ASIATODAY.ID, JAKARTA – Singapore plans to buy 8 F-35 A stealth fighter jets from the United States (US).
Singapore’s Minister of Defense, Ng Eng Hen, conveyed the plan during the Singapore Ministry of Defense (MINDEF) budget discussion in parliament on Wednesday, February 28 2024.
The purchase of this fighter jet aims to strengthen Singapore’s air defense. This type of fighter jet is the latest edition that adopts advanced combat technology and is produced by Lockheed Martin, a fighter aircraft company in the US.
According to Ng Eng Hen, this is the right moment to buy the fighter jet and see a “window of opportunity” for increasingly competitive prices.
Ng Eng Hen has recently paid attention to several ongoing conflicts such as the Russia-Ukraine and Israel-Hamas wars. He also mentioned that the trade war between the US and China has the potential to spread to many regions and threaten national security.
“I can assure the DPR that surprises and unintended consequences will occur, some related, some sudden. When the geopolitical temperature rises, sparks will emerge from various sources,” said Dr Ng, quoted by CNA.
“I have reversed my assessment of the current generation in Singapore and elsewhere. The risk of regional and even global conflict in the next decade is no longer zero (safe). I do not take this assessment lightly,” he added.
He also believes that through this purchase, Singapore hopes to prepare for the current geopolitical tensions.
Previously, the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) had purchased 12 F-35 type fighter jets. The aircraft is planned to be delivered in 2026 to 2028.
Singapore is also one of four Indo-Pacific countries that often buys F-35 fighter jets, along with Australia, Japan and South Korea. (ATN)
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