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| RSAF F-15SG at Mountain Home AFB USA (Image: Wiki Commons) |
By: Mike Yeo
MELBOURNE, Australia – Singapore is considering basing Boeing F-15SG Eagles in New Zealand for training, according to the latter country's defense minister.
Gerry Brownlee said that Singapore was currently carrying out a feasibility study into the possibility of basing a detachment of F-15SGs at Royal New Zealand Air Force Base Ohakea, which could see up to 500 Singaporean personnel and their families stationed at Ohakea.
The small island state of Singapore has one of Southeast Asia’s most advanced militaries but lacks the land and airspace to effectively conduct training, and Brownlee noted to local media that "New Zealand doesn't have the same congestion, so the opportunity to fly more freely clearly exists at Ohakea."
The Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) has several aircraft training detachments based in the United States, Australia and France while elements of its army also frequently deploy overseas for training.
These include artillery training exercises in New Zealand, codenamed Thunder Warrior, which recently marked its 20th Anniversary. Both countries had also recently held their inaugural defense ministers’ meeting, with both sides pledging to explore further opportunities to strengthen defense cooperation.
Defense News also understands that Singapore and Australia had discussed basing an RSAF fighter detachment in Australia as an option within a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership agreement signed last year between the two countries, although both sides were unable to come to an agreement over the details.
Read the full story at DefenseNews