This latest census excludes search and rescue assets staging from Vietnam. The census counts embarked helicopters as part of the SAR team.
Please email me if you have details of Vietnam's contribution or named ships from the countries mentioned below.
projectrocky@gmail.com
Aircraft:
32 aircraft fixed and rotary-wing
Malaysia
11 x TUDM
1 x TLDM
5 x APMM (Agensi Penguatkuasaan Maritim Malaysia, Malaysian Maritime
Enforcement Agency)
1 x PDRM (Polis DiRaja Malaysia, Royal Malaysian
Police)
2 x Royal Australian Air Force AP-3C Orion
1 x Royal New Zealand Air Force P-3K Orion
2 x Republic of Singapore Air Force C-130 Hercules
1 x RSAF S-70B Seahawk (aboard RSS Steadfast)
1 x Royal Thai Navy MPA
1 x Royal Thai Navy Super
Lynx
1 x Tentera Nasional
Indonesia MPA
1 x United States Navy (USN) P-3C Orion
4 x USN Seahawks (aboard USS Pickney, USS Kidd)
Ships: 48 ships in-theatre or en route
Malaysia
16 x TLDM
13
x APMM
19 foreign vessels comprising:
8 x People's
Republic of China, 1 Coast Guard, 3 SAR vessels, Jingganshan, Mianyang, Haikou (expected in Gulf of Thailand Tues morning), Kunlunshan (en route with 2 x helos),
3 x Republic of Singapore Navy - RSS Steadfast, RSS Vigour, MV Swift Rescue
1 x Royal Thai Navy
5 x Tentera
Nasional Indonesia; 2 x BARSANAS SAR ships to deploy
2 x United States Navy - USS Pickney, USS Kidd (as of 10 Mar'14)
Monday, March 10, 2014
Investigation into MAS Flight MH370 should mobilise media and netizens to launch worldwide appeal for info
After the Little India Riot in Singapore last December, Singapore authorities could have done more to tap crowd-sourced intelligence to help piece together what happened that fateful night, just like how the Boston police mobilised all Bostonians as crime fighters after last April's Boston Marathon Bombing.
That faith in the public furnished United States investigators with invaluable leads - and we all know how that story ended.
We learnt an important lesson in information management from these incidents and would like to share this perspective with our friends in Malaysia as they reconstruct the last moments of Malaysia Airlines (MAS) Flight MH370.
Whatever the intentions of the two (or more?) individuals who boarded MH370 with improper immigration documents, it would not be a breach of operational security (opsec) if images of the individuals concerned are shared with the public via the media.
* If the individuals had accomplices, their co-conspirators would doubtless be forewarned that Malaysian authorities have uncovered their modus operandi for boarding the MAS airliner (note: this does not mean we know how the airliner went missing). This means that publicising their faces would not compromise opsec in any way as any co-authors to the deed already know who the two individuals are.
* If there is nothing more sinister than an immigration offence, then widespread publicity would not hurt anyone - not least because the two individuals along with 237 other people on MH370 are still missing.
Photo bomb
What do people do at airports when sending off their loved ones? Many take pictures. Some shoot video. Inevitably, other people are captured in the background. Look at what happened during the Boston Marathon.
Malaysian authorities should seriously consider telling the public which check-in counters at KLIA were used for MH370 and the counters for neighbouring flights flanking the MH370 counters. Don't just give counter numbers. These are meaningless to people who visit airports only occasionally. Sketch it out on a floor plan which the media or netizens can circulate. An immediate, nation-wide appeal for information should then be broadcast. This would urge people who were at KLIA on Friday evening to scour their picture libraries and submit their images/video footage to PDRM.
It is true that travellers who took the flights that originated from KLIA late Friday night or early Saturday morning would have been scattered all over the planet. These travellers are out of reach of Bernama. But they are well within reach of the Internet and the appeal for help can go worldwide, round-the-clock, instantaneously. When word gets out, your search turns into a global face hunt.
What could result from all this? Possibly masses of meaningless selfies, family pictures, inane videos of happy travellers who enjoyed their stay in Malaysia.
Quite possibly, you may get nothing.
But if there is even a smidgen of chance that the two immigration offence suspects could have photo bombed someone's pictures unintentionally, then that image would be worth something to investigators.
Along the way, the publicity may trigger memories from teksi drivers, hoteliers, retail staff, bus drivers.... you get the picture. These collective memories - meaningless as standalone snapshots of what certain individuals did at some point in time - could help investigators retrace how they got to KLIA and what they did in Malaysia.
A respected force
As a police force, PDRM has an awesome reputation that is resoundingly endorsed by its record of successful cases solved. Its best investigators doubtless know what needs to be done to find out what happened to MAS Flight MH370.
But as Singapore has learnt, help from the Rakyat and the media can provide telltale signs of what happened. These are small pieces to the puzzle that help you join the dots.
One other key lesson we learnt is that crowd-sourced intel has a shelf life because people's memories turn fuzzy over time. There is also a real risk that people may delete images that are not nice enough because other people are in the frame or because it wasn't composed well enough. Such shots could prove invaluable, indeed priceless.
This is why any appeal for help from the Rakyat or media should be initiated as soon as possible after investigators are sure they have nailed down the faces of the individuals who spirited themselves onboard using improper immigration documents.
Low cost, potentially high returns. Isn't this worth a try?
That faith in the public furnished United States investigators with invaluable leads - and we all know how that story ended.
We learnt an important lesson in information management from these incidents and would like to share this perspective with our friends in Malaysia as they reconstruct the last moments of Malaysia Airlines (MAS) Flight MH370.
Whatever the intentions of the two (or more?) individuals who boarded MH370 with improper immigration documents, it would not be a breach of operational security (opsec) if images of the individuals concerned are shared with the public via the media.
* If the individuals had accomplices, their co-conspirators would doubtless be forewarned that Malaysian authorities have uncovered their modus operandi for boarding the MAS airliner (note: this does not mean we know how the airliner went missing). This means that publicising their faces would not compromise opsec in any way as any co-authors to the deed already know who the two individuals are.
* If there is nothing more sinister than an immigration offence, then widespread publicity would not hurt anyone - not least because the two individuals along with 237 other people on MH370 are still missing.
Photo bomb
What do people do at airports when sending off their loved ones? Many take pictures. Some shoot video. Inevitably, other people are captured in the background. Look at what happened during the Boston Marathon.
Malaysian authorities should seriously consider telling the public which check-in counters at KLIA were used for MH370 and the counters for neighbouring flights flanking the MH370 counters. Don't just give counter numbers. These are meaningless to people who visit airports only occasionally. Sketch it out on a floor plan which the media or netizens can circulate. An immediate, nation-wide appeal for information should then be broadcast. This would urge people who were at KLIA on Friday evening to scour their picture libraries and submit their images/video footage to PDRM.
It is true that travellers who took the flights that originated from KLIA late Friday night or early Saturday morning would have been scattered all over the planet. These travellers are out of reach of Bernama. But they are well within reach of the Internet and the appeal for help can go worldwide, round-the-clock, instantaneously. When word gets out, your search turns into a global face hunt.
What could result from all this? Possibly masses of meaningless selfies, family pictures, inane videos of happy travellers who enjoyed their stay in Malaysia.
Quite possibly, you may get nothing.
But if there is even a smidgen of chance that the two immigration offence suspects could have photo bombed someone's pictures unintentionally, then that image would be worth something to investigators.
Along the way, the publicity may trigger memories from teksi drivers, hoteliers, retail staff, bus drivers.... you get the picture. These collective memories - meaningless as standalone snapshots of what certain individuals did at some point in time - could help investigators retrace how they got to KLIA and what they did in Malaysia.
A respected force
As a police force, PDRM has an awesome reputation that is resoundingly endorsed by its record of successful cases solved. Its best investigators doubtless know what needs to be done to find out what happened to MAS Flight MH370.
But as Singapore has learnt, help from the Rakyat and the media can provide telltale signs of what happened. These are small pieces to the puzzle that help you join the dots.
One other key lesson we learnt is that crowd-sourced intel has a shelf life because people's memories turn fuzzy over time. There is also a real risk that people may delete images that are not nice enough because other people are in the frame or because it wasn't composed well enough. Such shots could prove invaluable, indeed priceless.
This is why any appeal for help from the Rakyat or media should be initiated as soon as possible after investigators are sure they have nailed down the faces of the individuals who spirited themselves onboard using improper immigration documents.
Low cost, potentially high returns. Isn't this worth a try?
Sunday, March 9, 2014
Search for Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370: Summary of Singapore Armed Forces assets joining forces with ATM
20:15 hrs update
Panglima Angkatan Tentera (ATM), Jeneral Tan Sri Zulkifeli Mohd Zin, updated the media on assets deployed for the search for MAS Flight MH370.
Aircraft: 26 aircraft fixed and rotary-wing
11 TUDM
1 TLDM
5 APMM (Agensi Penguatkuasaan Maritim Malaysia, Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency)
1 PDRM (Polis Di-Raja Malaysia, Royal Malaysian Police)
1 United States
2 x Royal Australian Air Force (1st due midnight tonight, 2nd on Monday morning)
1 Royal Thai Air Force MPA
1 x RTAF Super Lynx
2 x Republic of Singapore Air Force (see below)
1 x Tentera Nasional Indonesia MPA
Ships: 40 ships
14 TLDM
13 APMM
13 foreign vessels comprising:
1 United States Navy
3 People's Republic of China
3 Republic of Singapore Navy (see below)
5 Tentera Nasional Indonesia
1 Royal Thai Navy
13:15 hrs update
Summary of Malaysian and international assets involved in the search for MH370. Information from Panglima ATM "live" press conference. PATM noted the assets listed below exclude those from Vietnam.
Aircraft: 22 aircraft fixed and rotary-wing
11 TUDM
1 TLDM
5 APMM (Agensi Penguatkuasaan Maritim Malaysia, Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency)
1 PDRM (Polis Di-Raja Malaysia, Royal Malaysian Police)
1 United States
1 Royal Thai Air Force
2 x Republic of Singapore Air Force (see below)
Ships: 40 ships
14 TLDM
13 APMM
13 foreign vessels comprising:
1 United States Navy
3 People's Republic of China
3 Republic of Singapore Navy (see below)
5 Tentera Nasional Indonesia
1 Royal Thai Navy
Possibility of aircraft turn back. ATM forces searching in Malacca Strait and landward side of Peninsular Malaysia.
ATM+SAF
Summary of Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) assets deployed for largest joint operation with the Angkatan Tentera Malaysia (ATM, Malaysian Armed Forces):
Republic of Singapore Air Force
1 x S-70B Seahawk, naval helicopter aboard Steadfast
2 x C-130 Hercules
Republic of Singapore Navy
1 x RSS Steadfast, stealth frigate
1 x RSS Vigour, missile corvette. Includes Scan Eagle UAV
1 x Swift Rescue, submarine rescue vessel, includes deep-diving submersible
Naval Diving Unit aboard Swift Rescue
This morning, as Singaporeans woke to a bright and sunny Sunday, two Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) warships raced northeast at best possible speed.
The Navy men and women who serve aboard the stealth frigate RSS Steadfast and the missile corvette RSS Vigour had spent much of Saturday preparing their warships for fast and urgent duty after a Malaysia Airlines (MAS) Boeing 777-200 with 239 POB disappeared without a trace off Vietnam.
The RSN activated its standby forces while Singapore slept. Duty personnel were mustered before dawn and off they went.
Even as the warships were prepared for operations, the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) raised its C-130 Hercules search teams from one aircraft to two, thereby helping Malaysia cover more sea space, more quickly by expanding the search grids.
The speed at which the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) has responded is commendable. The cooperation between ATM and SAF is unprecedented.
From mere spectators, SAF personnel will soon be in the thick of the action some 700km northeast of Singapore as search and rescue teams get closer to pinpointing what happened to MAS Flight MH370.
What we do not see are Singapore Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) and Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) staffers working quietly behind the scenes with their Malaysian counterparts and the Malaysian High Commission in Singapore to put together what is shaping up to be Singapore's biggest contribution to a Malaysia-led operation.
Hardware aside, MINDEF/SAF is keenly aware deployed forces will need psychological support should search and locate evolve into the grim search and recovery phase. Such specialised skill sets are being assembled as you read this.
Embarked aboard Steadfast is a S-70B Seahawk naval helicopter from the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) 123 Squadron. Her date with her mothership was made possible by Air Force engineers and groundcrew from Sembawang Air Base who are responsible for keeping these birds mission-ready. Those mission orders have been received and acknowledged and the bird has flown the coop.
Mothership and NH are fresh from the Eksesais Malapura naval manoeuvres with the Tentera Laut Diraja Malaysia (TLDM, Royal Malaysian Navy), during which a TLDM Super Lynx cross decked aboard Steadfast. The interoperability showcased during Eks Malapura will now be put to the test for real as search operations unfold in the South China Sea.
Empty berths in Tuas Naval Base, where Vigour is based, and Changi Naval Base, where Steadfast and the submarine rescue vessel, Swift Rescue, are usually found, now stand empty.
All are presently underway, trailing wakes of white water as they race northeast to join forces with TLDM units.
We wish them well.
Panglima Angkatan Tentera (ATM), Jeneral Tan Sri Zulkifeli Mohd Zin, updated the media on assets deployed for the search for MAS Flight MH370.
Aircraft: 26 aircraft fixed and rotary-wing
11 TUDM
1 TLDM
5 APMM (Agensi Penguatkuasaan Maritim Malaysia, Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency)
1 PDRM (Polis Di-Raja Malaysia, Royal Malaysian Police)
1 United States
2 x Royal Australian Air Force (1st due midnight tonight, 2nd on Monday morning)
1 Royal Thai Air Force MPA
1 x RTAF Super Lynx
2 x Republic of Singapore Air Force (see below)
1 x Tentera Nasional Indonesia MPA
Ships: 40 ships
14 TLDM
13 APMM
13 foreign vessels comprising:
1 United States Navy
3 People's Republic of China
3 Republic of Singapore Navy (see below)
5 Tentera Nasional Indonesia
1 Royal Thai Navy
13:15 hrs update
Summary of Malaysian and international assets involved in the search for MH370. Information from Panglima ATM "live" press conference. PATM noted the assets listed below exclude those from Vietnam.
Aircraft: 22 aircraft fixed and rotary-wing
11 TUDM
1 TLDM
5 APMM (Agensi Penguatkuasaan Maritim Malaysia, Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency)
1 PDRM (Polis Di-Raja Malaysia, Royal Malaysian Police)
1 United States
1 Royal Thai Air Force
2 x Republic of Singapore Air Force (see below)
Ships: 40 ships
14 TLDM
13 APMM
13 foreign vessels comprising:
1 United States Navy
3 People's Republic of China
3 Republic of Singapore Navy (see below)
5 Tentera Nasional Indonesia
1 Royal Thai Navy
Possibility of aircraft turn back. ATM forces searching in Malacca Strait and landward side of Peninsular Malaysia.
ATM+SAF
Summary of Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) assets deployed for largest joint operation with the Angkatan Tentera Malaysia (ATM, Malaysian Armed Forces):
Republic of Singapore Air Force
1 x S-70B Seahawk, naval helicopter aboard Steadfast
2 x C-130 Hercules
Republic of Singapore Navy
1 x RSS Steadfast, stealth frigate
1 x RSS Vigour, missile corvette. Includes Scan Eagle UAV
1 x Swift Rescue, submarine rescue vessel, includes deep-diving submersible
Naval Diving Unit aboard Swift Rescue
This morning, as Singaporeans woke to a bright and sunny Sunday, two Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) warships raced northeast at best possible speed.
The Navy men and women who serve aboard the stealth frigate RSS Steadfast and the missile corvette RSS Vigour had spent much of Saturday preparing their warships for fast and urgent duty after a Malaysia Airlines (MAS) Boeing 777-200 with 239 POB disappeared without a trace off Vietnam.
The RSN activated its standby forces while Singapore slept. Duty personnel were mustered before dawn and off they went.
Even as the warships were prepared for operations, the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) raised its C-130 Hercules search teams from one aircraft to two, thereby helping Malaysia cover more sea space, more quickly by expanding the search grids.
The speed at which the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) has responded is commendable. The cooperation between ATM and SAF is unprecedented.
From mere spectators, SAF personnel will soon be in the thick of the action some 700km northeast of Singapore as search and rescue teams get closer to pinpointing what happened to MAS Flight MH370.
What we do not see are Singapore Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) and Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) staffers working quietly behind the scenes with their Malaysian counterparts and the Malaysian High Commission in Singapore to put together what is shaping up to be Singapore's biggest contribution to a Malaysia-led operation.
Hardware aside, MINDEF/SAF is keenly aware deployed forces will need psychological support should search and locate evolve into the grim search and recovery phase. Such specialised skill sets are being assembled as you read this.
Embarked aboard Steadfast is a S-70B Seahawk naval helicopter from the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) 123 Squadron. Her date with her mothership was made possible by Air Force engineers and groundcrew from Sembawang Air Base who are responsible for keeping these birds mission-ready. Those mission orders have been received and acknowledged and the bird has flown the coop.
Mothership and NH are fresh from the Eksesais Malapura naval manoeuvres with the Tentera Laut Diraja Malaysia (TLDM, Royal Malaysian Navy), during which a TLDM Super Lynx cross decked aboard Steadfast. The interoperability showcased during Eks Malapura will now be put to the test for real as search operations unfold in the South China Sea.
Empty berths in Tuas Naval Base, where Vigour is based, and Changi Naval Base, where Steadfast and the submarine rescue vessel, Swift Rescue, are usually found, now stand empty.
All are presently underway, trailing wakes of white water as they race northeast to join forces with TLDM units.
We wish them well.
Submarine rescue vessel Swift Rescue heads to Malaysia at best possible speed
Source: RSN Facebook. Click here
The submarine rescue vessel Swift Rescue cast off from Changi Naval Base this morning, joining Republic of Singapore Navy warships now en route to join forces with the Royal Malaysian Navy in their search for missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370.
More to come.
Search for MH370 a signal moment in Malaysia-Singapore defence ties
The amount of resources - military and non-military - Singapore mobilised at no-notice after 239 people aboard Malaysia Airlines (MAS) Flight MH370 disappeared without a trace yesterday speaks volumes of the close ties and shared destiny between the Malaysian Federation and our city-state.
Not a single Singaporean soul was aboard that MAS airliner. It does not matter. Singapore's response makes it abundantly clear that Malaysia's national crisis is a seismic event which we will not turn our back to.
As Malaysians count on the Angkatan Tentera Malaysia (ATM, Malaysian Armed Forces) and the Federation's finest to spearhead the search for the missing, it is clear the full weight of the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) is backed by strong political will to assist our closest neighbour in its time of need.
Key leaders from both sides of the Causeway from Perdana Menteri (Prime Minister) downwards have spoken with one another. Service chiefs of our respective air and naval forces have touched base.
These are more than diplomatic niceties during crisis time. It is a signal moment in Malaysia-Singapore defence relations that emphasizes that when it matters, the ATM and SAF can work together in a real and substantive way, with our combined orders of battle offering immense resources for the task at hand.
Yesterday, a Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) C-130 Hercules joined mercy flights flown by Malaysian aircraft and helicopters.
And there's more to come. Things are stirring in the SAF.
Now that defence ministers from both countries have a better grasp of what needs to be done and what Singapore can offer, more SAF assets are being marshalled and deployed to work with the ATM.
Hundreds of men and women in the SAF have had their weekend truncated. Scores of civil servants who imagined a breather after budgets for key ministries were passed in Parliament last week have received a sharp reminder what public service is all about. Many will be at work today, the unseen hands that will push assets northward to join the massive search for the MAS plane.
As the world waits for signs of MH370 and steels itself for news which could swing either way, the combined, coordinated resources of ATM+SAF and multinational forces will help in the search for answers.
In doing so, our respective military forces are reaping the dividends from decades of joint war games, personnel exchanges, visits and courtesy calls between the ATM and SAF.
Make no mistake. We have had moments in our collective history which could have given outside observers the impression that the two bickering neighbours are fated to be forever at loggerheads with one another, always competing and unwilling to give ground - much like soccer night between our national teams.
And yet, at moments like this, Malaysia and Singapore stand shoulder-to-shoulder, eyes riveted on a common mission, hearts driven by a professional desire to get the job done; the Tiger and the Lion demonstrating unity in spirit - semangat bersatu - in this joint endeavour much like how Singapore's state crest captures the essence of togetherness with the national symbols of our two countries.
Malaysia is not alone in this crisis.
Indeed, there are many in the Lion City who absorbed news of the MAS airliner and feel, grief struck, that we lost one of our own.
Not a single Singaporean soul was aboard that MAS airliner. It does not matter. Singapore's response makes it abundantly clear that Malaysia's national crisis is a seismic event which we will not turn our back to.
As Malaysians count on the Angkatan Tentera Malaysia (ATM, Malaysian Armed Forces) and the Federation's finest to spearhead the search for the missing, it is clear the full weight of the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) is backed by strong political will to assist our closest neighbour in its time of need.
Key leaders from both sides of the Causeway from Perdana Menteri (Prime Minister) downwards have spoken with one another. Service chiefs of our respective air and naval forces have touched base.
These are more than diplomatic niceties during crisis time. It is a signal moment in Malaysia-Singapore defence relations that emphasizes that when it matters, the ATM and SAF can work together in a real and substantive way, with our combined orders of battle offering immense resources for the task at hand.
Yesterday, a Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) C-130 Hercules joined mercy flights flown by Malaysian aircraft and helicopters.
And there's more to come. Things are stirring in the SAF.
Now that defence ministers from both countries have a better grasp of what needs to be done and what Singapore can offer, more SAF assets are being marshalled and deployed to work with the ATM.
Hundreds of men and women in the SAF have had their weekend truncated. Scores of civil servants who imagined a breather after budgets for key ministries were passed in Parliament last week have received a sharp reminder what public service is all about. Many will be at work today, the unseen hands that will push assets northward to join the massive search for the MAS plane.
As the world waits for signs of MH370 and steels itself for news which could swing either way, the combined, coordinated resources of ATM+SAF and multinational forces will help in the search for answers.
In doing so, our respective military forces are reaping the dividends from decades of joint war games, personnel exchanges, visits and courtesy calls between the ATM and SAF.
Make no mistake. We have had moments in our collective history which could have given outside observers the impression that the two bickering neighbours are fated to be forever at loggerheads with one another, always competing and unwilling to give ground - much like soccer night between our national teams.
And yet, at moments like this, Malaysia and Singapore stand shoulder-to-shoulder, eyes riveted on a common mission, hearts driven by a professional desire to get the job done; the Tiger and the Lion demonstrating unity in spirit - semangat bersatu - in this joint endeavour much like how Singapore's state crest captures the essence of togetherness with the national symbols of our two countries.
Malaysia is not alone in this crisis.
Indeed, there are many in the Lion City who absorbed news of the MAS airliner and feel, grief struck, that we lost one of our own.
Saturday, March 8, 2014
Malaysia Airlines MH370 incident: RSAF C-130 Hercules involved in aerial search
22:00 hrs update
Malaysian Defence Minister Dato' Seri Hishammuddin Hussein has reportedly accepted an offer by Dr Ng Eng Hen, Singapore's Minister for Defence, to deploy the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) submarine rescue vessel, Swift Rescue, in support of Malaysia's search for the missing Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777-200 MH370 (registration 9M-MRO).
Swift Rescue has a helipad for a medium-left helicopter (Super Puma or Seahawk). The search grids for the missing airliner are about a day's sailing time away from Changi Naval Base, where Swift Rescue is usually berthed.
It is possible Swift Rescue will work alongside the Tentera Diraja Laut Malaysia (TLDM, Royal Malaysian Navy) SubMarine Escape and Rescue (SMER) support vessel, Mega Bakti.
The Angkatan Tentera Malaysia (ATM, Malaysian Armed Forces) and the SAF have enjoyed close and meaningful ties recently. Closer defence relations between the two forces have led to cross deployments of warplanes (RSAF F-16s to Kuantan and TUDM Hawks 200s to Changi Air Base) and, more recently, the cross decking of naval helicopters on each other's warships during the Eksesais Malapura naval war games.
Senang Diri understands the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) has placed other assets on a short notice to move. See earlier post below. Stayed tuned for more.
18:08 hrs update:
The next hour will prove critical for search and rescue (SAR) teams looking for the missing Malaysia Airlines airliner Flight MH370.
The approaching sunset, which is estimated at 7:19pm for Kuantan and 7:23pm for Kota Bharu, will make it more challenging for SAR teams once darkness veils the South China Sea.
Searches can continue after nightfall, but darkness will crimp the tempo of search parties even if they are equipped with night vision equipment.
The Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) C-130 sent aloft around noon today can, in theory, stay airborne for several hours past sunset.
But much of its search pattern is expected to take place at low level, with observers looking out from the cockpit glasshouse and possibly, a lowered cargo ramp at the rear of the aircraft for signs of the missing MAS Boeing 777-200.
Having despatched one C-130, it is thought a second (or more) aircraft will be placed on high alert. The second aircraft gives HQ RSAF a standby asset as it takes the place of the first C-130 which is now deployed to look for MH370.
A CH-47SD Chinook, the RSAF's largest helicopter, would also be on standby for flight operations 24/365. The Chinook's 650 nautical mile range (1,204 km) means the helicopter can fly a fair distance into the South China Sea on missions of mercy.
In addition, a Super Puma/Cougar is on standby as you read this, though this bird has shorter legs than the Chinook.
RSAF Fokker 50s have also been despatched for SAR/SAL missions.
Since 2010, Team RSAF has conducted 86 SAR missions.
Should there be a need to conduct an underwater search at Malaysia's request, the Republic of Singapore Navy's (RSN) submarine rescue vessel, Swift Rescue, could be a possible candidate for such a task. The special mini submarine carried aboard Swift Rescue could help search parties scour the seabed at close range. The mini sub is capable of diving to a depth of 500m - which is more than enough for operations in the South China Sea (average depth 80m).
Underwater sensors embarked on the Navy's four Bedok-class Mine Countermeasures Vessels (MCMVs) could also help with such a search. Should the need arise, the ability of the MCMVs to detect and identify underwater anomalies, whether on the seabed or tethered objects, can be applied to non-defence underwater expeditions too.
It is worth remembering that when France embarked on a massive search for Air France Airbus A330 Flight 447, which went missing over the South Atlantic, she deployed a nuclear submarine to help detect signals from the airliner's flight data recorder (i.e. black box, which is usually painted bright orange).
We wish the multi-national search teams well in this last hour of daylight on 8 March 2014.
Our thoughts and prayers are with the loved ones of MH370.
Earlier report posted at 15:06 hrs:
A Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) C-130 Hercules from 122 Squadron took off from Singapore around noon today, tasked to search for and locate the missing Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777-200, which had 239 passengers and crew onboard.
The mercy mission is being coordinated between the RSAF, Singapore Rescue Coordination Centre and the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS).
As its name implies, the SRCC brings together air and sea search and rescue assets that stage out of Singapore, an island republic that sits astride some of the world's busiest shipping lanes and at the heart of air lanes that criss cross the South China Sea region.
Among other things, the SRCC has the expertise to use data on ocean currents and wind direction to predict the spread of the debris field. Such data can help aerial search parties in their mission.
For example, the Air France Airbus A330 Flight 447 that went down over the Atlantic in June 2009 left a floating debris field that included an object as large as the plane's vertical stabiliser.
If an airliner ditches under pilot control, the forced landing can prove survivable for passengers. Examples include the crash landing of Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 767 Flight 961 and US Airways Airbus A320 Flight 1549.
The missing MAS, Flight MH370, was en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing when it disappeared off Vietnam.
The C-130 is a medium range tactical transport that can perform a wide spectrum of roles such as airdropping troops and equipment, air-to-air refuelling, search and locate and medical evacuation missions.
RSAF C-130s can stay in the air for as long as 15 hours and have a maximum range of 4,800 nautical miles (8,890 km). This brings the area in which MH370 is thought to have gone down well within the C-130's search radius.
The RSAF's C-130 fleet is being progressively upgraded by Singapore Technologies Aerospace under Project H to modernise some of the flight deck consoles and enhance the transport aircraft's survivability against MANPADS.
Pilots and aircrew with 122 SQN have flown operational missions in Afghanistan and Iraq, and the Arabian Gulf region.
This is an evolving story. More updates to come.
Malaysian Defence Minister Dato' Seri Hishammuddin Hussein has reportedly accepted an offer by Dr Ng Eng Hen, Singapore's Minister for Defence, to deploy the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) submarine rescue vessel, Swift Rescue, in support of Malaysia's search for the missing Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777-200 MH370 (registration 9M-MRO).
Swift Rescue has a helipad for a medium-left helicopter (Super Puma or Seahawk). The search grids for the missing airliner are about a day's sailing time away from Changi Naval Base, where Swift Rescue is usually berthed.
It is possible Swift Rescue will work alongside the Tentera Diraja Laut Malaysia (TLDM, Royal Malaysian Navy) SubMarine Escape and Rescue (SMER) support vessel, Mega Bakti.
The Angkatan Tentera Malaysia (ATM, Malaysian Armed Forces) and the SAF have enjoyed close and meaningful ties recently. Closer defence relations between the two forces have led to cross deployments of warplanes (RSAF F-16s to Kuantan and TUDM Hawks 200s to Changi Air Base) and, more recently, the cross decking of naval helicopters on each other's warships during the Eksesais Malapura naval war games.
Senang Diri understands the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) has placed other assets on a short notice to move. See earlier post below. Stayed tuned for more.
18:08 hrs update:
The next hour will prove critical for search and rescue (SAR) teams looking for the missing Malaysia Airlines airliner Flight MH370.
The approaching sunset, which is estimated at 7:19pm for Kuantan and 7:23pm for Kota Bharu, will make it more challenging for SAR teams once darkness veils the South China Sea.
Searches can continue after nightfall, but darkness will crimp the tempo of search parties even if they are equipped with night vision equipment.
The Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) C-130 sent aloft around noon today can, in theory, stay airborne for several hours past sunset.
But much of its search pattern is expected to take place at low level, with observers looking out from the cockpit glasshouse and possibly, a lowered cargo ramp at the rear of the aircraft for signs of the missing MAS Boeing 777-200.
Having despatched one C-130, it is thought a second (or more) aircraft will be placed on high alert. The second aircraft gives HQ RSAF a standby asset as it takes the place of the first C-130 which is now deployed to look for MH370.
A CH-47SD Chinook, the RSAF's largest helicopter, would also be on standby for flight operations 24/365. The Chinook's 650 nautical mile range (1,204 km) means the helicopter can fly a fair distance into the South China Sea on missions of mercy.
In addition, a Super Puma/Cougar is on standby as you read this, though this bird has shorter legs than the Chinook.
RSAF Fokker 50s have also been despatched for SAR/SAL missions.
Since 2010, Team RSAF has conducted 86 SAR missions.
Should there be a need to conduct an underwater search at Malaysia's request, the Republic of Singapore Navy's (RSN) submarine rescue vessel, Swift Rescue, could be a possible candidate for such a task. The special mini submarine carried aboard Swift Rescue could help search parties scour the seabed at close range. The mini sub is capable of diving to a depth of 500m - which is more than enough for operations in the South China Sea (average depth 80m).
Underwater sensors embarked on the Navy's four Bedok-class Mine Countermeasures Vessels (MCMVs) could also help with such a search. Should the need arise, the ability of the MCMVs to detect and identify underwater anomalies, whether on the seabed or tethered objects, can be applied to non-defence underwater expeditions too.
It is worth remembering that when France embarked on a massive search for Air France Airbus A330 Flight 447, which went missing over the South Atlantic, she deployed a nuclear submarine to help detect signals from the airliner's flight data recorder (i.e. black box, which is usually painted bright orange).
We wish the multi-national search teams well in this last hour of daylight on 8 March 2014.
Our thoughts and prayers are with the loved ones of MH370.
Earlier report posted at 15:06 hrs:
A Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) C-130 Hercules from 122 Squadron took off from Singapore around noon today, tasked to search for and locate the missing Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777-200, which had 239 passengers and crew onboard.
The mercy mission is being coordinated between the RSAF, Singapore Rescue Coordination Centre and the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS).
As its name implies, the SRCC brings together air and sea search and rescue assets that stage out of Singapore, an island republic that sits astride some of the world's busiest shipping lanes and at the heart of air lanes that criss cross the South China Sea region.
Among other things, the SRCC has the expertise to use data on ocean currents and wind direction to predict the spread of the debris field. Such data can help aerial search parties in their mission.
For example, the Air France Airbus A330 Flight 447 that went down over the Atlantic in June 2009 left a floating debris field that included an object as large as the plane's vertical stabiliser.
If an airliner ditches under pilot control, the forced landing can prove survivable for passengers. Examples include the crash landing of Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 767 Flight 961 and US Airways Airbus A320 Flight 1549.
The missing MAS, Flight MH370, was en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing when it disappeared off Vietnam.
The C-130 is a medium range tactical transport that can perform a wide spectrum of roles such as airdropping troops and equipment, air-to-air refuelling, search and locate and medical evacuation missions.
RSAF C-130s can stay in the air for as long as 15 hours and have a maximum range of 4,800 nautical miles (8,890 km). This brings the area in which MH370 is thought to have gone down well within the C-130's search radius.
The RSAF's C-130 fleet is being progressively upgraded by Singapore Technologies Aerospace under Project H to modernise some of the flight deck consoles and enhance the transport aircraft's survivability against MANPADS.
Pilots and aircrew with 122 SQN have flown operational missions in Afghanistan and Iraq, and the Arabian Gulf region.
This is an evolving story. More updates to come.
Malaysia assembles SAR forces after Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 disappears off Vietnamese coast
16:45 hrs 8 Mar'14 edit: Amended all references to a crash pending official confirmation from Malaysia.
Malaysian authorities have sent two Airbus Helicopters EC-725 Caracal (aka Super Cougar. Caracal is a desert lynx) helicopters and at least one Agensi Penguatkuasaan Maritim Malaysia (APMM, Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency) Bombardier CL-415 flying boat as the vanguard of a search and rescue team taskedfor operations at the crash site of to find the missing Malaysia Airlines (MAS) airliner Flight MH370.
The MAS Boeing 777-200 disappeared over the South China Sea off Vietnam early this morning (8 March'14) en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing The flight was due to arrive in Beijing at 6:30am this morning.
Media reports indicate MH370 had onboard a total number of 239 passengers and crew - comprising 227 passengers (including 2 infants) and 12 crew members.
The passengers were of 14 nationalities - citizens from:
1. China - 152 plus 1 infant
2. Malaysia - 38
3. Indonesia - 12
4. Australia - 7
5. France - 3
6. United States of America - 3 pax plus 1 infant
7. New Zealand - 2
8. Ukraine - 2
9. Canada - 2
10. Russia - 1
11. Italy - 1
12. Taiwan - 1
13. Netherlands - 1
14. Austria - 1
The flight was a codeshare with China Southern Airlines.
Based at Kuantan, the EC-725s serve with the Tentara Udara Diraja Malaysia's (TUDM, Royal Malaysian Air Force) dedicated Combat Search and Rescue unit, Number 10 Squadron.
While Vietnam's eastern seaboard lies outside the area of responsibility for Search and Locate (SAL) coverage provided by the Republic of Singapore Air Force for the Singapore Flight Information Region, we should stand ready to assist Malaysia if need be.
We wish Gading every success in their mission. Stout hearts.
Malaysian authorities have sent two Airbus Helicopters EC-725 Caracal (aka Super Cougar. Caracal is a desert lynx) helicopters and at least one Agensi Penguatkuasaan Maritim Malaysia (APMM, Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency) Bombardier CL-415 flying boat as the vanguard of a search and rescue team tasked
The MAS Boeing 777-200 disappeared over the South China Sea off Vietnam early this morning (8 March'14) en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing The flight was due to arrive in Beijing at 6:30am this morning.
Media reports indicate MH370 had onboard a total number of 239 passengers and crew - comprising 227 passengers (including 2 infants) and 12 crew members.
The passengers were of 14 nationalities - citizens from:
1. China - 152 plus 1 infant
2. Malaysia - 38
3. Indonesia - 12
4. Australia - 7
5. France - 3
6. United States of America - 3 pax plus 1 infant
7. New Zealand - 2
8. Ukraine - 2
9. Canada - 2
10. Russia - 1
11. Italy - 1
12. Taiwan - 1
13. Netherlands - 1
14. Austria - 1
The flight was a codeshare with China Southern Airlines.
Based at Kuantan, the EC-725s serve with the Tentara Udara Diraja Malaysia's (TUDM, Royal Malaysian Air Force) dedicated Combat Search and Rescue unit, Number 10 Squadron.
While Vietnam's eastern seaboard lies outside the area of responsibility for Search and Locate (SAL) coverage provided by the Republic of Singapore Air Force for the Singapore Flight Information Region, we should stand ready to assist Malaysia if need be.
We wish Gading every success in their mission. Stout hearts.
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