Singapore is about to obtain its first 4 F-35B brief take-off and vertical touchdown (STOVL) jets earlier than the top of 2026.
With the acquisition, Singapore will turn into the primary nation on the planet, aside from the US, to function the F-35B fighters from land bases slightly than plane carriers.
Singapore, with a complete land space of simply 280 sq. miles, has restricted house for conventional air base infrastructure. This makes the F-35B’s functionality extremely beneficial, enabling it to function from highways, austere ahead websites, or compact concrete pads.
Whereas Singapore has no main disputes with every other nation, it might be involved by Beijing’s rising buildup within the South China Sea. Navy consultants counsel that Singapore’s F-35B procurement is partly, if not fully, based mostly on a possible Chinese language menace.
Evaluations of the F-35 began in Singapore within the early 2010s. After nearly a decade, it lastly authorised the acquisition of 4 F-35Bs beneath a $2.75 billion deal signed in 2019, with an choice for eight extra, as a alternative for the ageing F-16 fleet. The choice was exercised in 2023, leading to a complete of 12 F-35Bs.
Nonetheless, by February 2024, the nation determined it wanted extra of these fifth-generation stealth jets and positioned a further order for eight F-35A variants, bringing the full F-35 fleet to twenty.
Singapore’s Defence Minister, Dr Ng Eng Hen, famous earlier that the F-35’s capacity to function away from probably extremely susceptible airbase infrastructure is “an vital characteristic in land-scarce Singapore.”
The small land space of the nation makes the F-35B’s functionality to disperse to suitably bolstered roadways and even smaller concrete pads very vital, as beforehand defined by the EurAsian Instances.
Small Nation, Large Air Pressure
With a inhabitants of about 6 million and a land space of about 728 sq. kilometres, Singapore is among the world’s smallest nations. The truth is, it’s a city-state.
Regardless of this, the Republic of Singapore Air Pressure (RSAF) maintains a contemporary, high-tech fleet, usually ranked as essentially the most superior in Southeast Asia.
The UK’s 1968 announcement that it was withdrawing all its forces from the area by March 1971 compelled Singapore to imagine the essential function of air defence from the Royal Air Pressure (RAF) rapidly. On the time, the nation had no native operational auxiliary or volunteer air pressure parts, as air pressure operations required extremely specialised personnel.
“Essentially the most pressing want then was to create a nucleus of educated pilots, controllers, technical personnel, and weapon operators who subsequently went on to construct up the sooner Singapore Air Defence Command that was stood up on 1 September 1968,” states the official RSAF web site.
“From our humble beginnings, generations of dedicated and decided airmen and ladies labored tirelessly over the previous 5 a long time to ascertain the Republic of Singapore Air Pressure (RSAF) – endeavor the crucial mission of retaining Singapore’s skies secure, and defending our residence and pursuits, the web site emphasises. “At this time, the RSAF is among the most superior and succesful air forces within the area; superior within the air, capable of decisively affect the bottom and maritime battles, and prepared and able to taking over various kinds of operations from peace to conflict.”
The RSAF operates a number of American fighter jets, which additionally type the spine of its fight fleet. The service operates about 60 F-16C/D Block 52 multirole fighters for reconnaissance, floor assault, and air-to-air fight.
These plane type the spine of Singapore’s fighter fleet and have been upgraded with superior avionics, together with the Northrop Grumman AN/APG-83 radar, improved identification friend-or-foe programs, and Hyperlink 16 knowledge hyperlinks as a part of the Viper Block 70/72 modernisation program.
The acquisition of the F-16 came about in 1985 beneath the Peace Carvin I program. On the time, Singapore ordered eight F-16A/B plane to exchange ageing Hawker Hunters.
The deliveries began in 1988, and have been supplemented by a further 18 jets beneath the Peace Carvin II within the Nineteen Nineties. Later, the RSAF ordered extra plane beneath the next Peace Carvin III and IV, which introduced superior Block 52 variants outfitted with conformal gas tanks and precision-guided munitions, additional enhancing its fight energy.
The RSAF additionally operates 40 F-15SG—a tailor-made variant of the F-15E Eagle. The plane is optimised for long-range air superiority, precision strikes, and maritime operations.
It has plane superior AESA radars, helmet-mounted shows, and compatibility with a big selection of weapons, together with the deadly AIM-120 AMRAAM missiles and Joint Direct Assault Munition (JDAM) precision-guided bombs. The truth is, two of them sport particular RSAF fiftieth anniversary liveries.
The procurement course of began in 2005 with an preliminary order for 12 plane beneath the Peace Carvin V program, valued at roughly $1 billion, as a part of Singapore’s effort to spice up its assault capabilities amid regional considerations. The preliminary deliveries started in 2009 and have been later augmented by extra jets. The entire F-15 fleet stood at 40 by 2026.
It’s price noting that the F-15SG was chosen over opponents such because the Eurofighter Storm and the Dassault Rafale as a result of its confirmed efficiency, vary, and interoperability with the USA.
Along with these, the RSAF additionally operates about 19-20 Boeing AH-64D Apache assault helicopters, outfitted for anti-armour, shut air assist, and escort missions.
These characteristic the Longbow fire-control radar, Hellfire missiles, Hydra rockets, and a 30mm chain gun, making them extremely efficient in city and maritime environments. The RSAF additionally operates the CH-47 Chinook helicopters for search and rescue, troop transport, and catastrophe aid, amongst different issues.
To maintain vigil within the strategic but unstable seas round it, Singapore final month obtained authorisation to purchase the P-8 Poseidon multi-mission maritime patrol plane in a deal probably price $2.3 billion.
And for tactical transport, the RSAF operates the large C-130H Hercules. The truth is, some newest studies counsel that Singapore is seeking to revitalise its Lockheed C-130 Hercules tactical airlift fleet and retire its sub-fleet of ageing C-130B airframes by buying pre-owned C-130H plane.
One other plane operated by the RSAF is the Gulfstream G550 Airborne Early Warning (G550-AEW), a extremely superior Conformal Airborne Early Warning (CAEW) platform that changed the E-2C Hawkeye.
These platforms provide 360-degree, round the clock surveillance with ELTA EL/W-2085 Energetic Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar, which may detect and monitor airborne threats at lengthy vary for greater than 9 hours.
Singapore isn’t a direct claimant within the South China Sea disputes, in contrast to Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam, and so forth., although it advocates for freedom of navigation and a rules-based order as a result of its heavy reliance on maritime commerce by means of the area.
Nonetheless, Singapore’s Air Pressure and, by extension, its complete navy, should not the one issues that outmatch its small dimension.
Singapore: Small State, Large Affect
The Henley Passport Index, which ranks passports quarterly, ranked the Singapore passport because the world’s strongest.
The holder of a Singapore passport can journey to 192 international locations and territories worldwide and not using a visa—a powerful quantity, provided that the index tracks 227 territories—most of that are visa-free for Singaporeans.
Notably, the Singapore passport was additionally within the high spot within the January and July 2025 rankings by Henley & Companions. The Singaporeans had entry to 193 locations as per the July 2025 report, and to 195 international locations as per the January 2025 report.
Singapore stands out as one of many world’s most outstanding financial powerhouses. It’s a tiny city-state with no pure assets, but it boasts one of many highest GDP per capita globally, persistently ranks at or close to the highest in financial competitiveness, ease of doing enterprise, and attracts huge international direct funding (FDI).
Positioned on the coronary heart of main international transport routes, such because the Straits of Malacca, Singapore controls entry to a big share of world commerce.
This has helped flip the nation into the world’s busiest transhipment port and a pure gateway to Southeast Asia and past, in flip, fuelling commerce, logistics, and maritime actions from the beginning.
Singapore boasts world-class infrastructure, and its airport—the well-known Changi Worldwide Airport—was ranked the finest in 2025 by the World Airport Awards, which have been held at Passenger Terminal EXPO in Madrid.
The nation additionally has a top-tier seaport, digital infrastructure, and concrete planning that assist seamless international operations. It has been extensively recognised as a serious hub for aviation, finance, and tech in Asia.
Singapore is persistently ranked because the world’s most pro-business, open, and aggressive economic system, holding the highest spot for over a decade in varied international surveys, because of its secure authorities, low taxes, and ease of doing enterprise.
It’s the premier international hub for beginning companies, providing a 0% company tax fee for the primary 3 years for eligible start-ups, a extremely expert workforce, and environment friendly, minimal forms.
The nation can be continuously making strides in know-how.
Scientists right here will quickly launch a small, light-weight “nanosatellite” with AI-powered edge computing, enabling it to evaluate and prioritise info to be despatched again to Earth, similar to unobscured images.
The satellite tv for pc might be evaluated over a one-year mission – the primary of its sort for Singapore, headed by the Satellite tv for pc Analysis Centre (SaRC) at Nanyang Technological College (NTU) – to judge its electronics efficiency and total operational design, based on latest studies.
These parts mixed remodeled Singapore from a susceptible post-independence state in 1965 right into a resilient, high-income international hub with a world-class navy.
