PUBLISHED ONJuly 22, 2024 10:12 AMByKhoo Yi-HangDARWIN, AUSTRALIA - At 39 years old, Colonel Lee Mei Yi of the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) is leading Singapore's participation in this year's Exercise Pitch Black (XPB), becoming the first woman to do so.
"I think it's not so much about gender, but it's just the opportunity I was given, being at the right place, at the right time," Lee said in an interview with the media on an airfield at the Royal Australian Air Force's Darwin base on Monday (July 22).
"The difficulties I faced along the way to get to where I am today didn't differ too much from the men."
Lee also revealed that she had experienced her first XPB a decade ago in 2014, back when she was still a "young wingman".
"It's really heartening 10 years on that I'm back here in Pitch Black, but in the role of an exercise director," she commented.
Now, her role is no longer about flying as a wingman in her formation, but also ensuring that the entire RSAF contingent are doing well and achieving mission success, she said.
In 2022, Lee also made history as the first female F-16 squadron commander for the National Day Parade.
As exercise director, Lee is in charge of over 450 personnel from Singapore, inclusive of regulars, NSFs and NSmen, as well as four F-15SGs, six F-16C/Ds, one G550 Airborne Early Warning aircraft and an A330 Multi-Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) aircraft.
Held from July 12 to August 2, this year's XPB is the largest in the exercise's 43-year history as it involves more than 4,400 personnel and over 140 aircraft from 20 participating nations.
This biennial large-scale multinational air combat exercise is hosted by the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) in Darwin, Australia.
This round of XPB also features Singapore's first Ground-Based Air Defence (GBAD) involvement in eight years.
Singapore's arsenal for the GBAD exercises this year includes a Spyder (Surface-to-air PYthon and DERby), an Aster 30, a multi-mission radar and the Thales Groundmaster 200, also known as the Shikra.
Lee said that XPB is "especially important" to the RSAF because Darwin's airspace is "vast, more than 10 times the size that we have in Singapore", and that the terrain is realistic.
"We also get to participate with many other nation's F-35As and F-35Bs, and that will give the RSAF opportunity to hone our operational skills and to better understand fifth generation fighter operations in anticipation of our own induction of [F-35s]," she said.
"This large-scale air combat exercise will certainly sharpen our skills, refine our tactics, and strengthen our partnerships with other established air forces," Lee added.
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khooyihang@asiaone.com
