Singapore hosts third rotational US Navy P-8A deployment

The U.S. 7th Fleet will rotationally deploy two P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft to Singapore from July 15 through August 12 in support of shared maritime security initiatives, the U.S. Navy said.

The aircraft are assigned to Patrol Squadron (VP) 5 that is forward deployed to Japan and participating in maritime security cooperation exercises across the Indo-Asia-Pacific region.

According to the Navy, this is the third rotational P-8 detachment to Singapore after making an inaugural visit in December 2015 and an appearance at the Singapore Air Show in February.

“This rotational detachment reflects the maturity of our partnership with the Republic of Singapore Armed Forces and our shared commitment to maritime security and stability,” said Commodore Richard W. Prest, Commander, Task Force 72. “We look forward to working alongside our Singaporean counterparts to further strengthen interoperability while enhancing our readiness to respond to contingencies.”

The P8A Poseidon aircraft will operate from Paya Lebar Air Base during their deployment, providing an opportunity for U.S. and Singaporean personnel to operate together and share expertise and best practices. The aircraft will also participate in the Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) bilateral exercise with the Republic of Singapore Armed Forces.

The U.S. and Singapore have a strong Navy-to-Navy partnership that includes regular personnel exchanges and longstanding participation in bilateral and multilateral exercises such as CARAT, SEACAT and RIMPAC.