AIR FORCE DEPLOYS TANKER AIRCRAFT TO THE GULF

The Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) has sent a KC-135 tanker aircraft to the Gulf to conduct air-to-air refuelling missions in support of the coalition forces.

The plane took off from Changi Air Base on 16 Apr after a brief send-off ceremony. Chief of Air Force Major-General (MG) Ng Chee Khern was present to see the crew off. The 36-man detachment will be stationed in the Gulf for three months.

This deployment, the fourth since 2003, is Singapore's latest contribution in support of the multinational reconstruction efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Said Detachment Commander Lieutenant-Colonel (LTC) Sivaraman Rajan: "I hope to keep our country's flag flying high. We've done that in previous deployments, with a 100 per cent mission success rate in 2006 and 2007."

LTC Sivaraman, who is on his fifth deployment as a detachment commander, added that despite the success of previous missions, the detachment crew would guard against complacency.

"Our missions will be flown in a non-benign operating theatre, that is to say that we will face threats," he said.

However, he added, the crew had been "trained rigorously".

Besides the standard-issue drinking bottle, the airmen will be armed with "cooling vests". These resemble photographers' vests, and come with pockets in which frozen gel packs can be inserted.

"That will keep them cool while they are out there," said LTC Sivaraman.