S'PORE SIGNS PACT FOR 25 MORE YEARS OF RSAF PILOT TRAINING IN AUSTRALIA

Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) pilots can look forward to another 25 years of access to Australian airspace for training with the signing of the Pearce treaty at the 10th meeting of the Singapore-Australia Joint Ministerial Committee (SAJMC) on 21 Aug.

Signed by Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen and Australia's Defence Minister Marise Payne, the treaty is an upgrade of the existing Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) which allows the RSAF to maintain and operate a Flying Training Institute at the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Base Pearce, which expires in 2018.

The RSAF's 130 squadron currently conducts a nine-month long Basic Wings Course at RAAF Base Pearce. The course provides RSAF pilot trainees with the knowledge and skills of basic flying using the Pilatus PC-21 trainer aircraft. There are currently 19 PC-21 trainer aircraft and more than 90 RSAF personnel in the detachment.

Apart from pilot training, the ministers updated that construction in Queensland, under the MOU on Military Training and Training Area Development in Australia, will begin in 2019. That MOU was signed in Canberra, Australia on 13 Oct 2016. Dr Ng shared that the building of advanced training facilities is on track and will benefit the Singapore Armed Forces, the Australian Defence Force as well as the people of Queensland.

Noting the need for greater regional and international cooperation in counter-terrorism efforts, Ms Payne reinforced Australia's commitment to focus on the said efforts in this region and shared that she looked forward to the 2nd Singapore-Australia Counter-Terrorism dialogue in November.

The meeting was also attended by Minister for Trade and Industry (Trade) Lim Hng Kiang, Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, and their respective Australian counterparts.