Inside the RSAF repatriation missions that brought Singaporeans home amid the Middle East war

The flights were fraught with danger – GPS signals in the war zone were jammed, and there were concerns about missiles.

It was a sense of duty that kept the RSAF teams going as they brought home their fellow citizens from Saudi Arabia, crew members told CNA on Friday (Mar 27).

In total, both operations covered over 16,000 nautical miles. The missions stretched the RSAF, with the team working beyond 24 hours on each flight.

For Major Simeon Chen Jianwei, it was his first time flying in a conflict zone, and he was worried about missiles and projectiles. 

“We see on the news that countries have been launching projectiles and missile strikes at each other. 

“We were definitely worried about whether or not these would impact flight safety. Would it come into conflict with our flight routes?” said the pilot, who was also the mission commander for the repatriation operations. 

But the crew and other agencies, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), did a thorough analysis and were kept aware of the situation on the ground. 

“We flew commercially available flight routes, so we were very assured that the mission was safe,” said MAJ Chen, adding that the team answered the call of duty when it arose.

“The sense of fulfilment, the pride that we have bringing home Singaporeans that usually don’t see this side of the air force … we are ready to respond to Singaporeans in need overseas, I think that was very fulfilling. 

“It was a part of duty that we don’t get to exercise, or we don’t get to feel on a day-to-day basis,” said the 38-year-old, adding that they are usually focused on their training and primary role of air-to-air refuelling.