Singapore to buy a few F-35 jets, eyes fleet replacement

Singapore to buy a few F-35 jets, eyes fleet replacement

Israeli Air Force F-35 flies during an aerial demonstration in southern Israel on Dec 26, 2018. (Reuters photo)
Israeli Air Force F-35 flies during an aerial demonstration in southern Israel on Dec 26, 2018. (Reuters photo)

SINGAPORE: Singapore Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen said on Friday that Lockheed Martin's F-35 fighter jets were the most suitable replacement for its F-16 fleet, and it planned to buy "a few planes first" for evaluation.

With Southeast Asia's largest defence budget, the wealthy city-state is a key prize for global arms companies as it looks to invest in new technology and upgrade its equipment.

Singapore's fleet of around 60 F-16 jets, which first entered service in 1998, will be retired soon after 2030.

"They (defence agencies) have decided that the F-35 would be the most suitable replacement fighter," the minister said in a Facebook post.

"We want to procure a few planes first, to fully evaluate the capabilities of the F-35 before deciding on the acquisition of a full fleet," he added.

Ng said defence agencies would speak to their US counterparts to move the process forward, but that it would take 9-12 months to finalise terms on the initial deal.

The F-35, one of the world's most advanced fighter jets, accounts for about a quarter of Lockheed's total revenue.

The cost of the most common variation of the jet, the F-35A, is around US$90 million (2.85 billion baht) each, based on contract negotiations with the Pentagon in the United States.

The F-35's pricetag has been criticised by US President Donald Trump and other US officials, who have also pointed to numerous production delays and cost overruns.

Last year, all Lockeed Martin's US and international F-35 fighter jets were grounded for engine inspections following a crash of an F-35B on Sept 28 near Beaufort, South Carolina.

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