The Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) stressed that the acquisition of F-35 fighter jets by the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) is for Singapore’s own defence deterrence and not directed against, or to align itself with, any particular country.

The ministry was responding to a report by American news outlet CNN, titled “The message to China behind Singapore’s US F-35 jet plan.” which wrote that analysts said Singapore’s decision to acquire the F-35 was “indicative of growing concerns within Asia regarding China’s regional ambitions”.

Carl Schuster, a former director of operations at the US Pacific Command’s Joint Intelligence Center, said in the report, “Singapore probably does not trust China’s assurances that its South China Sea claims are benign, without military intentions and will not result in China taking control of air and sea commerce.”

In the report, it was also said that the acquisition carried a message to China as Singapore will become “the fourth American ally” in the Pacific region to own F-35s, after Australia, Japan and South Korea, as well as saying that Singapore is a “close and long-time US ally” that “even hosts a US Navy facility”.

MINDEF rebutted the statement, saying that these assertions were erroneous.

“Unlike other Asian countries who have acquired F-35s, Singapore is not a treaty ally of the US. While Singapore has allowed United States ships and aircraft usage of some of our military facilities, this is not a reaction to any recent developments. It is a long-standing arrangement dating back to 1990,” Mindef wrote.

Dubbed one of the world’s most advanced fighter jets – the model has been identified as a replacement for Singapore’s ageing fleet of F-16s, which face obsolescence beyond 2030. Eariier in 18 January this year, the ministry had announced that the technical evaluation to select the next generation fighter to replace the F-16s has been completed by the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) and Defence Science and Technology Agency (DSTA) and the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) has been identified as the most suitable replacement to maintain the RSAF’s capabilities.

Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen announced in Parliament on that Singapore would be seeking to buy four US F-35 Joint Strike Fighter aircraft for a start, with an option for eight more.

In the Parliament, Dr Ng stated that Singapore has the endorsement of both the US administration and the Department of Defence for its proposed purchase of the F-35s. However, he noted that the US Congress must still approve it.

The fifth-generation combat aircraft is designed to perform ground-attack and air-superiority missions. It has three main models: the F-35A conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) variant, the F-35B short take-off and vertical-landing (STOVL) variant, and the F-35C carrier-based catapult-assisted take-off but arrested recovery (CATOBAR) variant.

As the largest and most expensive military program, the F-35 is the subject of much scrutiny and criticism in the U.S. and in other countries.

 In 2013 and 2014, critics argued that the plane was “plagued with design flaws”, with many blaming the procurement process in which Lockheed was allowed “to design, test, and produce the F-35 all at the same time,” instead of identifying and fixing “defects before firing up its production line”.

By 2014, the program was “$163 billion over budget and seven years behind schedule”. Critics also contend that the program’s high sunk costs and political momentum make it “too big to kill”.

The F-35 first flew on 15 December 2006. In July 2015, the United States Marines declared its first squadron of F-35B fighters ready for deployment; the U.S. Air Force followed suit with its first squadron of F-35As in August 2016.

 In 2018, the F-35 was used in combat for the first time, by the Israeli Air Force.

The United States plans to buy 2,663 F-35s, which will provide the bulk of the crewed tactical airpower of the U.S. Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps in coming decades. Deliveries of the F-35 for the U.S. military are scheduled until 2037 with a projected service life up to 2070.

Subscribe
Notify of
0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
You May Also Like

二武汉旅客为感染源头 神召会、生命堂感染群有关联

新加坡卫生部长颜金勇今日(25日),在记者会上汇报,经该部调查确认神召会恩典堂感染群和基督生命堂感染群有关联。 “神召会感染群源自生命堂,而生命堂感染群则源自两位武汉旅客。” 他感谢警方等各部门的协助,以及杜克-国大医学院研发血清检验法,得以确认两大感染群之间的关联。 第66起病例(28岁男公民,在神召会恩典堂工作)是神召会主要感染源头,他在上月29日出现症状,仍到教会上班,相信教会东陵分堂职员是在会议上被感染,再传给其他教友。 其余和第66例有关联的,还包括第68(79岁女公民)和第70例(27岁女公民)(家属)、第80例(38岁女公民),曾与他接触的第71位病患、第84例等,共16个确诊病例。 为了确认66例的感染源头,当局调查他曾到过的地点、曾接触的人士。当局得知他曾在上月25日出席位于美苑通道(Mei Hwan Drive)的新年聚会。 出席聚会的还包括第83和91起病例,他们是夫妻。 第83病患是54岁男公民,近期未到过中国,不过常到马国出差。至于91例在26日曾前往盛港医院急诊部。当局安排两人前往国家传染病中心接受血清检测。 第91例是今日新增的一起病例。 当局调查发现,上述夫妻上月19日曾到过生命堂,相信也曾在同日,遇见过两名来自武汉的旅客(第八和第九例)。…

徐顺全录制福建话视频总结国民辛酸

民主党秘书长徐顺全在今日发表一段视频,以福建话和选民对话,谈及生活成本、公积金领取入息年限延迟、公共组屋政策、部长高薪、税务收费调涨等,都是息息相关,让人民喘不过气来,但行动党政府却还要国民感恩。 他说,过去没有网络没有手机,但如今有网络之便利,希望透过视频来和民众沟通解说民主党的理念,请大家对国民面对的困境评评理。 “大学研究显示,单身老人需要至少1千3、400元才过活,那我问你,你一个月有多少钱用呢?” 他说,新加坡有75巴仙老人一个月的公积金不到500元,为何老人不够钱用? “以前行动党政府声称公共组屋价格是不会下跌的,吴作栋、马宝山和李显龙都讲过房价会一直涨,”结果大家想买房养老,打算退休后卖掉拿钱来用。 但实际上公共组屋屋契只有99年,即便国家发展部长黄循财也得承认组屋到期就得还给政府,没有任何价值;房屋中介也会告诉你超过3、40年代老房很难卖出。即便要拿钱出来用,也要先还公积金,每个月才拿一些来用。 ”再者,公积金领取年限也被延迟到65岁,而且也不能一次领完,政府还死死扣住会员的钱。“ 徐顺全说,即便是年长者的儿孙也有自己的生活负担,补习、日常生手费都感到压力。他认为,政府理应对于照顾年长者负起责任,他们过去为国家作出贡献,但老了就是”你死你的事“,这是没道理的。 ”2015年大选时,李显龙总理说他会照顾老人家,但是选举后什么倒要起价,还叫人民要勒紧裤头,奶粉买便宜的就好、菜饭吃三块钱就好,但是他们叫人民吃、用便宜的,却要自己的薪水一直增加。“ 徐顺全提起吴作栋曾说部长薪水还不够;至于新晋的政治人才律政高级政务部长唐振辉每月薪水五万元,也抱怨薪水不够用,因为还要照顾孩子和父母。 ”如果他五万月薪都不够,那么老百姓一个月五千块不是死定了?“ 有些老人家从早到晚做工做到死,如果不工作就没收入,乃至有些年长者走投无路选择轻生,在2017年就有约129名老人自杀的高记录,为何我们的社会变成这样?…

疫情冲击 今年4月逾8600商业实体结业

在冠状病毒19肆虐期间,今年4月共有8千663家商业实体结业,比起三月增加了一倍。 据本地英语财经媒体《商业时报》报导,上个月的数字不仅是近年来新高,对比2003年SARS疫情、2009年金融危机同期倒闭商企的数量,也高出一倍。 2003年SARS疫情下,同期倒闭商企个体也不到2500家,金融危机时期同期也少过4000家。 《商业时报》是透过本地商业资讯服务BizInsights获得数据。今年三月份,倒闭商家多达4008家。 单在今年4月,其中有多达403家结业商企,都是来自餐饮领域。至于结业的零售服务则有918家。 而在4月份新创立的商企个体,则有3千767家。 经济学家提醒,若阻断措施结束,政府削减对大多数行业的补助、也取消对贷款偿债的冻结,担忧有更多企业会不堪重负面临结业。 若全球疫情未有改善,旅游、出国公干减少,跟旅游业相关的前线企业也会继续受到冲击。

Food delivery riders have no CPF to depend on for retirement when they are old

A member of the public, Mok Yew Kee, wrote to Straits Times…