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73-721: The Republic of Singapore Air Force ( RSAF ) is the aerial service branch of the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) responsible for controlling and defending the airspace of the country, and providing air support to the Army and Navy . It was established in 1968 as the Singapore Air Defence Command ( SADC ) before renaming to its current name in 1975. As one of the larger and more technologically advanced air forces in Southeast Asia,

146-538: A rocket (although these too can also be guided ). Missiles have four system components: targeting and/or missile guidance , flight system, engine, and warhead. Missiles come in types adapted for different purposes: surface-to-surface and air-to-surface missiles ( ballistic , cruise , anti-ship , anti-tank , etc.), surface-to-air missiles (and anti-ballistic ), air-to-air missiles , and anti-satellite weapons . All known existing missiles are designed to be propelled during powered flight by chemical reactions inside

219-575: A rocket engine , jet engine , or other type of engine. Non-self-propelled airborne explosive devices are generally referred to as shells and usually have a shorter range than missiles. In ordinary British-English usage predating guided weapons, a missile is " any thrown object ", such as objects thrown at players by rowdy spectators at a sporting event. The advent of the unmanned aerial vehicle has dramatically revolutionised aerial warfare with multiple nations developing and/or purchasing UAV fleets. Several benchmarks have already occurred, including

292-480: A UAV-fighter jet dogfight , probes of adversary air defense with UAVs, replacement of an operational flight wing's aircraft with UAVs, control of UAVs qualifying the operator for 'combat' status, UAV-control from the other side of the world, jamming and/or data-hijacking of UAVs in flight, as well as proposals to transfer fire authority to AI aboard a UAV. UAVs have quickly evolved from surveillance to combat roles. The growing capability of UAVs has thrown into question

365-508: A detailed technical assessment, simulations, and other tests to assess the final selection. On 6 September 2005, it was announced that the F-15SG had won the contract over the Rafale. An initial order placed in 2005 for 12 aircraft with the option to purchase 8 more. On 22 October 2007, Singapore's Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) exercised the option to purchase eight more F-15SG fighters as part of

438-649: A digital weather radar, which will make the aircraft Global Air Traffic Management -compliant. Also, the C-130Bs will receive an auxiliary power unit and environmental control system in common with the C-130Hs. Once the upgrade is completed, this will effectively give the RSAF five KC-130Hs and five C-130Hs. In December 2010, the RSAF issued a letter of request to inspect stored ex-US Navy P-3C Orion aircraft that have been retired from active duty. Lockheed Martin believes

511-668: A long period of negotiations over the delivery of the sophisticated Longbow Fire-control radar , the first batch of eight aircraft, fitted with the Fire Control Radar, was delivered on 17 May 2002. The second batch of 12 Apaches were ordered in 2001 even before the first delivery took place. All of the initial eight Apaches are based in the United States. Three of the Apache Longbows returned in January 2006 at

584-418: A pair of 7.62mm Frazer Nash machine guns were present within the lower intake lips while a G90 gun camera could be installed in the nose cone. A variety of gunsights could be provided for one or both of the crew. The Strikemaster was outfitted with dual ejection seats that were suitable even for low-altitude escape. A key advantage of the type was its dual-role capability, being suitable for use in both

657-593: A parliamentary reply that Singapore would soon acquire the Aster 30 land-based missile system. RSAF day is celebrated on 1 September annually, in 2018 a combined flypast including the new A330 MRTT with a special 50th anniversary livery took place at Tengah Air Base . Military ranks in the Singapore Armed Forces are identical across the three services except for the flag ranks of the RSN . They are based on

730-486: A position from which an attack can be made on another aircraft. It relies on offensive and defensive basic fighter manoeuvring (BFM) to gain an advantage over an aerial opponent. Airborne forces are military units, usually light infantry , set up to be moved by aircraft and "dropped" into battle, typically by parachute . Thus, they can be placed behind enemy lines, and have the capability to deploy almost anywhere with little warning. The formations are limited only by

803-551: A single command which will be responsible for training the pilots and aircrew to think and operate in a fully integrated way. The ACC consists of the following groups: The APGC ("Generate And Sustain") is set up to enable the RSAF to generate and sustain effective, timely and robust air power to meet the operational needs of the SAF. With the APGC, higher operational efficiency within each RSAF Air Base, and secondly, greater integration across

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876-632: A total of four Omani Strikemasters provided close air support to heavily outnumbered ground forces that were under attack by roughly 300 insurgents. Three Strikemasters were shot down over the course of the conflict, including one that was allegedly lost to an SA-7 surface-to-air missile. During the early 1970s, the Kenyan Air Force introduced the Strikemaster as part of a wider modernsation programme. The Kenyan fleet often operated in close conjunction with its first combat jet fighter,

949-420: Is reconnaissance for a military or strategic purpose that is conducted using reconnaissance aircraft . This role can fulfil a variety of requirements, including the collection of imagery intelligence , observation of enemy maneuvers and artillery spotting . Air combat manoeuvring (also known as ACM or dogfighting ) is the tactical art of moving, turning and situating a fighter aircraft in order to attain

1022-440: Is a military strategy used in a total war with the goal of defeating the enemy by destroying their morale or their economic ability to produce and transport materiel to the theatres of military operations , or both. It is a systematically organized and executed attack from the air which can utilize strategic bombers , long- or medium-range missiles , or nuclear-armed fighter-bomber aircraft to attack targets deemed vital to

1095-512: Is essentially an armed version of the Jet Provost T Mk 5. Various improvements and alterations were made to the aircraft, including an uprated Armstrong Siddeley Viper turbojet engine, wing hardpoints capable of carrying a wide variety of munitions, a pair of machine guns under the intakes, uprated flap system with two jacks, enlarged airbrake jacks, new communication and navigation gear, different electrical system, canopy breakers on

1168-432: Is performed by the eight Fokker 50 MPA (entered service in 1991) of 121 Squadron, which can be armed with long-range anti-shipping AGM-84 Harpoon missiles and ASW torpedoes. As part of its fleet renewal process, the RSAF officially withdrew its fleet of ST Aerospace A-4SU Super Skyhawk from front-line service on 31 March 2005 after 31 years of operations. The A-4SUs' achievements included flying directly from Singapore to

1241-548: The use of planes and zeppelins for strategic bombing also emerged . The rise of fighter aircraft and of air-to-air combat led to a realisation of the desirability of achieving air superiority . Closer integration of attacking aircraft with ground operations ("battlefield support") also developed during World War I . During World War II (1939-1945), the use of strategic bombing increased, while airborne forces , missiles, and early precision-guided munitions were introduced. Aircraft carriers gained particular importance in

1314-598: The Alenia Aermacchi M-346 Master in France, almost one third of the force's inventory is based outside Singapore. In 1994, the RSAF commenced a modernisation program for its fleet of approximately 49 operational (R) F-5E and F-5F aircraft. The upgrade was performed by Singapore Technologies Aerospace (STAero) and the upgraded aircraft were designated (R)F-5S and F-5T respectively, operating from Paya Lebar Air Base. These upgraded F-5S/T, equipped with

1387-587: The Alenia Aermacchi M-346 Master was selected by the RSAF to replace the A-4SU in the Advanced Jet Training (AJT) role, currently based at BA 120 Cazaux Air Base in France. In a press release by the MINDEF on 28 September 2008, ST Aerospace had been awarded the contract to acquire twelve M-346 and a ground based training system on behalf of RSAF. As stipulated in the contract, ST Aerospace will act as

1460-731: The Bristol Belvedere , Westland Wessex and Westland Whirlwind . Eight Cessna 172K aircraft—the SADC's first—arrived in May 1969 to be used for basic pilot training. By December, the first batch of students completed the course. Of these, six were sent to the UK to receive further training. On their return to Singapore in 1970, they were ready to operate the then newly acquired Hawker Hunter fighter aircraft. The pace of training pilots and ground crew picked up gradually. On 1 August 1969, Minister for

1533-689: The Hawker Hunter . Following the creation of the Botswana Defence Force Air Wing in April 1977 amid escalating regional tensions, the service acquired nine refurbished Strikemasters formerly flown in Kenya and Kuwait. During the late 1990s, the type was withdrawn following their replacement by second hand Canadair CF-5s ; most of the surviving aircraft were sold onto the private sector. The Ecuadorian Air Force deployed

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1606-635: The JSF program's System Design and Development (SDD) Phase, as a Security Co-operation Participant (SCP). The first deliveries of the F-35 Lightning II are not expected before 2021, but replacement for the bulk of the A-4SUs was needed by 2007. As a start, 20 F-16D Block 52+ have been delivered from 2003 under project Peace Carvin IV. The RSAF embarked on its Next Generation Fighter (NGF) programme to replace

1679-553: The Persian Gulf in support of the multinational efforts for the reconstruction of Iraq . RSAF personnel have carried out airlift, transportation and supply, and air-to-air refuelling missions in support of the multinational forces, assisting the Coalition in carrying supplies and personnel, transporting humanitarian material and conducting medical evacuation operations. In September 2013, Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen stated in

1752-572: The Republic of Singapore Navy operating the sensors and weaponry. They operate from the Navy's new Formidable class frigates , and when operating from land are based at Sembawang Air Base. All 20 AH-64D Longbow attack helicopters have been delivered to the RSAF. 12 of these were deployed back to Singapore and took part in combined arms exercises with the Army, with the remaining 8 helicopters being part of

1825-408: The devaluation of the pound , announced the imminent withdrawal of all its troops " East of Suez " by the end of 1971. Prior to then, Singapore had depended heavily on Britain's Royal Air Force (RAF) for its air defence, while the newly established Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) had concentrated its efforts mainly on building up the land-based Singapore Army . The predecessor to the RSAF, the SADC,

1898-428: The ejection seats , and a revised fuel system including tip tanks on the wing tips. First flown in 1967, the aircraft was typically marketed as a light attack or counter-insurgency aircraft , however, the majority of customers were air forces seeking an advanced trainer. The Strikemaster did see combat on multiple occasions in the service of Ecuador , Oman and Yemen . A total of 146 aircraft were produced prior to

1971-479: The Army model. The official table of ranks stops at three stars for all three services. Like the Navy , the majority of Air Force personnel are regulars. This is due to the specialised and technical nature of many jobs. The employment of National Servicemen in various roles are limited mostly to the infantry-like Field Defence Squadrons which do not require such specialised training. In February 2003, Singapore joined

2044-468: The Deputy Commander of UC. UC consists of the following groups: The ADOC ("Vigilant & Ready") consist of the following: The PC ("Integrate & Dominate") consists of the following groups: The Air Force Training Command (AFTC) is an amalgamation of the former Air Force School, Flying Training School and UAV Training school which facilitates training of future pilots and ground crew of

2117-612: The FTS and graduated in November 1970. Amongst this batch was 2LT Goh Yong Siang , who later rose to the appointment of Chief of Air Force on 1 July 1995. Gradually, the SADC had its own pilots, flying instructors, air traffic controllers, and ground crew. When Britain brought forward its plan to withdraw its forces by September 1971, the SADC was suddenly entrusted with a huge responsibility and resources. Britain's former air bases— Tengah , Seletar , Sembawang and Changi —were handed over to

2190-638: The Galileo Avionica's FIAR Grifo-F X-band Radar are thought to be capable of firing the AIM-120 AMRAAM missile but to date, no actual live-firing has actually been reported. For in-flight refuelling , four KC-135Rs and four KC-130Bs are commissioned to support the fighter force of F-16C/Ds and (R)F-5S/Ts. Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) capability was introduced in 1987 when four E-2C Hawkeyes were delivered to 111 Squadron. The duty of Maritime Patrol and Coastal surveillance

2263-728: The Interior and Defence, Lim Kim San , inaugurated the Flying Training School (FTS) at Tengah Air Base (then known as RAF Tengah). The inauguration of FTS brought SADC closer to its goal of fulfilling the heavy responsibility of defending Singapore's airspace. The subsequent arrival of the BAC Strikemasters in 1969, used for advanced phase flying training, meant that pilot trainees were now able to earn their initial wings locally rather than overseas. The first batch of locally trained fighter pilots were trained at

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2336-463: The Jet Provost, proceeded with the development of a counter-insurgency/light attack derivative of the type, which it designated as the BAC 167. By this point, it had become apparent that several of the competitions that the Jet Provost had been entered into had decided against the type due to its perceived lack of potential firepower. It was powered by a single Armstrong Siddeley Viper turbojet , akin to

2409-427: The Jet Provost; however, this engine was uprated to produce up to 3,140 lb (14.0 kN) of thrust. The fuel system was also revised, incorporating conformal fuel tanks upon the wingtips along with the option to fit up to four 75-gallon underwing drop tanks , which extend the aircraft’s endurance and effective combat radius when required. Furthermore, key areas of the airframe, such as the wings, were stressed to withstand

2482-556: The Peace Vanguard detachment based in the United States. In April 2007, it was announced that the 4 E-2C Hawkeyes were to be replaced with 4 Gulfstream G550s fitted with the IAI EL/W-2085 radar which would become the primary airborne early warning aircraft for the RSAF. Not included in the deal is an additional G550 as an AEW trainer, which will be acquired and maintained by ST Aerospace on behalf of RSAF. In July 2010,

2555-656: The Philippines, incorporating the RSAF's first air-to-air refuelling mission in 1986, as well as the excellent aerobatic display of the 'red and white' Super Skyhawks flown by the RSAF Black Knights during Asian Aerospace 1990. A month before its retirement, the Skyhawk squadron won top honours in a strike exercise against its more modern F-16 and F-5 counterparts. Singapore ordered a total of twenty AH-64D Apache Longbow attack helicopters in two batches. After

2628-1196: The RSAF has a requirement of 4 to 5 of these aircraft, which would be modernised extensively before reintroduction into active service. On 30 June 2018, Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen announced that the F-16's replacement will be announced soon. Meanwhile, the KC-135Rs are being replaced by the A330 MRTT while replacements for other fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters are announced. Aerial warfare Historically, military aircraft have included lighter-than-air balloons carrying artillery observers ; lighter-than-air airships for bombing cities; various sorts of reconnaissance , surveillance , and early warning aircraft carrying observers, cameras, and radar equipment; torpedo bombers to attack enemy vessels; and military air-sea rescue aircraft for saving downed airmen . Modern aerial warfare includes missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles . Surface forces are likely to respond to enemy air activity with anti-aircraft warfare . The history of aerial warfare began in ancient times, with

2701-468: The RSAF has undertaken a significant role in Singapore's military defence strategy since its formation. The RSAF is one of the more modern air forces in the region, with the ability to act as a strong deterrence from potential hostile nations as well as defending the airspace of the country. The RSAF currently has four domestic airbases – Paya Lebar , Changi , Sembawang and Tengah – as well as at

2774-435: The RSAF sent three CH-47SD Chinook helicopters, later augmented by a fourth CH-47SD Chinook, to provide assistance in the rescue and evacuation of stranded civilians after Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans and nearby areas in the United States. The humanitarian effort by Singapore involved more aircraft than any other foreign countries. Since 2003, the RSAF has also made deployments of KC-135 tankers and C-130 aircraft to

2847-714: The RSAF will operate only the Block 52/52+ model, as many as 62 F-16CJ/DJ planes. Due to severe airspace constraints within Singapore, the RSAF operates its aircraft at several overseas locations to provide greater exposure to its pilots. With the F-16C/D Fighting Falcons, KC-135R Stratotankers , AH-64D Apaches and CH-47SD Chinook helicopters based in the United States, the Marchetti S-211s , PC-21s , and Super Puma helicopters in Australia , and

2920-482: The RSAF. It is located at 550 Airport Road, Singapore 534236. The training schools and squadrons under AFTC ("Excellence") consist of the following: The backbone of the RSAF is formed by the Block 52/52+ F-16 Fighting Falcons . These are armed with US-supplied AIM-120C AMRAAM missiles and LANTIRN targeting pods, laser guided munitions and conformal fuel tanks for long-range strike. While Singapore initially bought as many as 70 F-16 planes, on 18 November 2004, it

2993-549: The Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF). One of its first commanders was LTC Ee Tean Chye. The RSAF celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2018 with the theme "Our Home, Above All". The RSAF celebrated its Golden Jubilee with an extended flypast during the national day parade on 9 August and also performed 2 sessions of aerial display at the Marina Barrage on 11 and 12 August. Combat operations The crest consists of

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3066-406: The SADC, as well as its air defence radar station and Bloodhound II surface-to-air missiles. In 1973, the SADC procured Shorts Skyvan search-and-locate aircraft and Douglas A-4 Skyhawk fighter-bombers. With a reliable mix of fighters, fighter-bombers, helicopters and transport aircraft, the SADC was ready to assume the functions of a full-fledged air force. On 1 April 1975, the SADC was renamed

3139-578: The Strikemaster during the brief 1995 Cenepa War , flying ground sorties against Peruvian positions. An Ecuadorian Strikemaster crashed during a training mission in the Northern Border area, near Colombia, on 25 March 2009. Both pilots ejected; one later died of injuries received during the rescue attempt. The Strikemaster was also operated by several private enterprises, such as Blue Air Training and Global Aviation; such businesses typically used them to conduct training activities. Operations by

3212-658: The Strikemaster was Oman , which ordered the type in 1967 and took delivery in the summer of 1969. On several occasions during the Dhofar Rebellion , the Royal Air Force of Oman conducted combat missions with the type, the earliest such strikes being reportedly conducted in October 1969. A particularly notable engagement occurred during July 1972, which has since been referred to as the Battle of Mirbat ;

3285-486: The Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Command (UC). The first to be inaugurated was ADOC, along the restructuring announcement. ADOC is the principal agency in charge of planning and executing peacetime operations and air defence. ADOC is also responsible for the development and operational readiness of the command and control and ground-based air defence units of the RSAF. Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Command

3358-439: The additional weight incurred by the carriage of a variety of munitions. Up to 3,000 lb (1,400 kg) of stores could be carried by the Strikemaster upon four hardpoints present underneath its wings. Underwing munitions could include up to four 500lb bombs, 24 SURA R80 rockets, eight 25lb practice bombs, eight 20lb fragmentation bombs, four 18-tube SNEB 68mm rocket pods , a pair of 0.5 inch mini- gun pods . In addition,

3431-543: The aftermath of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami . It was the first and one of the few countries to reach the affected areas. The RSAF deployed dozens of C-130Hs, CH-47SDs and AS 332Ms there along with three of the RSN's latest Landing Ship Tanks (RSS Endurance, RSS Persistence and RSS Endeavour of the Endurance class LST ) as well as Singapore Armed Forces vehicles, engineers, and medical teams. In September 2005,

3504-810: The aging A-4SUs. The original list of competitors was shortlisted to the final two – Dassault Rafale and the Boeing F-15SG Strike Eagle . The F-15SG is a variant of the F-15E Strike Eagle and is similar in configuration to the F-15K sold to South Korea , but differs in the addition of the APG-63(V)3 active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar developed by Raytheon . The F-15SG is powered by two General Electric F110-GE-129 29,400 lbf (131 kN) thrust engines. The DSTA (Defense Science & Technology Agency) conducted

3577-612: The civilian airport of Seletar . The RSAF also has overseas detachments in various countries, most notably in Australia, France, Thailand and the United States. As of 2023, the RSAF has a strength of 6,000 active personnel. In January 1968, the United Kingdom, which by this time had lost most of its global prestige especially after the Suez Crisis and was facing major financial difficulties that were greatly exacerbated by

3650-609: The end of production in 1983. The type remains flying into the 2020s, albeit with increasing difficulty due to a decreasing supply of spare parts over time. During the 1950s, the Hunting Jet Provost had entered service as the Royal Air Force (RAF), becoming the first ab initio jet trainer to be standardised by any air service in the world. In the 1960s, the British Aircraft Corporation , which had acquired Hunting Percival , and therefore

3723-457: The enemy's war-making capability. Anti-aircraft warfare or counter-air defence is defined by NATO as "all measures designed to nullify or reduce the effectiveness of hostile air action." They include ground and air-based weapon systems, associated sensor systems, command and control arrangements and passive measures (e.g. barrage balloons ). It may be used to protect naval, ground, and air forces in any location. However, for most countries

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3796-479: The first country to place an order for the type, opting for an initial batch of 25 Strikemaster Mk 80 aircraft as part of a wider air defence order. On 26 August 1968, the Saudi Arabian Air Force took delivery of its first examples; deliveries continued through to May 1978. In Saudi service, the Strikemaster was used in both the training and light attack roles. Another key early customer for

3869-563: The first flying training syllabus and provided two ex-RAF pilots as instructors, as well as facilities and services at Seletar Airport . Finally, the first batch of six pilot trainees were sent to the United Kingdom in August 1968 to undergo training in various technical disciplines. The training was based on the Hawker Hunter , the SADC's first air defence fighter. The following month, another pioneer group of technicians, this time from

3942-539: The four bases are achieved. Units are classified under Air Base Operability (ABO) and Aircraft Generation (AcG). The APGC consists of the following groups: The four support squadrons still remain organic to each Base but are under direct command of APGC. These four squadrons are: Airfield Maintenance Squadron (AMS), Ground Logistics Squadron (GLS), Field Defence Squadron (FDS) and Flying Support Squadron (FSS). The main structures under UC ("Persistent And Precise") are Operations & System Development Group (OSDG), headed by

4015-436: The main contractor to maintain the aircraft after delivery by Alenia Aermacchi while Boeing would supply the training system. Delivery date is scheduled from 2012 onwards. The backbone of the transport fleet are the four KC-130B, one KC-130H and five C-130H Hercules transport aircraft, which are expected to remain in service through 2030, will be undergoing an extensive modernisation process to bring all ten existing airframes to

4088-447: The main effort has tended to be 'homeland defence'. NATO refers to airborne air defence as counter-air and naval air defence as anti-aircraft warfare . Missile defence is an extension of air defence as are initiatives to adapt air defence to the task of intercepting any projectile in flight. In modern usage, a missile is a self-propelled precision-guided munition system, as opposed to an unguided self-propelled munition, referred to as

4161-460: The missions of the ACC by ensuring that all air bases remain operational at all times, as well as improving the servicing and turn-around of aircraft to ensure continuous and responsive operations. The ACC ("Poised And Deadly") is responsible for the planning, control and execution of the air battle in operations. It brings together all fighter and transport squadrons that will carry out these tasks under

4234-757: The national coat of arms supported by the silver wings of the Air Force within a bowl of golden laurels. On 5 January 2007, Defence Minister Teo Chee Hean announced that the Air Force organisation chart will be re-structured into five major commands, namely the Air Defence and Operations Command (ADOC), the Air Combat Command (ACC), the Participation Command (PC), the Air Power Generation Command (APGC) and

4307-545: The number and size of their aircraft, so given enough capacity a huge force can appear "out of nowhere" in minutes, an action referred to as vertical envelopment . Conversely, airborne forces typically lack the supplies and equipment for prolonged combat operations, and are therefore more suited for airhead operations than for long-term occupation; furthermore, parachute operations are particularly sensitive to adverse weather conditions. Advances in helicopter technology since World War II have brought increased flexibility to

4380-483: The original contract signed in 2005. Along with this buy, an additional order for four F-15SGs was made, bringing the total number of F-15SGs purchased by the start of 2008 to 24. In January 2005, it was announced that 6 Sikorsky S-70 B (derivative of SH-60 Seahawk ) naval helicopters will be purchased, complete with anti-surface and anti-submarine weapons and sensors. 2 more Seahawks were ordered in 2013. The Seahawks are operated by RSAF pilots, with System Specialists of

4453-524: The request of the Minister of Defence. Apart from the fifteen CH-47SDs delivered from 1996, a new batch of fifteen aircraft was ordered in 1997, with an option of four extra airframes. At least 30 CH-47SD have been delivered and are in service at Sembawang Air Base. It is believed that these had been upgraded to the SD standard prior to delivery. Eight CH-47SDs were also deployed to support the relief efforts in

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4526-409: The result of an internal competition, the aircraft was given the name Strikemaster, which received official endorsement in October 1968. Production of the type was initially centred at Warton; however, during the late 1970s, final assembly was transferred to Hurn Airport . Sales of the type slowed during the early 1980s, leading to discontinuation of production. During May 1966, Saudi Arabia became

4599-610: The rotary wing, were sent to France to begin their technical training on the Aérospatiale Alouette III helicopter. In 1969, a number of local RAF technicians were released to join the fledgling SADC. These local technicians (local other ranks) had experience working on fixed-wing RAF aircraft such as the Hawker Hunter, Gloster Javelin , English Electric Canberra , English Electric Lightning and Avro Shackleton ; as well as rotary-wing RAF aircraft such as

4672-512: The same common standard. The first airframe, a KC-130B, was returned to frontline service on 21 September 2010. ST Aerospace, the main contractor behind the project, is expected to upgrade the other nine airframes for the RSAF within the next seven years. Included in the package is the replacement of cockpit flight management system with a modern glass cockpit avionics suite, central engine displays to replace analogue gauges, improved voice communications, digital autopilot, flight director as well as

4745-496: The scope of airborne operations, and air assaults have largely replaced large-scale parachute operations, and (almost) completely replaced combat glider operations. An airstrike or air strike is an offensive operation carried out by attack aircraft . Air strikes are mostly delivered from aircraft such as fighters , bombers , ground attack aircraft , and attack helicopters . The official definition includes all sorts of targets, including enemy air targets, but in popular use

4818-484: The survivability and capability of manned fighter jets. BAC Strikemaster The BAC 167 Strikemaster is a jet-powered training and light attack aircraft designed and produced by the British Aircraft Corporation . It was a development of the Hunting Jet Provost trainer, itself a jet engined version of the Percival Provost , which originally flew in 1950 with a radial engine . The Strikemaster

4891-457: The term is usually narrowed to a tactical (small-scale) attack on a ground or naval objective. Weapons used in an airstrike can range from machine gun bullets and missiles to various types of bombs . It is also commonly referred to as an air raid . In close air support , air strikes are usually controlled by trained observers for coordination with friendly ground troops in a manner derived from artillery tactics. Strategic bombing

4964-413: The trainer and ground attack roles. Furthermore, the Strikemaster was capable of operating from relatively austere air strips; these attributes led to the type being widely used by numerous overseas nations as a relatively affordable combat aircraft. On 26 October 1967, the first prototype performed its maiden flight from Warton Aerodrome ; a total of two prototypes were produced for company trials. As

5037-644: The trans-oceanic projection of air power . Ballistic missiles became of key importance during the Cold War , were armed with nuclear warheads , and were stockpiled by the United States and the Soviet Union to deter each other from using them . Drone warfare using relatively cheap unmanned equipment proliferated in the 21st century, particularly after the start of the Second Nagorno-Karabakh War in 2020. Aerial reconnaissance

5110-480: The use of man-carrying kites in Ancient China . In the third century it progressed to balloon warfare . Airships (notably zeppelins ) served in military use in the early years of the 20th century. Heavier-than-air airplanes first went to war in the Italo-Turkish War in 1911, initially for aerial reconnaissance , and then for aerial combat to shoot down enemy reconnaissance planes. Aircraft continued to carry out these roles during World War I (1914-1918), where

5183-422: Was announced that the RSAF would offer its remaining 7 F-16A/Bs to the Royal Thai Air Force . It is believed that these early Block 15OCU aircraft were upgraded to "Falcon One" standard by ST Aerospace before the transfer and delivered in late 2005. In return, the RSAF was permitted to train at the Udon Royal Thai Air Force Base in north-east Thailand for a specified number of days each year. This would mean that

5256-560: Was formed on 1 September 1968. The SADC's immediate task was to set up the Flying Training School to train pilots. Qualified flying instructors were obtained through Airwork Services Limited , a company specialising in defence services. Basic training for pilots was carried out using two Cessna light aircraft hired from the Singapore Flying Club. The SADC also enlisted the help of the Royal Air Force which introduced

5329-449: Was the second command to be inaugurated and become operational in May 2007. The next command to be inaugurated was PC in January 2008. The last two commands, ACC and APGC , were inaugurated together in August 2008 in conjunction with the RSAF 40th Anniversary. The ACC will bring together fighter and transport squadrons under one command, with central planning, control and execution of the air battle in operations. The APGC will enhance

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