Source:
Defense Industry Daily
F-15E Strike Eagle Taking Off With Singapore
Contract?
Posted 25-Aug-2005
07:05
F-15E Strike Eagle
The U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency recently notified the
public of a possible Foreign Military Sale to Singapore of advanced
ordnance, plus logistics, training support, and associated
equipment and services for F-15 aircraft. The total value, if all
options are exercised, could be as high as $741 million. Given
that:
* Singapore does not currently fly F-15 aircraft (it flies F-16s,
F/RF-5s, and A-4SUs)
* The F-15E Strike Eagle was named to an April/05 shortlist with
Dassault's Rafale for Singapore's $1 billion A-4SU fighter
replacement contract
* Closer U.S. military ties in recent years are expected to give
the F-15E a slight edge; and
* The recently-retired head of U.S. Pacific Command was honored at
almost the same time with Singapore's Meritorious Service Medal -
Military
...the natural question is whether the Government of Singapore has
made or is very close to making a decision regarding its future
fighter purchase.
AGM-154 JSOW
The proposed deal also highlights other trends.
The equipment requested by Singapore was diverse, but many are
among the most advanced in the U.S. arsenal. These weapons
themselves are not definitive with respect to the fighter contract,
however, as all of them could also be carried by F-16s.
* 24 Link 16 Multifunctional Information Distribution System/Low
Volume Terminals (Fighter Data Link Terminals); see this DID
article for an explanation of this important piece of equipment,
and note that the upcoming fighter contract is for around 20
planes.
* 200 AIM-120C Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAM)
and 6 CATM-120C AMRAAM Captive Air Training (CAT) Missiles. The
AIM-120C is America's most advanced medium range air-air
missile.
* 200 AIM-9X Sidewinder Missiles; and 24 AIM-9X Sidewinder Captive
Air Training and Dummy Missiles. The AIM-9X is the most recent
version of the short range Sidewinder air-air missile, and it has
just started to enter service with U.S. fighters. It was designed
to be competitive with missiles like the British ASRAAM, French
Mica, Russian AA-11, German/European IRIS-T, and Israeli Python
4.
* 50 MK-82 GBU-38 Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAM) w/BLU-111
warhead; plus 100 KMU-556 GBU-31 JDAM Tail Kit Assemblies, that can
turn regular bombs into Global Positioning System guided
JDAMs.
* 30 AGM-154A-1 Joint Standoff Weapons w/BLU-111; and 30 AGM-154C
Joint Standoff Weapons. These are GPS-guided glide bombs with a
range of 75km.
* 44 AN/AVS-9(V) Night Vision Goggles.
* 300,000 20mm Practice Round Cartridges. Note that the Rafale uses
a 30mm cannon, but F-16s and F-5s both use 20mm Vulcan
cannon.
* 4 MK-82 and MK-84 "dumb" bomb practice
trainers
The principal contractors will be Raytheon Missile System
Corporation of Tucson, AZ and Boeing Integrated Defense Solutions
of St. Louis, MO. There will be up to 10 U.S. Government personnel
and 10 contractor representatives for two-week intervals annually
to participate in program management and technical reviews, and
there are no known offset agreements proposed in connection with
this potential sale.
With these weapons, Singapore continues its military modernization
by adding transformational communications and precision strike
capabilities. It also enhances its interoperability with both the
USA and Australia, whose military cooperation have become more
important as pan-Islamic movements target the regions and pirate
activities continue to rise around the Straits of Malacca. The DSCA
also noted that:
"Singapore has requested a competition between U.S. contractors and
foreign competitors for an aircraft program. If Singapore selects
the F-15 aircraft, the aircraft and engines will be purchased
commercially, for which there would be an eventual 36© notification
of the commercial sale. This proposed sale includes the weapons and
logistics support for the F-15 aircraft."
Dassault Rafale
In response to queries on Aug 24/05, Singapore's Defense Ministry
said that is still evaluating U.S. and French fighter jets and has
yet to choose either of them for upgrading the country's warplanes.
The government hasn't said when a decision would be made,
either.
See DID's overview for more background on Singapore's $1
billion fighter contract and why it's significant.
