 In its new incarnation , No. 79 Squadron continued the air defence and training duties for which No. 3 Squadron had been responsible at Butterworth . It participated in routine training exercises in Southeast Asia , which included making regular deployments to Paya Lebar Air Base in Singapore to train with the Republic of Singapore Air Force . In May 1987 the squadron deployed to Clarke Air Force Base in the Philippines to participate in the annual Cope Thunder exercise with USAF units . It also exercised with No. 77 Squadron 's new F / A @-@ 18 Hornets in April 1988 when that unit visited Butterworth . The Caribou transport was used to support Australian Army units in Malaysia and also flew training sorties to neighbouring countries . 
