The Singapore Armed Forces Parachute Team (SAFPT), also known as the Red Lions is best known for its free-fall displays at the annual National Day Parade held in Singapore since its first appearance in 1989 as a formalised team, although members of the Singapore Commandos Formation had put on sporadic displays since the 1970s. Primarily responsible for organising display jumps and representing the Singapore Armed Forces in competitions, the team adopted the name "Red Lions" in 1996 as part of its identity. In 2014, Third Warrant Officer Shirley Ng became the first female Red Lion parachutist to jump at the National Day Parade in Singapore. [1] [2] The Red Lions did not perform during NDP 2015 due to bad weather, and security reasons parachuting through the national stadium in NDP 2016 prevented them from doing so. [3] The Red Lions made their latest appearance in NDP 2022, held at The Float.
The Red Lions also saw action in the opening ceremony of the 1993 Southeast Asian Games.
The SAFPT comprises two entities: the display jumpers themselves, and the "central nucleus". The basic qualification for a display jumper is a minimum of 500 jumps, with its members drawn only from amongst the Commandos and the Naval Diving Unit as they are the only formations which are operationally trained in military free-fall. Training is usually conducted on weekends to avoid affecting operational responsibilities during the workweek, as all free-fallers are also full-time servicemen.
The central nucleus supports the display team's logistical and administrative needs, and plan and coordinate their training program. As such, most of them are Parachute Jump Instructors from the Parachute Training Wing.
As representing the SAF is one of the team's two main responsibilities, the SAFPT has participated and won awards in various competitions such as the Malaysia Prime Minister Challenge Trophy for Accuracy and the Australian Defence Force Parachuting Championship for Accuracy.
The SAF's Red Lions Parachuting Team from the Commando Formation defeated 16 teams from 11 countries to set the new Asiana Four-way FS record and clinch the top award in the 12th Asiania Four-Way Formation Skydiving Championship, held from 29 October to 7 November at Fujairah, United Arab Emirates. The team, from the Commando Formation, also achieved the 1st Runner's Up position behind a team from Russia in the 1st Fujairah International Open Category Four-Way Formation Skydiving Championships in 2008.
Attention paid towards training safety has resulted in few incidents affecting team members, although a bad fall during a full-dress rehearsal for the 2005 National Day Parade by Master Sergeant Chua Koon San [4] raised concerns and speculation that the free-fall performances may be cancelled. The Ministry of Defence however issued a reassurance that the show would carry on. [5]
On July 15, 2021, a Red Lion suffered a hard fall and was stretchered off after a test jump in Bishan. A flag attached to the Red Lion got caught in grass prior to his landing. [6] During the Red Lions' performance for NDP 2022, the last of the 10 parachutists suffered a rough landing and was stretchered off. He was subsequently reported to be in stable condition. [7]
High-altitude military parachuting, or military free fall (MFF), is a method of delivering military personnel, military equipment, and other military supplies from a transport aircraft at a high altitude via free-fall parachute insertion. Two techniques are used: HALO and HAHO.
A drop zone (DZ) is a place where parachutists or parachuted supplies land. It can be an area targeted for landing by paratroopers and airborne forces, or a base from which recreational parachutists and skydivers take off in aircraft and land under parachutes. In the latter case, it is often beside a small airport, frequently sharing the facility with other general aviation.
A parachutist badge is a military badge awarded by the armed forces of many states to soldiers who have received parachute training and completed the required number of jumps. It is difficult to assess which country was the first to introduce such an award.
The Military Freefall Parachutist Badge is a military badge of the United States Army and United States Air Force awarded to qualified U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force personnel as high-altitude military parachute specialists.
Commandos is the special forces formation of the Singapore Army responsible for conducting special operations. Commandos are tasked with infiltrating behind enemy lines by raiding and reconnaissance operations using airborne raids, helicopter assault and sea landings. The formation is made up of only one battalion, the 1st Commando Battalion, and is based in Hendon Camp. All commandos are volunteers who went through national service.
The Parachutist Badge, also commonly referred to as "Jump Wings" is a military badge of the United States Armed Forces. Some services, such as the Marine Corps, officially refer to it as an insignia instead of a badge. The United States Space Force and United States Coast Guard are the only branches that do not award the Parachutist Badge, but their members are authorized to receive the Parachutist Badges of other services in accordance with their prescribed requirements. The DoD military services are all awarded the same Military Parachutist Badge. The U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force issue the same Senior and Master Parachutist Badges while the U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps issue the Navy and Marine Corps Parachutist Insignia to advanced parachutists. The majority of the services earn their Military Parachutist Badge through the U.S. Army Airborne School.
The Naval Diving Unit (NDU), also referred to as the Naval Divers, is the special forces formation of the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) responsible for conducting special operations from sea, air, and land. The formation is made up of six squadrons, specialising in explosive ordnance disposal, underwater demolition, maritime security operations, and combatant craft operations.
The National Day Parade (NDP) is an annual parade held in Singapore to commemorate its independence. Held annually on 9 August, it is the main public celebration of National Day, and consists of a parade incorporating contingents of the Singapore Armed Forces, Ministry of Home Affairs, local institutions and community groups, followed by a cultural presentation featuring music, dance displays, and a fireworks show.
Lion City Sailors Football Club, commonly referred to as The Sailors or LCS, is a Singaporean professional football club based in Bishan, Singapore. It competes in the Singapore Premier League, the top tier of the Singapore football league system. The club has won three league titles, a record 6 Singapore Cups and 2 Community Shields.
The United States Army Parachute Team, nicknamed the Golden Knights, is a demonstration and competition parachute team of the United States Army. It consists of demonstration and competition parachutist teams, drawn from all branches of the U.S. Army. Members must demonstrate excellence in parachuting.
Jumpmasters are the expert paratroopers in an airborne unit who train and teach the military techniques for jumping from airplanes. They are responsible for training soldiers who enter Army Airborne School into paratroopers and managing airborne jump operations in airborne units across all branches of services.
Skydive Hibaldstow is a parachuting centre and skydiving drop zone at Hibaldstow, North Lincolnshire, England, and is affiliated with the skydiving company, British Skydiving.
The Airborne Delivery Wing is a Royal Air Force training unit that provides parachute training to all three British Armed Forces. It is based at RAF Brize Norton. in Oxfordshire.
Parachuting and skydiving is a method of transiting from a high point in the atmosphere to the surface of Earth with the aid of gravity, involving the control of speed during the descent using a parachute or parachutes.
The Esquadrão Aeroterrestre de Salvamento (EAS), known by its nickname Para-SAR, is a Brazilian Air Force special operations search and rescue squadron, based in the city of Campo Grande.
Armour is the formation of the Singapore Army responsible for armoured warfare. It provides mobile firepower support and rapid mobility for the Army by helping to spearhead an advance past the enemy defences and seizing and holding key objectives on the battlefield. It has four active battalions—the 40th, 41st, 42nd and 48th Battalions, Singapore Armoured Regiment (SAR)—based in Keat Hong Camp and Sungei Gedong Camp, as well as an undisclosed number of reservist battalions.
Skydive Empuriabrava is the brand that has been commercially operating Empuriabrava Aerodrome since 1985. Since it began operating its main activity has been skydiving although it also offers photo flights, aerial and tourist advertising, and runs a school of aviation for private pilots.
The Singapore National Day Parade 2018, also known as NDP 2018, was a national parade and ceremony that was held on 9 August 2018 in commemoration of Singapore's 53rd year of independence. It located at The Float at Marina Bay. It is the first National Day Parade for President Halimah Yacob.
David Neo Chin Wee is a Singaporean major-general who has been serving as Chief of Army since 2022. Prior to his appointment as Chief of Army, he was serving as Deputy Secretary (Technology) at the Ministry of Defence. Neo is the first Commando to serve as Chief of Army.
Kyra Poh is a Singaporean indoor skydiver.