Singapore moves to buy F-35s

The Singapore Defense Minister has stated that they have the approval of the Department of Defense, and the current Administration to buy four F-35s, with the option to buy 8 more afterwards. He didn't specify which version they would buy, but the price quoted is consistent with the price of either an A or B model under LRIP 11. Reports are that they're interested in the B model, for its ability to operate from short or improvised landing strips. He's also quoted as saying the operational costs will be similar to the F-15SG.

Singapore currently operates F-15SGs, and F-16s, with joint training bases in the US at Mountain Home and Luke.

MELBOURNE, Australia — Singapore will seek to buy four Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighters for a start, with an option to purchase eight more, according to the southeast Asian nation’s defense minister.

Speaking in Parliament on Friday, Ng Eng Hen said Singapore will submit a letter of request to the United States for the purchase, adding that “Singapore has the endorsement of both the U.S. administration and the Department of Defense for our proposed purchase of F-35s.”

He did not disclose which version of the F-35 Singapore will request when asked by lawmakers, although he was quoted as ruling out buying the “aircraft-carrier version” of the F-35, and told Parliament that the unit price of the aircraft “ranges from U.S. $90 million to U.S. $115 million.”

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good to see countries buying in again.i hope they up that order abit though in time

a reply to: TheScale

This is their SOP. They buy in small lots, until they end up with what they want for the total. They bought the F-15SG in lots, with the first being 12 aircraft, then adding options and placing additional orders, until they had 40 all told. It helps them control their spending better.