Singapore Trains Overseas to Overcome Territorial Limitations

Repbulic of Singapore F-16s from 140 Squadron, two A models (bottom) and two B models, project force far beyond island.

Asian Aerospace 2000 -- Although by far the smallest of the main Asia-Pacific states, with an area of only 247 square miles, the Singapore Republic is also one of the most prosperous and militarily best-equipped. Largely unaffected by the recent Far Eastern economic turmoil, Singapore has continued with its major procurement policies of mainly U.S. equipment, and spends some 6% of its GDP annually on defense. Having outgrown its territorial limitations, this has necessitated long-term Singapore Air Force (RepSAF) fighter, tanker, helicopter and trainer operating detachments in Australia, France and the U.S., with consequent transport and air refueling support requirements.

Delivery started in September 1999 of four ex-USAF boom-equipped Boeing KC-135A tanker/transports, ordered by Singapore for $225 million in 1996 to meet these requirements, and since upgraded under a $500 million contract with CFM56-2 turbofans and underwing Flight Refuelling Mk 32 hose-drum pods to KC-135R standards. RepSAF personnel began training on USAF KC-135s at McDonnell AFB, Kansas, in mid-1998, in preparation for the new tankers, which will supplement four Lockheed KC-130Bs and a KC-130H in current Singaporean service. One RepSAF KC-135R will be flown to Singapore this year, leaving the other three in the U.S. for training.

Mainstay of the RepSAF combat force is the Lockheed Martin F-16, from current procurement and lease to date of:

Four F-16A and four two-seat F-16B Block 15OCU delivered from early 1988. The remaining seven received "Falcon Up" structural fatigue-life extensions from civilian USAF contractors from 1996.

Ten F-16C and eight F-16D Block 52D Fighting Falcons ordered for $890 million via 1994's FMS "Peace Carvin II" contract, which included AIM-9S Sidewinders and AIM-7M Sparrow AAMs, provision for AGM-86 Harpoon AShMs, AGM-88 HARM ARMs, and Martin Marietta LANTIRN navigation/targeting pods, for delivery from April 1998.

Twelve F-16C/Ds from a five-year lease-to-buy contract via LMTAS from 1996, to replace nine earlier FMS-leased USAF Block 30 F-16A/Bs for training from 1992 at Luke AFB, Arizona.

Twelve F-16C/D Block 52Ds with Honeywell flat-panel liquid-crystal color cockpit displays, ordered from LMTAS in a $350 million late 1997 "Peace Carvin III" package. Deliveries started in November 1999, for operation from Cannon AFB, New Mexico.

Also operated are some 42 Northrop F-5E/Fs and six RF-5E Tigereye reconnaissance versions, currently nearing completion of a $200 million upgrade program undertaken jointly by ST Aero Engineering and Elbit Systems since 1991. As well as a new Alenia/FIAR Grifo F multimode radar and digital avionics, these are receiving structural reinforcements and air refueling systems, plus Rafael Python 4 advanced AAM and Elbit DASH helmet-mounted sight compatibility. RF-5S upgrades include Litton LN-93-based INS, Atlantic FLIR pods and Texas Instruments RS-700 infra-red line-scan.

In Singapore, the updated F/RF-5S/Ts operate alongside some 50 radar-equipped GE F404-engined A-4SU and 18 two-seat TA-4SU Super Skyhawks upgraded from a previous Singaporean program, in conjunction with four Northrop Grumman E-2C Group 0 Hawkeye AEW&C aircraft, in air defense and ground-attack roles. Replacement of these earlier fighters is planned in a few years by such next-generation combat aircraft as the Eurofighter, Rafale or Gripen.

In March 1999, Singapore became the first Asian-Pacific country to order the Boeing/MDH Apache attack helicopter, from a $620 million FMS contract for eight AH-64Ds, with options on 12 more, for delivery from 2002. Also included were two spare T700-GE-701C turboshafts, 216 Boeing/Rockwell AGM-114K Hellfire 2 laser-guided ATMs, 9,120 Hydra 70 unguided rockets, other weapons and associated equipment. Orders worth $25.9 million followed earlier this month for the RepSAF AH-64Ds' Longbow mast-mounted radars.

Other recent Singapore military helicopter contracts include four Boeing CH-47SDs, to join the six CH-47Ds ordered in 1994 and deployed at Grand Prairie, Texas, for operational training. Three of the CH-47Ds were shipped back to Singapore in mid-1999, to form No 127 Squadron at Sembawang. Orders are also planned for yet another four CH-47SDs, towards total RepSAF requirements for over 20. Other RepSAF overseas training deployments include 30 SIAI-Marchetti S.211 basic jet-trainers at RAAF Pearce, in Western Australia; up to 12 Eurocopter AS 332L Super Puma helicopters at RAAF Oakey, Queensland; and 18 A/TA-4SU Super Skyhawks at Cazaux, in southwestern France, since 1998.

RepSAF evaluations are also being made for possible helicopter use of the Rafael Spike and NT-D anti-tank missiles, the former, with a 4km range and fiber-optic guidance, already having been ordered by the Singapore army. In October 1997, RepSAF procurement was announced of 9K38 Igla (SA-18 "Grouse") advanced infantry SAMs, as Singapore's first Russian weapons.