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May 2017 women worked tirelessly over the past 50
years to establish the Republic of Singapore
The Littoral Mission Vessel (LMV) Air Force (RSAF) – undertaking the critical
represents the future of the RSN: A Sharper, missions of keeping Singapore’s skies safe
Smarter, and Stronger Navy. Locally and defending our home and interests.
designed and built to take on the evolving
threats in our maritime landscape, the LMV is Today, the RSAF is one of the most advanced
a versatile warship that can take on multiple and capable Airforce in the region; superior in
missions from coastal patrols to humanitarian the air, able to decisively influence the ground
and disaster relief operations. With three and maritime battles, and ready and capable
LMVs launched so far, the first LMV of taking on different types of operations from
Independence, which took on the name of our peace-to-war.
first PC, will be commissioned in May 2017.
A total of eight LMVs will replace our ageing First Generation RSAF (1968 - 1984):
PVs by 2020. Early Years of the RSAF
Facing the impending withdrawal of the
RAF, SADC was formed in 1968 to provide
air defence for the nation. SADC was
managed by a General Staff department in
MINDEF who was centrally managing the
Singapore Armed Forces (SAF)’s land, sea
and air elements. During the SADC years,
Littoral Mission Vessel (LMV) pioneering assets such as the Alouette III
helicopter, Oerlikon 35mm anti-aircraft gun,
RSAF BEGINNING Bloodhound missiles and Hawker Hunter jet
aircraft – RSAF’s first fighter aircraft – were
In 1968, when Britain announced her decision brought into service.
to pull out all her forces from the region by
March 1971, Singapore had to raise an air
force from scratch to quickly take over the
critical role of air defence for Singapore from
the Royal Air Force (RAF). There were no
local operational auxiliary or volunteer air
force elements functioning at that time as air Aerospatiale SA3168B Alouette III
force operations require highly specialized
manpower which was not readily available in
Singapore. The most urgent need then was to
create a nucleus of trained pilots, controllers,
technical personnel and weapon operators
who subsequently went on to build-up the
earlier Singapore Air Defence Command
(SADC). SIAI Marchetti S211

From our humble beginnings, generations of
committed and determined airmen and