Singapore to acquire eight F-35A fighter jets from US
The Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) will acquire eight F-35A fighter aircraft, complementing the previously announced purchase of 12 F-35Bs, Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen said on February 28.
An F-35A fighter jet manufactured by Lockheed Martin (Photo: VNA)
Singapore (VNA) – The Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) willacquire eight F-35A fighter aircraft, complementing the previously announcedpurchase of 12 F-35Bs, Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen said on February 28.
If the parliament approves the budget, the jets, made by US manufacturer LockheedMartin, will arrive in Singapore around 2030, he said.
Minister Ng stressed that F-35 variants have different strengths that willbolster the RSAF’s capabilities, elaborating they are designed for greaterendurance and have the ability to carry payloads of higher capacity.
Together with F-15SGs which attained full operational capability in 2013, theair force will have a fleet that is able to perform the full suite of missionsrequired to defend Singapore’s skies.
Last year, the Singaporean Defence Ministry announced its decision to buy eightF-35Bs after an initial purchase of four ones in 2020. Delivery of the first four F-35Bs is expectedin 2026 and the other eight in 2028.
They will replace the RSAF’s ageing F-16 jets, which have been in service since1998. Several F-16s have progressively been upgraded with modern sensors and weaponry to keep them operationallyready until the mid-2030s.
Singapore is an important customer of weapon companies in the world in thecontext that the Southeast Asian is investing in new technologies and upgrademilitary equipment. The country’s defence budget for this financial year is20.2 billion SGD (15 billion USD), up 2.5% from the previous year./.
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An F-35A fighter jet manufactured by Lockheed Martin (Photo: VNA) 
