Singapore, US shelve plans to base RSAF F-15SG fighter jets in Guam

SINGAPORE: A plan to station a dozen Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) F-15SG fighter jets at Andersen Air Force Base in Guam has been shelved, Singapore's Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) said on Tuesday (Aug 12).

Following a review of the RSAF’s training needs, MINDEF and the US Department of Defense (DoD) “mutually agreed to discontinue discussions on an RSAF fighter training detachment in Guam”.

"The RSAF will continue with periodic short-term training and exercises in Guam, such as an upcoming fighter training detachment in October to November 2025," it added.

MINDEF said that it is working with the US on a new fighter training detachment at Ebbing Air National Guard Base in Fort Smith, Arkansas, which will host the RSAF’s future F-35 fighter training.

“Singapore and the US have excellent and long-standing bilateral defence cooperation,” said MINDEF.

“We thank the US DoD for their continued support of the RSAF’s training detachments in the US, which are integral to the RSAF’s honing of its operational capabilities.”

The plan to base RSAF F-15SG fighter jets and associated mission support in Guam was announced in 2023, building upon a memorandum of understanding signed in 2019 by MINDEF and the DoD.

The agreement laid out the framework for the Guam detachment, which would have allowed RSAF to quickly redeploy and recall assets back to Singapore when required.

It would have been the fourth RSAF detachment on US soil and the closest one to Singapore.

However, the US Department of the Air Force (DAF) said last month it would cancel the plan following environmental impact studies.

"The DAF will not implement or carry forward the bed down of up to 12 RSAF F-15 aircraft" at Andersen Air Force Base, read a record of decision document signed by Acting Assistant Secretary of the Air Force Michael Saunders on Jul 16.

The document, which assessed the environmental impact of constructing new infrastructure at the base, said the DAF has considered the potential consequences of the plan and the alternatives.

"The DAF also considered factors related to national defence, including mission support, infrastructure, weather, capacity, environmental criteria, cost, and military plans," it added.

The US DAF will also not go ahead with the construction of munition storage facilities.

"The DAF has adopted all practicable means to avoid or minimise environmental harm," the document read.

The Singapore Armed Forces has trained in Guam since the 1990s. The RSAF has previously deployed fighter aircraft to Andersen Air Force Base for training with the US Pacific Air Force.