COORDINATED JUMP BY RED LIONS & NAVAL DIVERS AT NDP

It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s… the Red Lions and the Republic of Singapore Navy’s (RSN's) naval divers conducting the inaugural Jump of Unity!

To celebrate 60 years of Singapore’s independence, this will be the first time they are performing coordinated jumps into the Padang and Marina Bay at the National Day Parade (NDP).

This is certainly no easy feat. Precise coordination is required among the Red Lions, naval divers and the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF), which will be flying them in on the C-130 Hercules aircraft and H225M Medium Lift Helicopter respectively.

Making a safe & successful jump

Naval diver First Warrant Officer (1WO) Lim Chee Seng is excited to be a part of this year’s parade again, having participated in the Naval Diving Unit’s (NDU’s) freefall jump at NDP 2018.

“The naval divers and Red Lions are jumping from two different platforms at different timings. There is a lot of precision required to synchronise our actions,” shared the 45-year-old Team Lead of the NDP 2025 naval divers team.

“It’s a big team effort to make this Jump of Unity a success,” added the 50-year-old Team Lead of the NDP 2025 Red Lions team, Master Warrant Officer (MWO) Chew Eng Seng.

“Safety is our utmost priority. In the event of adverse weather such as lighting risks or strong wind conditions, we will reschedule the training to ensure that we are on track towards the actual jump."

Gearing up for the big leap

To prepare for this jump, the two teams have been training at iFly Singapore, a simulated skydiving experience inside a vertical wind tunnel.

This is, of course, not new to them. To become fully fledged parachutists, the Red Lions and naval diver jumpers undergo a series of rigorous training sessions both locally and overseas as part of their operational qualifications.

This includes a three-week Basic Airborne Course and a one-month Military Freefall Course, during which they are taught essential skills like reading wind conditions and maintaining control over the parachute canopy in different weather conditions.

Training at iFly Singapore’s vertical wind tunnel forms part of the Military Freefall Course.

“When training in the wind tunnel, the main objective is to ensure stability. This simulator allows us to practice our mobility drills, (which) gives us the confidence to execute the jump seamlessly,” explained 1WO Lim.

Executing the jump

Excited about seeing the Red Lions and naval divers come 9 Aug? Here’s how the two jumps will go down!

At 6,000 feet above ground, the seven naval divers will take up position in the H225M Medium Lift Helicopter.

Once the helicopter reaches the designated spot and all safety checks are completed, the naval divers will jump out of the aircraft one by one. They will then deploy their parachutes at 5,000 feet above ground.

Meanwhile, at 10,000 feet above ground, the seven-man Red Lions team takes up their position in the C-130 Hercules.

After receiving clearance to jump, the Red Lions will exit the plane as a team and move into a ring formation midair.

After performing a bomb burst to track away from one another and reach a safe distance apart, they then deploy their parachutes at 4,500 feet above ground and adopt a canopy stack flight.

Staff Sergeant (SSG) Kristian Jeremiah Joseph, an Aircrew Specialist on the H225M Medium Lift Helicopter, shared that his role for this year’s NDP is to coordinate between the pilots and the naval divers for their jump.

Speaking to the media on 5 Jul, SSG Kristian expressed a simple wish for this year’s NDP: “I hope that those watching the Red Lions and the naval divers can take this opportunity to remember the unity that is needed for this country!”

Once the entire crew has landed, the Red Lions and the naval divers will simultaneously perform a combined salute at the Padang and the Marina Bay respectively, showcasing a powerful moment of unity.