SINGAPORE: Brigadier-General Kelvin Fan will take over as Chief of Air Force on Mar 22, the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) announced on Monday (Feb 19).
He will succeed Major-General Kelvin Khong, who has held the post since March 2019.
The leadership change is part of the “continuing process of leadership renewal in the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF)”, MINDEF said in a news release.
BG Fan, 44, joined the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) in 1998. An air warfare officer by training, he has held a range of senior command and staff appointments within MINDEF and the SAF and is the current deputy secretary of policy at MINDEF.
“Brigadier-General Fan drove many operations, capability developments (and) digitalisation and innovation efforts within the RSAF, and contributed to expanding our defence diplomacy efforts with various countries,” MINDEF said.
He also spearheaded the Total Defence 40 campaign and Singapore’s inaugural Total Defence exercise, Exercise SG Ready, which aims to enhance Singaporeans’ readiness for crises and disruptions.
In announcing the leadership change, the ministry also expressed its “deep appreciation to MG Khong for his sterling leadership and distinguished service to MINDEF and the SAF”.
“Under his stewardship, the RSAF maintained a high level of operational readiness to safeguard Singapore’s sovereignty, and achieved operational success across a wide range of missions,” it said.
“MG Khong was instrumental in sharpening the RSAF’s capability edge. He led the attainment of full operational capability for the A330 multi-role tanker transport aircraft (and) the Aster 30 ground-based air defence system, and oversaw the acquisition of the F-35 fighter aircraft to enhance the RSAF’s operational edge.”
He also “initiated people development efforts to ensure that RSAF airmen and women are ready for the future” and led the air force through the COVID-19 pandemic, when it “continued to defend Singapore’s skies while concurrently supporting the national fight against COVID-19”, MINDEF added.
Under MG Khong’s leadership, the RSAF participated in several humanitarian assistance and disaster relief missions.
Among them were operations to deliver humanitarian aid for Gaza, ferry Afghan refugees from Qatar to Germany and support bushfire and flood relief efforts in Australia.
In 2023, he also directed the conduct of the RSAF55 Open House at Paya Lebar Air Base, as well as a range of community outreach activities to commemorate the air force’s 55th anniversary.