Changi Air Base

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"Changi Airfield & RAF Changi" redirects here. For Changi Airport, see Singapore Changi Airport.
Changi Air Base
樟宜空军基地
Pangkalan Udara Changi


Changi Air Base Crest Badge
IATA: none – ICAO: WSAC
Summary
Airport type Military
Owner Singapore Armed Forces
Operator Republic of Singapore Air Force
Location Changi, Singapore
Elevation AMSL 7 m / 22 ft
Coordinates 01°22′34.53″N, 103°58′59.46″E
Runways
Direction Length Surface
m ft
02L/20R 4,000 13,123 Concrete
02C/20C 4,000 13,123 Concrete

Changi Air Base or Changi Air Base (West) (ICAO: WSAC), formerly RAF Changi, is a Republic of Singapore Air Force airbase located in Changi to the eastern tip of Singapore. Sited at two locations to the east and west of Singapore Changi Airport, it co-shares runway facilities with the civilian airport and currently occupies a third runway slated for future expansion for civilian use. Together, the two bases houses the 121 Squadron, 112 Squadron, 145 Squadron, the Field Defence Squadron, the Air Logistics Squadron and the Airfield Maintenance Squadron. The air base crest carries the motto: "Together in Excellence".

Contents

[edit] RAF Changi

The air base traces its beginnings to 1940s, when many of the Allied prisoners-of-war, housed in the nearby Changi Prison, were forced to build the facility under the direction of the Japanese occupiers after the fall of Singapore in 1942. Two unpaved landing strips were built between 1943 to 1944, intersecting in a cross layout and in approximately north-south and east-west directions. The airfield facility became a Royal Air Force station and was renamed RAF Changi in 1946 after the Japanese surrender. Imprisoned Japanese were then made to improve the runways, reinforcing the north-south runway for military aircraft and adding perforated steel plates to the east-west runway.

In addition, RAF Chia Keng - a GCHQ radio receiving station, was a satellite station of RAF Changi (being the Headquarters Air component part of British Far East Command) until the British Forces withdrawal from Singapore. Also, the nearby Changi Hospital (now defunct) functioned as the primary British military hospital providing medical care for all British servicemen (including RAF) stationed in the Eastern part of Singapore, while Alexandra Hospital was put in charge for those stationed in the Western part of Singapore.

[edit] Changi Air Base

Upon the withdrawal of British forces from Singapore, RAF Changi was renamed as Changi Air Base and handed over to the SADC (predecessor of Republic of Singapore Air Force) on 9 Dec 1971. Thereafter, the base received its first flying squadron - the Alouette Squadron and their Alouette IIIs helicopters shortly after New Year's Day 1972. With the arrival of the first Shorts Skyvans in 1973, SADC began to form the 121 Squadron at Changi Air Base and it is currently the oldest resident squadron of the base.

In June 1975, part of the airbase was acquired and work commenced on the new Singapore Changi Airport, with the new runways in close alignment with the original north-south runway. The east-west runway was almost erased from the map, currently surviving as a taxiway to the apron area which has remained operational as part of Changi Air Base.

[edit] Changi Air Base (West)

Main article: Changi Air Base (West)

Following the opening of the new Changi Air Base (East) on 29 November 2004, the existing facilities at Changi air base has been renamed as Changi Air Base (West).

The flying squadrons now are:

  • 112 Squadron: operates the KC-135R; &,
  • 121 Squadron: operates both the Utility Transport Aircraft (UTA) and Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA) versions of the Fokker F50 since 1993, after having retired their Short Skyvans.

The Support Squadrons are:

  • Air Logistics Squadron (ALS)
  • Field Defence Squadron (FDS)
  • Airfield Maintenance Squadron (AMS)

[edit] Photo Gallery

RAF Changi Crest Badge.

Crest badge of HQ RAF Far East Air Force (air component of British Far East Command), which was Headquartered at RAF Changi.

Men of 5353 Airfield Construction Wing, Royal Air Force (RAF), assist and supervise Japanese prisoners of war during the construction of the main runway at Changi.

Japanese prisoners of war laying some of the 11900 rolls of bituminized hessian sheeting that provided a waterproof bedding for the main runway at Changi.

View of the main runway at RAF Changi, Singapore, soon after its completion. The runway, constructed from 276,680 pierced steel sheets was 2000 yards in length and 50 yards wide and able to take the largest aircraft then in service with the RAF.

A No. 42 Squadron RAF Nimrod MR1 crosses the road from the tarmac to the apron area of RAF Changi.

121Sqn's Fokker 50 MPA.

112Sqn's KC-135R.

[edit] See also

[edit] References

Crest Badge and Information of RAF Changi

[edit] External links

v • d • e
Airbases of the Republic of Singapore Air Force

Changi Air Base (East · West) · Paya Lebar Air Base · Sembawang Air Base · Tengah Air Base
v • d • e
Airports in Singapore
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