The 121 Squadron "Brahminy Kite" ("Gannet" before 1994) of the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) currently operates the Fokker 50 Utility Aircraft (UTA) and Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA) based at Changi Airbase (West).

In 1993, the squadron found a new chapter to their successful career when they began operating the Fokker F50 MPA and UTL.

[1] The primary role of the F-50 is to provide dedicated wide area maritime air surveillance for search and rescue operations, aeromedical evacuations and the transportation of personnel.

As such, the F-50 MPA is part of a MINDEF system that comprises both Republic of Singapore Air Force and Republic of Singapore Navy assets that are capable of operations in tandem for seeking out and destroying a naval surface or sub-surface target, they can be quickly re-armed with the Harpoon Anti-ship missiles or EuroTorp A244/S ASW torpedoes as and when they are required to.

These include Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) efforts such as Operations Flying Eagle in the aftermath of the Asian tsunami in December 2004, regular patrols of Singapore’s Sea Lines of Communication as well as participation in the Malacca Straits “Eyes-in-the-Sky” Joint Air Patrol with Indonesia and Malaysia.