The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) and Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) said military aircraft will be deployed to Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, March 10, to help Singaporeans who are willing to leave the Middle East amid the ongoing conflict in the region.
In a joint statement on Monday, March 9, the authorities said that a Republic of Singapore Air Force A330 multi-role tanker transport (MRTT) aircraft will support the assisted departure of Singaporeans from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
The ministries added that the latest move was prompted by requests from Singaporeans in Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar and Saudi Arabia who require help departing the region amid a "lack of feasible commercial flight options".
The planned flights come after two earlier repatriation flights from Oman that were organised over the weekend to bring Singaporeans home safely.
"The deployment of the MRTTs to Saudi Arabia serves solely to support the assisted departure operations," the statement added.
The United States and Israel launched coordinated strikes on Iran on Feb 28 that killed the country's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, along with several senior officials. The attack triggered retaliatory action from Tehran and ignited an ongoing conflict that has since spread across parts of the region.
In a video shared on social media, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Trade and Industry Gan Siow Huang said that many commercial airports and airlines have yet to resume normal operations, noting that the situation on the ground remains uncertain and continues to change.
She explained that organising such evacuation flights involves detailed planning and close coordination, especially as security conditions in the region can shift rapidly.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) had earlier announced plans for a repatriation flight from Saudi Arabia scheduled between March 10 and 12 and had invited Singaporeans in the region to register their interest. On Monday, March 9, the ministry said it would contact those who had signed up with further details about the arrangements.
According to a 2018 factsheet from the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF), the Multi-Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) aircraft can carry up to 37,000kg of cargo or accommodate up to 266 passengers. The aircraft replaced the older KC-135R aerial tankers and is capable of performing air-to-air refuelling. It can also be fitted with medical equipment, allowing it to support aeromedical evacuation missions when needed.
Earlier, on March 7 and 8, a total of 319 Singaporeans and their dependants were flown back from Muscat in Oman on two flights operated by Singapore Airlines using Airbus A350-900 aircraft, in support of the MFA's efforts to bring citizens home safely.
