24
CONTENTS
03 Overview04 The RSAF Responds
06 Fast Relief08 Relief Operations in Phuket
09 Aid arrives in Indonesia10 Healing Hands
11 Congestion in the Air12 Bringing relief to the tsunami -
hit countries
14 Smoothening the Flow16 Reaching New Heights
17 Paya Lebar Air Base- The Staging Point
18 Quality Maintenance -ALS - SBAB
19 A Lesson in Humanity20 RSAF in High Spirits
21 VIP Visits22 Keep it up!
SPECIAL EDITIONCOMMITTEE MEMBERS
COL Peter WeeLTC Harbajan SinghLTC Tang Tong SengLTC Quek Chiew TeckLTC Perry TanMAJ Dalbir SinghMAJ Mark KangMAJ (DR) Dale LimCPT Alan LaiCPT Johnny TanCPT Pang Kim LiangAmanda WongGermaine HoAng HoufuAshok NarandranGad TanHuang Wei Qiang
Air Force News extends its heartfelt appreciationtowards 122 SQN, 125 SQN, 127 SQN, 201 SQN,ALS-SBAB, ARMC, the Communications Team, PLABand all others who have contributed photos for thisissue. We would also like to express our appreciationtowards 121 SQN, 122 SQN, 125 SQN, 127 SQNand ALS-SBAB for contributing articles that wereinstrumental towards the production of the SpecialEdition.
The Special Edition Committee would also like toexpress our appreciation towards Head AirOperations, BG Charles Sih, for his kind assistance.
02
OVERVIEWThe Boxing Day 2004 earthquake andtsunami which swept through the IndianOcean region, will always be rememberedas the greatest catastrophe in livingmemory. Areas near to the epicentre inIndonesia, especially Aceh, weredevastated by the earthquake and tsunamis.Phuket in Thailand, Penang in Malaysia, SriLanka, India, and places as far as Somaliain Africa were not spared. As many as aquarter of a million lives were lost in thedisaster and the count is not yet complete.Thousands were injured, made homeless,and had lost relatives. For many of usaround the world, we could only watch inhorror and disbelief as the scale ofdestruction caused by the quake andtsunamis began to unfold before our eyes.
In our region, Indonesia was the worst hit.The aftermath of the disaster left widespreadinfrastructure damaged, basic necessitiesscarce, and the danger of an epidermic inareas affected, lurking. As locals struggledto leave their hometowns badly scarred bythe calamity, world aid began to pour in.The SAF began to mobilise its resources fora massive relief operation. The RSAF’s C-130 transport aircraft was first in, arrivingin Medan, Indonesia on 28 Dec withemergency relief supplies. Within a week,the SAF had despatched 12 helicopters, twoRSN Landing Ship Tanks, and some 600personnel to both Indonesia and Thailandto aid in the emergency relief efforts. Forthree weeks, SAF personnel workedtenaciously in the search and rescue efforts,tending to the sick and injured, as well asbringing supplies to survivors.
The rescue and relief mission undertakenby the SAF was the largest operationaldeployment to date. For the RSAF, theChinook and Super Puma helicopters, C-130 and Fokker-50 transport aircraft flewsome 690 missions carrying more than600,000 kilograms of cargo and ferriedapproximately 4,000 people.
Unknown to many, the missions were notwithout their challenges and difficulties,besides being heartwrenching for some.This edition of the Air Force News gives aglimpse of the operations conducted in bothIndonesia and Thailand. The SAF, and theRSAF in particular, is deeply honoured tobe a part of the life-saving mission and,most importantly, having made a differenceto our neighbours.
03
The RSAF Responds
When news of the massive tsunami disaster spread amongst Singaporeans on Boxing Day, theRSAF got ready to do its part for any disaster relief mission that may come its way, even with noexplicit order to do so as yet. Indeed the response from the RSAF was swift: 122 SQN’s C-130Hercules left with humanitarian aid and supplies on 28 Dec 04. From 29 Dec 04 to 3 Jan 05, sixCH-47 Chinooks from 127 SQN and two AS332 Super Pumas from 125 SQN left for Indonesia.On 30 Dec 04, two Chinooks and two Super Pumas left for Phuket, Thailand.
❝ I would like tocommend the people inour Air Force for puttingthis package togethervery quickly. They wereready to go in less than48 hours. ❞
- Minister for Defence, Mr Teo Chee Hean
The RSAF Responds
04
MAJ Lum Sow Loon, an OC in 201 SQN, assisting in the unloading of relief supplies at Banda Aceh.
Inside an RSAF Chinook.
Soldiers loading supplies on the Chinook.Aid carried by an RSAF helicopter was warmly receivedby locals.
05
❝ Psychologically I was pretty wellprepared to go for three weeks or more anddo a lot of flying. In terms of physicalpreparations, 125 SQN is very operationalas Search and Rescue is part of our dailyroles, and we are deployed often tooverseas detachments as well. It’s just thatthis time we needed to work a lot faster. So we got the teamtogether and split the job. Everyone was really motivated andwe managed to pull together the necessary bits within a shortspan of time. ❞
- MAJ Poh Li San, a Super Puma pilot, on her preparations beforeembarking on her mission to Medan.
An RSAF Chinook lands in Medan. A total of sixChinooks were deployed in Indonesia.
2SG Tulasy Naidu, an aircrew specialist, carrying food packets,being winched down onto an area deemed unsuitable for landingin Phuket, Thailand.
Relief supply in an RSAF Super Puma bound forPhuket, Thailand
2SG Chan Pao Yen (extreme left) and2SG Colin Tan (2nd from right), bothsenior technicians, helping in aiddistribution.
A safety briefing being conducted to passengers before boardinga Chinook in Meulaboh.
Fast Relief
On 28 Dec 04, two days after the tsunamidisaster, 122 SQN launched the first of aseries of flights to deliver humanitarian aidto the disaster areas.
❝ With Paya Lebar Air Base’s support,the squadron established a high state ofpreparedness, optimising all ourresources for a 24/7 schedule, to theextent of catering for the aircrew to stayin the base, if required. ❞
- LTC Francis Ngooi, CO 122 SQN
An RSAF C-130 with palletised load transferred off the aircraft atMedan (above, below)
Loads depalletised and stored in an aircrafthangar.
Personnel from Air Movement Centre directing the loaderinto position to off-load the pallets from the aircraft.
06
122 SQN, as it turned out, formed the“air-bridge” between Singapore andIndonesia, bringing in a constant flowof relief aid, equipment and personnelto the disaster areas and supportingSAF detachments there.
Over at Changi Air Base, 121 SQN,which operates the Fokker-50, alsohad been relatively busy. Since therelief operations got underway, thesquadron had been flying into and outof Sumatra on various missions. Oneof the key taskings was the ferry of VIPsand medical team into the disasterarea.
Besides the uncertainties, thesquadrons also faced challenges theyhad never encountered before, such
Roll with it: Relief aid being moved out of the C-130.
Two C-130s seeing eye to eye: 122 SQN faced the challenge of congested airspace during its trips to Indonesia.
07
as night flying in a risky and congestedairspace, but this placed the trainingof the crew onboard into perspective.As LTC Francis Ngooi elaborated, “Thenight operations put our aviationphysiological training in spatialdisorientation, vertigo and coping
❝ We planned flight routes to all possibledestinations, even for Male (Maldives),Colombo and the Nicobar Islands, thoughwe did not go there eventually. Though oursquadron’s tasking increased, we managedto plan up to seven flights a day withoutbreaking the rules and regulations pertainingto minimum crew rest required betweensorties. ❞
- CPT Johnny Tan, a C-130 pilot in 122 SQN
with ‘black hole’ effects into gooduse.” It also helped that good crewresource management like thedeployment of senior pilots for difficultmissions such as night flying and‘lead-in’ familiarisation of a newairfield, helped mitigate some risks.
The RSAF detachment of two Chinooks and two Super Pumas was first amongst foreignhelicopters to arrive in Phuket, Thailand, on 30 Dec 04. Despite being the first to arrive, the RSAFdetachment was not able to begin operations immediately. Details such as the command linkand tasking orders had yet to be established with the local authorities. This was where the benefitsof continuous engagements through periodic detachments with their Thai counterparts becameevident, as the detachment supported the Royal Thai Armed Forces in providing aid to the disastervictims.
08
2SG Tulasy Naidu, an aircrew specialist from 125 SQN, surveys an affected area in Phuket, Thailand, from the air.
SCDF personnel boarding an RSAF Super Puma enroute to the mission site.
❝ Fortunately, being on detachmentsoverseas, especially in Thailand, helpedbecause we are familiar with a lot ofour Thai counterparts. It helps to knowthe way our counterparts work socommunication can be smooth and we
can best utilise all our resources.❞- LTC Shanmugaratnam (right), a Super Puma pilot who acted as the SeniorLiaison Officer during the detachment. Pictured here too is GP CAPT Khanit,an RTAF officer who was Head Combined Air Operations Centre, Phuket.
A Super Puma approaches overhead asSCDF personnel on the ground preparefor an evacuation.
Relief Operations in PhuketRelief Operations in Phuket
09
SAFpersonnelworkinghand inhandwith TNIsoldiers.
Indonesia, particularly Aceh which is at the northern tip of Sumatra, was the worst hit countrydue to its proximity to the magnitude 9.0 earthquake. The RSAF detachment provided searchand rescue, transportation of personnel, resupply and logistics support missions.
❝ When your peoplearrived, it lifted our spirits.We knew that we were nolonger alone. ❞
- Colonel Geerhan Lantara, TNICommander in Meulaboh,
TODAY, 20 Jan 05
TNI personnel helping to unload relief aid from an RSAFChinook.
Locals approaching an RSAF Chinook to collect humanitarian aid.
A lighter moment between LTC Vincent Lim, his personnel from127 SQN and refugees at Sigli, a small town near Aceh.
Aid arrives in IndonesiaAid arrives in Indonesia
An RSAF Super Puma landing on a makeshift landing site.
❝ Those aircraft which are quiteversatile to airlift the aid havereally facilitated the process ofhumanitarian operations insaving the life of tsunamisurvivors. ❞
-Tengku Rizal Nurdin, Governor of Northern Sumatra
10
The SAF’s medical teams were also activated immediatelyafter news of the disaster reached Singapore. On 29 Dec04, the advance medical team departed Singapore forBanda Aceh, Indonesia. The main party soon joined themthe next day. Together, they provided outpatient, surgical,public health and paediatric services during their stay inBanda Aceh.
Healing Hands
The ‘Singapore-Banda Aceh’ cup in progress.
Singapore-Banda Aceh CupMore importantly, the medical team realised that the help theyrendered to the people in Aceh went beyond just treating woundsor illnesses. As medical team leader, LTC (Dr) Fan Swee Wengrecalled vividly-the “Singapore-Banda Aceh Cup” where the staff ofthe medical team enjoyed a friendly soccer match with the localchildren. “It was 16 young children versus five medical staff. Theoutcome of the match was not important but such events show thatour interaction with the locals goes beyond just treating themmedically and taking care of their health. It means much more thanthat to the children.”
❝ There was this old manwho had pus in hiseyelids. His eyes were soswollen and red that hecouldn’t see properly andwas dependent on hisson when he came to theclinic. After a period oftime with us, he began to
see properly and was able to walk out of the clinicwithout any help. I had this incredible feeling justseeing the man walk out of the clinic on his own; itwas great to know that we had made a difference tohis life. ❞
- CPT (Dr) Timothy Teoh from ARMC, who waspart of the medical team in Banda Aceh
LTC (Dr) Fan Swee Weng, the medical teamleader, looks on as a casualty is being treated inBanda Aceh.
You do not need words to know you areappreciated: 2SG Patrick Low, a senior medic,holding a local baby.
Outpatientsurgery (left) andconsultation(right) weresome of themedical servicesoffered to thelocals in BandaAceh.
❝ The place was literallyoverflowing with aircraft, especiallyhelicopters, and looking for anaircraft parking space was akin to"jostling" for an empty carpark lotin a busy shopping mall in OrchardRoad on weekends. We had tohelp to organise the place fast. ❞
- LTC Quek Chiew Teck, CO FSS-SBAB
11
When the detachment first arrived inMedan, they found themselves in ahive of activity. With anunprecedented outpouring ofhumanitarian aid from around theworld, the Indonesia Army (TNI), otherforeign armed forces and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs)operating within the severly affectedarea had their work cut out for them.This generated a tremendous amountof air traffic at Aceh. In the crowdedairspace, the modus operandi was“see and be seen” by all aircraft inthe area.
Congestion in the air
Morning calm at Banda Aceh airport
Morning buzz at Medan: Pre-flight checks before taking off for theday’s tasking.
Runways damaged by the disaster further strainedAceh’s ability to accommodate more aircraft.
Aircraft of other nationalities and the RSAF shared acongested airspace.
Parking space was limited at the Banda Aceh airport. Aircraft ofthe RSAF and other foreign forces had to share parking space.
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30 Dec 04Deployment in ThailandRSAF sends two Super Pumasand two Chinooks (CH-47) toassist in Phuket. Disastersupport balanced betweenIndonesia and Thailand.
4 Jan 05Prime Minister Lee HsienLoong, accompanied byMinister for Defence, Mr TeoChee Hean, visits Medan.
Thailand Operations Scale-DownTwo Chinooks are redeployedback to Singapore.
3 Jan 05Ship to Shore OperationsThe Landing Ship Tanker (LST)reaches the shores ofMeulaboh. Chinookhelicopters provide continuousair support by conducting ship-to-shore operations into areasinaccessible by road. Criticalmedical equipment flown intoAceh and Meulaboh. RSAFsends four more Chinooks toMedan.
4-7 Jan 05C-130 Plays Important RoleThe RSAF C-130 ferried 22tonnes of medical supplies,36 personnel from the WorldHealth Organisation (WH0)and the Tentara NasionalIndonesia (TNI) from Halimto Aceh. Mobile Air TrafficControl arrives at Aceh onthree C-130 aircraft.
26 Dec 04Disaster StrikesAn earthquake scaling 9.0set off shockwaves andtsunamis, leaving a trail ofdestruction in its wake.
28 Dec 04First Ferry SupportThe RSAF provided the firstferry of humanitarian aid andmedical supplies fromSingapore to Medan viaHercules (C-130) transportaircraft.
29-30 Dec 04Deployment in IndonesiaTwo RSAF CH-47 deployed inMedan to assist in the airliftingof supplies and aid. TheChinooks lifted 6000 pounds ofhumanitarian aid to worsttsunami-hit town of Meulaboh.At the same time, a RSAFFokker-50 provided ferry supportfor the medical task forceadvance party to Banda Aceh.
2 Super Pumas
BRINGING RELIEF TO THETSUNAMI-HIT COUNTRIES
6 Chinooks
13
10 Feb 05Speaker ofParliament, MrAbdullah Tarmugi,and Mercy Reliefofficials visitMeulaboh on aChinook.
21 Feb 05Returning HomeOne Chinook returnshome from Indonesia
24 Jan 05Most Assets back homeAlong with RSS Persistenceand RSS Endurance, twoSuper Pumas and theircrew from Indonesia areredeployed home.
25 Feb 05Final two ChinooksreturnThe redeployment ofthe two Chinooks fromIndonesia marks theend of RSAF’s reliefoperations in Indonesia.
5 Jan 05CAF VisitsPhuketDetachment
7 Jan 05Mr Kofi Annan visitsMedan. RSAF KC-135 ferries UnitedNations SecretaryGeneral, Mr KofiAnnan, from Medanto Colombo-Male-Mauritius.
7-14 Jan 05Crew Changeover andRedeploymentChannel News Asia reports badweather off the coast of Meulaboh.However, RSAF Super Pumaslaunched from LSTs continue towork intensively. Three Chinooksredeployed back to Singapore on15 Jan 05.
11 Jan 05Thailand OperationsScale-DownTwo Super Pumas arealso redeployed backto Singapore.
20 Jan 05Minister forDefence visitsMedan to view thepotential BargePier site andMeulaboh
2 Super Pumas
2 Chinooks
14
❝ We could seethat the localsappreciated whatwe were doing asthey could havegone to rest but theydid not. After settingup the tower, wepowered-up the
system and once the lights and systemsof the MATC tower came on-line, therewas a great sense of satisfactionamongst both the locals and the RSAFpersonnel present. ❞
- MAJ Ramesh Tiwari, a Weapon Systems Officer (C3),recounting how local ATC controllers had stood awake
to watch the RSAF crew at work and had even madeseveral rounds of hot coffee for them despite being off
duty.
Smoothening the Flow
To manage and co-ordinate the increase inair traffic in Banda Aceh and Medan, an RSAFAir Traffic Control (ATC) liaison/co-ordinationteam was deployed to Indonesia on 3 Jan05. The team comprised LTC Quek ChiewTeck, MAJ Luke Neubronner, MAJ RameshTiwari and MAJ Chua Yam Choon.
The Banda Aceh airport, divided into a civiliansector and an adjoining military air base, hadseen an increase in air traffic from an averageof 10 movements per day to approximately170 movements per day!
To enable the Indonesian civilian air trafficcontrollers to regain effective control of allarrivals and departures at the Banda AcehAirport, a Mobile Air Traffic Control (MATC)tower was loaned by RSAF to Indonesia on7 Jan 05.
The RSAF flight operations over Meulabohwere further enhanced by the deployment ofanother ATC liaison/co-ordination section, ledby LTC Perry Tan and controllers from 201SQN and FSS-SBAB. Stationed onboardRSS Endurance, the team made use of radarand communications systems on the ship,to ensure a smooth and safe conduct ofhelicopter operations in the region.
Traffic Police for the Air
❝ Our team sat down, discussed the situation with LetKol Sajili, CommanderBanda Aceh Air Base, and also the Americans who were there and eventuallymanaged to get some form of ground control procedures and organisation forthe air traffic moving into and out of the air base. ❞
- LTC Quek Chiew Teck, CO FSS-SBAB, on how the ATC liaison/co-ordination team helpedto restore order in the Iskandar Muda Airport, Banda Aceh
Lying low: The MATC prior to being raised.
15
RSAF Communications TeamThe RSAF had deployed a total of 13 specialisedcommunications personnel to support the threeareas of operations - Banda Aceh, Medan andPhuket. The specialised team supported thecommunications and information systems in thevarious RSAF detachment operating rooms and alsohandled the communications equipment within theMATC at Banda Aceh. The missions were supportednot only by these 13 personnel in theatre but alsoby Defence Executive Officers, Full-time NationalServicemen and even Operationally Ready NationalServicemen who were having In-Camp Training atthat time, back home.
❝ Communications is something that has to be set up before the operationstarts. Prior to any operation, accurate information on the area of operationsmust be readily available to the planners and executors for them to carry outtheir tasks effectively. ❞
- MAJ Lee Hwee Leng, Head RSAF Communications Team
❝ Despite ourdifferences innationality, rank andvocation, somehow weall felt like a team. Weall knew what we werethere for, what we weredoing and we helped each other asmuch as we could. ❞
- MAJ Chua Yam Choon, S3, FSS SBAB,on interaction with his foreign military andcivilian counterparts during the operation.
RSAFcommunications
team’spersonnel at
work within theoperations
room2WO Albert Ong, a senior technician, working insidethe MATC tower.
CO 201 SQN, LTC Perry Tan (standing) overseeing helicopter operationsonboard the LST. (Picture: PIONEER)
Communications personnel, working on the ship,helped to ensure safe flying operations.
16
Reaching New Heights
16
Once the RSAF detachment was able to maintain goodcommunications and ensure safety in the air, they wereable to devote their energies fully towards bringinghumanitarian aid to the disaster victims.
The RSAF detachment in Indonesia had the honour of beingthe first helicopter to send relief into Meulaboh, but thetask was not a straightforward one as the helicopters hadto cross the Barisan mountain range in the middle ofSumatra to reach Meulaboh from Medan. The mountainrange, reaching heights of 12,000 feet, was a fittingrepresentation of the unfamiliar terrain pilots had to traverseduring the missions in Aceh. This was also compoundedby bad weather conditions, with orographic clouds on thesides of the mountain affecting visibility especially duringthe late afternoons and evenings.
❝ It was a great honour forus to keep hearing from theIndonesian authorities thatthe Chinook is the solutionto Meulaboh. We couldcarry things that no otherhelicopter could pullthrough and we couldcross mountain rangesthat no other helicopter could cross. ❞
- LTC Tang Tong Seng, RSAF Senior Liaison Officer forthe combined Chinook and Super Puma helicopter
detachment
RSAF and TNI crew loading equipment onto a Chinookaboard the RSS Persistence.
Local children milling around an RSAF Chinook.
Flying high: RSAF Chinooks were used to cross the Barisanmountain range.
❝ One of the most touchingmoments during the missionwas the sight of relief, joy andhappiness evident in theexpressions of the peopleamong the ruins and debris ofMeulaboh when we firstlanded there with thehumanitarian aid. ❞
- MAJ Ian Hong, a Chinook pilot in 127 SQN
1717
Paya Lebar Air Base (PLAB) was chosen as the staging point for the deliveryof humanitarian aid headed for Indonesia.
Having to host a fleet of foreign aircraft, each with its own set of requirements,was easier said than done. Detailed planning of the base’s support capabilityin terms of infrastructure, warehousing, service support requirements andparking areas, to name a few, had been essential. Pilots, NSmen, loadmasters,flight engineers and navigators had to be recalled to fully support theoperations.
Another organisation within PLAB, which was kept busy, was the AirMovement Centre (AMC). A branch of Air Operations Department, AMCplayed a vital role in the airlift support for the operations. Aid brought toPLAB was delivered to AMC, which then planned and palletised the loadaccording to the limits of the aircraft. AMC personnel then loaded the flight,accompanied it to its destination where they unloaded the aircraft beforereturning to Singapore.
SingaporeRegional Co-ordination CentreOverseeing the distributionof aid and coordinationof relief efforts wasthe Singapore RegionalCo-ordination Centre(SRCC) set up in PLAB.The centre was jointly runby 6 DIV, Joint LogisticsDepartment and severalN o n - G o v e r n m e n t a lOrganisations (NGOs).
❝ The SRCC was aneffective mechanismin assisting NGOs inthe co-ordination andtransportation of personneland supplies to Meulaboh.Without the SRCC’sassistance, Singapore’sNGOs would have hadgreat difficulty in bringingaid to Meulaboh. ❞
- Mr Jimmy Koh from theSingapore Red Cross
Paya Lebar Air Base- The Staging Point
Step by step: USAF C-5 Galaxy slides open to allow the offloading of a crane.
❝ We were honoured that PLAB was chosenas one of the air bases to house the supportfor this operation. Prior to the operation, wehad already been facilitating some foreign airmovement into PLAB. Hence, we had boththe parking areas and the expertise toaccommodate the arrival of different aircraftfor this operation. ❞
- LTC Chris Lim, S3 PLAB
Hub of activity at the SRCC set up inPLAB
❝ We had to call up more than 40 percent ofour NSmen to assist in the operations. Theirprompt response alleviated our load during theoperations. ❞
- MAJ Yeo Chiang Meng, Head AMC
18
The RSAF Chinooks and Super Pumasperformed excellently in deliveringhumanitarian assistance to the victimsof the tsunamis. This is in no smallpart due to the men and women ofthe Air Logistics Squadron inSembawang Air Base (ALS-SBAB),who along with the pilots and aircrew,responded promptly to the call by thenation to aid our neighbours duringthe disaster.
Ensuring that ALS-SBAB would beready to deal with the unprecedenteddemands of the missions, a LogisticsPlanning Team (LPT), led by CO ALS-SBAB, LTC Thiam Boon Siong, wasformed within hours of activation. TheLPT proved valuable, as it oversaw thedaily logistics and operationalmissions, ensuring that support for themen and aircraft from back home wasadequately provided for.
However, on the ground in Thailandand Indonesia, the heavy utilisationof the aircraft and the long workhours, compounded with theconstraints placed on them, provedto be monumental challenges for thedetachments. The logistics crew hadto come up with innovative solutionsand rely on their resourcefulness toovercome these challenges.
Quality Maintenance — ALS-SBAB
❝ We also established a good workingrelationship with the host nation’s military,TNI, who were very helpful in providingcritical ground logistics requirements likefuel, forklifts and vehicle transport aroundthe airfield. ❞
- MAJ Jason Bok, a senior maintenance officer
❝ I’m glad to tell you that we have flownclose to 1,300 hours with a missionaccomplishment of 100% and zeromaintenance deviation. Such achievementsdo not come about by chance. The technicalskills our people have honed, their excellentquality of work and unfailing safetycommitment, have prepared us for this. ❞
- COL Tsoi Mun Heng, Head Air Logistics,at the recent CAF Safety Forum on 27 Jan 05
Left andbelow:Maintenancewas carriedout for thefirst time onboard a ship,a majorachievementfor the AirLogisticsSquadron.
1SG Ong Yew San, a senior technician,servicing the Super Puma aboard theLST.
19
A Lesson in Humanity...
❝ There was aTNI soldier on-board our aircraft,who gestured tome and pointed atthe ground belowus. He told me that his houseused to be there. There weretears welling up in his eyes.However, he very sooncomposed himself. When wewitnessed all these destructionand suffering, it made me thinkof how fortunate we are inSingapore. ❞
- 2SG Dinesh, a Super Puma aircrewspecialist
Perhaps the greatest satisfaction thedetachment crew derived from themission was the relieved faces the crewsaw upon completing their mission.
Despite the high operational tempo, ourpersonnel were further inspired by theresilience of our TNI counterparts that weclosely worked with.
❝ We weretransporting somesupplies to a villagefrom Banda Aceh when there was thismiddle-aged man who joined us ashe wanted to return to his village. Hehad walked about two days to seek
help. When we landed on a football field in his village,the whole village was out in full force to welcome usand receive the supplies we were carrying. Then frommy cockpit, I saw the said man run to his wife andtwo daughters and embrace them. Tears werestreaming from the cheeks of the distressed women;they had not heard from each other since the disasterstruck. ❞
- LTC Calvin Ng, CO 125 SQN, who was also in charge of the Acehdetachment. This story was also featured in The Jakarta Post
(above).
❝ When we landed in Aceh, there were literally thousands of peoplesurrounding the airfield. Many victims of the disaster were at the tarmacarea. Looking at them, we could sense their feelings of loss and desperation.For my mission, we had been tasked to ferry such people out to Medan inour aircraft. When we were leaving, more than 100 people came to us, allhoping to get a lift out of Aceh but we could only take around 70 of them.We had to explain to them that there was no need to rush or try to sneak into
the aircraft because there were other flights coming in which would ferry them to Medan.You could see they were desperate but they knew that help was on the way. ❞
-LTC Francis Ngooi, CO 122 SQN
❝ After seeing the devastation inMeulaboh I have come to realise thatthe challenges we faced were nothingcompared to what the locals there hadgone through. Those who hadsurvived had practically losteverything. I saw some of the locals
going through the rubble and I admired their strengthto carry on. ❞
- MAJ Chua Yam Choon, S3, FSS SBAB
20
The humanitarian aid and disasterrelief missions tested the RSAFthoroughly at all levels, from thelong working hours, to landing onanything from a football field to theRSN’s Landing Ship Tanks thatarrived in Meulaboh. Despite thechallenges, the detachment crew, asLTC Calvin Ng, CO 125 SQN, puts it,“continued working their guts offwithout a single word of complaint.”
Equally significant was therecognition of the RSAF’s operationalreadiness, with the Thai andIndonesian authorities praising theSAF and RSAF for their untiringefforts, and the foreign media notingthe RSAF’s swift and successfulresponse.
❝ (The missions) in my mind demonstrate,…what the air force is capable of. From theability to plan and deploy at short notice; tothe ability of our guys to operate in trulyuncertain conditions; and deliveroutstanding results… This we could not havedone if not for professionalism, dedicationand team spirit of our people. ❞- BG Charles Sih, Head Air Operations, during his speech
at the CAF Safety Forum on 27 Jan 05
RSAF inHigh Spirits
❝ Knowing that I could fully trust my menand women to effectively, efficiently, andmost importantly, safely, accomplish thedemanding missions, filled me with thesatisfaction that I could expect the very bestfrom my crew and they would never let medown. As the Chinese saying goes
(the long term investmentin training to build a capable military will pay dividendswhen activated at short notice). ❞
- LTC Vincent Lim, CO 127 SQN
A Super Puma being secured after landing aboard an RSN Landing Ship Tank (LST).
A Chinook approaching for landing on a LST.
Thumbs up to recovery! Chinook pilots,MAJ Lionel Lye (left) and MAJ Nick Chew(right), with schoolchildren at a village atPulau Nias.
21
VIP VisitsNumerous dignitaries, bothlocal and foreign, visited theshores of Banda Aceh,Meulaboh and Phuket after thedevastation that occurred onBoxing Day. While the visitorsmay have differed in nationalityor rank, they were united onone front - in assessing theneeds of the locals andproviding better, morespecialised and effective aid.
Prime Minister, Mr LeeHsien Loong and Ministerfor Defence, Mr Teo CheeHean touched down inMeulaboh on 4 Jan 05 toview the devastation in thearea and observe SAFrelief efforts underwaythere. During their visit,the Ministers visited theprimary SAF healthcareteam that was in place andobserved SAF constructionengineers at work near thecoast.
Minister for Home Affairs, Mr Wong KanSeng visited Khao Lak, Phuket on 1 Jan05. During the visit, Mr Wong witnessedrescue and relief operations carried outby the SAF contingent and officers fromthe Singapore Civil Defence Force.
❝ I believe that in time, given support and effort by thegovernment and the international community, the people willbe able to pick up the pieces and carry on. ❞
- Excerpt from Mr Kofi Annan’s statement on the United Nations website
Chief of Defence Force, LG NgYat Chung flew into Meulabohon 8 Jan 05 to view up closethe devastation and assess theprogress of SAF relief efforts inthe region. Arriving in an RSAFSuper Puma helicopter, CDFtouched down on RSSEndurance, off the coast ofMeulaboh. He later wentashore to observe SAFpersonnel in action in theravaged town.
United Nations(UN) SecretaryGeneral, MrKofi Annan,along with 19UN and WorldBank delegates,entered BandaAceh on 7 Jan05 to view, firsthand, the extentof destructionin the region.From there, MrAnnan wasferried to Meulaboh and back on board an RSAF Super Pumahelicopter. Mr Annan and his delegation then travelled toMedan, aboard a 121 SQN Fokker-50 before departing forColombo and Male on board a 112 SQN KC-135 tanker.
Chief of AirForce, MajorGeneral LimKim Choonvisited theisland ofPhuket on 5 Jan05. During hisvisit, CAF metR S A Fp e r s o n n e lsupporting thetwo Super
Puma helicopters, which were deployed for disaster reliefassistance in the region. He also met the Commander of the3rd Naval Area Fleet of the Royal Thai Navy, Vice Admiral ThanaBunnak, who had been overseeing the relief operations inPhuket, as well as other senior officials at the Royal Thai AirForce Combined Air Operations Centre. CAF also flew overthe Khao Lak area north of Phuket for a first hand view of thedisaster area.
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❝ I am indeed proud of yourrapid response to the call ofduty, with some of youdeployed within 24 hours, andsome even volunteering to giveup the comfort of home leaveamidst the year-end holidayseason. Indeed, you haveconducted yourselves worthy of
being called World Class People in a First Class AirForce. Please keep up the good work! ❞
- MG Lim Kim Choon, Chief of Air Force in hismessage to the RSAF, 15 Jan 05
- A note of appreciation from Peter
Coopmams, Field Security Officer,
WHO to 122 SQN
Keep it up!
❝ They (SAF) carried water andfood to isolated survivors andtransported a mobile controltower to Banda Aceh. Ourmedical teams treated 4,000people in Banda Aceh andMeulaboh. Whether it was a quiet
word of comfort in Bahasa Indonesia, or flying theSecretary-General of the United Nations aroundthe Indian Ocean rim, our people displayedcommitment, compassion and competence. ❞
- Excerpts from speech by Mr Teo Chee Hean, Minister forDefence at Parliament on 19 Jan 05
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❝ The Republic ofSingapore Air Forceflew close to 690sorties and transported670 tonnes of relief aid.These may be small incomparison with otherinternational reliefefforts. However, the SAF understood thelocal needs and attended to them as bestas it could, in the quickest way possible.This made all the difference. ❞
-Associate Professor Koo Tsai Kee, SeniorParliamentary Secretary for Defence and the
Environment and Water Resources, during the MPs’and Grassroots Leaders’ visit to Singapore Combat
Engineers on 26 Feb 05
Our thoughts are with the victims of theearthquake and tsunamis.
Singapore InternationalFoundation
Cross cheque to: SingaporeInternational Foundation
Send cheque to:Singapore InternationalFoundation9 Penang Rd#12-01 Park MallSingapore 238459
Provide the following detailson the back of cheque:- Name in Full- Identity Card/Passport
Number- Mailing Address- Contact Number- Indicate “TAC Fund”
You can still help.Contributions for the victims can be made through the following organisations:
Touch Community Services
Cheque made payable to:TOUCH Community ServicesLimited
Send cheque to:TOUCH Community ServicesLimited3615 Jalan Bukit Merah,3rd FloorTOUCH Community TheatreSingapore 159461
Indicate on back of cheque:- “Tsunami Relief Fund”- Full name- Home address- I/C number- Contact number
The Medical Foundation
Cross cheque to:The Medical Foundation
Send cheque to: MedicalFoundation Limited585 North Bridge Rd#11-00Singapore 188770
Mercy Relief
Cross cheque to: MERCYRELIEF
Send cheque to:36, Purvis Street#02-03, S188613
