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Changi Air Base

When Singapore's Air Force was set up in 1968 - as the Singapore Air Defence Command - it built upon existing air base facilities inherited from the British. The facilities, at Tengah, Paya Lebar, Sembawang and here at Changi, met needs of the first generation air force in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Over the last two decades, over the second generation of the SAF's development, we continued with regular investments to upgrade these air bases to meet operational requirements.

Changi is a planning area which is based in Singapore’s East Region. It shares the same borders with Serangoon Harbor in the north, the South China Sea in the east, Changi Bay in the southeast, and Tampines and Pasir Ris in the west. Excluding 2 water catchments, it is the largest planning area in the country by size. Currently, this area is an aviation hub which is home to both the Changi Air Base and Changi Airport. Changi Prison, the largest prison in Singapore, is also located here. Most of the region lies on reclaimed land which is typically flat with some notable hills.

Remarkably, the building of the fourth military airport, at Changi, was initiated in 1943 by the Imperial Japanese forces that occupied Singapore. Allied prisoners-of-war (POWs) were used as forced labourers, but upon Japanese surrender, the British completed the construction using imprisoned Japanese troops. The largest RAF air base to be inherited by the British, it initially had north-south and east-west runway strips which were unpaved and thinly grassed. Perforated steel plates and reinforcements were later added to the runways, allowing it to serve as the main runway for military aircraft until 1949.

From as early as 1946, plans had been made to develop the area into a joint civilian and military airport. However, these plans were abandoned in late 1948 because Changi’s location in eastern Singapore was considered too far from the city center. Furthermore, there was the issue of unsatisfactory drainage, which would make the construction of a modern runway at Changi“exceptionally expensive, if not actually prohibitive”. The airfield then was “surrounded by swamp and soggy ground and had a deep, shifting subsoil”, and construction attempts were held up by the discovery of “heavily saturated clay at considerable and varying depths”. These conditions would hinder future expansion plans and increase costs.

With Changi deemed unsuitable, the need to find a site for the newairport grew ever more urgent. By the late 1950s, it became vital for Singapore to have a well-functioning international airport with adequate capacity. Such an airport would allow the country to ride the wave of growth in air traffic, which became even more apparent in the 1960s.

The 1967 State and City Planning Project report had suggested that Changi be used as Singapore’s main international airport after the British withdrawal. The vacated air base at Changi had existing facilities that could be utilised. Moreover, relocating the main airport to Changi would free up space at Paya Lebar for future development, thereby increasing the latter’s land value. With Changi situated further away from the city center, there would also be minimal nuisance caused by aircraft activities.

At the time, there was debate about whether to expand the existing Paya Lebar Airport, or to build a new airport at Changi. Expanding Paya Lebar Airport would be more fiscally prudent and cost-effective, as it did not require the relocation of military facilities at Changi, nor the writing off of Paya Lebar Airport.

But in contrast, building the new international airport at Changi offered several advantages. Aircraft would not need to overfly densely populatedresidential areas, which would reduce noise pollution for residents. There would also be less height restrictions on future building developments, as aircraft bound for Changi Airport would be flying over water. Additionally, there would be less ground traffic congestion issues, given that the site at Changi would offer a clean slate of land to comprehensively develop the necessary infrastructure and facilities. Changi would also offer available land for long-term airport expansion. After much debate, the government decided to proceed with building the new airport at Changi, initially with one runway. This eventually developed into today’s Changi International Airport.

The government had not set out to make Changi Airport the best in the worldwhen it first started operations. However, what worked in Singapore’s favour were the readily available spare capacity and the dedication of public service leaders.

The groundbreaking ceremony of Changi East was held on Mon, 15 July 2002. Changi Air Base (East) is a unique development. It is the first RSAF air base facility which we ourselves entirely designed and developed. This is the fruit of close collaboration among our Defence Science and Technology Agency, the RSAF and the local construction industry. This indigenous development allowed the RSAF to define the design to fully meet its requirements well into the third generation of the RSAF's development.

This project also marked the first time that airbase facilities of such complexity and magnitude are being conceptualised and developed by the Defence Science and Technology Agency, working closely with the RSAF and our local construction industry. Such close collaboration has allowed the RSAF to define the form and details of this major development. This means that Changi East was tailored to meet the RSAF’s specific operational requirements and transformation efforts. Changi East also marked an important step forward in the RSAF’s operations. Changi East, as an enhancement to Changi Airbase, improved the efficiency and robustness of the RSAF’s overall readiness and operational capability. For example, Changi East will give the RSAF greater flexibility to disperse its assets while at the same time allowing it to better maximise the limited local training airspace.

Changi Air Base (East) enhances the RSAF's operational capability and readiness, for it provides greater operational flexibility and more deployment options for the RSAF's fighter assets. Changi Air Base (East) enhances the RSAF's ability to launch and recover its air assets under adverse conditions, as well as to mitigate airspace constraints. 145 Squadron, which operates our top-end F-16D Blk 52+, are based here. The entire facility was built within two years of the ground-breaking after the land was reclaimed. This testifies to the professionalism and dedication of the various agencies involved in this project.

The main operational units located within CAB (East) are 145 Squadron (operating the F-16D BLK 52+), the Flying Support Squadron (FSS-CAB), the Air Logistics Squadron (ALS-CAB) and the Airfield Maintenance Squadron (AMS-CAB).

Due to the location of the new runway within Singapore Changi Airport, it has resulted in a unique control configuration. This is the first time in RSAF that the aerodrome and approach services for an air base are not solely under RSAF control. Military controllers will provide aerodrome services into Runway 3 at CAB (East) and CAAS controllers will provide the approach services. This will require close rapport and co-ordination between RSAF and CAAS to ensure safe and efficient operations without compromise on either military or civil operations out of Singapore Changi Airport. This unique control configuration requires close co-ordination between RSAF and CAAS to ensure safe and efficient operations without compromise on either military or civil operations out of Singapore Changi Airport.

145 Squadron was established on 1st Apr 1984 at Tengah Air Base when the Squadron first started flying the A4 Skyhawks. In 1992, 145 Squadron was the first Squadron to fly the indigenously developed A4-SUs. It has since undertaken a wide spectrum of roles that focuses on RSAF operational requirements and converting new pilots from Flying Training School to operational fighter pilots. The professionalism and operational readiness of the crew in 145 Squadron were exemplified through the achievement of numerous awards which includes the coveted Best Fighter Squadron in 1998 and 2000, and RSAF Hot Shot Competitions.

After nearly 2 decades, the squadron ended its A4-SU operations on 30 Apr 03 to prepare for relocation and operation of the new F16D Blk 52 +. On 3 Jul 2004, 145 Squadron began operating from Changi Air Base (East) with the induction of the F16D Blk 52 +, the latest in RSAF’s inventory. The squadron will have a total of 20 F16D Blk 52 +. The F16D Blk 52 + is equipped with state-of-the-art Conformal Fuel Tanks, enhanced radar with greater detection range and improved ground mapping capabilities, and an advanced targeting pod, which will enable the Squadron to conduct precision day and night operations at a greater combat range and duration.

145 Squadron is an unique fighter squadron in the RSAF as all the aircraft are tandem-seats and every mission is flown with a Fighter Weapons Officer (WSO) in the aft seat. The expanded role of the WSO (Fighters) will enable the Squadron to take on even more complex and demanding missions, transforming the way our fighter jets operate.