In the scorching heat of the Arizona desert, Singaporean F-16 aviators and maintenance technicians are training at Luke Air Force Base under the watchful eye of US Air Force officers in a regime that is as much a cross-cultural exchange as school for aerial combat.
The Singaporeans train here because Luke’s air space is twice as large as Singapore’s air space and has bombing and gunnery ranges that would be impossible to find in the Southeast Asian city-state. Moreover, the Singaporeans fly in exercises such as Red Flag at Nellis AFB in Nevada, Red Flag Alaska, and Maple Flag in Canada in which they simulate combat against trained US “aggressor” flyers.
The aviators, here for two years, come for what Lieutenant Colonel Stephen Granger of the US Air Force (USAF) called “high-end training” in the interception of enemy attackers, firing missiles beyond visual range, low-level navigation, infrared targeting, laser-guided bombing and night operations using powerful night vision goggles. Colonel Granger commands the 425th Fighter Squadron to which the Singaporeans are assigned.
The threats confronting Singapore today are piracy and terror in the Straits of Malacca and South China Sea through which more cargo ships and tankers pass annually than through the Suez Canal and Panama Canal combined. Parts of that trading route are crucial to Singapore’s vibrant economy. This passage is also critical to US Navy warships sailing between the Pacific and Indian Oceans. Any blockage would cause economic and strategic havoc.
Less evident and at a longer range, say Asian strategists, Singapore’s air force is part of a deterrent aimed at Malaysia, just across the Strait of Johore to the north, and China, which claims large parts of the South China Sea. The 425th’s nickname is the Black Widows.
Colonel Granger, who has four other USAF pilots and 26 civilians on his staff, has operational control over the Singaporeans and is responsible for their training. A Singaporean, Lieutenant Colonel Vincent Leong, is responsible for discipline and administration. Singapore’s Ministry of Defense, without explanation, would not allow Colonel Leong or other Singaporean pilots to be interviewed.
For the Singaporeans, training in the desert is an anomaly since most of their flights at home are over water. Colonel Granger said that made little difference at middle and high altitudes but acknowledged that flying low over water with no terrain features was more difficult than flying low over land where terrain features were discernible.
Singapore has 12 F-16s here, half of them two-seater D models with room for a weapons officer to operate targeting and defensive sensors and to drop bombs. Those planes appear to be especially useful for operations over water.
Among the differences in culture, Colonel Granger said, was that “the Singaporeans are very rank conscious.” A captain is not likely to criticize a major in a meeting in which a training flight is being scrubbed for lessons learned. In contrast, USAF junior officers are expected to speak up when they see a senior officer make a mistake.
The size of the US sometimes overwhelms the Singaporeans, most of whom have never been out of their city-state. Flying north to Canada to take part in Maple Flag drills, Colonel Granger said, the Singaporeans were often eager to take pictures.
On average, Singapore has about 150 people training at the facilities at any one time, 15 being aviators and the rest maintenance technicians. In addition, most bring their families with them and live in quarters on the base. That keeps Colonel Granger and his staff busy easing the culture shock of the Singaporeans.
Colonel Granger, who became squadron commander only a few months ago, has never been to Singapore but seemed to relish the challenge of learning to work with the Singaporeans. He plans to visit Singapore in August in a US delegation to mark Singapore’s national day.
The colonel said Singapore pays for the entire operation of the 425th squadron, including the F-16s, their fuel, spare parts and munitions. Singapore even covers his pay and that of the 30 other Americans assigned to the squadron. The F-16s cost US$23 million each, an F-16 Web site said, but neither the USAF nor Singapore’s Ministry of Defense would disclose the annual cost of the 425th’s operations.
The squadron has a long history in the USAF, fighting in Europe in World War II. In its present incarnation, it was assigned to train Singaporeans in 1992. The current agreement with the US Air Force runs to 2018.
Richard Halloran is a writer based in Hawaii.
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