Singapore plans to acquire an additional eight fifth-generation F-35As to complement the 12 F-35B aircraft already ordered by the Singaporean Air Force (SAF) and set to replace the aging F-16s for an unknown price.
Defense Minister Ng Eng Hen said the purchase will put the Singaporean Air Force into the “premier league” in a speech to parliament on Wednesday, February 28th. Hen also said, “F-35 prices are now more competitive amid a healthy order pipeline for the jets globally.”
The Ministry of Defense (MINDEF) has possibly had to prioritize this over other projects, claiming “the purchase was made at the best time.”
The SAF ordered its first four F-35B jets in 2020 and 2023, respectively, and the twelve aircraft will be delivered by 2026 and 2028, respectively.
The SAF plans to phase out its F-16 fleet by the mid-2030s, while the F-35A/Bs will also serve alongside the F-15SG multirole fighter, with them doing the “heavy lifting.”
