9-8-2023 (SINGAPORE) The skies over Singapore were punctuated with urgency on Wednesday afternoon (Aug 9) as two F-16 jets from the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) were swiftly mobilised in response to an unexpected incursion by a civilian helicopter. Both the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) and the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) promptly addressed the situation.
Initial investigations unveiled that the helicopter in question bore the distinct markings of a civilian aircraft and was affiliated with a foreign company. Assurances were swiftly provided that national security remained uncompromised, leading to the subsequent stand-down of the F-16s.
The deployment of the fighter jets transpired at approximately 12:40pm local time, triggering a temporary disruption to operations at Changi Airport for a duration of roughly 40 minutes, spanning from 12:50pm to 1:28pm. This unexpected event resulted in minor delays for a total of nine incoming flights and eleven outbound flights.
Upon receiving inquiries from CNA, MINDEF and CAAS offered insights into the unfolding incident. The engagement stemmed from a social media post on the @alert5 account on X (formerly known as Twitter), which surfaced at 1:10pm. The post detailed that fighter jets had been activated in response to an airspace intrusion by a “Malaysian-registered helicopter” near Changi Airport.
The ever-watchful eye of the online flight tracking service Flightradar24 was instrumental in shedding light on the unfolding situation. The account holder behind @alert5 noted that the F-16 jets had been dispatched from Tengah Airbase. Furthermore, esteemed defence journalist Roy Choo contributed insights, revealing that the aircraft under scrutiny was a civilian AS350 or Squirrel helicopter, registered in Malaysia.
