S'PORE IN JOINT MARITIME AIR SURVEILLANCE EXERCISE

The Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) conducted an annual joint maritime air surveillance exercise with the Indonesian Air Force (TNI-AU) from 2 to 4 Aug.

Codenamed Camar Indopura, this year's exercise is the 18th in the series, and was held for the first time at Sam Ratulangi Air Force Base in Manado, Indonesia. Previous editions of the exercise were conducted at the Supadio, Hasanuddin and Ranai air bases in Indonesia.

During the exercise, a Fokker-50 Maritime Patrol Aircraft and more than 20 personnel from the RSAF's 121 Squadron conducted joint maritime patrol operations with about 20 TNI-AU personnel and their newly-acquired CN-235 Maritime Patrol Aircraft.

Providing details of the exercise, RSAF exercise director Senior Lieutenant Colonel (SLTC) Mike Bogaars said: "We deepened our joint operations this year by practising the handing over of targets between the two different patrol aircraft.

"For example, each aircraft patrolled their respective areas individually, but once a target was spotted by one, that aircraft would take a picture of the target and inform the other about it... This injected more realism into our joint maritime patrols with the TNI-AU."

Major (MAJ) Kelvin Yuen, a transport pilot who flies the Fokker-50 aircraft, commented on the new location for the exercise: "Manado was a new operating area for our squadron and that gave us the opportunity to validate our operational capabilities in a different operational scenario."

Besides enhancing the interoperability between both air forces, the exercise also served to foster closer ties between participants. Said TNI-AU exercise director Colonel Emir Panji: "With each year of working together, we've progressed in our working relationship. There is now closer cooperation and communication between both crews."

As part of the exercise, a medical team comprising 21 and 13 personnel from TNI-AU and RSAF respectively also conducted a socio-civic programme, providing free medical and dental care at the Sam Ratulangi Air Force Hospital on 3 Aug.

"Operating a joint clinic improves the skills of both our medical teams and promotes closer relationships, but more importantly, it helps the people of Manado," said Lieutenant Colonel Dr Budi Satriyo Utomo from the TNI-AU, who specialises in rehabilitation medicine.

News of the joint clinic led more than 500 locals to the hospital, including 25-year-old Maya Manopo, who had been suffering from migraine and gastritis for the past six months.

She said: "I came here because I heard that doctors from Indonesia and Singapore were coming... After being sick for some time, now I can see the doctor."

For Captain (CPT) (Dr) (NS) Daniel Tang, who works as a dentist at Healthway Medical, participating in the socio-civic programme was a very rewarding experience.

"Back home, we see patients in a cosy clinical setting. Seldom do we get the chance to treat patients in a rural or outfield setting, so in a way, this gave me a more wholesome experience," he told cyberpioneer.

"Given the opportunity, I would definitely want to come back for another exercise like this, not just because it's a reservist duty, but also because I want to help the local population... It's part of my commitment to defence."