With delivery of RSAF’s F-35s about four years away, MAJ Zhang said details on initial training for both its operational and logistics crew will be “fleshed out” in the coming years, amid “comprehensive discussions” with the US’ F-35 Joint Program Office.
“We discuss items such as the type of maintenance equipment we should procure ahead of time, and the type of training we should receive as we approach the delivery of our aircraft,” he said of the office, which leads the F-35 life cycle programme management for foreign users.
Singapore’s F-35 package will include a jet training system, spare and repair parts, support equipment, tools and test equipment, technical data and publications, personnel training and training equipment, as well as logistics support services.
The entire package, including the jets, their engines, electronic systems and weapons employment capability, is estimated to cost US$2.75 billion, according to a US government press release in January 2020 on its approval of the F-35 sale to Singapore.