Almost vomiting in a Chinook: SAF holds largest edition of Exercise Wallaby in 7 years

SHOALWATER BAY, Queensland: As the CH-47 Chinook tilted sideways again, faint sounds of vomiting could be heard above the drone of helicopter rotors.

Air crew specialists from the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) immediately pulled out white sick bags and Fisherman’s Friend mints from their pockets.

These were, of course, not for themselves.

Journalists – or those with weaker stomachs – had been given the chance to ride a CH-47F on Saturday (Oct 7) over far different and larger terrain than in Singapore.

The wide expanse of airspace gives RSAF pilots a chance to practise tactical moves that they normally cannot back home, including the multiple rolls that caused two reporters to lose their lunches due to motion sickness.

Thankfully, and miraculously, this reporter kept hers over the two-hour-long journey.

Were there a few close shaves, however? Yes.

The Chinook counts among the hundreds of Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) assets taking part in Exercise Wallaby, the SAF’s largest unilateral overseas exercise, in Australia this year.

It is also the largest edition of Exercise Wallaby since 2016, featuring about 4,300 SAF personnel and about 450 assets – including fighter jets and armoured fighting vehicles – from the Singapore Army, RSAF, and the Republic of Singapore Navy.

Exercise Wallaby kicked off on Sep 7 and will run until Oct 15 at Shoalwater Bay Training Area in Queensland state.

The vast training space – about four times the size of Singapore – means the three SAF services can train together and achieve a “new level of operational capabilities”, said Colonel Fan Mun Poh, commander of the second phase of Exercise Wallaby.

“I’m very glad to report that at this point, we have accomplished a whole lot of new developments and new training objectives, allowing the SAF to progress in a very meaningful and strong way,” he added.

Several members of the media got a bird's eye view of vast stretches of Shoalwater Bay Training Area, spanning more than 400,000ha of land, from the CH-47.

Aside from the occasionally tumultuous moments, the ride was smooth sailing with everyone securely strapped to their seats and under the watchful eye of the air crew specialists. 

Reporters also got to witness a typical tactical formation comprising two Apache helicopters that keep the route clear for six Chinooks, followed by another two Apaches.

Eight Chinooks – which are used to lift troops of soldiers to travel from one place to another, among other functions – are among 17 RSAF aircraft taking part in Exercise Wallaby this year. The other aircraft include four F-16D+ fighter jets, four AH-64D Apache attack helicopters, and a C-130 transport aircraft.

The Apaches and jets will also feature in a large-scale live-firing exercise that is set to be held on Oct 11.

This includes the first motorised battalion live-firing to take place since 2012, as well as air-land integrated live-firing – the first time that the Army’s Belrex protected combat support vehicle will fire live mortar rounds in Shoalwater Bay Training Area.

Colonel Fan noted: “Live-firing is that type of training we aspire towards – allowing troops to train progressively from a non-live-firing position, honing their basics and integration, and slowly working up towards a live-firing scenario that involves live munition.

“It’s inherently a lot riskier but the training systems in place, the training support in place, ensure that this is done in a very deliberate, calibrated and safe manner.”

Brigadier-General Cai Dexian, exercise director for Exercise Wallaby 2023, called such integrated training and live-firing exercises "highly valuable" because different units from various services can "operate jointly at a high fidelity in a common space".

"This fully maximises the training value that Shoalwater Bay Training Area offers and is critical to the SAF in advancing its transformation as a modern and integrated fighting force," he added.

COMBINED ARMS BRIGADE EXERCISE

The first phase of Exercise Wallaby comprised training exercises involving 11 units from the Army’s armour, guards, army intelligence and transport units, along with RSAF’s aircraft, ground-based air defence assets and Air-Land Tactical Control Centre.

Meanwhile, the second phase, which began on Sep 26, involves SAF’s infantry, armour, engineer, combat service support and army intelligence units.

It also features RSAF’s aircraft and the Navy’s assets, including the RSS Resolution landing ship tank.

Aside from the integrated live-firing exercise, another significant component of the second phase was the motorised combined arms brigade exercise that took place from Oct 2 to Oct 6.

It involved about 1,300 SAF personnel, infantry carrier vehicles like Terrexes as well as helicopters.

Colonel Fan said: “It’s an integration between different units – land and air units – allowing the motorised infantry brigade to hone its competencies and reach a new level of operational readiness.”

Captain Mohamad Faisal Mohamad Aziz, divisional air defence exercise planner, said such integrated exercises are difficult to pull off in Singapore, with only the SAFTI Live Firing Area being available. Planning for the combined arms brigade exercise started as early as April.

He added that the vast airspace allows RSAF to pull off more complex missions as well. His job is to oversee the coordination of air-land missions and the operations of RSAF's ground-based air defence systems.

“RSAF is here to support the Army to make sure that we achieve the objectives," noted Captain Faisal.

“This is through a lot of missions to make sure we insert our troops, fly into the battlefield; replenishment missions to make sure our troops are always resupplied with the basic necessities on the ground so they can battle efficiently with better morale.”

Corporal Weslie Lim Jin Hui, a full-time national serviceman who was among the Army personnel who participated in the combined armed brigade exercise, spoke of his excitement about travelling to Australia for such a large-scale event.

The tank gunner from the 48th Battalion Singapore Armoured Regiment is tasked with targeting enemy vehicles from a Leopard 2SG main battle tank.

“(Going to Exercise Wallaby) a very unique experience in a sense, where not many people get to experience the integration of the motorised infantry and the armoured tanks,” he told reporters, adding that he only got to train among the tanks back home in Singapore.

“Because the land space here is much wider and there is a lot more manoeuvre space, it allows us (to perform) better manoeuvres and allows us to travel longer distances."