Satellite and aerial maps of Sembawang with nearby locations | |
Toggle Map
Km | Bearing | ||
4.8 | 016 | ![]() | |
6.1 | 098 | WSSL | Seletar, Central Singapore |
11.6 | 246 | WSAT | Tengah Air Base, South West |
13.0 | 123 | WSAP | Paya Lebar, North East |
18.4 | 202 | ![]() | |
20.0 | 108 | WSSS | Changi International Airport, South East |
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History of this Location | |
Originally a landing ground within the boundaries of the Naval Base built in the north of Singapore Island by Britain from 1924. Further work began in 1937 by the British Army, with land acquired from the Bukit Sembawang rubber estate and what was originally planned as an RAF base was transferred to the Admiralty in 1939, before a further transfer to the RAAF in 1940. With the war in the Pacific going badly, the base was occupied by the Japanese on 15 Feb 1942. 

After WWII, it became an RNAS station, known as HMS Nabrock from Oct 1945 until its more famous name of HMS Simbang was applied in Dec 1945. The base was handed over to the RAF on 16 Jan 1948 and back to the Navy on 16 Jan 1950 as the situation in Korea worsened. When the Korean War ended in July 1953, the base was again drawn down to a smaller size to support the helicopter units of the Fleet Air Arm engaged in the Malayan Emergency. During March 1961, the Headquarters of 3 Commando Brigade, Royal Marines arrived and the site took on the role of Far East Fleet Amphibious Forces Base. It has also been used by the RAF and Army Aviation. RNAS Sembawang was closed in 1970, decommissioned on 18 Mar 1971 and on 29 Oct it was handed over to the Singapore Air Defence Command, c/o a resident ANZUK force. It became the home of RSAF rotary wing aviation in 1983. 

List of units at Sembawang | Login to Edit | |
Years | Rotary Wing Aircraft Unit | bold : Current Model normal: Unit no longer at this base |
1999/ | 127 squadron | 414 - H-47D Chinook 1999/ |
1996/ | 126 squadron | AS532M1 Cougar 1996/ |
1992/ | 123 squadron | S-70B 2009/ AS550C2 Fennec 1992/06 UH-1B Iroquois 1980/92 |
1985/ | 125 squadron | AS332M Super Puma 1985/ |
1981/ | 120 squadron | AH-64D Apache 2006/ 205 1977/04 212 1977/85 |
1979/07 | 124 squadron | EC120B 2007/ AS550C2 Fennec 1991/06 AS350B Ecureuil 1981/92 |
1970/71 | ![]() | Wessex 1969/71 |
1969 | ![]() | Wessex 1969/71 |
1969 | ![]() | Wessex 1963/76 |
1968/69 | ![]() | Wessex 1967/70 |
1968/71 | ![]() | Scout 1970/82 Sioux 1968/75 |
1967/71 | ![]() | Wasp 1967/73 Wessex 1964/76 |
1966/68 | ![]() | Wessex 1966/86 Wasp 1966/73 |
1966/67 | ![]() | Wessex 1967/70 Wessex 1961/67 |
1965/66 | ![]() | Wessex 1964/69 |
1965 | ![]() | Wessex 1963/76 |
1965/66 | ![]() | Whirlwind 1965/66 Wessex 1964/76 |
1964 | ![]() | UH-12E Raven 1964 Whirlwind 1963/64 |
1963/65 | ![]() | Whirlwind 1964/65 UH-12E Raven 1964/65 Wessex 1962/65 |
1962/65 | ![]() | Wessex 1961/67 |
1962/66 | ![]() | Wessex 1961/66 |
1962 | ![]() | Whirlwind 1959/63 |
1961 | ![]() | Whirlwind 1960/62 |
1960/62 | ![]() | Whirlwind 1959/63 |
1958/59 | ![]() | Whirlwind 1957/60 |
1953/56 | ![]() | Whirlwind 1954/55 S-55 H-19 1952/56 |
1953 | ![]() | dragonfly 1953/56 |
1951/53 | ![]() | Dragonfly HC.4 1952/53 dragonfly 1950/53 |
Operations | |
Dates | Operation | |
08-dec-62 | 11-aug-66 | Konfrontasi |
List of aircraft and events at Sembawang | Login to Edit | |
Dates | Org/Type | Unit | |||
1958-nov | Stored | RN | HAS7 | XL836 | |
1960-jul-05 | Accident | RN | HAS7 | XN305 | |
1963-feb-05 | Accident | 845 NAS | HAS.1 | XP107 | |
1963-jul-04 | Accident | 814 NAS | HAS.1 | XM917 | |
1964-sep-26 | Accident | 814 NAS | HAS.1 | XP115 | |
1964-nov-24 | Accident | RN | HAS.1 | XM834 | |
1965-jan | RN | HAS.1 | XS124 ![]() | ||
1967-jul-14 | Accident | RN | Wasp | XT439 | |
2019-apr-04 | Bell Helicopter | 505 | N505LQ | ||