SINGAPORE – Singapore’s acquisition of 20 F-35 stealth fighters and related equipment cost US$4.06 billion (S$5.17 billion), according to a US Department of War report.
This is the first official disclosure of the total contract value. The report, published in April and made public on Aug 3, also detailed the delivery timeline of the fifth-generation fighter jets and where they will be stationed.
The first F-35 fighter aircraft for the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) will be delivered to a US airbase at the end of 2026, with Singapore expected to house them locally only in 2029.
Twelve of the jets are F-35Bs, all of which will be permanently stationed at Ebbing Air National Guard Base in Fort Smith, Arkansas, the report stated. RSAF’s F-35 training will be conducted at this location.
The F-35B has short take-off and vertical landing capabilities, allowing them to take off from shorter runways, as well as to hover and land like a helicopter.
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