Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) acquires more F35s as next generation asset

On the 24th of February 2023, Friday, the Republic of Singapore Air Force have acquire another 8 more F-35Bs from Lockheed Martin, ahead of the initial 4 leading them to a total of 12 F-35Bs on order. These fighters are the next generation fighters that are slated to replace the current F-16 C/Ds aircraft in Singapore, which have been in service since 1998 and are reaching obsolescence globally from the mid-2030s. The initial 4 fighters on order will reach the hands of the RSAF by 2026.

Back in 2022, August, the RSAF flew alongside the F-35s in a large-scale multilateral air combat exercise, Exercise Pitch Black, held in Australia. Designed with an advanced radar-absorbent material, the F-35B is able to evade enemy detection and operate in contested environments. The F-35B has short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL) capabilities, which will be useful given Singapore's land scarcity. They are also equipped with advanced sensors that allow it to collect and analyze information, and share this with other friendly assets.

A United States Marine Corp Lockheed Martin F-35B Lighting II performing an aerial demonstration during the Singapore Airshow 2020. Image credit Douglas (@douglas_anvil_tan)

What are the variants of Lockheed Martin F-35s?

You may have heard before about the Lockheed Martin F-35A, F-35B or even the F-35C, however some may wonder, what are the difference between them? The F-35A is an agile, versatile, high-performance, 9G capable multirole fighter that combines stealth, sensor fusion and unprecedented situational awareness. It has advanced sensor package that is designed to gather, fuse and distribute more information than any fighter in history, giving operators a decisive advantage over all adversaries. Its processing power, open architecture, sophisticated sensors, information fusion and flexible communication links make the F-35 an indispensable tool in future homeland defense, Joint and Coalition irregular warfare and major combat operations.

The F-35C carrier variant (CV) is designed to be the US Navy’s first stealth fighter and the world's only fifth generation, long-range stealth strike fighter designed and built for aircraft carrier operations. The F-35C variant has a larger wingspan of 13.1 meters. Its wingtips also fold to allow for more room on the carrier's deck while deployed. The F-35C has a greater internal fuel capacity than the other two F-35 variants and holds the same weapons arsenal as the F-35B.