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could only do after developmental flight testing China Sea region seems limited." [ AIR SYSTEMS ]
of the F-35s was completed in early 2018. They
have decided that the F-35 would be the most Lockheed Martin says the F-35B STOVL) variant is the world’s
suitable replacement fighter.” first supersonic STOVL stealth aircraft. It is designed to operate
from austere bases and a range of air-capable ships near front-line
Dr Peter Layton, a Visiting Fellow at the Griffith combat zones. It can also take off and land conventionally from
Asia Institute, Griffith University, writes, longer runways on major bases. The U.S. Marine Corps' F-35B
"THE LIMITED NUMBERS AND THE aircraft reached initial operational capability (IOC) on July 31, 2015,
F-35’S ATTRIBUTES SUGGEST THAT and as of January 2017, a squadron of F-35Bs is permanently based
SINGAPORE WILL USE ITS NEW at MCAS Iwakuni, Japan.
F-35S IN COMBINATION WITH The Marine Corps’ Green Knights of VMFA-121 are the first oper-
ITS F-16 AND F-15 FLEETS. WHILE ational unit to fly F-35B Lightning II jets. They’re setting the stage
SINGAPORE WILL HAVE ONLY for deployment of the vertical-lift aircraft. “The reason the F-35B
LIMITED NUMBERS OF F-35S, is so important is that we can base almost anywhere… You don’t
need the infrastructure of a long runway to operate,” says Lt. Col.
THESE CAN BE EMPLOYED AS Steve Gillette, Commanding Officer.
FORCE MULTIPLIERS USING THEIR
ADVANCED SENSORS TO ENHANCE The F-35B STOVL operation is made possible through the Rolls-
THE OPERATIONAL EFFECTIVENESS Royce patented shaft-driven LiftFan propulsion system and an
engine that can swivel 90 degrees when in short take-off/vertical
OF REGIONAL AIR FORCES (ALBEIT landing mode. Because of the LiftFan, the STOVL variant has a
THIS WILL REQUIRE THESE AIR smaller internal weapon bay and less internal fuel capacity than the
FORCES TO HAVE HIGH-QUALITY F-35A. It uses the probe-and-drogue method of aerial refuelling.
DATALINKS). IN THAT REGARD, Singapore on an Upgrade Swing
SINGAPORE’S F-35S WOULD BE Despite its small geographical size, Singapore fields one of the
WELL SUITED TO COOPERATE most advanced and well-equipped militaries in South East Asia.
CLOSELY WITH SOUTH KOREAN, The backbone of the RSAF is a fleet of F-15 and F-16 fighters. The
JAPANESE, AUSTRALIAN, AND US RSAF fields forty F-15SG Eagles, forty F-16Ds, and twenty F-16Cs.
These are augmented by around thirty F-5S Tiger II and some A-4
FORCES." Skyhawks in storage. Singapore also fields an AWACS capability
with five Israeli modified Gulfstream 550 jets.
However, Dr Layton says, most ASEAN air
forces will have difficulty working directly with Singapore’s F-16C/D Block 52/52+ aircraft are quite advanced
Singapore’s F-35s given data link and interop- and have already received significant upgrades over the years.
erability issues. Such air forces might operate The country is now in the process of upgrading those jets to the
in the same general area as Singaporean F-35s even more advanced F-16V configuration, which could help keep
rather than forming a closely integrated force them relevant beyond 2030 if necessary. The RSAF has always
package. The Singaporean F-35 influence on, operated US-made fighter aircraft with the exception of its first
and usefulness to, air forces around the South combat aircraft, the British Hawker Hunter acquired in the 1970s.

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