Singapore to buy 8 new F-35B fighter jets from US

Asia-Pacific, News, US February 28, 2023 , by IRIA No Comments

Singapore is set to sign a contract to acquire eight new F-35B fighter jets expanding its existing fleet of fifth-generation jets to twelve. The Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) will receive 8 F-35B jets by the end of the decade.

Singapore announced the acquisition of the first four fifth-generation F-35B fighter jets in 2019. According to a U.S. government press release, the purchase was worth an estimated $2.75 billion. Delivery for these jets is on track and RSAF would acquire four aircraft by 2026. The 2019 contract had the option to expand the order to twelve jets in the future.

Singapore’s Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen announced that the country has utilized the option to expand its fleet of fifth-generation fighter jets. He said that the decision came after a “full evaluation” of the F-35, which followed increased access to the aircraft program thanks to the country’s initial order.

After the initial order in 2019, pilots from the RSAF had the opportunity to fly F-35 mission simulators under the tutelage of operational F-35 instructor pilots, while conducting an evaluation of the electronic systems onboard the aircraft. Feedback from these pilots and RSAF officials played a key role in decision-making for purchasing the new jets.

The small Southeast Asian Island nation has selected the F-35B because of its ability to take off and land on small runways. The F-35B requires a 600 feet runway for take-off when it’s fully loaded. The jet can also perform a vertical landing. This would allow the Singapore Air Force to reduce its reliance on long runways and mitigate the potentially devastating effects of an attack on its airfields.

Singapore currently has five established airports and air bases on its 280-square-mile main island, with a smaller emergency landing strip on one of its smaller offshore islands. One of the established bases is due to close in the early part of the next decade. RSAF currently operates a fleet of 60 F-16 Fighting Falcon fighter jets with some older generation F-35B jets. Several of the F-16 jets are set to retire in 2030.

*^{UK Royal Air Force squadrons of F-35B stealth jets. (Image Credit: UK MOD/Mark Johnson)}*

Singapore is on course to modernize its military while particularly focusing on aerial defense as part of the Vision 2040 roadmap. Apart from upgrading its fleet of aerial combat aircraft, the Singapore Armed Forces will also upgrade its training with virtual reality technology and a new digital range.

Singaporean Defence Ministry has the largest estimated expenditure among the ministries for the 2023 financial year, standing at $13.4 billion, a 5.6 percent increase from 2022. Almost all this money will go to the Singaporean Air Force for the upgradation of its fleet, training, and equipment.