S'pore wants to buy 100 of world's most advanced fighters

spartan_6 SG

Ya u right RASF is unlikely 2 operate only 1 aircraft type.I forsee a 3rd batch of maybe 6-12 F-15SG. 100 F-35 + 30 F-15SG + (maybe)20 TA-50 tat a total of 150 combat aircraft hoho

spartan_6 SG

But like storywolf said when e times come we might not operate 100, so many things can & r happening till 2030 @ e earliest when e JSF enter production

bloodsucker SG

LOL, that means they are going to replace the entire RSAF fighter fleet with F35s.

This is impossible. RSAF buys planes according to its needs. The F-35 by itself cannot satisfy all the needs of the RSAF (interceptor, strike, fighter etc). There is no such plane that can do everything. If you want to know more or less what RSAF will have in its fleet, just keep watch on the Israeli Air Force. Our fleet is never that much different from them.

The one good thing abt the F-35 is its stealth tech. The Sukhois would be at kind of a disadvantage agst them. However, it all still depends on the pilots though.

Shotgun SG

This is impossible. RSAF buys planes according to its needs. The F-35 by itself cannot satisfy all the needs of the RSAF (interceptor, strike, fighter etc). There is no such plane that can do everything. If you want to know more or less what RSAF will have in its fleet, just keep watch on the Israeli Air Force. Our fleet is never that much different from them.

The one good thing abt the F-35 is its stealth tech. The Sukhois would be at kind of a disadvantage agst them. However, it all still depends on the pilots though.

Name me 1 mission the F-16 cannot do?

It even has a nuclear-release consent switch. =D

Arapahoe SG

i think this article is more political in nature of competing orders from F-22. There are politician and plane manufacturing trying to secure the future of these planes.

Bionic Animals SG

F35 can have many versions in future. F35-S(Strike), F35-F(Fighter), F-35-R(Recon)............ Who knows what holds in future.

sgf SG

It was mentioned before by an ex RSAF chief that in the future, most likely RSAF will just operate 2 types of aircraft. If so I'm guessing its F-35 for multirole and F-15SG for strike.

Personally I think 3 is a better option then you can have the F-16C/D for interceptor role. C/D may not be the newest model but it still has a lot of bite.

Shotgun SG

F35 can have many versions in future. F35-S(Strike), F35-F(Fighter), F-35-R(Recon)............ Who knows what holds in future.

Unlikely. The F-35 is supposed to be those multi-role, plug and play kinda fighter already. Its already a fighter capable of all the roles you mentioned above.

The F-16s will not be able to operate more than another 15 years or so. The newer jets offer so much performance increase, but their wear n tear is also higher. I've heard of how snr technicians curse and swear when ACMI shows their pilots hitting 9.5gs on the F-16.

LazerLordz SG

F-35s as the multi-role mainstay of the future RSAF air fleet. The Eagles and Vipers can be pushed back to specialised roles as bomb trucks and Wild Weasels..

Bionic Animals SG

I hope I can see the F35s in our skies during my lifetime.

niffoc SG

But will US sell us the normal version of F35 which they themselve are using or the nerf version of the F35?

U know USA always sell low tier or nerf weapon to other country and keep the higher tier or the un-nerf for themselves only

Shotgun SG

I think nerfed or not, the F-35 would still be a tough opponent for the Flankers. Thats good enough for me.

spartan_6 SG

The F-35A itself is designed 2 be a fighter/strike & recon aircaft aircraft, as it is said it is designed 2 be muti-role

Arapahoe SG

I was also wondering if the # 100 or so aircraft replacement could also come from filling up A4 replacement. I didn't think that F-15SG was a 1 to 1 replacement for A4.

storywolf SG

I was also wondering if the # 100 or so aircraft replacement could also come from filling up A4 replacement. I didn't think that F-15SG was a 1 to 1 replacement for A4.

100+ - a good question is how many f-35A & f-35B ?

since isreal is getting a mixed of them , that could change a lot on how our airforce operate if we take up some f-35B also.

spartan_6 SG

I expect not more then a single sqn

Ariedartin SG

Urgh. Military nutcases.

There is no F-35S, F or R. The designations are A, B and C. F-35 is a multirole aircraft anyway, so the designations you gave have no meaning since it is capable of all that. The F-35Bs and Cs are designed as naval-based aircraft, so it is almost certain that Singapore will only be buying F-35As if at all, because we do not have aircraft carriers, or the organisational framework to operate naval-based air assets, or even the plans to do so.

Please remember, that when militaries (or any organisation, for that matter) quote an upper limit on the purchase of equipment, it is just an upper limit. They have no obligation to buy exactly that number of units, so don't be expecting 100+ F-35As around in Singapore. Besides, there will invariably be detachments based overseas for training and reserve.

Only a single squadron? Highly unlikely. The fact that they are open to obtaining up to 100 units notwithstanding, it is always far easier to standardise the airforce and use as few aircraft types effectively in order to exploit the economies of scale in training and maintenance. It will be far cheaper and simpler for the military to replace parts and carry out standard maintenance procedures, and they won't have to fumble around with too many different pilot programs for all the different aircraft. In any case, we cannot expect SAF to be shrinking anytime soon - if anything, they look set to expand in the future.

Sepecat SG

I am not sure if F35 pilots want to get into a dogfight scenario in the first place although if forced to they will probably be a formidable opponent. With stealth, datalink and AESA features, the F35 will most likely defeat most opponents BVR.

lionnoisy SG

It is official.We will continue use the F5S for quite some time.

It is old air frame but new equipments,equivalent to F16's.

I dunt know the full text of the US Air Force Major-General Charles Davis.

Anyone want to hard sell anything to SG looks stupid.

U have to see machine,maintenance and men as a package

for any platforms.

What is the cost to acquire and maintain/overhaul in the life cycles?

The rule of thumb is 2 to 3 times of initial purchase cost to maintain

in the life cycle.So,$$ is a big problems.U have to spend

it wisely.Is there any better options?

First ,SG has yet to receive F15.U can see from history that SG

will use any major platform for 25 to 30 years before it is retired.

2nd,100 seems too many for SG.

It may get some technology from F35,but not to buy any too soon.

Teo Chee Hean said in interview for SAF Day 2008 to zaobao:

1.F5S will not be decommissioned in the near future.

2.MINDEF will see it F35 can replace F5S,after F35 fully developed.

http://www.zaobao.com/special/face2face/pages1/face2face080701.shtml

F-5S机龄虽高仍符合作战需求

新加坡空军将不会在短期内考虑撤换使用了30多年的F-5猛虎战斗机队。

随着空军不断提升战斗和支援机队，例如采购最先进的F-16C/D战斗机，并以F-15SG取代A-4SU战机，让F-5猛虎战斗机的去留备受关注。

国防部长张志贤说，F-5只是机身陈旧，但装备已经过改良，符合第三代武装部队的作战需求。

但毕竟任何老旧的机种也有武器系统、雷达搜寻和飞行电子系统的提升局限，迟早必须淘汰以节省运作成本和提高作战效率，因此有远见的空军必须放眼新一代机种，与时并进，保持领先地位，更胜一筹。

张志贤说，国防部已放眼新一代战斗机，因此参与了美国的F-35联合攻击战斗机（Joint Strike Fighter）开发计划。F-35开发成功后，国防部将探讨是否引进F-35战斗机，取代F-5E战斗机。

Display Name SG

Why government buy so many F-35? 100 altogether. Is government foreseeing a world war to happen soon?
Singapore number of fighter jet used to be about 100, which is 40 F-5, 60 F-16.
Now we have another 12 F-15, which can last for at least another 20 years.

Don't tell me want to stir up an arm race in the region to bring down the neighbouring countries economy. Honestly this money ($6.8 billion) can be of better use for the welfare of the people and contribute to our bonus and increment.

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