Ordering the Apache helicopters was easy. Learning to fly them in combat was the hard part. The RSAF sent its men to Arizona to master the art. GOH CHIN LIAN finds out how they're coming along
THE Republic of Singapore Air Force's (RSAF) Apache detachment in the United States has just passed a major milestone.
It has just been pronounced ready to operate eight of the world's most sophisticated and lethal combat helicopters.
The US Army certified the detachment as Apache-ready after it completed the five months of training that every US Apache unit must undergo to turn operational.
Called Peace Vanguard, the RSAF unit was formed only in October 2001. In the US, it is based at the Silver Bell Army Heliport in Marana, Arizona.
Its commander, Lieutenant-Colonel Augustine Teo, 43, told The Straits Times in a telephone interview from Fort Hood, Texas: 'It's been a steep learning curve for our pilots and technicians because the Apache is a new and sophisticated aircraft.'
He described most of his 25 pilots as very experienced. Some have more than 20 years of flying the UH-1H, Super Puma or Fennec helicopters.
The detachment's 79 technicians are also experienced crewmen who had previously worked on helicopters and fighter planes.
The Apache Longbow that his men have learnt to operate has many unique features:
Its cockpit is fully digital, and all the tools it uses for flying and fighting appear on computer screens, instead of clock faces found in more conventional helicopters.
This means that the pilot can do a lot more, but also that he must master more functions.
Instead of the two-man crew sitting side by side, the pilot actually sits behind the gunner. 'If you're driving and your wife sits beside you, she would know what gear you're using, at what speed you're driving, but not if she's sitting behind,' said Lt-Col Teo.
That means there's a lot of communication going on in the cockpit so that each man knows what the other is doing.
The helmet that each man wears enables him to direct the night vision sensors on the helicopter's nose simply by moving his head. The view is projected on a monocle over his right eye.
Lt-Col Teo said: 'Imagine that you are sitting in a car with all the windows blacked out. Then imagine driving the car by looking at a TV picture transmitted from a video camera on the front bumper.'
The commander said that their US Army counterparts and training facilities have been a tremendous help to them. During their advanced training in Fort Hood, Texas, simulation systems were used in the field to make training more realistic, such as battles pitting ground troops against the Apaches. A computer decided who 'killed' who.
The Americans also passed on their first-hand knowledge of operating an earlier version of the Apache in real combat.
While at Fort Hood, the Singaporeans drew on their US counterparts' operational experience, especially what they had learnt during the Iraq war last year.
Although the RSAF men completed their certification training in Fort Hood in November, the detachment will stay on to train in the US. It hopes to take part in exercises with other US Army Apache units.
The live-firing area in Fort Hood is as big as Singapore, and the area for their manoeuvres is several times bigger, said Lt-Col Teo.
All the RSAF personnel in Marana are committed to stints of about two years, so many have their families with them. 'The families have to be well taken care of, so that the servicemen do not have to worry and can put their heart and soul into their work,' said Lt-Col Teo.
The more than 100 RSAF personnel have a total of 141 family members there, including 66 children. The kids go to public schools there.
They live in apartments in the city of Tucson, which is 'as big as Singapore but has only four shopping centres', said Captain Andy Ang, the detachment's manpower officer.
They've all had to adapt to living in a desert climate, where temperatures can hit 44 deg C in summer and drop to zero in winter.
They also learnt to recognise - and avoid - desert creatures such as rattlesnakes, coyotes and venomous lizards called gila monsters. Snakes and scorpions are occasional surprise house guests, especially in the summer when the creatures come out of hibernation.
This Singaporean satellite colony has grown. The past two years have brought seven babies and 18 of the 75 wives there are pregnant.
One happy father is Capt Ang, whose first son was born in the US in January 2002. His wife is expecting their second son in March.
Some of the detachment, having completed their stint, returned to Singapore last month. More are due to go to the US for similar training. The RSAF now has eight Apaches and another 12 on order.
'We want to continue operating in Marana for at least a few more years, to build a broader base of experienced Apache pilots and technical crew,' said Lt-Col Teo. 'It's been a really challenging two years. We have achieved a lot, but there is still a lot to learn.'
-ST
