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From left: 3WO Keith Ho, loadmaster from RSAF, LTC C Teeneshwaran, Commanding Officer of 122 Squadron, and 1SG Muhammad Faisal, aerial cargo rigger from the Singapore Army, were part of the mission crew which airdropped aid to Gaza in August.
PHOTO: AsiaOne/Darren Wong
PUBLISHED ON September 02, 2025 5:15 PM BY Lim Kewei
In the sweltering heat of Jordan, personnel from the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) worked as a team, as they prepared to deliver humanitarian aid into Gaza.
The Republic of Singapore Air Force's (RSAF) pilots flew the C-130 over Jordan and Gaza, dropping packed loads of food supplies for beleaguered Palestinians.
Over the course of about two weeks in August, Singapore flew five sorties and successfully airdropped 14.9 tonnes of aid into the war-torn territory — the Republic's ninth tranche of humanitarian aid for Gaza and second airdrop operation in the city.
Leading the charge was Lieutenant Colonel (LTC) C Teeneshwaran, 37, Commanding Officer of 122 Squadron in the RSAF.
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday (Sept 2), about a week after returning from Gaza on Aug 25, the air mission commander of this deployment revealed a glimpse of the "complex" operations that involved 58 crew members, including SAF personnel and defence partners.
First, there were daily meetings with the Jordanian air force and other foreign counterparts to jointly plan missions, to assess weather conditions and prepare for flight, said LTC Teeneshwaran.
In the meantime, aerial cargo riggers from the Singapore Army, like First Sergeant (1SG) Muhammad Faisal, 27, ensured that the airdrop loads were rigged up safely and securely.
Then, the loads were jointly inspected by the load inspector from the Army and a loadmaster from the RSAF, like Third Warrant Officer (3WO) Keith Ho, before it was loaded onto the aircraft.
After another safety check the next day, the C-130 took off for Gaza.
3WO Ho, 33, said that the temperature in Jordan was "unlike our usual training (environment) in Singapore and Australia".
To ensure their personal health and safety were not compromised, his team followed a rest and hydration regime.
3WO Keith Ho is a loadmaster from the RSAF, and has the responsibilities of preparing the C-130, inspecting the rigged loads and securing them on the aircraft, and ensuring that the loads are dispatched safely.
PHOTO: AsiaOne/Darren Wong
For LTC Teeneshwaran, the biggest challenge was ensuring that the loads land in the pre-determined safe area free of buildings and people.
The RSAF pilot explained that the reality of airdrop operations is unlike training in a "sanitised area".
"We don't have that luxury...so we have to remain adaptable, nimble, and be very familiar with contingencies...to react accordingly to make sure that the load lands safely," he said.
And with each successful drop, LTC Teeneshwaran revealed feeling "moved" after knowing that the loads landed "without causing harm to anyone or anything".
"The people on the ground, those under my charge, I think they did very well," the air mission commander said.
"They showed extreme professionalism, adaptability, especially when we are faced with a very contested and dynamic environment."
1SG Faisal said that he had felt nervous and slightly anxious to be deployed to a foreign country in conflict, but was also excited for the "a once in a lifetime opportunity to be able to help people in need".
1SG Muhammad Faisal, an aerial cargo rigger from the Singapore Army, is responsible for safely and securely rigging up the loads to be airdropped.
PHOTO: AsiaOne/Darren Wong
The aerial cargo rigger is getting hitched in end-September, and was in the midst of wedding planning when he was deployed.
"I had to sacrifice my wedding planning time with my fiancee, so she had to bear all the (planning) burden by herself for the 12 to 13 days," he told reporters.
When he broke the news of his deployment to his fiancee and loved ones, some of them "were tearing up a little" out of worry, he said.
"But I ensured that I will do my best for the for the success of this mission...and that I will do my best to come back home safely.
"So I kept them updated every day, making sure that nothing happened to me and I'll be back home safely and ready to get married."
With the conclusion of the mission, 1SG Faisal said he feels "joyous" about their success.
"I learned not to take things for granted," he added.
singapore
45 deg C weather, interrupted wedding planning: SAF mission crew reveal hard work behind successful aid airdrops in Gaza
From left: 3WO Keith Ho, loadmaster from RSAF, LTC C Teeneshwaran, Commanding Officer of 122 Squadron, and 1SG Muhammad Faisal, aerial cargo rigger from the Singapore Army, were part of the mission crew which airdropped aid to Gaza in August.
PHOTO: AsiaOne/Darren Wong
PUBLISHED ON September 02, 2025 5:15 PM BY Lim Kewei
In the sweltering heat of Jordan, personnel from the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) worked as a team, as they prepared to deliver humanitarian aid into Gaza.
The Republic of Singapore Air Force's (RSAF) pilots flew the C-130 over Jordan and Gaza, dropping packed loads of food supplies for beleaguered Palestinians.
Over the course of about two weeks in August, Singapore flew five sorties and successfully airdropped 14.9 tonnes of aid into the war-torn territory — the Republic's ninth tranche of humanitarian aid for Gaza and second airdrop operation in the city.
Leading the charge was Lieutenant Colonel (LTC) C Teeneshwaran, 37, Commanding Officer of 122 Squadron in the RSAF.
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday (Sept 2), about a week after returning from Gaza on Aug 25, the air mission commander of this deployment revealed a glimpse of the "complex" operations that involved 58 crew members, including SAF personnel and defence partners.
First, there were daily meetings with the Jordanian air force and other foreign counterparts to jointly plan missions, to assess weather conditions and prepare for flight, said LTC Teeneshwaran.
In the meantime, aerial cargo riggers from the Singapore Army, like First Sergeant (1SG) Muhammad Faisal, 27, ensured that the airdrop loads were rigged up safely and securely.
Then, the loads were jointly inspected by the load inspector from the Army and a loadmaster from the RSAF, like Third Warrant Officer (3WO) Keith Ho, before it was loaded onto the aircraft.
After another safety check the next day, the C-130 took off for Gaza.
Dealing with high temperatures, ensuring loads dispatched safely
One challenge which LTC Teeneshwaran and his crew had to contend with was the weather in Jordan, where temperatures reached as high as 45 deg C in the first few days of the deployment.3WO Ho, 33, said that the temperature in Jordan was "unlike our usual training (environment) in Singapore and Australia".
To ensure their personal health and safety were not compromised, his team followed a rest and hydration regime.
PHOTO: AsiaOne/Darren Wong
For LTC Teeneshwaran, the biggest challenge was ensuring that the loads land in the pre-determined safe area free of buildings and people.
The RSAF pilot explained that the reality of airdrop operations is unlike training in a "sanitised area".
"We don't have that luxury...so we have to remain adaptable, nimble, and be very familiar with contingencies...to react accordingly to make sure that the load lands safely," he said.
And with each successful drop, LTC Teeneshwaran revealed feeling "moved" after knowing that the loads landed "without causing harm to anyone or anything".
"The people on the ground, those under my charge, I think they did very well," the air mission commander said.
"They showed extreme professionalism, adaptability, especially when we are faced with a very contested and dynamic environment."
Deployed in the midst of wedding planning
While LTC Teeneshwaran and 3WO Ho have responded to humanitarian missions in the past, this was a first for 1SG Faisal.1SG Faisal said that he had felt nervous and slightly anxious to be deployed to a foreign country in conflict, but was also excited for the "a once in a lifetime opportunity to be able to help people in need".
PHOTO: AsiaOne/Darren Wong
The aerial cargo rigger is getting hitched in end-September, and was in the midst of wedding planning when he was deployed.
"I had to sacrifice my wedding planning time with my fiancee, so she had to bear all the (planning) burden by herself for the 12 to 13 days," he told reporters.
When he broke the news of his deployment to his fiancee and loved ones, some of them "were tearing up a little" out of worry, he said.
"But I ensured that I will do my best for the for the success of this mission...and that I will do my best to come back home safely.
"So I kept them updated every day, making sure that nothing happened to me and I'll be back home safely and ready to get married."
With the conclusion of the mission, 1SG Faisal said he feels "joyous" about their success.
"I learned not to take things for granted," he added.