1968/09 - Birth of the Singapore Air Defence Command (1968 - 1975 Mar) (SADC)

The setting up of an Air Staff Organisation in the Ministry of Interior and Defence marked the modest beginnings of Singapore’s own Air Force, just eight months after Britain’s decision to pull out its forces from the island. Starting with two Cessna 172Ks leased from the Singapore Flying Club, the SADC at Seletar Air Base had to fill the air defence role that Britain could no longer maintain.

The SADC was set up with the formation of the SAF Flying Platoon, whose members included British advisers.

When the Singapore Air Defence Command (1968 - 1975 Mar) (SADC) was formed in 1968, it inherited the roundel of Britain's Royal Air Force, which comprised an inner red circle surrounded by an outer ring of blue. However, to reflect that the country's air defence was now in its own hands, the outer ring was changed to a brilliant red: Singapore’s national colour.

The British handed over Tengah Air Base to the SADC in 1971 and, for 50 cents, left behind a 14-man Mark III decompression chamber.

An aerial view of Bukit Gombak Radar Station in the 1960s, which was was handed over to SADC by the RAF and renamed Air Defence Radar Unit. It was one of the most advanced air defence systems in Asia at that time.

“When I first opened the hangar doors in 1968, I was greeted by two Cessna aircraft. If either one of the aircraft was down, it meant Singapore had only one aircraft to defend its skies.”

1WO (Ret) Freddie Koh, Air Force Engineer, 2013 who joined the SADC at 19 years old as one of the pioneer technicians and went on to serve for over 30 years.

“I was given a little cubicle in Pearl’s Hill where I was to work out what sort of people I needed and how many, and how I could obtain them. I had an officer called Henry Cheong, who was there to assist me, and one clerk. That was all. So that was where we started.”

COL (Ret) Charles Chew, Senior Air Staff Officer, 2008 on working in the early years of the SADC

“In May 1968, I was setting up the Air Staff, building it up in phases. At the same time, I was involved in the flying grading and recruitment programme for pilots. I also faced the problem of finding suitable people who could be sent for other air vocational courses."

COL (Ret) Charles Chew, Senior Air Staff Officer, 2008 on working in the early years of the SADC

“An Air Force or Navy did not constitute a force if there were not the people with the expertise.”

Lee Kuan Yew, Prime Minister, 1968