The Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) has dispatched an Airbus A330 multipurpose tanker transport aircraft (MRTT) to assist in ongoing international efforts to evacuate people by air from Afghanistan.
The grounded MRTT aircraft number is 762 and took off from Changi Air Force Base (East) at around 2230 hours local time. There are 77 Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) personnel, including the aircraft’s crew, engineers and the Singapore Army Security Forces.
According to Singapore’s Ministry of Defense (MINDEF), MRTT will transport evacuees from Qatar to Germany or other countries.
The Singapore Air Force’s six MRTT fleets have only recently achieved full combat capability in April. These aircraft are equipped with custom avionics kits that allow them to be operated by three crew members—a pilot, a co-pilot and an air refueling operator (ARO)—rather than the typical four-person supplement manufacturer originally designated.
In addition to carrying up to 245,000 pounds of fuel, MRTT can also be configured to transport additional cargo and personnel, or as an aeromedical evacuation aircraft. It can further extend its range by using its Universal Aerial Refueling Socket Slideway Installation (UARRSI) to receive fuel from another tanker.
The Minister of Defense said: “We had hoped that the whole of Afghanistan will have different results, but please rest assured that our Sudanese armed forces are directly contributing to this humanitarian work, because they know that every family or individual they evacuated means meaning. To change lives and a more promising future.” Dr. Huang Yongheng.
Dr. Wu also pointed out that at Udeid Air Force Base in Qatar, there are already about 200 evacuees waiting for the crew of the Sudanese Armed Forces. The plane will return to Qatar from Germany and assume as many evacuees between the two countries as possible.
The Sudanese Armed Forces is no stranger to international operations in Afghanistan, having previously deployed troops there from May 2007 to June 2013 for multinational stabilization and reconstruction. Dr. Wu pointed out that the Sudanese Armed Forces have also continued to play various roles in Afghanistan since 2014.
In addition to Singapore, Japan has also deployed Self-Defense Force (SDF) aircraft, including a Kawasaki C-2 and two Lockheed Martin C-130H tactical transport aircraft, to evacuate Japanese citizens and work for the Japanese Embassy in Afghanistan and other organizations. staff member.
These aircraft are operating outside Pakistan and are expected to evacuate approximately 500 people. However, there are reports that the Self-Defense Forces flight to Kabul on Thursday could not help the evacuees because they could not reach the airport.
Xiao Wu
