The mission scenarios were complex and realistic, encompassing modern tactics and electronic warfare during the recently concluded large-scale air-to-air combat exercise dubbed Exercise Red Flag – Alaska. The Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) has completed its participation in this exercise which was hosted by the United States Air Force (USAF) at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska.
The RSAF deployed 10 RSAF F-15SG fighter aircraft and over 140 RSAF personnel from Peace Carvin V (PC V) Detachment to participate in which the airmen and women were able to share their abilities with those of the USAF and collaborated closely to achieve their mission objectives.
“Exercise Red Flag – Alaska is an important opportunity for RSAF personnel to train and sharpen our operational competencies. We are thankful to the USAF for being generous hosts, and look forward to future opportunities to train together,” says LTC Shewan Goh, the RSAF PC V Detachment Commander.
More than 70 aircraft participated in this edition of Exercise Red Flag – Alaska, including USAF F-18, F-16, EA-18G, and A-10 fighter aircraft. The RSAF and USAF collaborated on integrated missions in realistic threat and combat scenarios, honing combat readiness and sharpening operational competencies.
Having other forces exercise alongside the USAF improves its joint interoperability. They can put their capabilities to the test through Exercise Red Flag, which provides a demanding and realistic combat scenario.
During the exercise, the RSAF demonstrated exceptional tactics and competencies while bringing significant capability to the fight. Through such exercises, they can also continue to hone how they work together and strengthen their professional and personal relationships.
Since 1984, the RSAF has taken part in Exercise Red Flag – Alaska (previously known as Exercise Cope Thunder). The exercise highlights Singapore and the United States’ excellent and long-standing defence relationship. It improves professionalism and coordination among participating forces and allows the RSAF to benchmark itself against other leading air forces.
Meanwhile, the 16th ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM), which was attended by Minister of Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen, adopted the Joint Declaration on Defence Cooperation to Strengthen Solidarity for Harmonized Security.
The Declaration reaffirmed the countries’ commitment to strengthening strategic dialogue and practical defence cooperation through the ADMM and ADMM-Plus as the region’s key security architecture, as well as the importance of ASEAN centrality and the need to uphold a rules-based order based on international law. Dr Ng emphasised that the discussion was fruitful and covered a wide range of current security issues, including cyber and information threats.
The ADMM Cybersecurity and Information Centre of Excellence (ACICE), which is based in Singapore and was set up last year to share information and build capacity against threats in the cyber and information domains, was given its Terms of Reference at the meeting.
Additionally, ADMM-ACICE aims to promote knowledge exchange and capacity building among the ASEAN member states’ defence establishments to combat cyberattacks, disinformation campaigns, and false information. The centre will support the ASEAN Cyber Defence Network in fostering regional exchanges, engagements, and cooperation on cyber-security issues, according to the Singapore Ministry of Defence (MINDEF).
Furthermore, the 16th ADMM also adopted the Phnom Penh Vision on the Role of Defence Establishments in Support of COVID-19 Recovery, co-sponsored by Cambodia and Singapore.
The ASEAN Centre of Military Medicine and the Network of ASEAN Chemical, Biological and Radiological (CBR) Defence Experts are two ways in which the ADMM has contributed to national COVID-19 initiatives that are recognised in the Vision. It commits to continuing cooperation to aid the region’s recovery from the pandemic, such as by utilising the Network of ASEAN CBR Defence Experts to share information and lessons learned in combating the pandemic.
