31 October 2023
It was a high-flying affair as guests from across Australia and Singapore arrived at Swartz Barracks, Queensland, to celebrate the 25th year of the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) Oakey detachment.
Chief of Army Lieutenant General Simon Stuart and the Republic of Singapore High Commissioner to Australia Anil Kumar attended in recognition of the enduring partnership between the two countries and the importance of the detachment to each service.
Commandant of the Army Aviation Training Centre Colonel David Lynch said the RSAF Oakey detachment had actively supported the ADF and provided highly skilled employment opportunities to locals.
“25 years of continued rotational deployment is an incredible achievement,” Colonel Lynch said.
“Throughout the years we have had a willing partner to not only engage with the community locally, but across Australia at air shows and open days.
“The detachment have sought to contribute to our DACC [Defence assistance to the civil community] tasks through the deployment of helicopters, crews and emergency supplies.”
The day of festivities included a formal discussion between Lieutenant General Stuart and Chief of RSAF Major General Kelvin Khong about the achievements of the detachment and the opportunity it presented both nations.
Visitors from Swartz Barracks and local dignitaries toured the RSAF facilities and learned about its history.
A multi-nation flyover ended the ceremonial unveiling of a Chinook with its commemorative tail livery.
Toowoomba Region Mayor Geoff McDonald said that he was proud to lead a community with a rich military history.
“The Toowoomba Region has a particularly close connection to Defence, and in particular the 25th Infantry Battalion, which played a pivotal role in the Battle of Milne Bay,” Mr McDonald said.
“We’re quite fortunate to have three ADF establishments within our local government area, which includes Swartz Barracks, and of course we are also proud and indeed honoured to be represented on the open seas through the work of HMAS Toowoomba.”
Participating in the celebration event was an RSAF AH-64 Apache Attack helicopter, which Colonel Lynch said provided an important insight for staff at the Army Aviation Training Centre.
“One of the highlights for our people was seeing the AH-64E as part of the flyover formation,” he said.
“In the lead up to the event we were able to host a number of RSAF Apache’s in our hangars before they returned to Singapore.
“This was an excellent opportunity for our teams to familiarise themselves with an aircraft we will soon introduce into service.”
The RSAF Oakey Detachment have operated rotary wing aircraft since 1998, and over the 25 years have rotated thousands of pilots, ground crew and supporting staff through the establishment.
The rotational detachment has been an integral part of training for RSAF pilots who have flown a wide range of helicopters, which includes the Super Puma and most recently the CH-47F Chinook.
