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Friday, January 18, 2019, 16:33
Singapore to buy a few F-35 jets, eyes fleet replacement
By Reuters
Friday, January 18, 2019, 16:33 By Reuters

F-16 fighter jets from the Republic of Singapore Air Force's aerobatics team, the Black Knights, perform an aerial display over Singapore, Aug 9, 2015. (ROSLAN RAHMAN / AFP)

SINGAPORE — Singapore's defense minister said on Friday that Lockheed Martin's F-35 fighter jets were the most suitable replacement for its F-16 fleet, and it planned to buy "a few planes first" for evaluation. 

With Southeast Asia's largest defense budget, the wealthy city-state is a key prize for global arms companies as it looks to invest in new technology and upgrade its equipment. 

We want to procure a few planes first, to fully evaluate the capabilities of the F-35 before deciding on the acquisition of a full fleet

Ng Eng Hen, Defense Minister, Singapore

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Singapore's fleet of around 60 F-16 jets, which first entered service in 1998, will be retired soon after 2030.

"They (defense agencies) have decided that the F-35 would be the most suitable replacement fighter," Defense Minister Ng Eng Hen said in a Facebook post. 

"We want to procure a few planes first, to fully evaluate the capabilities of the F-35 before deciding on the acquisition of a full fleet," he added. 

Ng said defense agencies would speak to their US counterparts to move the process forward, but that it would take 9-12 months to finalize terms on the initial deal. 

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The F-35, one of the world's most advanced fighter jets, accounts for about a quarter of Lockheed's total revenue. 

The cost of the most common variation of the jet, the F-35A, is around US$90 million each, based on contract negotiations with the Pentagon in the United States. 

The F-35's pricetag has been criticized by US President Donald Trump and other US officials, who have also pointed to numerous production delays and cost overruns. 

Last year, all Lockeed Martin's US and international F-35 fighter jets were grounded for engine inspections following a crash of an F-35B on Sept 28 near Beaufort, South Carolina. 

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