Specially painted blue F-15 fighter jet to feature in NDP 2018 aerial flypast
An F-15SG aircraft flies during a preview of the aerial display at the NDP 2018 media preview event showcasing the parade and ceremony segments, on June 5, 2018.
SINGAPORE — Spectators at this year's National Day Parade (NDP) can expect to see an additional aerial display performed by a blue fighter jet, which is specially painted to commemorate the Republic of Singapore Air Force's 50th anniversary.
The F-15SG aircraft will circle the Marina Bay area, as well as make a high-G turn – a sharp upward turn commonly used to evade incoming missiles or enemy aircraft.
These maneuvers were showcased during a media event for the NDP's aerial flypast on Tuesday (June 5). The flypast will involve 21 aircraft in total.
There will also be the traditional State Flag flypast, which will feature a Chinook helicopter and two escorting Apache Longbow helicopters, and a salute to the nation segment, which will see five fighter jets taking to the skies in a bomb burst formation.
The NDP executive committee said it will release more details on the aerial flypast in due course, including on the Red Lions parachutists and naval combat divers who will be performing in the pre-show segment this year.
On Tuesday, the NDP committee also noted that the parade and ceremony segment this year is set to be one of the largest to be conducted at The Float @ Marina Bay, involving more than 2,600 participants, as Singapore celebrates its 53rd birthday.
It will feature the largest Military Tattoo contingent to be seen at the floating platform, comprising more than 560 participants. This is up from around 170 last year, as more student groups are included for the first time.
Chairman of the Parade and Ceremony committee, Senior Lieutenant Colonel Kenneth Chiong Beng Han, said the Military Tattoo music and display performance is "one of the key highlights" of this year's parade.
Part of the Military Tattoo contingent is a 220-strong combined school choir, which will be returning after five years, he said.
For the first time, the Military Tattoo performance will involve the school display band and the National Cadet Corps (NCC) precision drills squad.
The school display band will be made up of 61 students from Yuhua Secondary School, while the NCC precision drills squad will comprise 18 students from Anglican High, Christ Church, Deyi and Woodlands Ring secondary schools.
The squad will be putting up a coordinated rifle drill performance alongside the Military Police Command Silent Precision Drill Squad.
Eighteen students from special education schools will also be part of the Military Tattoo performance as part of efforts to make the show more inclusive.
Singaporeans can also look forward to the traditional celebratory elements such as the 21-gun presidential gun salute and the Feu De Joie, a formal celebratory gunfire, the NDP committee said.
