Mervyn Tan


Mervyn Tan Wei Ming is a Singaporean former air force general and presently Deputy Secretary at the Ministry of Defence. Prior to this appointment, he served as Chief of the Republic of Singapore Air Force from 2016 to 2019, retiring with the rank of Major-General. He was succeeded by Brigadier-General Kelvin Khong on 22 March 2019.

Education

Tan received the Singapore Armed Forces Overseas Training Award in 1992 and graduated from the University of Sydney with a Bachelor of Engineering in aeronautical engineering in 1996. He attended the United States Air Command and Staff College from 2004 to 2005 and obtained a Master in Operational Art and Science of War. He also achieved the best overall academic and research award for an international officer at the United States Air Command and Staff College. In 2010, Tan received the SAF Overseas Postgraduate Scholarship in 2010 and obtained a Master of Business Administration from the MIT Sloan School of Management in the same year.

Military career

Tan enlisted in the Singapore Armed Forces in 1990 and graduated as an Air Force officer from the Officer Cadet School in 1991. As an operational pilot, Tan has participated in overseas exercises in Australia, Brunei, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Thailand. Throughout his military career, he held various appointments, including Commanding Officer of 121 Squadron, Head of the Air Plans Department from 2008 to 2010, and Commander of Air Defence and Operations Command from 2012 to 2014. He served as Director of Military Intelligence and Chief of Command, Control, Communications, Computers and Intelligence from February 2014 to February 2016.
Tan succeeded Hoo Cher Mou as the Chief of Air Force on 28 March 2016.
Tan was promoted to the rank of Major-General on 1 July 2016.

Awards

Tan received the Public Administration Medal in 2010. He was awarded the United States Legion of Merit in February, 2020 for strengthening defence relations between the United States and Singapore.

Personal life

Tan is married to Gina Yip and has one son and one daughter.