Every Saturday, His Wife And Neighbours Watch The Sky, Looking For One Jet

Every Saturday evening, Stephanie and her neighbours gather outside their HDB block, eyes on the sky. There’s no WhatsApp reminder, no loudhailer. They just know the flypast rehearsal is happening again.

Somewhere in that thunder of jet engines is Lieutenant Colonel (LTC) Muhammad Iskandar, Stephanie’s husband – and the man leading the F-15SGs at this year’s National Day Parade (NDP).

“I didn’t tell my neighbours about it, but they somehow know based on my uniform that I’m probably involved,” says LTC Iskandar, amused. “So when my wife goes out to catch the flypast, all my neighbours are also standing outside watching the flypast unintentionally. Now, it’s become like a community event every Saturday!”

From his POV in the sky, NDP rehearsals offer something RSAF pilots don’t often get: a bird’s-eye view of the Lion City they’ve grown up in.

“Flying over the heartlands is something special, especially at sunset. I always take a couple of seconds just to look out and admire and appreciate that sight,” says LTC Iskandar.

This is the 37-year-old’s third time flying in NDP. His first was in 2015 (to celebrate SG50), then again in 2021, when the country was navigating a pandemic. But this year is different. “Unlike the previous years when I flew as a wingman, this year, I’m actually the Flight Lead of the formation,” he says.

And while the pressure is higher, the privilege is deeper. “It’s an added responsibility of not just performing the show, but also developing and mentoring the next generation of aircrew and leaders.”

“I always knew I wanted to fly jets. I joined the Air Force because I wanted to serve something bigger than myself,” says LTC Iskandar, seen here in his younger days during his time at the Singapore Youth Flying Club. | IMAGES: NDP 2025 EXCO

The leader in the sky is also one on the ground

Beginning at the Singapore Youth Flying Club in 2008, LTC Iskandar has gone on to become a fighter pilot with nearly two decades in the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF), and the Commanding Officer of 142 Squadron (SQN), recently named Best Fighter Squadron for the second year in a row at the Singapore Armed Forces Best Unit Competition. He’s quick to deflect credit.

“Every fighter squadron is doing excellent work, and is made up of excellent, hardworking people… I think what differentiates us is the culture,” he says. “142 SQN has a culture where we ensure that we take care of each other… Even though there’s a rank structure, we are very open to feedback, both top-down and bottom-up. That includes myself.”

It mirrors how formations function in the air – not with hierarchy, but through trust. “The formation can only function when there’s mutual trust among everybody,” he says. “We are all there to train and improve.”

That commitment to training others, and being open to being trained himself, has become part of how he defines success, both as a leader and a Singaporean. “That’s always been the spirit in Singapore – making sure we develop the next generation, whether it’s in the military, public service, or anywhere else.”

LTC Iskandar (fourth from left) and some of his RSAF colleagues who will be involved in NDP 2025. | IMAGE: NDP 2025 EXCO

The flypast is a spectacle, but it’s never just for show

This year’s NDP will feature a total of 26 RSAF aircraft – fighter jets, helicopters and transport aircraft among them. These include the CH-47F Heavy Lift helicopter aka Chinook and the mighty C-130 Hercules.

Three aerial displays will feature the F-15SG, with LTC Iskandar taking the lead. First, the “Enhanced Salute to the Nation” will see six F-15SGs in delta formation burst upwards with afterburners, followed by four F-16s in a diamond, symbolising our Diamond Jubilee.

Then there’s the “SG60 Tribute”, with six F-15SGs sweeping over the Padang before the outer wingmen turn outwards, break away and climb, representing peace and prosperity for the nation. The remaining four will continue their flight in diamond formation.

And finally, the “Multi Axis Flypast”, a historic first, with six jets flying in from opposite directions, crossing each other dramatically before breaking into full climbs.

For LTC Iskandar, each flight isn’t just about choreography. It’s about reflection.

“NDP is special because we get to see and reflect on the progress we’ve made as a country,” he says. “The first time I flew in NDP was SG50. Now it’s 10 years later. We’ve matured, both individually and as a nation.”

Off-duty but never off-mission: LTC Iskandar unwinds by chasing new heights, even on holiday. | IMAGE: NDP 2025 EXCO

Meet Mister Kitty, the real commander of the house when LTC Iskandar isn’t commanding the skies. | IMAGE: NDP 2025 EXCO

Quiet moments help this cat dad decompress

With all the high-stakes action in his day job, you’d expect Iskandar to crave thrills during downtime. But when he has a free moment, you’ll likely find him in a library or hiking through MacRitchie or Bukit Timah with his wife.

“I like walking outside and immersing myself in nature… it’s a change from the hectic and loud environment that I’m in every day.”

That said, old habits die hard.

“When I hear a slight sound of an aircraft, I will always look up and try and guess what aircraft it is based on the sound. I think it’s one of those job hazards!”

Home life includes Stephanie and a 20-year-old American Shorthair named Mister Kitty (incidentally, it’s International Cat Day tomorrow, 8 Aug – meow!). No children – just this quietly content cat dad, who commands Singapore’s top fighter squadron by day and makes time for quiet at night.

Six F-15SGs will soar in delta formation, their afterburners lighting up the sky in this NDP’s enhanced bomb burst. | IMAGE: NDP 2025 EXCO

Small country, big responsibility

Ask LTC Iskandar how being an RSAF pilot has shaped him, and he doesn’t talk about skill or speed. He talks about awareness.

“We get a true sense of how small Singapore is geographically. With that lack of geographical depth, we understand how vulnerable we are in any military conflict or tension,” he says, adding that this perspective fuels his work.

“It reinforces the importance of the role we play… It’s been quite an incredible journey for Singapore the past 60 years – to achieve [the position we are in]. To ensure peace and security of the country – it’s something we should not take for granted.”

Beyond geography, LTC Iskandar’s time in the RSAF – including overseas deployments and multinational exercises – has shaped the way he sees leadership, teamwork, and responsibility.

“At the root of it, every aircrew that flies the F-15 is just an average Singaporean,” he says. “The skills we have – team spirit, the pursuit of excellence, the ability to prioritise multiple demands – those are transferable outside the military.”

At 60, he hopes to still be learning

Singapore at 60. Himself at 60. The two are connected.

“Singapore today is very diverse, inclusive, modern – always trying to reinvent, adapt to the ever-changing circumstance of geopolitics,” says LTC Iskandar. “So, if I take that as an example, when I’m 60, I hope I have that same desire to continuously adapt, to continuously learn and grow. And not be static.”

He doesn’t imagine changing the world. Just contributing where he can – in small but meaningful ways.

“Hopefully I can do the same when I’m 60… helping not the world, but hopefully the people around me in whatever way I can.”

For now, he’ll keep leading by example, on the ground and in the cockpit, soaring across a city that’s still looking up at him every Saturday, waiting for the sound of one familiar jet.

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