SP90 From United States of America, joined May 2006, 386 posts, RR: 0 Reply 1, posted (1 year 3 months 3 weeks 3 days 9 hours ago) and read 3836 times:
How far east are we talking about? I would imagine Japan, South Korea or even Taiwan would have a more powerful air force than Singapore. I mean face it, how much room does Singapore have to host an air force?
stealthz From Australia, joined Feb 2005, 5448 posts, RR: 48 Reply 2, posted (1 year 3 months 3 weeks 2 days 21 hours ago) and read 3718 times:
Quoting SP90 (Reply 1): I mean face it, how much room does Singapore have to host an air force?
A large part of Singapore's air power spends much of it's time in Australia.
Indeed early last year, when SE Queensland suffered such devastating floods, some of the first air assets available to provide assistance were RSAF helicopters.
An altruistic gesture by a close ally, most certainly, another factor was the helos had to get off the ground or become one of the flood victims.
I do work most years with a foundation that runs events in many centres around Aus on an annual basis... some places a few guests get a joy flight or the chance to look at various aircraft, a couple of locations get a full on fast jet airshow courtesy of the RSAF as a kind of thank you for the hospitality shown by local communities.
If your camera sends text messages, that could explain why your photos are rubbish!
KC135TopBoom From United States of America, joined Jan 2005, 11742 posts, RR: 51 Reply 3, posted (1 year 3 months 3 weeks 2 days 11 hours ago) and read 3542 times:
While the RSAF does have an impressive selection of airplanes, from the F-16 and F-15, to the KC-135 and C-130, to the G-550 CAEW (I believe the E-2C Hawkeyes are now 'retired' and about to be sold), and even the F-5, they are still a small Air Force. They 'only' have about 140-150 airplanes, abide very capable airplanes.
By comparison the JASDF has more than 800 aircraft, the ROKAF has more than 500 airplanes, The RAAF has about 300 airplanes. The Vietnam People's Air Force has a strenght of some 550 airplanes, although it is not able to project its strenght very far beyond its boaders. The PLAAF has more than 2500 aircraft, while the ROCAF has about 400 aircraft
mercure1 From French Polynesia, joined Jul 2008, 644 posts, RR: 2 Reply 4, posted (1 year 3 months 3 weeks 1 day 14 hours ago) and read 3368 times:
I've always wondered in practical terms really how effective such an air-force would really be trying to protect a postage stamp incase of a true battle. In matter of minutes the islands air fields could be wiped out by an aggressor,
If anything Singapore should focus its efforts on naval forces to keep the busy trade lanes under scrutiny against ongoing pirate activity, while having a small land force with focus more on police action and guerrilla or urban warfare if ever needed and can go on things like UN missions.
While a nice market to sell to for defense companies, I recall a 1990s analysis which called their armed forces essentially an expensive toy collection of fancy equipment without much practical use.
Flighty From United States of America, joined Apr 2007, 7506 posts, RR: 2 Reply 5, posted (1 year 3 months 3 weeks 8 hours ago) and read 3146 times:
Quoting mercure1 (Reply 4): I recall a 1990s analysis which called their armed forces essentially an expensive toy collection of fancy equipment without much practical use.
Their strategy is probably to be active partners with much larger forces. So, if Singapore needs protection against a state, their forces would be just a part of the armada defending Singapore.
In peacetime, maybe they use this equipment to maintain public confidence in the state's ability to handle pirates, small forces from nearby islands, rogue Chinese fishermen, anything sub-military in nature.
checksixx From United States of America, joined Mar 2005, 999 posts, RR: 0 Reply 6, posted (1 year 3 months 2 weeks 6 days 8 hours ago) and read 2995 times:
Quoting mercure1 (Reply 4): I've always wondered in practical terms really how effective such an air-force would really be trying to protect a postage stamp incase of a true battle. In matter of minutes the islands air fields could be wiped out by an aggressor,
If anything Singapore should focus its efforts on naval forces to keep the busy trade lanes under scrutiny against ongoing pirate activity, while having a small land force with focus more on police action and guerrilla or urban warfare if ever needed and can go on things like UN missions.
While a nice market to sell to for defense companies, I recall a 1990s analysis which called their armed forces essentially an expensive toy collection of fancy equipment without much practical use.
Ah yes, but help would be close at hand. If you control the air, you control the war...period.
Sponsor Message: 
From Turkey, joined Jul 2005, 107 posts, 
From United States of America, joined May 2006, 386 posts, 
From Australia, joined Feb 2005, 5448 posts, 
From French Polynesia, joined Jul 2008, 644 posts, 
Sponsor Message: 
Printer friendly format
