Yet again I'm impressed by the creativity displayed by one
of the region's air forces in putting together a flying display to impress both
frequent air show visitors and the the general public.
The RSAF plans on teaming its new F-15SG with an F-16C in a
joint aerobatics display, certainly an unusual teaming of aircraft. A few hours
ago the pair buzzed our office in Changi Business Park. The team here has become
quite lulled by the regular commercial traffic approaching from the south, so
two fighters on afterburner coming directly above us from the north certainly
got our attention.
The RSAF's F-15/F-16 combination is not entirely without
precedent. A few years back the RSAF combined F-16s with A-4 Skyhawks, and RSAF
F-16s have even paired with AH-64D Apaches. Can you imagine the USAF and US
Army cooperating on something like a joint aerobatics display?
My favourite regional
team is probably China's August 1, which flies red white and blue Chengdu
J-10As. At Zhuhai in 2010 they were liberal in their use of flares. They also
seemed to have few compunctions about flying near the crowd, and a few of them
flew directly overhead. Perhaps not the safest thing to do, but very cool to
watch.
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