President Tony Tan Keng Yam visited the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF)'s 125 and 126 Squadrons -- which operate the Super Puma helicopters -- in Sembawang Air Base this afternoon. This was his first visit to the air base as President.

During his visit, President Tony Tan affirmed the need for a strong and capable SAF, with the ability to undertake a wide range of missions. He was briefed on the capabilities of the RSAF helicopters, boarded a Super Puma helicopter for a familiarisation ride over Singapore and witnessed a demonstration of the RSAF's Search and Rescue (SAR) capabilities.

President Tony Tan also interacted with RSAF personnel from 125 and 126 Squadrons and thanked them for their efforts in supporting SAR and counter-terrorism operations over the years. During the interaction, President Tony Tan met some members of the SAR Team involved in a recent activation in April 2016, who recounted how they successfully evacuated an injured civilian crew with a life-threatening injury on board a container ship about 260km off the coast of Singapore. 

Sharing his thoughts on the visit, President Tony Tan reiterated that a capable and operationally ready RSAF is ever more important in the present security climate. He said, "We face the threat of terrorist attacks on Singapore. So we have to be prepared. We have to build up our capabilities in order to meet these new challenges. I am glad that the SAF, including the RSAF which keeps our skies clear and safe for Singapore, continues to upgrade its capabilities." 

On the RSAF's numerous 24/7 Search and Rescue operations over the years, President Tony Tan said, "Our Search and Rescue operations have saved many lives for many years. I would like to thank the RSAF personnel for their hard work, sacrifice and dedication in keeping our country safe and in making sure that Singapore has a capable military capability. I would also like to thank the families for supporting them." 

President Tony Tan was hosted by the Chief of Air Force Major-General Mervyn Tan during the visit. He was accompanied by Senior Minister of State for Defence and Foreign Affairs Dr Mohamad Maliki Bin Osman, Chief of Defence Force Lieutenant-General Perry Lim, senior Ministry of Defence officials and SAF officers, as well as members of the Council of Presidential Advisers.