Asia-Pacific air force leaders gather for symposium to share knowledge, build relationships

  • Published
  • By Lt. Col. Ken Hoffman
  • 13th Air Force Public Affairs
SINGAPORE --  Representatives from nations throughout the Asia-Pacific region are meeting here to discuss peace support operations July 21 through 24.

The talks are part of the 2010 Pacific Rim Airpower Symposium, co-hosted this year by the Republic of Singapore Air Force and the U.S. Air Force.

The annual symposium encourages relationship building and enhances cooperation among the air forces of Asia-Pacific nations. This year's symposium theme, "The Role of Airpower in Peace Support Operations," aims to help participants better understand how air forces can support peace-keeping missions in the region.

Brig. Gen. Kwek Kok Kwong, Commander of the Air Defence and Operations Command from the Republic of Singapore Air Force, expressed his appreciation for the number of participants and breadth of experience they bring to the symposium.

"It is indeed most encouraging to see more than 20 nations participating in the program this time around," General Kwek said. "Right before us we see a lot of operators with many hours of experience in air operations, and I think everyone of us brings to the table experience that others could benefit from."

Lt. Gen. Hawk Carlisle, the 13th Air Force commander, is leading the U.S. delegation in Singapore. He and General Kwek are joined by senior officers from 24 other nations. Officials from 13th Air Force at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, and the Singapore Air Force teamed up to plan and execute the 4-day event.

"Airpower has matured a tremendous amount in peace support operations and humanitarian assistance," General Carlisle said. "The attributes of airpower - speed, range, flexibility and precision - gives us the ability to react very rapidly to crises. This is a great opportunity for us to talk about each nation's unique contributions in these areas and to learn from each other."

Additionally, the Senior Enlisted Leadership Conference, the largest air force multinational enlisted conference, is being held in conjunction with the PACRIM Airpower Symposium. Military Expert 5 Koh Yong Meng Andrew, the RSAF chief warrant officer of the air force, and Chief Master Sgt. David Williamson, the 13th Air Force command chief master sergeant, are leading the conference which will mostly consist of working plenary sessions in which attending representatives will discuss enlisted program management.

"We have 17 nations represented in the Senior Enlisted Conference," Chief Master Sgt. Williamson said. "As I've travelled around the Pacific I've found that we all face similar challenges with our enlisted corps. The Senior Enlisted Conference offers an incredible opportunity for regional air force senior non-commissioned officers to learn from one another and look at new ways to enhance the professionalism of our enlisted corps."

Delegations from Australia, Bangladesh, Brunei, Cambodia, Canada, Chile, India, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Malaysia, Maldives, Mongolia, Nepal, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Tonga, the United States and Vietnam are participating in both events.

"We are all here because we appreciate the value of a cooperative approach to overcoming regional challenges," General Carlisle said. "Among the Asia-Pacific leaders here this week, there is an understanding of the enormous potential for progress through strong relationships. Ultimately, what we are working towards is a peaceful, stable and prosperous Asia-Pacific region."