colombian Forces - YouTube[/nomedia] )

By way of background, Combat Archer is the US Air Force's air-to-air weapon system evaluation program at Tyndall AFB. It is mainly at Combat Archer that Singapore's Vipers get the opportunity to fire the 92 air-to-air missiles over the years (for details on Combat Archer see this USAF video: [nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AdguCv9hHJA"]Combat Archer Air-To-Air Live Fire - YouTube[/nomedia]).

 

[OPSSG]

Singapore Army Video 2013 - Our Soldiers, Our Home - YouTube

On 23 June 2012, Sergeant Major of the Army, SWO Tang Peck Oon, became the first Singaporean to be inducted into the United States Army Sergeant Major Academy, International Student Hall Of Fame at Fort Bliss, Texas, USA.

Chief of Defence Force LG Ng visited soldiers from 9th Battalion, Singapore Infantry Regiment, this morning. They have been on 24/7 duty - over the Christmas break too - guarding key installations on Jurong Island.

Tonight on New Year’s Eve 31 December 2013, they will continue to stay vigilant and keep Jurong Island, a key economic engine of Singapore, safe.

Steadfast We Stand - YouTube

"I pleasantly surprised that CDF and COA came down to visit us. I’m alright with doing duty today because we are helping to protect Singapore, ensuring that business operations can be conducted safely." - CPL Saharudin (Foreground)

CPL Stanley Yap reflected on the vital nature of his job, saying: "Jurong Island is one of the key pillars of Singapore's economy. So safeguarding this island is also safeguarding the economy. My parents are very supportive of what I do, even when I have to miss festive occasions, as they understand the crucial nature of my work."

CPL Khairul Adzhar Zainurdin, together with LCP Ismadi Ismal, doing sentry duty at one of the sentry posts in Sembawang Wharves.

CPL Khairul shared: “It is important for us to stay vigilant especially during this festive period while the other Singaporeans are celebrating because I know the importance of what I am doing.”

These are the guys who will be protecting the Singapore skies while we usher in the New Year on 31 December 2013. And the morale of these pilots, aircrew and engineers of 144 Squadron got a boost when LG Ng visited them earlier today.

Said F-5S/T pilot CPT Wong Yu Zhou:

"We are just doing our part, doing our operational duty, to keep Singapore safe. To do so, we have to maintain a high state of readiness, ready to deploy our planes fast when needed."​

Graduation day for Sam Tan, who emerged top of the class at the United States Naval Academy (USNA). He received a Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) sword that is awarded annually to the midshipman who stands highest in the Order of Merit of their graduating class. Besides being the first foreign cadet to top the USNA class and graduating from the USNA with a Bachelor of Science degree in Ocean Systems Engineering, CPT Sam Tan was the first foreigner to take on the role as brigade adjutant. As brigade adjutant he was in charge of the administrative duties of 4,400 cadets.

Our Defining Moments - A year in review of the Republic of Singapore Navy 2012/13 - YouTube

Sam Tan (second from left) receiving his certificate of completion of the Trident Project from Chief of Naval Research Rear-Admiral Matthew Klunder (far left) and Superintendent of USNA Vice-Admiral Michael Miller (far right). The Trident Project allows exceptional students to engage in independent study and research during their senior year.

New Year's Eve today, sea soldiers and personnel from the Maritime Security Task Force are still hard at work safeguarding our naval bases and watching over our waters. Chief of Navy RADM Ng Chee Peng visited the Changi Defence Squadron and MSTF Operation Centre to thank our personnel for their efforts and dedication in keeping us safe as our nation ushers in the new year.

Every ship needs a safe harbour. Day in and day out, sea soldiers from the Singapore Navy's Base Defence Squadrons maintain both land and seaward defence of Changi and Tuas Naval Bases. While the ships and crews of the navy safeguard Singapore's waters, the crews on these ships in turn rely on these sea soldiers who help keep the ships and bases safe.

Indy Vigil (Part 2): The RSN Patrol Vessel - YouTube

Earlier this morning, Chief of Defence Force Lieutenant-General (LG) Ng Chee Meng visited these sailors from patrol vessel RSS Brave. They were preparing to set sail to patrol Singapore waters on New Year’s Eve on 31 December 2013.

Expressing his appreciation, LG Ng said:-

“Remember that you are here to safeguard your family, friends and loved ones. Thanks guys. Sail safe and keep our waters safe.”​

 

[OPSSG]

The RSAF's Black Knights aerobatics team

Below, members of the RSAF's aerobatics team that is set to thrill the audience at the upcoming Singapore Airshow 2014!

Below, the two commentators - [nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_0V68K6cds&list=UU4BCUrNe2X5UJkvzeRG12gQ&feature=c4-overview"]Cuz Baby, Two Is Better Than One - YouTube[/nomedia].

Below, the eight Air Force Engineers guide and oversee the flight line operations for the Black Knights - [nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jyZT7H6bnC8&feature=c4-overview&list=UU4BCUrNe2X5UJkvzeRG12gQ"]The Trusty Squires - YouTube[/nomedia]

The RSAF's Black Knights aerobatics team.

Below, introducing each member of the RSAF's aerobatics team, starting with No. 1 and team leader - [nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Z8M-Yn-47k&feature=c4-overview&list=UU4BCUrNe2X5UJkvzeRG12gQ"]The First Knight - YouTube[/nomedia]

Below, No. 2 and right wingman - [nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wbPF_Q7ek9k&list=UU4BCUrNe2X5UJkvzeRG12gQ&feature=c4-overview"]Weaving With Planes - YouTube[/nomedia].

Below, No. 3 and left wingman.

Below, No. 4 and slotman.

Below, No. 5 and lead solo.

Below, No. 6 and opposing solo.

Please note that the three posts on 'Singapore in respect to Select Sino-ASEAN Developments' (Part 1 of 3), (Part 2 of 3) and (Part 3 of 3), were moved to the next page of this thread.

 

[OPSSG]

Singapore in respect to Select Sino-ASEAN Developments (Part 1 of 3)

1. The Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) was established by Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines in 1967, not only to keep mutual distrust in check, but also in response to the threat of communism. With the impending power vacuum caused by the withdrawal of British forces in Southeast Asia and doubts about the staying power of the United States in Vietnam, it became paramount for the founding members to band together for strength in solidarity. As Lee Kuan Yew put it in his memoir:

“While ASEAN’s declared objectives were economic, social and cultural, all knew that progress in economic cooperation would be slow. We were banding together more for political objectives, stability and security.”​

2. Since its founding, ASEAN's membership has expanded to include Brunei (1984), Cambodia (1999), Laos (1997), Myanmar (1997), and Vietnam (1995). Currently, the ten members of the ASEAN, have a population of over 600 million and combined are the third largest economy in Asia. Placed between the giants of China and India, ASEAN countries have to combine their markets to compete and be relevant as a region. There is no other choice. ASEAN is also playing a major role in shaping a wider architecture of cooperation in the Asia-Pacific. ASEAN sits astride some of the world’s most important trading routes and sea lines of communication, including the Straits of Malacca and Singapore. The political condition or behavior favored by many ASEAN members is a balance of power with the plus 8 powers, and the avoidance of armed conflict with each other and/or the plus 8 powers (because ASEAN members, in general are not strong military powers). Even when the defence spending of all 10 ASEAN states are combined, it is small compared to the defence spending of any of the North East Asian powers.

3. ASEAN member states promoted the concept of regional autonomy to prevent any one power from exercising hegemony over Southeast Asia. ASEAN’s assertion of regional autonomy took two forms.

One, it involved the expansion of membership from its initial core of five to ten of South East Asia’s eleven states.

Two, ASEAN’s assertion of regional autonomy also took the form of political declarations and treaties covering Southeast Asia. In recent years ASEAN has advanced the concept of regional autonomy by ratifying the ASEAN Charter and setting the goal of creating an ASEAN Community by 2015. ASEAN's approach in relations with external powers has been to assert its centrality in the region’s security architecture — this includes the creation of the ASEAN Defense Minister's Meeting (ADMM).​

The strategy's manifestation for many of the ASEAN members is via non-alignment (with the exception of the Philippines and Thailand, who are US allies) and the general unwillingness of most ASEAN members to take a side on conflicts/rivalry between the plus 8 powers. Indonesia with regards to the great powers has argued for a policy of ''dynamic equilibrium'' with no one power dominating (or what Singapore's defence minister would call an inclusive security architecture). The ASEAN Community was originally envisioned by the its leaders to commence in 2020. However, during the 12th ASEAN Summit held in January 2007, it was decided to accelerate the regional integration to 2015. One reason for the decision to ensure that ASEAN remains as the driving force in drawing the continuously evolving regional architecture. ASEAN members are cognizant of the fact that the security of one member-state is linked to one another, hence the need to promote peace and security not only within ASEAN but to the larger stage. Thus, it has developed dialogue fora such as the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), East Asia Summit (EAS), ADMM, and ADMM Plus.

4. ADMM Plus is the meeting of the 10 Defence Ministers from ASEAN, plus 8 other powers. ADMM was inaugurated on 9 May 2006 in Kuala Lumpur and the plus 8 powers are namely, the US, China, Russia, Japan, India, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. In May 2011, ASEAN approved the establishment of the five Expert Working Groups (EWGs) comprising of an ASEAN member and an ADMM Plus member as co-chairs on:-

(i) maritime security (1st cycle: Australia and Malaysia; and 2nd cycle: Brunei and New Zealand);

(ii) humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (1st cycle: China and Vietnam; and 2nd cycle: Laos and Japan);

(iii) counter-terrorism (1st cycle: US and Indonesia; and 2nd cycle: Singapore and Australia);

(iv) military medicine (1st cycle: Japan and Singapore; and 2nd cycle: Thailand and Russia);

(v) peacekeeping operations (1st cycle: Philippines and New Zealand; and 2nd cycle: Cambodia and Republic of Korea); and

(vi) humanitarian mine action (Initial cycle for new EWG: Vietnam and India).​

Below, RSS Endurance's Fast Craft Utility (FCU) delivering Chinese, Japanese and Singaporean medical personnel in support of the June 2013 ADMM-Plus Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) / Military Medicine (MM) Exercise in Brunei (more pictures of the HADR/MM exercise, here).

5. Thanks to the efforts of its members and a strategic mindset of inclusive diplomacy, ASEAN is seen as a dynamic regional organisation that is occasionally envied for its ability to punch above its weight in international matters. Like the US, ASEAN itself is not a party to the maritime disputes in the South China Sea or in the East China Sea. On the one hand:-

(i) ASEAN member states are finding a way to move on to manage the issue with China (including the crucial task of keeping the lines of communications open between China and ASEAN member states). Most ASEAN members seek to improve their relationship with the US and China at the same time with some more beholden to aid from one side;

(ii) ASEAN has a role, not in the specific delineation or settlement of claims between claimant states but in the broader setting of a framework which would allow for a peaceful resolution of these claims; and

(iii) ASEAN has given voice to concerns of the Philippines and Vietnam at numerous international events, to assist the Philippines and Vietnam in voicing their concerns.

2013 marks the 10th year of ASEAN-China Strategic Partnership and this milestone was celebrated in Jakarta on 25 November 2013 with a reception organized jointly by China and the Committee of Permanent Representatives to ASEAN.​

6. Sino-Singapore relations has come a long way from the 1960s and 1970s, when Singapore was berated in the Chinese propaganda as a lackey of the American imperialists. The Malayan Communist Party backed by China refused to recognise Singapore’s independence. This changed after Deng Xiaoping visited Singapore in November 1978. It marked a dramatic change in Singapore’s relations with China, and also China’s relations with Southeast Asia. Deng visited Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur before he arrived in Singapore. He personally saw that China had fallen behind these supposedly backward cities. Also, he concluded that China had to stop supporting insurgencies in Southeast Asia if he wanted ASEAN to support the resistance to Vietnam’s invasion of Cambodia.

(i) In 1985, Dr Goh Keng Swee retired as Singapore’s Deputy Prime Minister. He was invited to be Economic Advisor to the State Council on the development of China’s coastal areas and tourism. China, a huge nation with an ancient history, was willing to learn from a tiny city-state.

(ii) Deng Xiaoping kept abreast of developments in Singapore and Southeast Asia. During a tour of southern China in February 1992, he said, “there is good social order in Singapore. They govern the place with discipline. We should draw from their experience, and do even better than them.”

(iii) Vice Minister of Propaganda Xu Weicheng led a delegation to Singapore for 10 days that same year. Since then, exchanges between Singapore and China have grown. Hundreds of Chinese officials continue to be trained in Singapore.​

7. Since 1996, Singapore has trained over 16,000 Chinese officials. Without regard for Singapore's track record of being of assistance to China, our Prime Minister has been subject to China's fury in July 2004 (see here for the MFA response). It would be accurate to say that Singapore is not hostile towards China, but China's leadership may choose, at anytime, to be hostile towards Singapore, as and when, it suits their agenda. However, pragmatism underlies Singapore’s conduct of its external relations.

Below, COL Ng Soon Watt and Snr COL Luo Mingcan, co-directors of COOPERATION 2009, interacting at the inaugural joint CT training exercise.

8. Despite the July 2004 visit to Taiwan by Lee Hsien Loong, to which China objected, Beijing has sought to advance its military ties with Singapore as early as November 2005, with a visit to Singapore by Wu Bangguo (vice-chairman of the CMC) and General Cao Gangchuan (Minister of National Defence). This visit eventually paved the way for the COOPERATION series of joint counter-terrorism training exercises between the PLA (PLA Emergency Response Office and Guangzhou Military Region) and the SAF (with units from the 2PDF and the CBRE Defence Group), under the auspices of the bilateral Agreement on Defence Exchanges and Security Cooperation in January 2008. The COOPERATION joint counter-terrorism training exercises in June 2009 (held in Guilin, China) and in November 2010 (held in Singapore). COOPERATION 2010 was a nine-day exercise that consists of 60 personnel from the SAF and 86 personnel from the PLA (see this news report in Chinese: [nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3PvYGfE87rM"]1st PLA-SAF Joint Counter Terrorism Exercise - YouTube[/nomedia]).

9. In January 2013, Fan Changlong, vice chairman of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Military Commission, met with Indonesian Deputy Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin, to strengthen military ties. Likewise, China and Thailand have friendly military ties that is characterized by frequent high-level visits and exchanges, and increasing military trade and joint training. When Chinese defense minister Chang Wanquan visited Thailand in May 2013, he raised the possibility of joint drills between the two air forces, calling it the missing link in Sino-Thai defense cooperation. I also note that an evolving security landscape has forced Kuala Lumpur to adopt a nuanced strategy, of courting China while preparing for the worst. In this regard, Malaysia is pursuing a three-fold strategy, as follows:-

One, Malaysia is engaging in confidence building measures with China, by making an effort to launch direct contact between Malaysia’s Naval Sea Region 2 (which is responsible for the area around the Spratly Islands), and China’s South Sea Fleet.

Two, it is working with its ASEAN neighbours on the defence and diplomacy track by establishing a maritime cable link between Malaysia’s Naval Sea Region 1, and Vietnam’s Southern Command (i.e. enables the two countries to directly contact each other during potential incidents in the South China Sea).

Three, it is also strengthening its ties with its Five Power Defence Arrangement (FPDA) partners in Exercise Bersama Lima 2013 (see further posts below on the FPDA exercise) and simultaneously improving its ability to respond to new threats via the commissioning of two Scorpène class submarines in 2009. In 2013, Malaysia has also quietly reactivated the base support arrangement with Singapore to enable the cross deployment of fighters on each other's bases. This base support arrangement enables the Malaysian and Singaporean air forces to assist each other should the need arise.​

10. In June 2013 US President Barack Obama and Chinese President Xi Jinping met for more than two hours at a 400-acre desert resort, at the Annenberg estate in California, at a two-day summit, as the two leaders attempted to arrive at a "firm understanding" of how to work together on security issues. This was followed with a second meeting in three months in September 2013. China and US interdependence means that at a bilateral basis the rival parties have to manage their differences, to prevent this rivalry from devolving into an adversarial relationship (see this 2013 video with George Friedman and Robert Kaplan discussing China's blue water navy and its anti-access and area-denial (A2AD) capability:[nomedia]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=we-WWt_z7Yc[/nomedia]). For China's leaders, Obama is certainly easier to work with that Japan's Shinzo Abe, whom, close observers say is a right wing nationalist, and a historical revisionist with regards to Japanese war crimes during World War II. “Japan is a valued ally and friend. Nevertheless, the United States is disappointed that Japan's leadership has taken an action that will exacerbate tensions with Japan's neighbors,” the US Embassy in Tokyo said in December 2013. There are two aspects of Shinzo Abe's shrewd political calculus at work:-

One, "Abe has provoked China, and China has reacted just as Abe wanted it to," says Professor Jeff Kingston of Temple University in Tokyo. "There is a shrewd political calculus at work here." What Professor Kingston means is that having an external threat in the shape of big and frightening China may be just what Mr Abe wants to help push through his controversial nationalist agenda at home (see a chart extracted from page 48 of Joint Force Quarterly issue No. 72, 1Q, Jan 2014, where Harry Foster wrote a 7 page article on 'The Joint Stealth Task Force: An operational concept for Air-Sea Battle' on five key capability gaps of the US).

Two, Japan as a smaller state picks a fight with a larger China, in the hope that the US, as patron, will back it up. It is really an attempt to get the US sucked in a broader conflict or adversarial relationship with China. However, this entrapment dynamic does not really capture the US-Japan relationship. After fighting two wars in Afghanistan and in Iraq, and feeling the after effects of imperial over-stretch, the US is unwilling to enter into a new conflict with China. The leadership of both US and China are in direct personal contact, so Abe's entrapment plan is not so easy to engineer. For the US, it has to be firm enough to deter any aggression without being so unequivocal as to encourage reckless Japanese behavior.
​

2013 ended with a series of mis-steps by the US, China and Japan. First, President Obama demonstrated a lack of US commitment to the region by skipping both the East Asia Summit (EAS) and the APEC Economic Leaders Meeting. Second, China's announcement of its Air Defense Identification Zone, which became an issue with Japan, Korea and Taiwan at the same time. Third, Japanese Prime Minister Abe Shinzo visited Yasukuni Shrine, alienating Beijing and Seoul while drawing a rare rebuke from Washington as well. Likewise, Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs Spokesman also noted that Singapore "regrets the visit by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to the Yasukuni Shrine". It is clear that such visits reopen old grievances, and are unhelpful to building trust and confidence in the region.

 

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Singapore in respect to Select Sino-ASEAN Developments (Part 2 of 3)

11. There are seven points to note about Sino-ASEAN relations:-

One, beyond COOPERATION 2009 and COOPERATION 2010 bilateral military exercises, in 2012, China sent a pair of giant pandas on a 10-year loan to the Singapore Zoo to boost bilateral ties. Su Hao, a professor at China Foreign Affairs University, said China and Singapore are interdependent. Singapore has helped China with its economic and administrative management expertise, while China's rapid growth offers investment opportunities for Singapore.

Two, joint bilateral military exercises between China and individual ASEAN countries are not unique to Singapore. Indonesia (eg. Exercise Knife Sharp, anti-terror joint military exercise), Thailand (eg. Exercise Strike, a joint counter-terrorism exercise; and Exercise Blue Strike, an exercise between Thai and Chinese marine units), and Malaysia have conducted or are going to conduct bilateral exercises with China. Beijing's courtship of Jakarta and Bangkok includes trade agreements, foreign direct investment, market access, technical assistance, and includes offers of military hardware and military cooperation.

Three, the Nine-dotted line was originally an "eleven-dotted-line" first indicated by the then Kuomintang government of the Republic of China in 1947 for its claims to the South China Sea. After the Communist Party of China took over mainland China and formed the People's Republic of China in 1949, the line was adopted and revised to nine as endorsed by Zhou Enlai. It should be noted that regulations approved by China's Hainan province require foreign fishing vessels in the South China Sea to ask for permission to enter its waters took effect on 1 January 2014.

China claims to a U-shaped swathe of the South China Sea that over laps with the EEZ claims of Brunei, Malaysia, Vietnam, Taiwan, and the Philippines. The US State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki has said that the passing of these restrictions on other countries' fishing activities in disputed portions of the South China Sea is 'a provocative and potentially dangerous act.' On the other hand, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said the move is unremarkable. He said, "China is a maritime nation, so it is totally normal and part of the routine for Chinese provinces bordering the sea to formulate regional rules according to the national law to regulate conservation, management and utilization of maritime biological resources."

Four, at times, China’s moves are in response to perceived provocations by other countries, described by some as “reactive assertiveness.” The standoff between vessels from China and the Philippines, which was triggered in April 2102 by Manila’s dispatching a frigate to arrest Chinese fishermen engaged in poaching at Scarborough Shoal. This incident ended with China occupying the Shoal and it also revealed the Philippines’ misconceived expectations about the role of US and ASEAN.

Five, in early April 2014, Indonesia will host Exercise Komodo, a 18 country multilateral exercise with ADMM Plus members to improve naval cooperation capabilities in disaster relief, in the Riau Islands. Commodore Amarullah Octavian of the Indonesian Navy Western Fleet said:-

“Currently there has been no claim from China over the Natuna area but we do not want the Sipadan-Ligitan incident to happen again.”​

On the side-lines of the planning of this ADMM Plus maritime exercise on humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, Amarullah said that the Indonesian Navy would distribute exercise maps that display Indonesian border delineations including Natuna, to ensure that all countries recognize Indonesian borders. This precaution is obviously taken in response to China's muscle flexing and claims in the South China Sea through the so-called nine dotted lines. China claims a U-shaped swathe of the South China Sea under the nine dotted lines, which is administered under the authority of China's Hainan province. This swathe overlaps areas also claimed by several South East Asian nations. While the claim has yet to encroach Natuna waters, observers believe that China will eventually do so.

Six, at the bilateral level, Singapore has attempted to balance a general disposition of deference towards China with firm resolve regarding its own autonomy and the right to assert it. At the regional level, Singapore’s efforts at engaging China have no doubt been complicated by regional circumspection about Chinese motives and power.

h/t to Consortium of Defense Analysts on the First and Second Island Chains.

Seven, Marvin C. Ott has a February 2013 article, 'The Geopolitical Transformation Of Southeast Asia', which serves as an excellent backgrounder. Others who are more hawkish have seen China's ADIZ as a strategic move to control First Island Chain and Paul D. Miller sees it as an opportunity for the United States to force the issue with China now, on its own terms. Such a confrontation need not be belligerent or mean-spirited, but it should be firm. The goal is not to start a war as an excuse to humiliate China, but to counter China's coercive diplomacy and forcibly socialize China into responsible great power behavior.​

12. As observers have noted, Beijing's investments in its armed forces are designed to push back US carrier battle groups even further, outside of not just the first but the second island chain. Therefore, Tokyo's new defense plans calls for “building a dynamic joint defense force”, with an emphasis on jointness and operational integration. Tokyo is pressured to allocate Japan's limited resources to priority areas of the Japanese Self-Defense Forces’ (JSDF) capability. In particular, Tokyo's 2013 defence budget of 4.82 trillion yen or US$48.97 billion is being used to focus on two threats:-

(i) Beijing's coordinated policy of tailored coercion aimed at gaining greater authority and control over its near seas and associated airspace — with bargaining, and escalation, de-escalation and re-escalation on the threat to use force — as the new normal (see here for details released by Japan); and

(ii) the rapid modernization of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), especially its air, naval, missile, cyberspace and outer space forces. Together, these capabilities enhance China’s anti-access and area-denial (A2AD) potential. China's defense spending exceeded that of Japan in 2007 and in FY2012, China spent at least 670.2 billion yuan (or US$106.4 billion) on defence. Besides the fact that China's annual defence budget exceeds a hundred billion dollars since 2012, it is also widely believed that China's actual defense spending is much higher than the numbers released from official sources.​

Above, in December 2013 Japan's Parliamentary Senior Vice-Minister of Defense Mr. Ryota Takeda (as part of his travels to Australia and Singapore) calls on Singapore's Second Minister for Defence Mr Chan Chun Sing in Singapore.

Japan's New National Defense Program Guidelines

On 17 December 2013, Prime Minister Shinzō Abe's cabinet approved a new 10-year security strategy that continue a review process started in 2010. Over the next five years, Japan will increase military spending by about 1 trillion Yen (US$9.73 billion) over the past five year period. While much of the spending will involve new military assets, including additional destroyers and submarines as well as drones, fighter jets, and amphibious vehicles. The December 2013 National Defense Program Guidelines (the "2013 Guidelines") provides for a comprehensive review of Japan's force structure under 4 categories (as compared to the older 2010 guidelines), as follows:-

(i) Japan Ground Self-Defense Forces: Personnel - 159,000 (up by 5,000); Tanks - about 300 (down by 100); and Artillery Systems like howitzers and rockets - about 300 (down by 100).

(ii) Japan Maritime Self-Defense Forces: Destroyers - 54 (up by 6); Submarines - 22 (unchanged); and Aircraft - 170 (up by 20).

(iii) Japan Air Self-Defense Forces: Fighters - 280 (up by 20).

(iv) Ballistic missile defense: AEGIS destroyers - 8 (up by 2); and surface to air missile units - 6 groups (unchanged).​

The 2013 Guidelines highlights the importance of Japan as a 'proactive contributor' (as evidenced by scale of the JSDF's HADR deployment to the Philippines in the aftermath of Typhoon Haiyan) and focuses on the importance of protecting Japanese sea lines of communications. Tokoyo is not simply arguing for either war or peace.

Rather, it has indicated that Japan is prepared to play a role in proactively shaping the external security environment in a manner that meets both the interests of Japan and its US ally. Beyond the above, there are four additional points to note:-

One, the Creation of Tough & Resilient Japan Ground Self-Defense Force -Toward Dynamic Joint Defense Force- - YouTube

Two, external observers have noted that it is impossible to predict the consequences of the vicious tit-for-tat cycle which Beijing and Tokyo have fallen into. One can surmise that China will continue to increase pressure on Japan to recognise that sovereignty over the Senkaku islands islands is indeed contested. Tokyo will presumably continue to push back, maintaining its position of having sole sovereignty over the islands. In the past 16 months, the positions of the Beijing and Tokyo have hardened, and there is no circuit breaker in sight.

Three, the actual rise marks just a small adjustment, a 3 per cent increase over the 2012 budget that will be used mainly for adjustments in defence posture, which is why Japan has been described by Daniel Clausen as a ‘stingy’ balancer. Seen from the perspective of traditional realism, the actions of Japan might be seen as dangerously complacent.

Four, JSDF amphibious forces would be crucial to seize and defend small islands. And in a lesser conflict, long-range firepower is less important than the capacity to kick the Chinese off a disputed island — and that takes amphibious forces from the Western Army Infantry Regiment. Tokyo has also taken steps to increase its surveillance capabilities over some of its outer lying islands. This may include procuring the RQ-4 Global Hawk and the rapid addition of 19 of the new RQ-21A Blackjack by JMSDF ships (once the testing for this system is completed by the US Navy and US Marine Corps).
​

Therefore the discussion of potential conflict between China, North Korea or Japan cannot just be focused on a long-range exchange of missiles or cyber attacks. The 2013 Guidelines makes it clear that Tokyo is not simply going to sit back and be intimated by North Korea and China. If Japan can maintain its sensors and weapons in the opening days of conflict, regardless of the status of its bases or US aircraft carriers, then it can achieve its objectives while denying China the benefit of its A2AD investment (aka a strategy to counter China's A2AD investments). China, Japan and the US as resident maritime powers in Asia all understand that small islands throughout the First Island Chain (the Japan-Taiwan-Philippines archipelago) could become a mechanism to contest the local sea by controlling the adjacent land.

13. This means Japan needs to be able to conduct joint operations in an alliance framework (see: [nomedia]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i5jVNbw_Kj4[/nomedia]), and it includes implementing responses tailored to in each situation, which range from troubled peace, to a skirmish, to full scale conventional war. The JSDF must retain the ability to conduct persistent intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) activities for information dominance (aka a network of sensors) in the face of the PLA's A2AD efforts within the First Island Chain (the Japan-Taiwan-Philippines archipelago). Building a robust sensor network will enable the JSDF to posture their response (for escalation dominance) in accordance with changing needs. In particular, the JSDF will place priority on ensuring maritime and air superiority, which is the prerequisite for deterrence. Japan's current strategic environment is characterised by three features:-

Below, Japan's Minister of Defense, Itsunori Onodera, speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue 2013 Second Plenary Session on 1 June 2013 (link to the English translation of his speech, here).

One, further shifts in the distribution of power as the strategic weight of China (see this July 2013 report on "Chinese Military Modernization and Force Development" by Anthony H. Cordesman) increases relative to Japan and the US.

Two, flashpoints with the potential for skirmishes that lead to state-on-state conflict, including the Taiwan Straits, the Korean peninsula, the Senkaku Islands, the waters around China, including the East China Sea, and the South China Sea.

Three, a Beijing with a game-plan to escalate disputes at the time of its choosing (see this CSIS video:[nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKLR5UouED4#t=20"]Schieffer Series: Crisis in the East China Sea - YouTube[/nomedia]). For example, after the purchase of three of the disputed Senkaku islands by the government in Tokyo in September 2012, China executed pre-planned actions as escalation of the dispute. The four moves by China in quick succession are as follows:-

(a) It issued an updated claim to its territorial baselines in the East China Sea.

(b) It filed a claim with the UN of an extended continental shelf beneath the East China Sea.

(c) It declared names and coordinates for the 71 features.

(d) It released the names of 26 geographic features on the islands.​

RSS Formidable (68), made a port call at the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force's (JMSDF) Yokosuka Naval Base from 22 to 27 Aug 2012 on the way back from RIMPAC 2012. Above, Commanding Officer (CO) RSS Formidable, Lieutenant Colonel Ong Chee Wei (2nd from right) briefing his Japanese counterpart, CO JS Yamagiri, Commander Hiroshi Komiya (1st from right) on the integrated bridge system onboard RSS Formidable.

RSS Formidable (68) made a port call at Ma Xie Naval Base in Zhanjiang, China, from 1 to 5 September 2012 on the way back from RIMPAC 2012. Below, Commanding Officer, RSS Formidable, Lieutenant Colonel Ong Chee Wei (1st from right) briefing Vice-Admiral Jiang Wei Lie (2nd from right), Commander of the People's Liberation Army (Navy) South Sea Fleet on the capabilities of RSS Formidable.

 

[OPSSG]

Singapore in respect to Select Sino-ASEAN Developments (Part 3 of 3)

14. While the era of China biding their time and keeping a low profile is over, it does not follow that the US or ASEAN are trying to contain China. As Singapore's Minister of Defence, Dr. Ng Eng Hen noted at a speech at CSIS on 13 Dec 2013 (see also the CSIS video podcast: [nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vAPBPmVvtHA"]The Rise of Asia: Reaping Promises, Avoiding Perils - YouTube[/nomedia]):-

"Even as we celebrate Asia's prosperity, there are perils to avoid. While the economic progress of Asian countries has been stellar, the political systems and national institutions in each country are still evolving. This duality is inherent as political and economic reforms within countries often move at different speeds....

Asian nations have also witnessed an increase in nationalism amongst their people... However, unabated and unaccommodating, this assertiveness can accentuate tensions and even precipitate conflicts. In the East China Sea, strong nationalist sentiments have been roused in both China and Japan over the Diaoyu / Senkaku Islands. Tit-for-tat deployments of patrols and naval vessels of both countries have occurred. Fighter jets have been scrambled to respond to aircraft overflights, and there have even been allegations of a fire-control radar locked on a country's destroyer. Strong reactions have also occurred in response to the recent Air Defence Identification Zone designated by China. While no physical incidents have occurred as yet, the risks are not theoretical. In another incident in May 2013, a Taiwanese fisherman was shot and killed by the Philippine Coast Guard in the South China Sea.

On the Korean Peninsula, North Korea ratcheted up the rhetoric and threatened at one point to void the armistice that ended the Korean War and launch a nuclear attack on the US. All of us watch these unfolding and escalatory events with concern. Indeed, we should, as these security challenges and flashpoints could derail the stability and growth of Asia.

While the world reaps the harvests of Asia's economic rise, we must pay heed lest Asia stumbles, as the impact on the world will be deeply felt..."​

15. ASEAN's concern with China's rise is not just about the existence of bilateral maritime or border disputes with member states. Rather, China’s ADIZ is a challenge to international norms, as Jeffrey W. Hornung has correctly noted. By telling airplanes to comply by China's rules even if they have no intention on entering its territorial airspace, China is attempting to control airspace far from its shores, thereby limiting freedom of overflight in airspace above what is commonly treated as international waters. This is a tactic China last employed in 1998 when it adopted its Law on the Exclusive Economic Zone and the Continental Shelf, which represented China’s attempt to limit maritime activities in its EEZ by military vessels that differed from more widely held interpretations of UNCLOS. In essence, China is bucking international norms that guarantee freedom of movement in both the maritime and aerial realms.

Below, US Secretary of State, John Kerry participated in the U.S.-ASEAN Ministerial Meeting in New York City. See his full remarks: http://go.usa.gov/dMJJ. #UNGA

16. In recent years, Beijing has used trade to try to influence international disputes. In the past China halted shipments of rare earth to Japan, the US and Europe in bids to apply pressure against policies not in its favor. China has also refused to import bananas and other fruits from the Philippines, claiming to find bugs in shipments. By exerting economic pressure to maintain territorial ambitions, Beijing could set a precedent that intimidates other nations bordering the South Sea into similar concessions. Interestingly, the embargo on the import of bananas from the Philippines has had an effect on the retail price of bananas in Tokyo in 2012. It cannot be denied that China's pattern of behaviour with regard to using non-tariff trade sanctions as a tool of coercive diplomacy has resulted in caution by the smaller regional players. It tells ASEAN members that the China-ASEAN free trade agreement only works, if they follow Beijing's lead. Which is why, ASEAN members are now even more welcoming of the US and comforted by the presence of forward deployed US military forces in Asia. In December 2013, Washington announced that the US would provide US$32.5 million in new assistance for maritime law enforcement in South East Asia. These funds would be allocated for the provision of new fast patrol boats for coast guards and related training. Vietnam was allocated US$18 million of the new funding for the acquisition of five patrol boats and the Philippines was granted US$40 million in maritime security assistance. This raised the total US commitment to regional maritime security assistance to US$156 million over the next two years.

Below, a picture from Marine Rotational Force Darwin.

17. Some observers have argued that a pragmatic foreign policy in Singapore’s engagement of China is concerned, can be understood by way of a relatively unambiguous if somewhat crude formulation: on one hand, economic bandwagoning with China; on the other, security balancing against China. However, the reality is a bit more complex. Singapore has forward looking leadership that gives form to the forward presence of US forces in South East Asia; knowing full well that Japan is a key maritime power and also the largest host country for US forces in Asia (with over 40,000 US troops).

18. 'The Little Red Dot', as a port city is fortunate in that it serves established economic powers such as China and Japan (the world's second and third largest economies, respectively), as well as emerging economic powerhouses such as India and Indonesia. While the economic outlook in Asia is positive, the security outlook is increasingly unpredictable. The Taiwan Strait is calm, but there are worrying tensions on the Korean peninsula and in the East and South China Seas. Beijing's unilateral declaration of an air defense identification zone over disputed territory in the East China Sea has caused widespread disquiet and ratcheted up tensions between China, Japan and South Korea. All these challenges make the American pivot urgent, but the pivot has run out of steam. The Obama administration is strong on rhetoric but weak on content for the pivot. In the upcoming era of Pentagon belt-tightening, the US is unable to move significantly more resources into Asia. Compounding its geo-strategic vulnerability, Singapore is the smallest country in land size within ASEAN. This means that Singapore needs to engage in a delicate diplomatic balancing act with the resident powers in Asia (like the US, China, Japan and India), extra regional powers (like France, Germany and UK) and our immediate neighbours, Malaysia and Indonesia (also fellow founding members of ASEAN). As Lee Kuan Yew once noted, friendship, in international relations, is not a function of goodwill or personal affection. He said:-

"We must make ourselves relevant so that other countries have an interest in our continued survival and prosperity as a sovereign and independent nation. Singapore cannot take its relevance for granted. Small countries perform no vital or irreplaceable functions in the international system. "​

Below, Minister for Defence, Dr Ng Eng Hen, accompanied by Chief of Staff, North Sea Fleet, Rear Admiral Wei Gang (left), on a tour led by Commanding Officer of PLA Navy vessel Fushun, Lieutenant Commander Zhao Yongxin (second from left).

19. It should be noted that China's navy visits Singapore, as a port of call on their way to and from their counter-piracy escort missions in the Gulf of Aden. This includes a recent visit in September 2013. Rear Admiral Yuan Yubai paid an official call on Rear Admiral Ng Chee Peng, chief of the Singapore Navy. They exchanged views on such issues as jointly maintaining regional security and building a harmonious ocean, and hoped that the two navies would strengthen exchanges and cooperation in more fields, so as to push forward sustained, healthy and in-depth development of the relations between the two militaries (see also Chinese 12th Escort Fleet Commander meet with Singapore's Commander of RSS Intrepid in the Gulf of Aden).

Above, PLA Navy's most recently commissioned 89m ship, Fushun.

20. As a trading nation, Singapore has a critical interest in freedom of navigation. China's stance on the South China Sea (SCS) had resulted in media queries on the visit of Chinese maritime surveillance vessel Haixun 31 to Singapore in June 2011 (see what the Singaporean MFA spokesman said, here). The Singaporean MFA spokeman's statement demonstrates that Beijing's understanding of harmonious ocean may differ from that of some ASEAN countries (see this CCTV4 video on China's documented strategy to ram Vietnamese ships in the SCS: [nomedia]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xzaBjIbQJlI[/nomedia]). With regard to disputes in the SCS, from Beijing's perspective, there are two certainties to ensure that they play the long game:-

(i) time is on China's side, so delay or even non-settlement of issues, like a binding code-of-conduct, is to China's advantage (despite a positive China-ASEAN meeting in September 2013, the road to a code is likely to be a long one), as it continues its rise; and

(ii) other claimants, namely, Brunei, Malaysia, Vietnam, Taiwan, and the Philippines, in the SCS are not united against China, and it is not in China's interest to unite the interests of these claimants. Consequently, China employs different tactics in their treatment of Brunei and Malaysia viz a viz their treatment of Vietnam, and the Philippines. On 22 April 2014 at the 14th Western Pacific Naval Symposium (WPNS) held at Qingdao, China, naval leaders of the region endorsed of the Code for Unplanned Encounters at Sea (CUES), which was passed by an overwhelming majority of the WPNS voting members.​

21. While ASEAN members do have disagreements and squabble from time to time, they also have a history of cooperation. More importantly with regard to maritime boundaries, such as the Indonesia-Malaysia dispute over the islands of Ligitan and Sipadan, and the Malaysia-Singapore dispute over Pedra Branca have been settled with reference to the International Court of Justice, in 2002 and 2008, respectively. Further, Indonesia and the Philippines signed a maritime border accord in May 2014, hailing it as a model for peacefully settling increasingly tense territorial disputes in the region. Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said the agreement, the result of 20 years of negotiations, showed that the escalating rows in the South China Sea could be resolved without violence. In January 2014, ASEAN foreign ministers expressed their concerns on the recent developments in the SCS. They further reaffirmed ASEAN's Six-Point Principles on the SCS and the importance of maintaining peace and stability, maritime security, freedom of navigation in and overflight above the SCS. They called on all parties to the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) to undertake the full and effective implementation of the DOC.

22. A recent speech on China by strategist Edward Luttwak (see video: [nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQDtWzqQSks#t=263"]The Middle Kingdom Looks East, West, North and South: China's Strategies on its Periphery - YouTube[/nomedia]) on why China Can Win Big In The Pacific By Backing Down, may be instructive. Conflict is a choice, not an inevitability, said Luttwak. Beijing has stumbled into a strategy of offending most of its neighbors at once: Japan, India, Vietnam, and the Philippines. “The least necessary Chinese quarrel is with the Republic of Korea,” he sighed, “the only country I saw entering voluntarily the Chinese orbit, becoming voluntarily a Chinese client, until China decided to kick them in the shins over a submerged rock.”

ADMM Plus - ASEAN Defence Ministers Plus 8

At the 2nd ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting (ADMM)-Plus, held in Brunei on 29 August 2013, Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen, his fellow ASEAN Defence Ministers and Ministers from the "Plus" countries - Australia, China, India, Japan, Republic of Korea, New Zealand, Russia and the United States - discussed key security challenges facing the region and beyond. They also expressed satisfaction with the progress made by the ADMM-Plus since its inauguration in Vietnam in October 2010. The ADMM-Plus Ministers also signed a Joint Declaration to reaffirm the commitment of member countries to enhance regional peace and security.

23. As I have noted before in other posts, it it not so long ago when Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore worked hard collectively to convince Lloyd's of London to remove the "War Risk" premium for the Malacca Strait due to the then prevalence of piracy or sea robber activity. This premium was only removed by the Lloyd’s Market Association’s Joint War Committee in August 2006. Until the "War Risk" premium was removed, every piece of cargo shipped incurred higher shipping costs (because of higher insurance premiums), which leads to higher price tags for all goods shipped through the region.

24. At some point in the near future, China's path of escalation will result in an incident that will push up the cost of shipping goods through the region. Which from my point of view is strategically short sighted.

 

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Exercise Bersama Lima 2013

The opening ceremony of Exercise Bersama Lima 2013 was held at Butterworth Airbase, Penang, Malaysia, on 8 November 2013.

This joint FPDA exercise involved 12 ships, 72 aircraft and 6 ground-based air defence units from the five FPDA nations.

The Malaysians have a facebook post with pictures of the exercise here, here, here and here. Below, a picture of FPDA members at work during the exercise.

Below, a RAAF Wedgetail E-7A arriving for Exercise Bersama Lima 2013.

Below, a RAAF FA-18 Hornet at take-off.

Below, two RMAF's Hawk Mk 208s at take-off.

Below, on 14 November 2013, the UK Ambassador, the Australian Ambassador to Malaysia and Singapore, Senior leadership from MINDEF Singapore and the FPDA Defence Advisor in Kuala Lumpur, visited the exercise (see here for more pictures of the VIP visit).

 

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Singapore Air Power Summary in 7 Points (Part 1 of 3)

Below, sunrise at Luke Air Force Base in Arizona, home to the RSAF's Peace Carvin II F-16C/Ds.

1. As mentioned in Air Power 101, a country's approach to defence is shaped by both its the unique circumstances and the enduring geostrategic limitations it has to face. With a land area of only 714.3 km², Singapore uses air and naval power to add strategic depth to the small city-state. Singapore's Formidable Frigates (with their Aster 15 or 30 missiles), not only provide area defence to the floatilla, the Aster 30 provides Singapore with a basic and limited ballistic missile defence capability. Air and naval power provide the city-state with the capability to detect threats and defend itself. This ability to strike back at aggressors provides deterrence. The official stated mission and vision, extracted from the website of the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) states:-

The RSAF is a First Class Air Force, always ready to deter aggression and defend Singapore and its interests. We will respond decisively to the full spectrum of missions from peace to war as part of an integrated SAF. We will be superior in the air and decisively influence the ground and maritime battles. The RSAF is founded on the core values of competencies of its World Class People. We Are committed to the nation, the SAF, the RSAF and to one another. Together, we will overcome adversity with courage and fortitude. Above all, our people are the heart of our organisation.

h/t to Lee Sze Yong for his picture of the Shikra radar (which is based on the Thales Ground Master 200).
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2. To enable the RSAF to achieve its mission, from 2007 onwards, it was divided into 5 commands with each of the five new commands addressing an aspect of air power, as follows:-

(i) the Air Defence and Operations Command, whose roles are: one, to safeguard Singapore's territorial airspace; two, to provide air defence for homeland security; and three, to plan, control, execute and command all peacetime operations assigned to the RSAF;

Above, the SPYDER works with sensors like the Shikra radar (which is based on the Thales Ground Master 200) and other defence systems to detect potential threats and protect Singapore's skies (see: One Force - Air Warfare Officer (Ground Based Air Defence) and Air Defence Systems Specialist - YouTube).

(ii) the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Command, whose role is to grow and develop the UAV capabilities of the RSAF;

Above, the RSAF's Hermes 450 on display in 2010. (see this RSAF video on the Heron 1: One Force - Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Pilot and Air Imagery Intelligence Expert - YouTube).

(iii) the Participation Command, whose role is to integrate with with the army and the navy by raising, training and sustaining helicopter (i.e. Apaches, Chinooks, Seahawks, and Super Pumas), divisional air defence and air power integration units to respond to the full spectrum of SAF operatons (see: One Force - RSAF Helicopter Pilot and RSAF Aircrew Specialist (ACS) - YouTube);

Above, a SH-60B Seahawk naval helicopter and a Scaneagle UAV operating from Singapore Navy ships (see this video on the launch and recovery of a Scaneagle UAV at sea: [nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NY1Y9LBATHo"]ScanEagle Launch and Recovery - YouTube[/nomedia]). The Singapore Navy has used both the Seahawk (Ep 2: Sustaining the Journey (Sinking Piracy) - YouTube) and the Scaneagle UAV for its counter-piracy missions under CTF-151 in the Gulf of Aden.

(iv) the Air Combat Command, whose role is to develop integrated air combat capabilities (see One Force - RSAF Fighter Pilot - YouTube and ; and One Force - RSAF Weapon Systems Officer (Fighter) - YouTube); and

(v) the Air Power Generation Command, whose role is sustain robust, continuous launch and recovery of air assets from Singapore's air bases, and if necessary, from austere locations (by converting public roads into runways or such other means as may be required by MINDEF - see:[nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QnkNaF45BK0&list=PL6AD9DAE4587EEF47&index=5"]RSAF Exercise Torrent 2008 - HD - YouTube[/nomedia]).

Above, a F-16D+ landing on an alternate runway during Exercise Torrent.
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This RSAF organisational structure, moves away from an airbase-centric structure in favour of five operational commands. The five commands provide for an increased operational tempo and helps the air force better assimilate new technology, such as, UAVs. As Robert Karniol noted: "Pretty much every forward-thinking armed force in the world has been increasingly moving to develop its UAV capabilities. But Singapore, in particular, has been increasingly in the lead in developing the future of UAVs, both in terms of induction of UAVs into service and the development of its own family of UAVs." This command based organisational structure also enhances the RSAF's integration with the army and navy, allowing the RSAF to contribute more decisively in the Singapore armed forces operations across the air, land and sea domains.

Above, the Spike weapon system mounted on a Light Strike Vehicle Mark II, firing at a target 3.3km away during Exercise Wallaby 2013 in Shoalwater Bay Training Area in Queensland, Australia. Helicopter-portable, highly manoeuvrable and armed with the Spike anti-tank guided missile, this vehicle is no lightweight. The Light Strike Vehicle Mark II comes in 3 flavours [i.e. (i) a 3 seater version with an the Spike ATGM; (ii) a 4 seater version with a 40mm AGL; and (iii) a 6 seater utility version]: The LSV Mk II - YouTube