Singapore has for the first time agreed to host a deployment of U.S. spy planes, following the signing of a deal to boost military cooperation, the city state’s Ministry of Defence said on Tuesday. The P8-Poseidon surveillance aircraft are being deployed to Singapore from Dec. 7 to Dec. 14.
“These deployments promote greater interoperability with regional militaries and provide timely support for regional Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) and maritime security efforts,” the ministry said in a statement.
It was not clear how many P8 planes were involved in the deployment.
The Singapore deal enhances the U.S. air presence in the region near the South China Sea, the site of multiple territorial disputes involving China and countries in the region including the Philippines and Vietnam.
The U.S. already operates P8 craft from the Philippines and Japan.
The deployment of the planes was part of a military cooperation agreement signed by Singapore Minister of Defence Eng Hen and U.S. Defence Secretary Ashton Carter in Washington DC on Monday.
The agreement also covered cyberdefence and biosecurity for the first time
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