WARRIORS OF THE AIR

For the first time, each of RSAF's five Commands held its own inter-squadron competition. Find out who came up tops in these tests of skill!

All five contests were held from 7 to 17 Apr. Held at Sembawang Air Base, Air Warrior Challenge 2014 tested the skills which were unique to the different helicopters, while Air Combat Command's competition was termed Exercise Hotshot. Air Defence Operations Command's was named Exercise Flaming Arrow, Air Power Generation Command's competition was called Eagle Challenge and the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Command s challenge was titled Top Notch.

1. Air Warrior Challenge

In Air Warrior Challenge, five helicopter squadrons from the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) pitted their skills against one another in a contest of operational capabilities and logistical expertise.

Tactical Landing

This component tested how accurately the pilots could land their helicopters in confined areas. The task required effective coordination and cooperation between the pilot and the co-pilot.

Slow and steady
A Seahawk from 123 SQN attempting to land precisely within the set markers. The pilots have to steer all three wheels of the helicopters (four for the Chinook) into the respective boxes. No parking sensors!

Helicopter Logistics

In this segment, the Flight Line Crew (FLC) of each SQN were tested on their speed and accuracy in completing their pre-flight checks. These included the towing, starting-up, taxiing and marshalling of the helicopters.

Top up!
The FLC of 127 SQN refuelling the Chinook as part of pre-flight checks.

Combat Task

Divided into two different parts, this segment had the Chinook, Super Puma and Seahawk pilots conducting target winching while the Apache pilots executed air-to-ground firing.

During target winching, the pilots had to hover the helicopter at 100ft (30m) while the winch operators accurately lowered the winch into a confined area marked on the ground to pick up or put down the simulated load.

In air-to-ground firing, the Apache pilots tested their accuracy in firing their 30mm guns at targets on Pulau Pawai, as well as in the simulated firing of the Hellfire missile.

Minimal swing, maximum scores
The Super Puma crew doing their best to drop the load accurately into a small area marked by a black circle on the ground, as part of their Combat Task segment.

2. Exercise Hotshot

Through a series of tasks such as dogfighting, firing at ground targets and marshalling, the five fighter Squadrons in Air Combat Command put their skills to the test.

Discipline, spirit and unity
149 SQN's ground crew make their final rounds before the F-15SG multi-role fighters set off.

Best Pilot in Strafing

This component tested the pilots' firing accuracy as they attacked ground targets using aircraft-mounted automatic weapons.

Right on the money
An F-16's gatling gun pounding a target on Pulau Pawai, all the way from 4,000ft up in the air. Behind each target is a canvas sheet, used to record the number and precision of the hits.

Perfect 10
This plane scores an almost-Perfect 10 on the longitudinal positioning but misses slightly on the latitudinal positioning. The highest-scoring team of each squadron won a prize for their efforts.

Precision Marshalling

In this component, the crew chief guided the pilot to park the aircraft onto designated yellow boxes marked on the ground. For a perfect score, the aircraft s wheel must land on the cross in the centre of the box.

3. Exercise Flaming Arrow

Ground-based air defenders - 163 SQN, 3 Divisional Air Defence Artillery Battalion (DA BN), 18 DA BN and 165 SQN - went head-to-head for the titles of Best Engagement, Best Engineering and Maintenance, Best Knowledge, and Best Small Arms Handling. 163 SQN emerged as the overall winner of the competition.

Missile Reloading Challenge

Time is of the essence in this challenge as teams were tested on their speed in reloading weapon missiles safely and correctly.

Arming the Spyder
Personnel from 165 SQN preparing the Surface-to-Air PYthon-5 and DERby air defence system for firing. This challenge was won by 163 SQN, which operates the I-Hawk Missile System.

Best Ground-based Air Defence (GBAD) Engagement Team

For this component, teams were tested on their ability to effectively scan and track air targets.

On high alert!
Ground-based air defenders of 3 DA BN tracking a target using the RBS-70 GBAD system on board the V200 vehicle.

4. Eagle Challenge

This competition saw Air Power Generation Command squadrons pitting their skills on everything from sustaining aircraft operations to managing threats to medical proficiency. Airmen and women fought hard for the right to be called the Best Force Protection Squadron and Best Aircraft Operational Maintenance Squadron (AOMS), among others. The most coveted? The Best Air Base trophy, which went to Paya Lebar Air Base this year.

Aircraft Generation

From maintaining aircraft, directing the take-off and landing of aircraft safely and efficiently, to managing air traffic in a tight airspace, teams worked under pressure to test their skills and teamwork in getting their warbirds ready.

Tow-er of power
ME2 Leow Wei Tat (driver) and ME3 Terence Tan preparing to tow an AH-64D Apache off the runway. This was after a salvage operation where a defect was simulated on the helicopter after it landed and shut down. The Best AOMS award and Best Aircraft Specialist Maintenance SQN award were won by 807 SQN and 817 SQN respectively.

Healing hands
Third Sergeant Aaron Seah, a medic specialist from 706 SQN, tending to a simulated casualty. This category was won by 707 SQN.

Operational Medical Support Competition

In this component, medical teams from the different air bases were evaluated on their abilities to triage and administer appropriate clinical intervention to stabilise the casualties after a mock attack on an air base.

Force Protection

Keeping air bases safe from threats is vital for the successful launch and recovery of aircraft - and the generation of air power. In this component, the squadrons were tested and called upon to detect and deny a simulated intrusion in the air base.

On watch
Force protection troopers conducting thorough checks on vehicles entering the air base. 608 SQN was the winner of this category.

5. Top Notch

In this competition, the pilots, operators and logisticians of 116 SQN, 119 SQN, 128 SQN and UAV Training School (UTS) competed for nine awards, which included Best Ops team, Best Flight Line Crew (FLC) and Best Receive Only Station (ROS) team. 119 SQN was crowned Best Top Notch Squadron for getting the best overall score.

Best UAV Pilot

Two pilots are required to control a UAV - an external pilot, who takes charge of its take-off from the runway, and an internal pilot, who monitors the UAV flight, engine and system parameters on the control console. This component recognised the best internal and external pilots who guide and fly the UAVs on their missions.

Here it goes!
The Heron-1 UAV taking off for its mission. 116 SQN won big in this component, taking home both the Best Internal and External UAV Pilot awards.

Best ROS Team

This component tested how quickly each 2-man team (one ROS commander and one ROS specialist) can deploy, set up and take down their equipment.

Hidden watcher
A UAV Upgraded ROS sits inconspicuously among the forestry, collecting information from the UAVs. Top honours for this component went to 128 SQN.