Article

2005-02-24 Southeast Asia

The Biggest Little Air Force in the World

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Posted by Steve 2005-02-24 11:07:06 AM|| || Front Page|| [11137 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 Heh - that is quite an inventory! The training component isn't addressed, however, and that is definitely non-trivial.

But I'll put my money on the Singaporeans doing it right. They "get it" on every topic I've ever seen addressed.

Posted by .com 2005-02-24 11:26:08 AM|| 2005-02-24 11:26:08 AM|| Front Page Top

#2 They train very hard. We have a little known AF detachment in Singapore that works closely with them, plus they send their pilots to the States for training. Note in the story that their Apache's are currently based in the US.

Posted by Steve 2005-02-24 12:13:50 PM|| 2005-02-24 12:13:50 PM|| Front Page Top

#3 Yes pretty soon they will start to evacuate so that they can build enough hangers to house all these aircraft. The big question is, WHO GETS VOTED OFF THE ISLAND?

Posted by BigEd 2005-02-24 12:14:57 PM|| 2005-02-24 12:14:57 PM|| Front Page Top

#4 They're shooting Harpoons from an F-16???? I don't believe it.

But then, I didn't believe that you could land a C-130 on a carrier, either.

Posted by Chuck Simmins 2005-02-24 1:21:24 PM|| [http://blog.simmins.org] 2005-02-24 1:21:24 PM|| Front Page Top

#5 Harpoons from an F-16???? I don't believe it.
Oh yea of little faith:
Air-to-surface missiles carried on the F-16 include Maverick, HARM and Shrike missiles, manufactured by Raytheon, and anti-ship missiles include Boeing Harpoon and Kongsberg Penguin. The first guided launch of the new Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) was successfully carried out from an F-16 and the F-16 was the first USAF aircraft to be fitted with the Joint Standoff Weapon (JSOW) in April 2000.

Posted by Steve 2005-02-24 1:41:47 PM|| 2005-02-24 1:41:47 PM|| Front Page Top

#6 More: The A/R/UGM-84 was first introduced in 1977, and in 1979 the air-launched version was deployed on the Navy's P-3C Orion aircraft. The Harpoon was also adapted for use on USAF B-52H bombers, which can carry from 8 to 12 of the missiles. The Harpoon missile has been integrated on foreign F-16 aircraft and is presently being integrated on foreign F-15 aircraft.
Block 50 F-16s can carry the Harpoon. And I've seen that video of a C-130 landing on a carrier. It rates at 10 on the pucker factor.

Posted by Steve 2005-02-24 2:02:37 PM|| 2005-02-24 2:02:37 PM|| Front Page Top

#7 Yipe! An island with 4 million people has some 60+ F-16s and 100+ older fighters, plus tankers and radar direction planes.

Belgium, with over 10 million people, has 70 F-16s and no other fighters. No tankers or AWACS.

Canada, with 32 million people, only has 104 F-18s.

Posted by Jackal 2005-02-24 2:15:16 PM|| [http://home.earthlink.net/~sleepyjackal/index.html] 2005-02-24 2:15:16 PM|| Front Page Top

#8 Oh, and I support the sale of AMRAAMs to Singapore. More profit-sharing for Me.

Posted by Jackal 2005-02-24 2:17:43 PM|| [http://home.earthlink.net/~sleepyjackal/index.html] 2005-02-24 2:17:43 PM|| Front Page Top

#9 Once total air superiority is established, picture the pucker factor of being on the receiving end as a pair of Buffs drop to about 500 ft and fire off a salvo of 12 Harpoons each at your Chinese invasion force - now about 50 clicks out of port... Heh.

Yummm. I'm thinking of that sweet-hot dish of beef medallions called Tiger's Tears on Chinese menus... Neua yang on Thai menus...

Posted by .com 2005-02-24 2:25:18 PM|| 2005-02-24 2:25:18 PM|| Front Page Top

#10 Tell 'em about the mines Pappy.

Posted by Shipman 2005-02-24 6:55:06 PM|| 2005-02-24 6:55:06 PM|| Front Page Top

#11 Singapore is well aware of the threat mines pose for the Straits; mines were used there during WWII, forcing the Japanese to rely on rail transport.

Singapore's long had a good MCM (mine- countermeasures)fleet. The 194th MCM squadron has four modern ships equipped with Remote Operated Underwater Vehicles. Their Special Diving Unit is also trained in MCM. They train extensively with other navies.

As for offensive/defensive-deployment MIW (MIne Warfare), let's just say Singapore has a good defense industry, and their air force and navy are very capable. ; )

Posted by Pappy 2005-02-24 7:59:55 PM|| 2005-02-24 7:59:55 PM|| Front Page Top

#12 message to their neighbors? Don't Tread on Me? Sounds familiar

Posted by Frank G 2005-02-24 8:12:55 PM|| 2005-02-24 8:12:55 PM|| Front Page Top

#13 I strongly suspect that you could call Singapore a reserve Air Force/Royal Air Force component. Nothing else can explain the mind-boggling size of the AF force such an country.

Posted by Jame Retief 2005-02-24 8:25:37 PM|| 2005-02-24 8:25:37 PM|| Front Page Top

#14 ..I had the pleasure of working with the RoSAF on their first ever foreign deployment - Red Flag 98-2. They were flying our F-16s, as they weren't quite up to dragging their birds across the Pacific at that time, but they established a solid reputation right quickly. Very quiet, very polite, and very VERY good, up to our standards across the board and past them in a couple of places.

Mike

Posted by Mike Kozlowski 2005-02-24 9:34:30 PM|| 2005-02-24 9:34:30 PM|| Front Page Top

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