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RSAF Defence Force Chief visits 379th AEW

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Clark Staehle
  • 379th Air Expeditionary Wing
SOUTHWEST ASIA --  Singapore Armed Forces Chief of Defence Force, Lt. Gen. Desmond Kuek Bak Chye, visited the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) servicemembers deployed here Monday and Tuesday. 

While here, General Kuek also visited the Combined Air Operations Center, Ops Town and the flightline. General Kuek is the top military commander in Singapore. 

During the general's visit, Lt. Col. Chin Pak Chuen, Singapore's national contingent commander here, together with Lt. Col. Rajan Sivaraman, commander of the KC-135 detachment, briefed General Kuek on issues affecting the unit here. Among the topics discussed was the excellent cooperation and teamwork between American and RSAF refueling tanker communities in the area of responsibility. 

Another topic discussed was the invaluable aircraft support that U.S. tanker maintenance crew provided for the RSAF. The RSAF operates a KC-135 Stratotanker, a plane that the 340th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron here also operates. This commonality provides an opportunity for U.S. Airmen to support their coalition partner very well. 

"The Wing has been very responsive," Lt. Col. Chin said while briefing the general. "If we needed extra equipment or parts, they are always ready to step forward and help out." 

"Our missions are interoperable with the USAF tanker missions," Lt. Col Sivaraman added. "This is because we have adopted the same Standard Operating Procedures, or SOPs, as the 340th EARS." 

At the end of his visit, General Kuek expressed confidence in the performance of the RSAF detachment. 

"I have gained a very positive impression about the professionalism of our RSAF Airmen operating here alongside our American and other coalition friends, and I am confident that we will continue to do well, and contribute in a meaningful way to the overall coalition effort," General Kuek said. 

The RSAF operates one KC-135R Stratotanker here to augment refueling missions throughout the area of responsibility. Singapore has a total of only four KC-135s. The unit, which is supported by about 36 servicemembers, has flown about 50 sorties and off loaded about 2.5 million pounds of fuel since they deployed here in April. The detachment has continued to log a 100 percent mission-success rate.