Wikipedia

Sembawang Air Base

(Redirected from HMS Simbang)

The Sembawang Air Base (ICAO: WSAG) is a military airbase of the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) located at Sembawang, in the northern part of Singapore. The base motto is Swift and Resolute.

Sembawang Air Base

Pangkalan Udara Sembawang
三巴旺空軍基地
செம்பவாங் வான்படைத் தளம்
Badge of the Sembawang Air Base
Summary
Airport typeMilitary airbase
OwnerGovernment of Singapore
OperatorRepublic of Singapore Air Force
LocationSembawang, Singapore
Elevation AMSL26 m / 86 ft
Coordinates01°25′31″N 103°48′46″E / 1.42528°N 103.81278°E / 1.42528; 103.81278
Map
Runways
Direction Length Surface
m ft
04/22 1,907 6,255 Asphalt
05/23 1,036 3,400 Asphalt

Before Singapore's independence from the United Kingdom, it was a Royal Air Force station known as RAF Sembawang as well as the Royal Navy airbase, known as Royal Naval Air Station Sembawang (or RNAS Sembawang), commissioned as HMS Simbang, to the carrier pilots of the Fleet Air Arm (attached to the Eastern Fleet based in Singapore). The pilots used it for rest and refit whenever an aircraft carrier of the Royal Navy berthed at the nearby HMNB Singapore for refuel and repairs, which also housed the largest Royal Navy dockyard east of Suez up to the time of UK forces' withdrawal from Singapore.

After the Japanese capture of Singapore during World War II, the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service took over the two RAF stations of Sembawang and Seletar. Singapore was split into north–south spheres of control, and the Imperial Japanese Army Air Force took over RAF Tengah. It was not until September 1945 that the two airfields reverted to British control following the Japanese surrender.

RAF Sembawang was a key part of Britain's continued military presence in the Far East (along with the three other RAF bases in Singapore: RAF Changi, RAF Seletar, RAF Tengah) during the critical period of the Malayan Emergency (1948–1960), the Brunei Revolt in 1962 and the Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation (1962–1966).

History

edit

Beginnings (1934-1940)

edit

In the years 1934 and 1935, a section of the Bukit Sembawang Rubber Estate located on Singapore Island was acquired by the Air Ministry for the purpose of establishing a grass airfield intended for the Royal Air Force. The necessary approval for this construction was granted in 1936, leading to the commencement of work by British Army engineers in the subsequent year. The airfield was originally designed to accommodate two RAF bomber squadrons, however, it was later reassigned to the Admiralty. Plans were then made to convert the site into an airbase and aircraft repair yard, aimed at supporting a proposed Eastern Fleet that would include up to four Royal Navy fleet carriers. By May 1940, the airfield was nearly operational and was once again transferred, this time to the Royal Australian Air Force.[1]

RAAF Station Sembawang (1940-1941)

edit
 
Brewster Buffalo Mk I for the re-equipment of Nos. 21 and 453 Squadrons RAAF, being inspected by RAF personnel at Sembawang airfield, Singapore

July and August of 1940, saw the Royal Australian Air Force's Nos. 1 and No. 8 Squadrons stationed here with twelve Lockheed Hudson light bomber aircraft each, but with No. 8 squadron departing in November. In early 1941, No. 21 Squadron RAAF relocated from RAF Seletar, Singapore, to re-equip with Brewster Buffalo fighter aircraft, briefly conducting operations from RAAF Station Sembawang before being sent to Malaya. Additionally, No. 453 Squadron RAAF, which also utilised Buffalo fighter aircraft, arrived in August 1941 and remained operational at this location until their deployment to Malaya in mid-December 1941.[1]

Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service (1942-1945)

edit
Main articles: Battle of Singapore and Japanese occupation of Singapore

On 8 December 1941, the Japanese military launched an invasion of Malaya. Subsequently, Singapore surrendered to the Japanese forces on 15 February 1942.[1]

HMS Nabrock (1945)

edit

HMS Nabrock was a Royal Navy (RN), Mobile Operational Naval Air Base (MONAB) at the naval air station at Sembawang. HMS Nabrock was also known as MONAB IX and Royal Naval Air Station Sembawang (or RNAS Sembawang).

The initial contingent of MONAB IX officially commissioned Royal Naval Air Station Sembawang as HMS Nabrock on 5 October 1945. To ensure the provision of essential equipment and infrastructure for the operation of the station, MONAB IX was designated to establish its presence and commence naval aviation and support facilities in the area.[2]

Upon the arrival of the advance party tasked with assuming control of the airfield and facilitating its preparation for reopening, they discovered the station was intricately interwoven with a network of tunnels and foxholes, exhibiting a significant degree of disarray. Approximately ninety Mitsubishi A6M "Zero" fighter aircraft were stationed at the airfield, accompanied by around seven-hundred Japanese personnel. The Japanese had been engaged in efforts to construct a runway, employing prisoners of war in the process. A number of steamrollers were found abandoned on what subsequently became known as the "Jap runway". Efforts to restore the station to operational status commenced without delay, utilising Japanese prisoners of war for tasks such as filling in foxholes and tunnels, in addition to the construction of a 1,400 yards (1,300 m) by 50 yards (46 m) pierced steel planking runway.[3]

Personnel and equipment for Mobile Naval Air Base IX had commenced assembly on 1 June 1945, at RNAS Middle Wallop (HMS Flycatcher), Hampshire, UK. This base was designated as the second Fighter Support Mobile Naval Air Base (MONAB) and its technical components were Mobile Maintenance (MM) No. 8, Mobile Servicing (MS) Nos. 15 & 16 and Mobile, Storage & Reserve (MSR) No. 10, all of which provided support for Vought Corsair Mk II & IV, Grumman Hellcat F Mk. II and Supermarine Seafire F Mk III, L Mk III & F Mk XV. MONAB IX was established as an independent command under the designation HMS Nabrock on 1 August 1945, with Captain J.S.C. Salter DSC, OBE, RN, assuming command.[2]

The personnel of MONAB IX reached Liverpool from HMS Flycather and boarded the troopship MV Dominion Monarch, which then set sail for Sydney, Australia, via the Suez Canal. Upon arrival, the MONAB personnel were transferred to HMS Golden Hind, where they awaited the assignment of an operational base. During this interim period, they were temporarily accommodated in tents at Warwick Farm Racecourse. It was determined that the unit would be deployed similarly to MONAB VIII, with plans to reopen the airfield at Sembawang on the Island of Singapore. Three advance parties travelled by aircraft, while the remaining members of the unit, constituting the main body, were to journey by sea, embarking on the Australian troopship MV Largs Bay.[2]

On 1 November, the primary contingent of personnel aboard the MV Largs Bay arrived in Singapore. They initiated the process of assembling crated United States manufactured aircraft, a significant number of which were Grumman Hellcat fighter aircraft. After assembly, these aircraft were transported by road to a nearby dockyard, where they were loaded onto aircraft carriers for disposal at sea. This procedure was in accordance with the stipulations of the Lend-Lease Act policy with the United States, which facilitated the provision of these aircraft. Following the conclusion of the war, the United Kingdom was obligated to either return any remaining equipment or compensate for it. However, the United States was not inclined to reclaim the aircraft due to an existing surplus, and the UK lacked the financial resources to make payment. Consequently, the destruction of the aircraft was deemed the most viable solution.[2]

On 15 December 1945, HMS Nabrock was decommissioned at RNAS Sembawang, coinciding with the re-commissioning of the naval air station as HMS Simbang. Although the Mobile Naval Air Base (MONAB) effectively came to an end, the personnel remained the same, and efforts to construct airframes for disposal persisted.[3]

Commanding officers

edit

List of commanding officers of HMS Nabrock with date of appointment:

Units based at HMS Nabrock

edit

List of units associated with MONAB IX, in support of disembarked fighter squadrons:

Function
  • Support for disembarked fighter squadrons, an air-sea rescue squadron and a Fleet Requirements Unit
Aviation support components
  • Mobile Maintenance (MM) No. 8
  • Mobile Servicing (MS) No. 15
  • Mobile Servicing (MS) No. 16
  • Mobile, Storage & Reserve (MSR) No. 10
Aircraft type supported
  • Vought Corsair Mk II & IV
  • Fairey Firefly I
  • Grumman Hellcat F. Mk. I & II
  • Supermarine Seafire F Mk III, L Mk III & F Mk XV

Units

edit

1941–42

1945–1971
Royal Air Force

Royal Navy

Sembawang Air Base

edit

The installation was renamed as Sembawang Air Base (SBAB) in 1971 upon its transfer to the Singapore Air Defence Command (SADC). Between 1971 and 1976, Sembawang served as a base for British, Australian, and New Zealand military forces, operating under the framework of the Five Power Defence Arrangements (FPDA).

In 1983, the airbase transitioned into a fully operational rotary-wing installation with the permanent relocation of the first resident helicopter squadron, 120 Squadron, from Changi Air Base.

In the late 1990s, the expansion of Sembawang Airbase involved the acquisition of sections of Lorong Gambas and Lorong Lada Merah for the purpose of redevelopment activities.

Organisation

edit

Currently, there are approximately 100 helicopters based in Sembawang Air Base, almost all are operating in support of the Singapore Army and the Republic of Singapore Navy. It is the home base to all the RSAF helicopter squadrons, consisting of Eurocopter AS332 Super Pumas, Boeing CH-47SD Chinooks, Sikorsky S-70B (derivative of Sikorsky SH-60 Seahawk) naval helicopters,[36] as well as the Eurocopter Fennecs and Bell UH-1Hs, which are currently stored in reserve. Recently added to the base are the Boeing AH-64D Longbow Apache attack helicopters.

The Flying squadrons are:

The Support Squadrons are:

  • Aircraft Operations Engineering Squadron – 806 SQN
  • Aircraft Specialist Engineering Squadron – 816 SQN
  • Airbase Sustainment Squadron – 706 SQN
  • Airbase Civil Engineering Squadron – 506 SQN
  • Force Protection Squadron – 606 SQN
  • Control Squadron – 206 SQN

Currently, the RSAF's Chong Pang Camp with its associated Air Defence assets, is also located within the compound of the air base as well as the famous local Sembawang Hot Spring Park.

edit

See also

edit

References

edit

Citations

edit
  1. ^ a b c "Sembawang". Royal Navy Research Archive - Fleet Air Arm Bases 1939 - present day. Retrieved 4 November 2024.
  2. ^ a b c d Hobbs 2007, p. 152.
  3. ^ a b "MONAB IX - HMS Nabrock". Royal Navy Research Archive - The MONAB Story - A history of the mobile airfields of the Royal Navy. Retrieved 4 November 2024.
  4. ^ a b Jefford 1988, p. 44.
  5. ^ Jefford 1988, p. 93.
  6. ^ Jefford 1988, p. 34.
  7. ^ Jefford 1988, p. 67.
  8. ^ Jefford 1988, p. 103.
  9. ^ Howard 2011, p. 11.
  10. ^ Howard 2011, p. 143.
  11. ^ Sturtivant & Ballance 1994, p. 115.
  12. ^ Sturtivant & Ballance 1994, p. 126.
  13. ^ Sturtivant & Ballance 1994, p. 135.
  14. ^ Sturtivant & Ballance 1994, p. 142.
  15. ^ Sturtivant & Ballance 1994, p. 150.
  16. ^ Sturtivant & Ballance 1994, p. 153.
  17. ^ Sturtivant & Ballance 1994, p. 166.
  18. ^ Sturtivant & Ballance 1994, p. 169.
  19. ^ Sturtivant & Ballance 1994, p. 176.
  20. ^ Sturtivant & Ballance 1994, p. 183.
  21. ^ Sturtivant & Ballance 1994, p. 187.
  22. ^ Sturtivant & Ballance 1994, p. 189.
  23. ^ Sturtivant & Ballance 1994, p. 201.
  24. ^ Sturtivant & Ballance 1994, p. 215.
  25. ^ Sturtivant & Ballance 1994, p. 220.
  26. ^ Sturtivant & Ballance 1994, p. 224.
  27. ^ Sturtivant & Ballance 1994, p. 230.
  28. ^ Sturtivant & Ballance 1994, p. 252.
  29. ^ Sturtivant & Ballance 1994, p. 260.
  30. ^ Sturtivant & Ballance 1994, p. 268.
  31. ^ Sturtivant & Ballance 1994, p. 273.
  32. ^ Sturtivant & Ballance 1994, p. 276.
  33. ^ Sturtivant & Ballance 1994, p. 280.
  34. ^ Sturtivant & Ballance 1994, p. 314.
  35. ^ Sturtivant & Ballance 1994, p. 336.
  36. ^ http://www.defencetalk.com/singapore-begins-operating-new-s-70-helicopters-24948/ 'Defence Talk : Singapore Begins Operating New S-70 Helicopters'
  37. ^ Gunner, Jerry (November 2011). "Chinook at 50 – World Wokka Operators – Republic of Singapore Air Force". Air Forces Monthly. Vol. 284. Key Publishing Ltd. p. 88. ISSN 0955-7091.

Bibliography

edit
  • Hobbs, David (2007). Moving Bases Royal Navy Maintenance Carriers and MONABs. Liskeard, Cornwall, UK: Maritime Books. ISBN 978-1-904459-30-9.
  • Howard, L; Burrow, M; Myall, E (2011). Fleet Air Arm helicopters since 1943. UK: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. ISBN 978-0-85130-304-8.
  • Jefford, C G (1988). RAF Squadrons. A comprehensive record of the movement and equipment of all RAF squadrons and their antecedents since 1912. Shrewsbury: Airlife. ISBN 1-85310-053-6.
  • Sturtivant, R; Ballance, T (1994). The Squadrons of The Fleet Air Arm. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. ISBN 0-85130-223-8.
edit
 
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Sembawang Air Base and RAF Sembawang.

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Sembawang_Air_Base&oldid=1255411524"