Minister for Defence, Rear-Admiral (NS) Teo Chee Hean, officially opened Changi Air Base (East) this afternoon. The opening of Changi Air Base (East) is a milestone in the development of the RSAF as it is a significant enhancement to the operational capability of the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) to defend Singapore’s airspace.

Changi Air Base (East) is an extension of the existing Changi Air Base. It will house 145 Squadron, which operates the F-16D Block 52+ Fighting Falcons. Changi Air Base (East) gives the RSAF greater flexibility in the dispersal of its assets while providing easier access to the training areas over the South China Sea.

Jointly conceptualised and developed in close collaboration by MINDEF, the RSAF and the Defence Science and Technology Agency (DSTA), Changi Air Base (East) is built on about 200 hectares of undeveloped land. It was developed and designed with the latest information technology and innovative engineering solutions to optimise the use of land to meet the RSAF’s operational requirements.

The innovative and sophisticated features at the base include an airfield lighting system and supervisory control and data acquisition system, anti-condensation system, aircraft arresting system, energy conserving lighting management system, and ergonomically-designed consoles at the air traffic control tower.

Besides 145 Squadron, Changi Air Base (East) will also house support squadrons like the Flying Support Squadron, the Air Logistics Squadron and the Airfield Maintenance Squadron.

Is that a CFT I spy with my little eye?

Yep! Those are Conformal Fuel Tanks (or CFTs) similar to those fitted to the F-16 Block 60s. In fact, the presence of AMRAAMs in RSAF inventory was revelaed in the news clip.

CNA Prime Time Morning News

For those who missed the news on TV, I've recorded a copy of it. It'll be deleted on 7th Dec 04

http://www.caas.gov.sg/media/CAAS/forms/Ae...s/AIP/66-04.pdf

RE-NAMING OF RUNWAY DESIGNATORS FOR SINGAPORE CHANGI
AIRPORT RUNWAY 02R/20L AND CHANGI EAST RUNWAY 01/19
WITH EFFECT FROM 23 DECEMBER 2004 AT 0000UTC
1. INTRODUCTION
1.1 Currently, the parallel runway at Changi East located 1 800m east of Singapore Changi
Airport Runway 02R/20L is designated as Runway 01/19. This runway is used solely by
the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) aircraft.
1.2 Runway designators for Singapore Changi Airport Runway 02R/20L and Changi East
Runway 01/19 will be re-named with effect from 0000UTC on 23 December 2004.
There is no change for Runway 02L/20R.
2. RE-NAMING
2.1 The present Runway 02R/20L at Singapore Changi Airport and Runway 01/19 at Changi
East will be re-named as Runway 02C/20C and Runway 02R/20L respectively.

So our Vipers are a mix of the F-16I Sufa and the UAE Block 60.Interesting..

Naa, capability wise, ours would still be quite behind the Blk 60s....

wonder now if RSAF going to upgrade the Block 52s to Blk 52+ ....

BTW, do you guys think RSAF is now openly confirming Amraam's arrival in Singapore as well as the existance of Python 4?

well joe, sometimes we have a habit of not annoucing.....or publicising....we are more on presenting....

e.g. amx-13 in the early 70s, HMS, "big-spine" f-16s....

Well, the true capabilities will never see the light of the public domains.Still, I think we have a very interesting Viper here.

Our planes true capabilities will not be revealed, of course. But from what is revealed about the Blk 60, our plane's capabilities will plainly be less capable. The Blk 60 will be AESA equipped, have internal FLIR capabilities which are one generation ahead of the LANTIRN, and employ ECM techniques that were until very recently still in development. It would be ridiculous to suggest that our planes will even be close to the capability of the Blk 60.

Joe Black, if you're referring to the photo you posted, then Python IVs those are not. Zaobao published a pic of the same aircraft taken from it's 1 o'clock position, and while the wingtips indeed do carry AMRAAMs, what looks like a Python IVs double forward fins are actually those from 2 AIM-9Ps carried on Stations 2 and 3

Alas, yet another disappointment. Its about bloody time RSAF reveals the Python IVs. What is the use of showing publicly (in recent Air combat training with the French AF and the Indian AF) that RSAF has HMS but not showing the well known "secret" Python 4s?

Anyway, I thought the Blk50+ should be armed with AIM-9S instead of the old P4s. Hmm....

What about the conformal antenna array (very similar to the F-16I) above the nose wheel?

Don't know if they have the same processing power as Sufa but definitely indicates they are from the same lineage.

So ECM wise, maybe it is on par?

I think except for AESA, (onboard 3rd gen FLIR?) and the OFP, our Vipers are nearly F-16I standard?

Now this brings me to my fav question......why NGF? :wub:

Correct me if wrong.

ps.

Python IV to me personally is confirmed. What is more interesting is Python V, Derby(more unlikely) and espcially the Dellilah(I think here for a long time already)?

I remember JDW reporting a co-development effort on Mk II with an asian country which was at first suggested to be Singapore and later for some reason deemed to be China. Sounds like Barak all over.

these annoucements will not be likely in the next couple of years if we ever have them in the first place....given the recent "up" in relationships with malaysia and indonesia, it makes no political sense to annouce it.....given that the malaysians are always looking over our shoulders.

NGF is to replace the A4s and the F5s eventually.We can't rely on our Vipers alone.

i wonder what are the lessons learnt from the IAF Su-30s on our side...by now they should at least have a fell on what are the limitations and capabilities of the su-30.....i wonder whether the input from this exercise will be factor into the NGF competition... <_<

Don't get piss now......:P

Just to point out (maybe I'm wrong) that the IAF seems to be going that way being the largest Viper operator outside the US.

I should be more concise.......

Why NGF now? Why not wait a some more?

Let these fighters in Europe run a little more before we commit.

How do we know if their funding won't run out with all the changes around?

Yup and the rear fins in the photo don't match P4

Can't really tell about the rear fin, as the extended streaks are too small to be seen clearly from a small and fuzzy pic.

Anyway, I am just disappointed that RSAF wouldn't reveal Python 4 even until now even though that it is widely "known" that Singapore has purchased some (600???).
RSAF can't deny the existence of HMS now that there are pics of these floating around, but why continue to hide Python 4?

A good aerial view of the air base:

Changi Air Base (East)

Oh yeah, I remember the view... One of those odd situations where you consciously ask... is this the right runway?

the one on the most left is.

Shotgun meant that if a pilot were to arrive in SIN, he may get confused by the number of parallel runways.

If you were a commercial / airline pilot, you would probably be vectored in, and if anything else, choose the longest runway to land :)

Eh, more like "confirming" you're lined up on the "correct" one. If they were parallel runways under the same airport, its not a problem. You'd figure that the runways will be 02L, 02C, 02R. Figuring out which is easy.

But those three strips there aren't under the same airport.

The 2 western runways, are 02L and 02R respectively. And the eastern one (CAB East) is simply 01 (doesn't really mean the runway heading is 010. Its still 020)

Eg. Currently..

02L 02R 01 (CAB E)


Without proper protocols and ILS, say i'm flying a piper or other civilian aircraft and am unfamiliar or unable to see all the 3 parallel runways under two airports, i might think that 02L and 02R might be the eastern and western most runways. OR i could think that they are the 2 western most runways. Without an ILS, its can be confusing.

ie. scenario A - totally unfamiliar - no flight plan

02L 02C 02R

or scenario B - vaguely familiar but confused or poor visual, no comms

01 02L 02R


Fortunately, I think the people running the flying show got these things nailed down such that there won't be much confusion. (faith)

Since 2004/2005, the rwy at CABE has been designated 02R/20L and the middle rwy 02C/20C.

the three runways have been redesignated, 02L/C/R and 20L/C/R.

Ahhhhhh that would be soo much better.