FIVE FACTS ABOUT PEACE CARVIN V
What you need to know about the RSAF detachment that’s celebrating its 10th anniversary in Idaho, United States.// Story by Thrina Tham
// Photos by Chua Soon Lye
The Republic of Singapore Air Force's (RSAF's) Peace Carvin V (PC V) detachment celebrated its 10th anniversary earlier today.
The celebration was officiated by Senior Minister of State for Defence Heng Chee How at Mountain Home Air Force Base (MHAFB) in Idaho, United States, where the detachment is housed.
Here are five things you need to know about PC V.
1. A decade of top-notch F-15SG training
The anniversary marks 10 years of F-15SG fighter aircraft training at the Mountain Home Range Complex (MHRC) for the RSAF.
Under the detachment, RSAF's pilots train under the 428th Fighter Squadron along with their counterparts from the United States Air Force.
Said PC V Detachment Commander, Lieutenant Colonel Oon Kok Choon: "Our training space here is six times bigger than what we can get in Singapore. Over here, we have both over-land and over-sea training while we mainly train over sea in Singapore."
"Here we have mountainous areas to conduct terrain flights, something that we cannot do locally," he added.
2. Aye, aye Capt'n! Proud to be a pirate
The 428th Fighter Squadron adopts a buccaneer on their emblem.
While its origin story is unclear, it is believed to have been adopted in 1954 when the squadron was activated during the second World War.
The community embraces their “Buccaneers” identity and has even held pirate-themed parties for various celebrations including their 5th and 10th anniversaries.
You can also see a Buccaneer facade proudly displayed on the PC V's 10th anniversary F-15SG tail flash.
3. A slice of Singapore in Mountain Home
The RSAF has a 375-strong Singaporean community in PC V. This includes the RSAF personnel – consisting pilots, Weapon System Officers (WSO), Air Force Engineers and Air Warfare Officers – as well as their family members.
They regularly engage with the Mountain Home community, bringing a slice of Singaporean culture through Singapore National Day and other cultural festivities.
They have also initiated a series of charity events to raise donations for things like school supplies for the three schools in Mountain Home.
4. Flexing their pirate muscles
The PC V 428th Fighter Squadron was deployed to Exercise Red Flag – Nellis three times – in 2014, 2017 and 2019 – where it attained awards at all three competitions.
Most recently in 2019, it nabbed the Outstanding Maintenance Unit award, beating other international squadrons to the title.
The Buccaneers also nabbed the Top Squadron award and Best WSO award in the 2016 and 2017 Exercise Gunfighter Flag respectively.
5. Inauguration by then-DPM Teo
PC V was inaugurated on 19 Nov 2009 by then-Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Teo Chee Hean at MHAFB.
The detachment is part of the Peace Carvin programme which started in 1988 with the now-drawn-down PC I detachment, training on F-16A/B fighter aircraft.
In addition to PC V, the RSAF also conducts flying training at the PC II detachment with the F-16C/D fighter aircraft in Luke Air Force Base, Arizona, and the Peace Vanguard detachment with the AH-64D Apache helicopter in Marana, Arizona.
