We live in Punggol and often hear the sometimes deafening noise of fighter planes and transport aircraft taking off and landing at Paya Lebar air base.

It was annoying, especially when we first moved in.

Once, during a Republic of Singapore Air Force Open House, I raised the matter with an officer.

He took me to a stall which showed Singapore's air space constraints and how this impacted us. The officers also explained the measures being taken to reduce the noise levels.

With a better understanding of the situation, we accepted the fact that we didn't have much of a choice but to live with the noise.

As we enjoy life in a First World country, and are proud of its achievements and its position in global politics and economy, we should also be aware of our country's vulnerability to security threats, including global terrorism.

A country should not compromise its defence capabilities, for sure.

I will admit to still occasionally getting irritated by the noise, but it is good to be reminded by the loud roaring engines that our defence forces are operationally ready.

Ramamurthy Mahesh Kumar