56th Fighter Wing Airmen and leadership celebrated alongside the Republic of Singapore Air Force partners during their National Day event Aug. 8, 2023, at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona.

Typically observed on Aug. 9, National Day of Singapore is an annual event that commemorates Singapore’s day of independence, becoming recognized as a sovereign nation in 1965.

“National Day of Singapore holds great importance for the people of Singapore as it marks the beginning of Singapore’s journey to independence.” said RSAF Capt. De Li Lew, 425th Fighter Squadron F-16 pilot.

Luke AFB has a long-standing partnership with the RSAF and in May of this year, Luke Airmen and RSAF Airmen from the 425th FS celebrated 30 years of partnership.

“We’re honored to celebrate this day with Singapore after such a long-standing partnership,” said U.S. Air Force Brig. Gen. Jason M. Rueschhoff, 56th FW commander. “In the Air Force, especially at Luke, we have the distinct opportunity to train and celebrate alongside our foreign partners, bridging cultural gaps and exchanging valuable knowledge, so we can fight and win together.”

Shouldering the shared task of training F-16 and F-35 pilots, the 56th FW is dedicated to enhancing fighter pilot training while fostering lasting partnerships with their foreign allies.

The RSAF is among five foreign national partners that train at Luke AFB, all contributing to the mission of training the world’s greatest fighter pilots and combat-ready Airmen.