With the return of all six Sikorsky S-70B naval helicopters to Singapore in October 2010, the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) reached a significant milestone in its transformation into a 3rd Generation fighting force.
At a ceremony marking the inauguration of the naval helicopters into 123 Squadron (SQN) on 18 Jan, Minister for Education and Second Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen expressed confidence in the squadron's ability to "build on its tradition of cross-service integration as it embarks on a new chapter of air-sea operations."
Set up in 1979, 123 SQN initially operated as a basic training wing for the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF). In 1992, the squadron was restructured to support the Singapore Army, with the introduction of Singapore's first dedicated armed helicopter, the AS550 Fennec (which has been retired from service).
