Spotting a distant projectile, RSAF pilots worked to ensure it was safe to continue repatriation flight

SINGAPORE – As the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) pilots navigated their way over the Middle East with a plane full of Singaporeans and their families, one of them spotted a distant projectile through the darkness.

The crew had to make a decision on whether their A330 multi-role tanker transport (MRTT) aircraft could carry on safely with the mission to bring home the 218 passengers or if they had to activate contingency plans to protect their lives.

Speaking to the media on March 27, about two weeks after the flight landed on March 11, Captain Gerald Goh Jun Yi, 31, said that when he first saw the projectile, he was shocked.

“But after discussing with another pilot what it was, we highlighted it to the mission commander. We assessed that the situation at that point of time was normal and it was safe to continue, and that was what we did.”

It was the first of two repatriation flights that the MRTT was activated for, bringing home Singaporeans from Saudi Arabia amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

The decision to press on was made quickly, said Major Simeon Chen Jianwei, 38, the mission commander who was on board the plane.

If there had been any doubt that the flight was safe to continue, necessary action would have been taken to ensure passengers’ safety, he added, though he did not disclose further details on contingency plans.

Among the defence capabilities of the RSAF’s MRTT is a self-protection suite that defends against infrared-seeking missiles by detecting and responding to them.

With a second repatriation flight planned for March 13, there was a thorough debrief after the MRTT landed at Changi Airport on March 11, to determine if it was safe to go ahead with it.

“Only when all the crew were convinced that it was a one-off thing, that the projectile was not targeted at us, that it was probably quite far away and that it didn’t affect flight safety, did we press on with the second mission,” said MAJ Chen, who is also a pilot.

Dealing with the encounter was among the challenges the RSAF personnel had to navigate during the two flights to ensure the safe return of Singaporeans stranded in the Middle East.

A Feb 28 US-Israel attack on Iran had resulted in airspace closures in the region.

Following two commercial repatriation flights from Oman on March 7 and 8 that were operated by Singapore Airlines, the RSAF was tasked to support the third and fourth repatriation flights with one of its six MRTT aircraft, due to a lack of viable commercial options for the Saudi Arabia route.

While a key function of the MRTT is to provide mid-air refuelling for other aircraft, the MRTT can also transport passengers, including SAF personnel and cargo, and conduct medical evacuation missions.

Another challenge during the two repatriation flights was widespread jamming of Global Positioning System (GPS) capabilities, the primary means of navigation for crew.

Said MAJ Chen: “Without the GPS, we still can fly. We have to rely on backup navigation sources, and that’s actually what the crew did.

“We could also hear many, many commercial aircraft, all being affected... and all had to rely on air traffic control telling them where to go, or using alternative backup navigation (tools).”

Apart from dealing with external threats, the crew also had to prepare for potential medical emergencies on the flight.

Captain (Dr) Chia Hui Yi, 26, an aviation medical officer, said she assisted two passengers who had complained of mild symptoms.

This included providing medication to an elderly woman in a wheelchair who experienced mild gastric discomfort from her long ground travel to the Riyadh airport.

There were no severe medical situations during the two flights.

Also among those looking after the welfare of the passengers was air crew specialist Chin Yew Wen, 51.

While First Warrant Officer Chin’s main role in the RSAF is that of an air-fuelling operator, he is also trained to be part of the cabin crew, with tasks such as manning the emergency doors during take-off and landing and looking after passengers.

He had played a similar role when an MRTT was sent to Qatar in August 2021 to help with the US evacuation of Afghans.

During the recent flights, he helped out, for example, by offering hot water to the parents of an infant, who had been using room temperature water to mix baby formula.

“I just wanted to ensure that they felt comfortable in the MRTT after what they had gone through in the Middle East,” he said.

Overall, the passengers were very cooperative, said a fellow air crew specialist, First Sergeant Pang Jingwen, 26.

He said he received a box of chocolates from a Singaporean passenger after showing her to her seat.

She asked that the chocolates be handed out to the crew as a gesture of thanks.

“Action like this really makes the whole mission worthwhile. And then just seeing them back home with family and friends, I think it really makes it fulfilling for the whole team,” he said.

Part of ensuring a comfortable passenger experience was the “welcome home” message crafted and delivered by the pilots as the flights landed safely in Singapore.

Speaking on behalf of the RSAF on the second flight returning to Singapore, CPT Goh told passengers that it had been an “honour to bring you back to your family and familiar surroundings”, and added the crew’s appreciation for their patience and cooperation throughout the flight.

He told the media: “Knowing that the passengers were evacuating from a conflict zone, we thought they might be anxious or stressed.

“So we rehearsed the message to make sure it was calm, well-paced and (provided) a sense of reassurance.”