The Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) has formally established 149SQN, its first locally based Boeing F-15SG unit, at Paya Lebar Air Base in the island nation’s east.
The inauguration was attended by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Teo Chee Hean and coincided with the arrival of the first F-15SGs on delivery from the US. “The F-15SG is a major enhancement to Singapore’s air defence capability, and will also play a significant role in the Singapore Armed Force’s overall operations,” he said in a statement. “The F-15SG squadron will increase the Singapore Armed Force’s ability to deal decisively with future threats and meet our critical operational needs.”
The RSAF already has an F-15SG detachment established with the USAF’s 428th Fighter Squadron which operates F-15Es at Mountain Home AFB in the US state of Idaho, where conversion training for RSAF pilots is conducted with few airspace restrictions.