SAF Offers IFC in Support of SAL Efforts

The Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) has offered Malaysia the help of its Information Fusion Centre (IFC) which has a network of 13 military navies and 51 civilian shipping companies worldwide to locate the missing Malaysian Airlines flight MH370. The IFC has activated this network of ships to report any unusual sightings in designated search areas. More companies are expected to be contacted.

The IFC also has international Liaison Officers stationed here from 13 countries who can help coordinate actions from Australia, Brunei, France, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, New Zealand, Peru, Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam and the USA.

The Republic of Singapore Air Force Fokker- 50 Maritime Patrol Aircraft (F-50 MPA), which was deployed to Butterworth Air Base, Malaysia on 14 March 2014 has returned to Singapore this evening as Malaysian authorities have called off the Search-and-Locate (SAL) operations in the South China Sea and the Malacca Strait.

The SAF stands ready to provide further assistance to support the international SAL efforts.