The Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) will deploy F-15SG and F-16C/D/+ fighter aircraft to RAAF Pearce for three training deployments this year.
Singapore and the RSAF have had a long-term presence at the base since 1993, when the RSAF deployed its now retired Aermacchi S-211 trainers to the base, where they served with the RSAF’s 130 Squadron.
130 Squadron now operates the PC-21from the base, alongside RAAF aircraft including No. 2 Flying Training School’s own PC-21s as well as Hawk-127s of No. 79 Squadron.
The deployment of RSAF fast jets to Australia was first flagged publicly in March this year when the Prime Ministers of both countries noted in a statement that progress had been made on discussions about expanding training opportunities for the wider Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) in Australia.
The three deployments, the first of which will begin this month on 24 June, will involve “small detachments” of aircraft that will fly multiple sorties each day.
“[RAAF Pearce] will host small detachments of F-15SG and F-16C/D/+ aircraft from the Republic of Singapore Air Force,” Defence said in a statement without elaborating further.
The first deployment of F-16C/D/+ aircraft will run between 24 June and 15 July, this will be followed by a deployment of F-15SGs from 13 August to 9 September, who will then handover to another detachment of F-16s that will run between 9 September and 18 October.
Due to Singapore’s small size, the country has a long tradition of basing training detachments overseas in places like France, the US and Australia. Aside from the RSAF’s presence at RAAF Pearce, several of its CH-47F Chinooks are based at the Army Aviation Centre Oakey in Queensland.
Singapore has also invested heavily into expanding the Shoalwater Bay training area as part of the Australia – Singapore Military Training Initiative, signed in 2015.