RSAF F-16s Return to RAAF Base Pearce
Article by Beau Ellis
Images by Tai M Photography
The Republic of Singapore Airforce (RSAF) once again completed another successful deployment bringing its F-16C/D Fighting Falcons to Western Australia, operating from RAAF Base Pearce near Perth between 25th of September and 10th of October 2025. The deployment formed part of Singapore's ongoing Extended Fighter Program, a long term training arrangement that allows RSAF pilots and ground crews to train in the wide open skies of Australia.
For Singapore, the partnership with Australia remains a vital part of its military training strategy. With its small geographical size and heavily used airspace, Singapore lacks the space to conduct large-scale or complex air combat exercises. Australia, by contrast offers a vast and largely unrestricted airspace, modern training infrastructure and a close defence relationship built on decades of cooperation, RAAF Base Pearce has hosted Singaporean training units since the 1990s, beginning with the Aermacchi S-211 and later the Pilatus PC-21 operated by RSAF’s 130 Squadron.
The 2025 deployment brought a full detachment of RSAF F-16s and support personnel operating out of Pearce for roughly two weeks. The detachment involved around 120 RSAF personnel, including pilots, engineers, and logistics specialists. During their stay, the F-16s conducted a range of flight operations, including day and night training sorties, air combat manoeuvres and formation flying, Many of these missions took place within military training areas off the coast of Western Australia, allowing for realistic combat simulations and higher tempo flying than what is possible in Singapore’s domestic environment.
During the deployment the RSAF’s F-16 detachment operated alongside the RAAF’s Hawk 127 lead in fighters and Pilatus PC-21 training aircraft, both permanently based at RAAF Base Pearce. This mix of aircraft created a dynamic training environment, allowing Singaporean and Australian pilots to share airspace and coordinate operations safely and efficiently. The presence of the Hawks provided valuable opportunities for joint airspace management and deconfliction exercises, while the PC-21s continued their advanced pilot training missions. This close coordination not only maintained base efficiency during the busy deployment period but also strengthened interoperability and mutual understanding between the Australian and Singaporean training systems.
With another F-16 rotation successfully completed, the partnership between the RSAF and RAAF continues to grow stronger. The ongoing collaboration at RAAF Base Pearce represents more than just a training exercise, It is a reflection of decades of mutual Trust, and respect between Singapore and Australia.
