A recent decision has been made to abandon the plan to station up to 12 Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) F-15SG fighter jets at Andersen Air Force Base in Guam. The announcement was confirmed by Singapore’s Ministry of Defence, highlighting a mutual agreement between Singapore and the United States. The US cited concerns regarding the environmental impact of the proposed plan, while Singapore indicated that a review of the RSAF’s training requirements led to the discontinuation of the initiative.
Originally, the plan aimed to establish an RSAF F-15 training detachment in Guam by 2029, as part of a proposal made in December 2023. This initiative was built upon a memorandum of understanding signed in 2019 between Singapore’s defense ministry and the US Department of Defense.
Despite the cancellation of the long-term plan, Singapore’s defense ministry stated that it will continue with short-term training exercises in Guam. One such exercise is slated to take place from October to November.
In July, the US Department of the Air Force released a comprehensive record of decision regarding the environmental impact of the proposed F-15 beddown and necessary infrastructure upgrades at Andersen Air Force Base. While the beddown plan for the RSAF F-15s has been shelved, the Air Force confirmed that construction will proceed for new infrastructure on the northwest side of the existing runway. This development will include approximately 20 acres of new airfield pavements, fuel lines, and roadways, designed for aircraft parking, storage, maintenance, refueling, and loading operations.
Given its limited local airspace and land, Singapore frequently deploys its military aircraft for training abroad. Currently, the RSAF operates F-16 fighter detachments at Luke Air Force Base in Arizona and F-15s at Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho, along with AH-64 attack helicopters stationed at Silverbell Army Heliport in Arizona. Had the Guam plan been realized, it would have marked the fourth RSAF detachment in the United States, and notably, the closest to Southeast Asia.
In addition to its engagements in the US, Singapore is collaborating with American authorities to establish a future training unit for the RSAF’s F-35 fighter jets at Ebbing Air National Guard Base in Fort Smith, Arkansas. This base is equipped with facilities specifically intended for the training of F-35 Lightning II pilots under foreign military sales programs. Singapore also maintains training detachments in Australia and France, further illustrating its commitment to international military training partnerships.
