1987/03 - First airborne early warning aircraft

1987

The RSAF acquired four E-2C Hawkeyes, enhancing air surveillance and early warning capabilities.

The four E-2C Hawkeyes acquired from the United States in the mid-1980s provided continuous air surveillance and early warning of air threats. Together with engineers from the Singapore defence industry, the aircraft’s computing software systems were upgraded and entirely rewritten to meet real-time performance needs. The aircraft were assigned to the newly inaugurated 111 Squadron at Tengah Air Base in April 1990 and provided over-the-horizon surveillance, which significantly improved the RSAF’s operational response to air threats.

A gray aircraft on tarmac with spinning props, number 015 on nose, radar dome.

The RSAF’s first two E-2C Hawkeyes arrived at Paya Lebar Air Base on 18 March 1987.

A gray aircraft with a rotating radar dome atop its fuselage.

Acquiring the E-2C Hawkeye enabled the RSAF to be the first Air Force in the region to have an Airborne Early Warning capability.

A gray aircraft with large radar dome on a wet tarmac, with people in the background.

The E-2C improved the RSAF’s operational response to air threats.