A joint decision by the US and Singapore has ended plans to base up to 12 RSAF F-15SG fighter jets at Guam’s Andersen Air Force Base. The US cited environmental assessment findings, while Singapore attributed the move to a reassessment of its pilot training requirements.
The plan, part of a December 2023 agreement under a 2019 MoU, envisioned a dedicated RSAF F-15 training detachment in Guam by 2029. Although the long-term arrangement has been dropped, Singapore’s Ministry of Defence confirmed it will still hold short-term training in the territory, with one exercise set for late 2025.
Following the decision, the US Air Force stated it will continue with some planned infrastructure upgrades at Andersen AFB. These include new airfield pavements, fuel lines, and roads covering about 20 acres, designed for aircraft maintenance, storage, and refueling.
Singapore operates several overseas training units due to limited airspace at home, including F-16 and F-15 detachments in the US, attack helicopters in Arizona, and units in Australia and France. The Guam deployment would have been its fourth US detachment and strategically its closest to home. The city-state is also working with Washington on setting up an F-35 training unit in Arkansas.
