“24/7 Air Defence” is a key to the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF). By constantly monitoring the skies and honing its abilities, the RSAF stands ready to respond to any incoming threat with decisive action.

Its responsiveness owes no small part to the work of Air Force Engineers like Military Expert 4 (ME4) Ng Jie Ming. As an Officer in Charge (OIC) of Aircraft Weapon & Operations Flight (AWOF) in 805 Squadron, he utilises his knowledge of aircraft systems to enhance performance, processes and workplace safety while developing maintenance solutions for aircraft systems to keep them operational at all times.

For ME4 Ng, the RSAF has played a significant part of his development, but also a place where he works with pride to protect our home – Singapore.

A Military Engineer’s Journey

ME4 Ng’s journey with the RSAF began in the polytechnic, where the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) had already recognised his potential.

“In line with my passion for all things that fly, I pursued a course in Aeronautical Engineering with Singapore Polytechnic under the Joint Polytechnic-SAF Diploma Sponsorship,” he said.

“During my military training, it became even clearer that I was drawn to the dynamic and challenging environment that the SAF offered. Driven to develop myself further, I applied for the SAF Engineering Scholarship and graduated with a Bachelor of Engineering (Mechanical Engineering) and a Master of Science (Industrial & Systems Engineering) from the National University of Singapore (NUS).” These complementary courses gave ME4 Ng both depth and breadth of knowledge, and developed him into a skilled engineer who constantly applies his expertise in the RSAF’s daily operations.

The Value of Teamwork

In NUS, he interacted with many people outside the RSAF, exposing him to a wide range of perspectives and issues.

“These experiences made me realise how each unique mindset frames and processes the same event very mindef-cluster-differently, resulting in mindef-cluster-different perceptives and solutions,” he said.

And he found this useful in his day-to-day work in the RSAF as well. “Teamwork is paramount in all our operations – no single crew or vocation can achieve the desired outcome working in silos. Keeping an open mind to take in others’ viewpoints and being ready to adapt and find mindef-cluster-different solutions have aided me in achieving good results at work.”

Indeed, precise, synergistic teamwork is necessary to prepare every single aircraft for flight, let alone the many fleets of jets under 805 Squadron’s purview.

“The nature of our jobs pushed us beyond our comfort zone to grow and develop as a team,” he described. “To forge ahead towards a common goal, individuals must communicate with others effectively and support each other through tough times.”

The RSAF’s dedication to holistic development is apparent in ME4 Ng’s successes, as he has grown not only to work well individually, but as a team that excels together.

Joining the Force

ME4 Ng attributed much of his personal and professional development to the RSAF. Having been in the force for several years, he provided some pertinent insights on the organisation.

“Being a dynamic organisation, there are diverse opportunities within MINDEF/SAF to develop oneself. It’s a place where you are encouraged to step out of your comfort zone and strive for the very best.”

His final advice: “Be genuine in making friends and building teams that can complement one another. Only then can we come together and overcome the challenges that come with defending the nation.”