When Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen announced the acquisition of eight Lockheed Martin F-35A aircraft for the Republic of Singapore Air Force during the debate on his ministry’s budget on Thursday , the Russia-Ukraine war had been going on for two years and four days.
“I believe that if either side had achieved air superiority, the conflict would have taken on a very different trajectory. There is a higher probability that it would not have been so long and protracted.” Indeed, Dr Ng said that with around 2,500 F-35s on order, the price is now “more competitive” and Singapore will “capitalise on this window of opportunity” to accelerate its F-35 programme.
This means that the RSAF will have a steady stream of F-35s coming into service: Starting with four F-35Bs from 2026, eight F-35Bs from 2028, and the F-35As from 2030, in time for the gradual retirement of the F-16 fleet between 2030-2035. The Ukraine war has shown how strong air defence systems have suppressed the establishment of air superiority on both sides.
It is this cross-command integration within the RSAF that will keep the tempo of air power generation and achieve air superiority over the adversary.The last piece of the puzzle would be RSAF’s likely upgrade of the F-15SGs later in the decade.