Singapore's 'sling': Mixing it up over the South China Sea - combat training

Airman, Feb, 2002 by Louis A. Arana-Barradas

The two F-16 Fighting Falcons slowly started their takeoff roll. As they gathered speed, their engines roared, echoing off nearby apartment buildings. Seconds later, two more jets rumbled down the runway.

One by one, they took off from Singapore's Paya Lebar Air Base into a sunny tropical sky dense with an oppressive humidity.

Once over the crowded city-state, they peeled off to the left and zoomed toward the South China Sea. Headed for an 80-mile by 60-mile patch of sky over international waters. Behind them, Singapore shook in their thunderous wake.

Piloting one fighter was 1st Lt. Jonothan Tyson. Adrenaline surged through his veins as he formed with his flight. Soon the Falcons would be mixing it up in a mock air battle.

"This is a different kind of flying -- not like the routine stuff we do back home," he said. "We're not just fighting each other here."

Tyson, of the New Mexico Air National Guard's 188th Fighter Squadron, couldn't wait. He went over the mission in his mind during the short flight to the training range. But he was ready for the Singaporean F-5 Tigers and Australian F/A-18 Hornets lying in wait.

When the aircraft closed in on each other -- at hundreds of miles per hour -- the dogfights began. linking, dodging, diving, climbing and turning, they fought their foes. Some pilots scored hits. Others received them. Some won; others lost.

Tyson loved the excitement of the aerial duels.

"There's no better way -- except combat -- to practice your air-to-air combat skills than flying against other aircraft," he said. "It's even better when they're from other countries. You learn how they maneuver and how to beat them."

All fought out, the fighters returned to base. Except for a few bruised prides and egos, they all landed safe and sound. Then the crews debriefed, going over the entire mission to point out lessons learned.

"You can't beat this kind of experience," Tyson said. "I'd volunteer to fly here every day."

The dogfights are nothing new. Airmen from the United States, Singapore and Australia have been dueling over the South China Sea more than 10 years. The dogfights are the focus of Commando Sling, a joint training exercise flown from Paya Lebar, but managed by the Air Force.

The exercise's goal -- and squadron's mission -- is to provide a U.S. presence in Southeast Asia and American and Singaporean airmen realistic dissimilar air-to-air combat training. Held three times a year, each "Sling" lasts three weeks. Once a year, Australia joins the intense training, making it a "Tri-Sling."

The 497th Combat Training squadron runs the Slings. In 1991, the Air Force reactivated the unit -- then the 497th Fighter Training Squadron -- to handle periodic training exercises on the island nation of Singapore. For several years, the squadron held six exercises a year.

Things have changed since then. Growing Air Force airlift needs around the globe cut the number of annual Slings to three.

A key mission

But the squadron's 37 members are a throwback to the Air Force's "doing more with less" days. Though the airmen fill mostly one-deep positions, they provide most functions of a small wing. And because its mission evolved, they do much more than the Slings.

"Perhaps our most important job today is providing a strong American presence in this vast region," said Col. Phillip Mixon, a former squadron commander. "And we're a stabilizing influence as well."

That's become vital since Clark Air Base, Philippines, closed in 1991. And appreciated by Singapore, he said.

As one of Asia's financial giants -- and lath largest buyer of U.S. goods -- Singapore wants regional stability, Mixon said. The tiny country of some 3.8 million people has security concerns.

For example, Indonesia -- just 18 miles away -- has 220 million people. More than 20 percent of them are unemployed. Besides economic woes, the country has big problems in East Timor.

Singapore wants the United States to assure events in other parts of the world won't cause it to forget security in the Far East.

But the 497th and long-standing U.S. Navy operations in Singapore are proof Asia is -- and will remain -- important, said Lt. Col. Billy Songer, the squadron director of operations.

"There are too many strong economies in this part of the world," he said. "The United States has to be concerned with what goes on here. If not, it would be making a big mistake."

At the local level, the 497th is doing its best to diffuse the concern. Besides, there are already strong ties between the two air forces. Singapore flies American-made F-16s, F-5s and A-4 Skyhawks. But because it's so small -- 246 square miles -- its lacks flying training space.

So Singapore maintains units in several countries, including two squadrons and refueling aircraft at two U.S. bases.

And the interaction between the two air forces benefits them both.

"We have adopted most of our doctrine from the U.S. Air Force," said Capt. Danny Koh, an F-5 pilot with Singapore's 144th Squadron. "There is much we have in common."

Further, the 497th runs Commando Sling from an operations center and maintenance hangar across the Paya Lebar flight line from Koh's squadron. He said having the Americans at the base has helped build a strong camaraderie between the airmen.