Under The Angsana Tree: Singapore committed to planned F-35 orders

'Enough' time for F-35 glitches to be solved: Ng Eng Hen

The F-35 on display at the Singapore Airshow in 2018

There is “enough of a runway” for any technical glitches on the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter jets to be solved before they are delivered to Singapore around 2030 — assuming the sale is approved, Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen has said.

“Just by the sheer number of orders that are already placed and… will have to be delivered, the glitches will have to be solved and will be solved,” Dr Ng told reporters last Friday (June 28) at an interview in Murai Camp to mark Singapore Armed Forces Day, which falls on Monday.

The jet’s safety has been in the spotlight after a crash earlier this year, and reports of glitches and flaws that could risk pilot safety and hamper mission success. In April, a Japanese F-35A aircraft — one of three variants of the F-35 — crashed into the Pacific Ocean during a training mission, prompting Japan to ground its fleet temporarily. Separately, flaws with the jet reportedly included pressure increases in the cockpit — the compartment where the pilot sits — causing pain in the ear and sinus.

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Ng Eng Hen confident that technical glitches in F-35 fighter jet ‘will be solved’ before delivery to Singapore

Singapore has chosen the US-built F-35 fighter jet over rivals from Europe and China (Photo: AFP/JACK GUEZ)

Glitches in the F-35 will be fixed before the stealth fighter jet is delivered to Singapore, Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen said on Friday (Jun 28).

Singapore announced in January that it had identified the F-35 as the replacement for its ageing F-16s. In March, Dr Ng revealed that it would first buy four of the jets for complete testing, with the option of another eight.

Singapore has also put in a Letter of Request to the US government to purchase the F-35s, Dr Ng added, kick-starting the process for US foreign military sales.

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Why the RAF's new F-35 jets matter

The arrival of the first four F-35B Lightning II combat aircraft in Britain - a programme more widely known as the Joint Strike Fighter - marks a significant moment for the RAF in a year during which it has been celebrating its centenary.

The entry into service of the F-35B - which will be flown by both RAF and Royal Navy pilots - heralds the revival of Britain's ability to launch sea-borne operations from aircraft carriers. But it is much more than this.

The F-35B, according to Douglas Barrie, senior Fellow for Military Aerospace at the IISS, "is the first aircraft that will enter British service designed from the outset to be low-observable, that is stealthy. This provides greater survivability than previous aircraft designs."

related:
UK stealth fighter jets join fight against Islamic State
F-35 stealth fighter sees first combat, in Israeli operation
World's most advanced jet in first combat
F-35 fighter jet simulator unveiled

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US Air Force conducts airstrikes with F-35 for first time ever

A U.S. Air Force KC-10 Extender refuels an F-35A Lightning II above an undisclosed location, April 30, 2019. The KC-10 and its crew were tasked to support aerial refueling operations for the F-35A's first air interdiction during its inaugural deployment to the U.S. Air Forces Central Command's area of responsibility. (Staff Sgt. Chris Drzazgowski/U.S. Air Force)

The U.S. Air Force has finally flown its variant of the F-35 in combat, using two of the aircraft to take out an ISIS tunnel network and weapons cache in Iraq on April 30.

Tuesday’s airstrikes — the first U.S. use of the F-35A conventional takeoff and landing model at war — follow the combat employment Israel Defense Forces’ F-35As in May 2018 and U.S. Marine Corps’ F-35Bs in September 2018.

According to U.S. Air Forces Central Command, the airstrike occurred at Wadi Ashai, in northeast Iraq. An April 24 news release from U.S. Central Command stated that ISIS fighters “have been attempting to move munitions, equipment and personnel” to Wadi Ashai in order to “set conditions for their resurgence,” prompting a counter-offensive by Iraqi Security Forces and supported by Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve.

related:
F-35A deploys to Middle East for first time
Combat employment Israel Defense Forces’ F-35As in May 2018
U.S. Marine Corps’ F-35Bs in September 2018

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The Pentagon is battling the clock to fix serious, unreported F-35 problems

Over the past several years, U.S. Defense Department leaders have gone from citing technical problems as their biggest concern for the F-35 program to bemoaning the expense of buying and sustaining the aircraft.

But the reality may be worse. According to documents exclusively obtained by Defense News, the F-35 continues to be marred by flaws and glitches that, if left unfixed, could create risks to pilot safety and call into question the fighter jet’s ability to accomplish key parts of its mission.

F-35B and F-35C pilots, compelled to observe limitations on airspeed to avoid damage to the F-35’s airframe or stealth coating. Cockpit pressure spikes that cause “excruciating” ear and sinus pain. Issues with the helmet-mounted display and night vision camera that contribute to the difficulty of landing the F-35C on an aircraft carrier.

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After first F-35 crash, Lockheed Martin reassures customers of jet’s ‘excellent’ safety record

A US Marine Corps F-35B flies near its base at MCAS Beaufort, South Carolina, which is in the vicinity of where the crash occurred. (Photo: Lockheed Martin)

F-35 Lightning II maker Lockheed Martin has allayed safety concerns over the fighter jet following its first crash in late September, pointing to a long record of crash-free flights prior to the incident.

“While you don’t want to brag about it, it’s remarkable that it’s taken that long for that to happen,” F-35 international business development director Steve Over told Channel NewsAsia on Oct 2.

On Sep 28, a US Marine Corps F-35B crashed in South Carolina with the pilot ejecting safely and no injuries reported on the ground. The F-35B is also the short take-off/vertical landing variant that Singapore is reportedly interested in buying.

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Japan military says F-35 fighter jet disappears from radar

This file photo taken on October 14, 2018 shows an F-35 fighter aircraft of the Japan Air Self-Defense Force taking part in a military review at the Ground Self-Defence Force's Asaka training ground in Asaka, Saitama prefecture. (Photo: AFP / Kazuhiro NOGI)

A Japanese F-35 stealth fighter jet with one pilot on board disappeared from radar while on a training mission over the Pacific on Tuesday night (Apr 9), the defence ministry said.

The fighter jet went missing at around 7.30pm (1030 GMT) as it was flying about 135km east of Misawa, northeastern Japan, a ministry spokeswoman said.

It was not immediately clear if it had it crashed, the spokeswoman said, adding: "We are still trying to search for the aircraft."

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Wreckage confirmed to be crashed Japanese F-35 fighter, pilot still missing

A Japan's Self-Defence Forces F-35A stealth fighter jet at Misawa airport in Aomori prefecture, on Jan 26, 2018. (Photo: AFP/Jiji Press)

Search and rescue teams found wreckage from a Japanese F-35 stealth fighter that crashed over the Pacific Ocean close to northern Japan, but the pilot remains missing, authorities said on Wednesday (Apr 10).

The aircraft, less than one-year-old, was the first F-35 to be assembled in Japan and was only in the air for 28 minutes on Tuesday, a defence official said. It is only the second F-35 to crash in the two-decades it has been flying.

The advanced, single-seat jet was flying about 135 km east of the Misawa air base in Aomori Prefecture at about 7.27 pm (6.27pm, Singapore time) on Tuesday, when it disappeared from radar, the Air Self Defense Force said.

related: Japan's military says pilot disorientation likely cause of F-35 crash in April

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Singapore identifies F-35 fighter jet to replace F-16s, expects to buy ‘small number’ for full testing

An F-35A taking off on a validation flight. (Photo: Lockheed Martin)

Singapore expects to buy a "small number" of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) for a full evaluation after it identified the jet as the “most suitable replacement” for its ageing F-16s, the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) announced on Friday (Jan 18).

This follows a technical evaluation by the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) and Defence Science and Technology Agency which lasted more than five years.

“The technical evaluation also concluded that the RSAF should first purchase a small number of F-35 JSFs for a full evaluation of their capabilities and suitability before deciding on a full fleet,” MINDEF said.

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SAF acquires new fighting machines to do more with less, will reveal replacement for F-16 fighter jets soon

The F-35 made an appearance at the 2018 Singapore Airshow. (Photo: Aqil Haziq Mahmud)

The Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) is overhauling its arsenal, adding new warplanes, submarines and warships as it gears up for a future with fewer soldiers.

High on the agenda is the replacement for the ageing F-16 fighter jets, with Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen saying on Friday (Jun 29) that a decision will be made in the coming months.

“F-16s would face obsolescence beyond 2030,” Dr Ng said of the 30-year-old jets. “To plan for a replacement is not as if you are going to buy a new car, you actually need a lead time of eight to 10 years.”

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SAF acquires new fighting machines to do more with less, will reveal replacement for F-16 fighter jets soon

The F-35 made an appearance at the 2018 Singapore Airshow. (Photo: Aqil Haziq Mahmud)

The Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) is overhauling its arsenal, adding new warplanes, submarines and warships as it gears up for a future with fewer soldiers.

High on the agenda is the replacement for the ageing F-16 fighter jets, with Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen saying on Friday (Jun 29) that a decision will be made in the coming months. “F-16s would face obsolescence beyond 2030,” Dr Ng said of the 30-year-old jets. “To plan for a replacement is not as if you are going to buy a new car, you actually need a lead time of eight to 10 years.”

For the past few years, speculation has swirled around potential replacements, with Lockheed Martin’s fifth-generation F-35 fighter emerging as top contender. As early as 2013, Dr Ng had told Parliament that the F-35 was one option.

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‘Easiest aircraft I’ve ever flown’: Taking the F-35 for a spin - and a fight

Lockheed Martin's F-35 chief test pilot Paul Hattendorf in the cockpit of an F-35B. (Photo: John Wilson/Lockheed Martin)

An F-35 is slicing through the air faster than the speed of sound, but the last thing on the pilot’s mind is the flying itself.

Instead, the pilot is looking at a panoramic view of the world around him, projected on the inside of his helmet visor. This view is crawling with little red triangles, indicating enemy targets on the ground, some as far as hundreds of kilometres away.

One of the triangles is a long-range air defence system, close enough to fire at him and kill him. But the pilot doesn’t care. He knows the enemy cannot see him. He presses forward with his mission, which is to destroy a convoy of enemy vehicles.

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F-35: How the fifth-generation fighter jet can take RSAF to the next level

The F-35 hides all its fuel and weapons inside its skin of stealth. (Photo: Lockheed Martin/Angel DelCueto)

At the end of a highly sensitive assembly line, in the nave of an enormous aviation paint shop, lay a hulking lump of metal grey aluminium and titanium. It was a war machine that showed some qualities of an expensive sports car, with sleek lines, perfect symmetry and a matte finish. But looks didn't mask the fact that this fighter jet is designed to be ultra deadly.

The F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) is so advanced, it can “talk” to other aircraft, see the enemy earlier and avoid being seen better than ever before. It can hunt discreetly in packs or be the all-seeing eye in the sky.

This fifth-generation fighter has been identified as Singapore’s choice to replace its ageing F-16s, and the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) expects to buy a small number of F-35s for evaluation before deciding on a full fleet.

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The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter will change the rules of the air power game

An F-35B is cleared for short take-off at night. (Photo: Lockheed Martin)

As Singapore moves closer to selecting its next fighter jet to replace its fleet of F-16s, the oldest of which turned 20 earlier this year, the focus has been on the Lockheed-Martin F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter.

It has been widely considered by the defence community as the leading option to be selected by Singapore.

So how would the F-35 be able to fit into Singapore’s defence system?

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The Republic of Singapore Air Force's likely new fighter jet

In an investor presentation, Lockheed presented a chart that showed the cost per plane has fallen more than 60 per cent since the F-35's inception. (File photo: AFP/ADRIAN DENNIS)

Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen’s revelation that Singapore will soon decide which aircraft will replace the Lockheed-Martin F-16 Fighting Falcon multi-role jet fighter in the Republic of Singapore Air Force service has re-ignited interest in the programme among the wider defence community.

Speaking to media in the lead-up to the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) Day, Dr Ng had said that the decision will be made in the next few months, with the new fighters needed by the 2030s when the F-16s will start facing obsolescence issues. He added that some of the criteria that will be used to choose the new jet will be its capability to defend Singapore’s airspace; whether it can work with other SAF air, land and sea platforms; ease of maintenance; as well as the overall cost.

The fighter jet that is being replaced, the F-16, has been the mainstay of the RSAF since 1998, when the first of what will become 60 aircraft were delivered to the RSAF.

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Singapore officials view F-35 jets in U.S. ahead of possible purchase

Senior defense officials from Singapore got to see U.S. Marine Corps F-35 fighter jets in action on Tuesday at the Luke Air Force Base in Arizona as the Asian country mulls buying the Lockheed Martin Corp planes, a base spokeswoman said.

The aircraft flew to Luke Air Force Base, a pilot-training center near Phoenix, from Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, which is about 175 miles (280 km) away. Yuma is home to the first operational squadron of F-35 fighter jets, said First Lieutenant Candice Dillitte, a spokeswoman for the Arizona base. The Singapore officials visited the base as part of Forging Sabre, a Singapore armed forces exercise taking place at Luke and at a nearby training range, according to a news release.

Singapore is considering purchasing F-35s in the future, but has not yet committed to an order or the timetable for when it may come. The U.S. government has already approved a letter of agreement for Singapore’s possible F-35 orders, which had been expected months ago.

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