NDP 2025: Fighter jets form diamonds in the sky in honour of Singapore’s diamond jubilee

SINGAPORE - Eyes turned skywards as fighter jets roared above the packed Padang, sending a ripple of excitement through the crowd.

Streaks of smoke and the gleam of fighter jets cut through the cloudy skies, as the Republic of Singapore Air Force unleashed its capabilities in an aerial display on Aug 9 at the 2025 National Day Parade.

At a couple of key moments, the jets shot through the sky in a diamond formation, in honour of Singapore’s 60th birthday.

Raising the ante, the RSAF staged a multi-axis fly-past for the first time, sending out six F-15SG jets to zoom in from two directions – half from Marina Bay, and the others from above the National Gallery – criss-crossing on three different axes.

Every moment in the airborne showcase of teamwork and technical skill symbolised each of the six decades of Singapore’s journey of resilience and unity.

The aerial spectacle kicked off with the iconic state flag fly-past – a CH-47 heavy-lift helicopter carried the Singapore state flag over the Padang, flanked by two AH-64D Apache attack helicopters, as the stirring notes of Majulah Singapura rang out.

Minutes later, six F-15SG fighter jets roared overhead in an arrow-shaped formation as they saluted the nation with a “bomb burst” manoeuvre – where the aircraft soar upwards before splitting off in different directions, mimicking the explosion of a bomb.

Following closely behind were four F-16 jets in a diamond formation.

Two specially choreographed aerial displays, done in honour of SG60, wowed the crowd.

The first aerial display saw six F-15SG jets flying in an arrowhead formation. Then, in unison, the two outermost jets peeled away to rocket in almost-vertical climbs that left trails of white smoke in the sky, as the remaining four jets held steady in a diamond formation.

The second special display featured four F-16 fighters performing a complex diamond cross turn manoeuvre. The jets flew alongside one another in a diamond formation before splitting off in different directions with perfect timing and precision.

The action overhead continued during the mobile column segment – the action on land seamlessly integrated for the first time with an aerial fly-past featuring 22 aircraft flying in four striking formations.

The crowd excitedly waved their flags, as six F-15SG jets thundered in from opposite directions and crossed paths overhead before climbing almost vertically, kicking off the integrated segment.

Land vehicles and aircraft took turns to command attention: An array of vehicles from the Singapore Armed Forces and Home Team rumbled on the ground, while an A330 Multi-Role Tanker Transport plane, four F-16 fighters, and one G550 airborne early warning aircraft flew above them.

Then came the choppers’ turn to thrill the audience. An S-70B Seahawk, two Apache attack helicopters, two H225M medium-lift helicopters and a CH-47 heavy lift helicopter made up the helicopter fly-past.

The aerial segment closed with a transport formation fly-past, featuring two C-130 Hercules aircraft – the same plane that carries the Red Lions parachutists during their iconic free-fall jumps.

Typically unseen as these aircraft fly high above the skies, the Hercules planes flew in low alongside two Fokker 50 transport aircraft, giving the audience a close-up view of these workhorses.

After the aerial extravaganza ended, generations of servicemen and servicewomen rode down St Andrew’s Road in various land vehicles, saluting the crowd, and marking the start of the evening show.