Media Release

OPENING CEREMONY FOR SINGAPORE HELICOPTER
FACILITY IN OAKEY, QUEENSLAND

The Minister for Defence, John Moore, and Singapore's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence, Dr Tony Tan, jointly officiated at today's opening of the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) helicopter facility at Oakey in Queensland.

The opening marked the successful implementation of an agreement signed between Australia and Singapore in October 1996.

Under the agreement, the RSAF can deploy up to 12 Super Pumas along with 250 personnel and family members to the new facility at the Australian Army Aviation Centre (AAAC) at Oakey.

The RSAF detachment began arriving at Oakey last September and now has 12 Super Puma helicopters and about 160 RSAF personnel and family members at the south-east Queensland facility.

The facility was constructed at a cost of about $A20 million and maintenance of the RSAF helicopters is provided by Bristow Helicopter Australia (BHA).

Over the past year, the Singaporean detachment has established an excellent working relationship with the AAAC and the RSAF has acknowledged the support from the local community as well as the Australian Army.

Singapore and Australia enjoy a close and strong defence relationship. The two countries cooperate in many areas including bilateral and multilateral exercises, professional exchanges and Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) training in Australia.

The SAF train regularly at the Shoalwater Bay Training Area and RAAF Base Amberley in Queensland as well as Darwin. The RSAF also operates a Flying Training School at RAAF Base Pearce in Western Australia.

For further information:
Captain Michael Lyons 0419 674 990

Issued by the Defence Public Affairs Organisation, Department of Defence, Canberra, ACT, 2600

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