SINGAPORE: The Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) will acquire another eight F-35B fighter jets, growing its incoming fleet of the fifth-generation fighters to 12.
Singapore will take delivery of the eight jets from US manufacturer Lockheed Martin “by the end of the decade”, Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen said in Parliament on Friday (Feb 24).
In 2020, Singapore announced the acquisition of an initial four F-35Bs, which are on track for delivery by 2026. The purchase was worth an estimated US$2.75 billion, according to a US government press release.
That deal included an option for eight more F-35 jets. Dr Ng on Friday said the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) had decided to exercise the option for the F-35B variant after an extensive evaluation.
“MINDEF and the SAF have concluded that the F-35 is the best choice to meet our defence needs now and in the future,” he told Parliament.
The Defence Ministry has the largest estimated expenditure among the ministries for the 2023 financial year, at S$17.98 billion. This is a 5.6 per cent increase from FY2022. Almost all the money, or about S$17.04 billion, will go to the SAF.
MINDEF does not give detailed cost figures for the acquisition of planes, submarines and Army platforms as these can provide an indication of capabilities.
Dr Ng attributed the increased spending to heightened inflationary pressures, catching up on projects disrupted by the pandemic, and building up the SAF’s ability to counter non-traditional threats.
As part of the SAF’s transformation into a next-generation defence force by 2040, Dr Ng also announced that it would invest in training upgrades, including the use of realistic virtual reality (VR) simulators and a new digital range.