Countermeasure buckets.

[skyhawkdon]

Back in the late 80's early 90's Singapore seriously looked at basing a Squadron of its A-4's at Ohakea. I can remember a number of their officers coming to 2 Sqn's hangar and having a look around. I think it may have been just before we went to Nowra in Feb 91, so maybe they were looking at moving in when we moved out. Would have been a very lucritive thing for NZ to get into as Australia has found. But instead the hangar and flightline were required for the Airtrainers when Wigram closed so nothing ever came of it. Plus it would have been too cold and wet for them at Ohakea! Instead they ended up rotating their A-4 and F-5 Squadrons through warm and humid Darwin.

[Dave Homewood]

Interesting stuff Don. I never heard of such a proposal. i doubt it was the case that PTS and CFS moving preventing their decision if it was that early, as they did not decide to close Wigram till very late 1992 or early 1993, and the squadrons didn't move there till about July/August 1993. It's an interesting concept having foreign squadrons based here, one I think would still be beneficial if a deal could be swung.

[Calum]

The also had a Sqn at Amberly for a while. I beleive it was the prefered home but they were knocked back by the Australian Government for security reason. (The Sing's are pretty anal as those who have been there can atest). Instead they ended up in Cazaux in France

From Wikipedia

In 1998, the French government stepped in with an offer of facilities at Cazaux AB in the south of France. A 25-year lease for basing rights of 18 A4-SU aircraft and approximately 250 RSAF personnel and their families was signed later that year. Back in Singapore, 143 Sqn was disbanded in 1997, and its aircraft were handed over to 150 Sqn, which had given up its SIAI Marchetti SF.260 basic trainers. The new squadron then took up the role of advanced jet training, using its aircraft as a lead-in fighter trainer for RSAF pilots. This made it the prime candidate for moving to France, and the first of 18 aircraft were "packed" and sent to France by ship in mid-1999 as part of the RSAF’s Advanced Jet Training Program. They were retired in the year 2005 as well.

They also have Sqn of Super Pumas based in Oakey in Queensland. Most of the maintainers are Civys. My mate worked there for a few years until he got is LAME's