A very good afternoon to the Mayor of Mountain Home Mr Rich Sykes, Director of Operations at Headquarters Air Combat Command Major General Kevin Huyck, ladies and gentlemen from the United States and Singapore Air Forces, distinguished guests, friends.

We are gathered here today to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Republic of Singapore Air Force's (RSAF) Peace Carvin (PC) V detachment. Thank you for the warm welcome – complete with the Buccaneer's mascot and even cannon fire!  I am honoured to be here with you to share in this occasion. This celebration is a testament to the friendship and close partnership between the Singapore and US Armed Forces, and the excellent defence ties between our two countries that have stood the test of time.

Reaffirm Strong Relations with the US

The US is one of Singapore's strongest and closest defence partners, and bilateral defence relations have grown steadily in breadth and depth.

Together, we hold the belief that US presence in the Asia-Pacific is vital for continued peace and stability in the region. It was with this shared understanding that the 1990 Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) regarding United States use of facilities in Singapore was inked by Singapore's founding Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew and then-US Vice-President Mr Dan Quayle. This seminal MOU facilitated the US' access to Singapore's air and naval bases, and underpinned the US' regional presence for almost thirty years. The extension of the MOU for another 15 years, through the signing of a Protocol of Amendment by Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and US President Mr Donald Trump in New York just two weeks ago, underscores not only Singapore's continued support for US' presence in the Asia-Pacific but also the US' continued commitment to engaging the region. US Naval ships, such as Littoral Combat Ships and Aircraft Carriers, frequently call at Singapore – which is a critical node along the Malacca Straits – for logistics and maintenance support. US fighters regularly deploy to Singapore for Exercise Commando Sling, where they train alongside the RSAF fighters in the South China Sea.

Together, we hone our warfighting skills, in not just one, but three permanent RSAF training detachments in the US – namely, the PC V detachment; the PC II detachment, which flies the F-16C/Ds in the Luke Air Force Base; and the Peace Vanguard detachment, which flies the AH-64D Apache helicopters in Marana, Arizona. The PC V detachment is in fact the largest amongst the three RSAF permanent detachments in the US, with more than 300 Singaporeans living here. We also deploy fighter aircraft for training detachments at the Andersen Air Force Base in Guam.  Added to these are the numerous military exercises where we sharpen our operational competencies together, and this will include Exercise Red Flag in Nellis and Alaska.

The confluence of our countries' strategic interests and the mutual commitment to military-and-military interactions have enabled us to develop our defence ties to be strong and excellent. Today, we celebrate an exemplar of this relationship at the Peace Carvin V detachment.

Significance of Peace Carvin V Detachment

As we reflect upon a decade of PC V's achievements, I am heartened to note that our friendship with the Buccaneers of 428th Squadron goes further back. Between 1998 and 2005, the 428th Fighter Squadron was also host to our PC III detachment of F-16C/Ds in Clovis, New Mexico. After a short closure, the squadron was re-opened in 2009 and this time - PC V.

PC V was set up to rapidly operationalise the F-15SG fighter fleet. It has been the anchor of the RSAF's F-15SG program, where we validate our warfighting doctrines, and qualify a steady flow of F-15SG pilots, weapon systems officers, and instructors. MAJ Wang Kee Yong "Senbei" is one such example. He underwent the F-15SG Transition Course to be qualified on the F-15SG, and the Instructor Pilot Course thereafter; in 2016, he graduated from the inaugural F-15SG Fighter Weapons Instructor Course; and he is now the Assistant Director of Operations at PC V, responsible for training the next generation of F-15SG aircrew.

We could not have picked a better location than Mountain Home Air Force Base. Please allow me to elaborate. Yesterday, I was also on base and observed Exercise Forging Sabre which isan air-land integrated strike exercise between the Singapore Army and the RSAF. This exercise is not held for the first time. However, it is the first time that it is held at the Mountain Home Range Complex and just to give fellow Singaporeans who may not be familiar in terms of relative sizing, the range complex itself is more than 20 times the size of Singapore. I understand that PC V aircrew use the same airspace for day-to-day training. The great expense in terms of airspace, and numerous air-to-ground targets provide the ideal tactical environment for the RSAF airmen to employ a wide range of munitions and train realistically.

Appreciation to the US and our People at PC V

Let me now take this opportunity to thank the US government, the USAF, and our industry partners. The rapid build-up of the F-15SG and the success of the PC V detachment are only possible because of your steadfast support throughout these ten years. Air Combat Command, Mountain Home Air Force Base, 366th Fighter Wing and the 428th Fighter Squadron – thank you very much for being such a trusted partner and a gracious host.

To the local community in Mountain Home, thank you also for your warm welcome to a beautiful city. You have helped Singaporeans, hailing from halfway across the world, to find a home away from home amidst beautiful Idaho landscape.

I would also like to acknowledge the hard work of the RSAF and USAF pioneers of PC V – the instructors, engineers, support staff, and men and women of Mountain Home Air Force Base. I met Military Expert 2 Joan Teo yesterday and she has been here since the beginning of PC V. In fact, she was part of the contingent in the Inauguration Ceremony back in 2009, 10 years ago. During that ceremony, our Singapore's then-Defence Minister Teo Chee Hean entrusted all the PC V personnel to do their very best to acquire the skills and knowledge to operate the F-15SG; Joan has certainly achieved that – growing professionally to become the Shift In-Charge for the Engine Trade, a leader for the junior Air Force Engineers. I am confident that all of you here will continue your good work of contributing to the success of this vital bilateral defence relationship and to the detachment. To our servicemen's families, thank you also for your tremendous support and understanding, which is critical so that our personnel deployed here have the confidence and the peace of mind to do their jobs well.

I wish the PC V detachment a very happy 10th anniversary, and to many more decades of fruitful cooperation between Singapore and the US. Thank you.