the United States: Peace Carvin II (F-16C/D Block
52) at Luke Air Force Base in Arizona, and Peace
Carvin V (F-15SG) at Mountain Home AFB, Idaho.
Transport Group
The TG comprises four squadrons of
transport and fixed-wing support aircraft:
111 Squadron flying four Gulfstream G550
Conformal Airborne Early Warning (CAEW)
aircraft, 112 Squadron with four KC-135R
air-to-air refuelling aircraft, 121 Squadron
flying nine Fokker 50 Maritime Patrol Aircraft/
Utility Transport Aircraft (MPA/UTA) and 122
Squadron with ten C-130B/H airlifters.
The TG took delivery of its first G550 CAEW
aircraft in February 2009 and attained full
operational capability with the type on April
13, 2012. The four G550s took over the duties
of the venerable E-2C Hawkeye, which was
in service between 1987 and 2010. With
the Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) EL/W-
2085 as its primary radar, the G550 CAEW
can detect targets beyond 200nm, giving
the FG substantial early warning as well as
airborne-controlled interception capabilities.
The RSAF’s C-130B/H is an integral asset
to the RSAF’s air-land integration, providing
capacity for airborne operations and aerial
insertion of supplies and vehicles to support
the ground battle. The Hercules is also a
familiar sight across Asia, participating in
numerous humanitarian and disaster relief
(HADR) missions, including those after the
Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami in 2004,
the 2015 Nepal earthquake, and search and
locate work in response to the loss of Malaysia
Airlines MH370 and Indonesia AirAsia QZ8501.
Ironically, aircraft from the TG have got closer to
conflict than any other RSAF fixed-wing assets.
The RSAF C-130 participated in airlift and support
efforts during the reconstruction of Iraq in 2004,
and in the same year, the first KC-135R was
deployed to the Middle East for the same mission.
The Hercules fleet underwent a major upgrade
around 2010 by local maintenance, repair and
operations (MRO) firm Singapore Technologies
(ST) Aerospace, which is one of the leading
C-130 retrofit specialists. The modernisation
included installing five multifunction displays,
replacing analogue instruments, improved voice
communications, digital autopilot and global air
traffic management (GATM), a digital weather
radar and upgraded auxiliary power unit and
environmental control system (APU/ECS).
In May 2015, 112 Squadron deployed
a first KC-135R to Al Udeid AB, Qatar, in
support of Operation Inherent Resolve, the
US-led coalition against so-called Islamic
State. Last September, the RSAF concluded
its third KC-135R deployment to Qatar. The
deployment conducted more than 50 sorties
during the summer (June to September), when
jet fuel is usually in high demand. The RSAF’s
Multipoint Refueling System (MPRS) proved to
be extremely beneficial, allowing combat aircraft
with various refuelling systems to be topped up.ODG and ISDG
According to the ACC, the ODG focuses on
doctrine and capability developments, training
and exercises and collaborates with various
agencies within the RSAF and other branchesAbove: F-15SG 05-0007 (SG-7) proudly wears
the insignia of the 428th Fighter Squadron
‘Buccaneers’, responsible for training RSAF
Strike Eagle crews at Mountain Home, and
the Peace Carvin V Foreign Military Sales
programme under which Singapore acquired
the type. Right: C-130H serial 5070 is one of
ten Hercules in service with 122 Squadron.
Six of these airlifters were plumbed for
the tanker role, although the RSAF doesn’t
currently fl y aircraft equipped for refuelling
by probe. Below: The fi rst of the RSAF’s new
tanker-transports, A330-243MRTT c/n 1667
(MRTT033) left the paint shop in Manching,
Germany in February on its way to Getafe,
Spain. The aircraft wears the insignia of 112
Squadron immediately above the (obscured)
serial on the fi n. Dr Andreas ZeitlerBelow: A 142 Squadron jet, F-15SG 8310 (SG-
8, FMS 05-0008), carries an AIM-9X and a Sniper
targeting pod. The fi rst Strike Eagle arrived in-
country in April 2010 and the type achieved full
operational capability in September 2013.
Thanks to the four G550 CAEW aircraft, the RSAF’s airborne early warning capabilities remain the most
advanced in the region. The type replaced the same quantity of E-2Cs and serves with 111 Squadron.
46 // APRIL 2018 #361 http://www.airforcesmonthly.com