The defence ministry said in a statement Wednesday the KC-135 aircraft would be deployed for three months, during which it would conduct air-to-air refuelling missions for the coalition forces.

"The KC-135 detachment comprises 33 personnel, including aircrew, support staff as well as technicians from Singapore Technologies Aerospace," the statement said.

Singapore, a tiny Southeast Asian nation of just over four million people, is a strong ally of the United States and has previously sent minor, but symbolically important, contributions to help in the Iraqi military campaign.

Thirty-one armed forces personnel on board a C-130 transport plane returned home in March after a two-month stint of supply missions in Iraq.

Aside from the C-130 crew, 160 personnel on a landing ship returned to Singapore in February after two months in the Gulf and 32 Singaporean police personnel were deployed last year to train the Iraqi police force.

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