Bila mati, jawab la di akhirat yer.

No need. You do not need 2 be a muslim to see hypocrites.

Lol. Typical. Externalise your fears. Pretty apparent who is hypocritical. Atreyu atreyu.

Good example why there shouldbt be offsets^. Otherwise youll get these and Atreyus.

So? Malaysia is the sovereign entity buying it ultimately.

Oh pls, Msia cannot afford Rafales.

It may not be just 12. Sg typically buys equipment in small batches and it is not known to disclose its military purchases or rather they just dont talk about it and military enthusiasts find out by themselves.

I think they initially bought only 8 f15SGs. Now, it is confirmed that they have at least 40 F15SGs (Boeing gave civilian production numbers to some of them prior to transfer to RSAF - likely because Sg want it that way). But keen observers note that F15Sg serial numbers 8373 and 8378 have been sighted i.e. the ostensible 73rd and 78th F15SGs. My guess is that they have bought 80 F15SGs in total over the years.




RSAF F15SG based in SG^



RSAF F15Sg attached to CONUS@Mountain Home.^

It does add up considering the F15Sgs replaced some (if not all) of the 60+ Super Skyhawks and 49-50 F 5 S/Ts. The remainder will be replaced by F35s which will also replace the F16Vs.

On how many F35s they want, see what they (SG) told the F35 programme office - up to 100 F35s:

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-lock...744095420080707

This post has been edited by Mai189: Dec 13 2021, 04:06 PM

Thats not what i wrote. The F15Sgs replaced some or all of the Super Skyhawks and F5 S/Ts see my post.

The RSAF also bought 6 MRTTs (so far) to replace 4 KC 135Rs. Connect the dots...more and bigger tankers because of more air frames (now and/or in the future).

This post has been edited by Mai189: Dec 13 2021, 05:30 PM

Likely 80 F15Sg + > 80 F35A/Bs by early 2030s.

They were operating 60+ Super Skyhawks (last Skyhawk retired in 2005) + 49-50 F5 S/Ts (retired in 2016) + 70 F16s before they started retiring the older air frames from 2000.

RSAF is in transition.

Sgs style is to upgrade and then replace. So I would expect the F15SGs to be upgraded to maybe EX standard. It is not a major upgrade as the F15SG is already a 4.5 gen jet equipped with AESA and some of the latest EW systems.

But yes, the F15Sg will be replaced eventually.

This post has been edited by Mai189: Dec 13 2021, 06:34 PM

Many f35 purchasers buy an initial small lot before commiting to a bigger purchase. In Sgs case, they do in fact buy in batches - likely a policy decision to make defence purchases palatable to neighbours. Anyway, it works if the goods arrive in the time frame they want. More F35s will be built in the coming years than typhoons + rafales + suks + migs combined. Not a prob for Sg to get say 80 to 100 F35s by early 2030s. Note: they will retire the F16Vs by that period.

My sense is that they will follow Japan i.e. buy a mix of As and Bs. They do not need to test the As - they can get inputs from Israel and Australia. But their only reference point for Bs is the US marines so thats why they bought the 12 f35bs initially.

This post has been edited by Mai189: Dec 13 2021, 07:02 PM

Im trying to explain to you that they buy stuffs in batches and offered a plausible explanation.

They renew and replace their equipment as needed. They do have the $$$$ 2 do that.

The F35s will be bought in batches and introduced in batches from 2026 onwards. The F16Vs meanwhile will be drawn down in early 2030s. Thats the plan.

This post has been edited by Mai189: Dec 14 2021, 09:18 AM

RSAF F16 tail numbers start with 6 followed by the serial number XX:








Largest so far ive seen is Sr No. 699.

This post has been edited by Mai189: Dec 14 2021, 12:59 PM

Oh stop being silly. This is 2021. Theyve got many years to make orders so that they can have up to 100 F35s by early 2030s.

See the serial numbers in this pic below. Every RSAF jet is assigned to specfic pilots and their names are engraved near the cockpit.



^ So it is not surprising Sg told the F35 programme office they want up to 100 f35s to replace their F16s. The numbers add up.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-lock...744095420080707

This post has been edited by Mai189: Dec 14 2021, 01:20 PM

I dont know what youre going on abt. Their F16s, upgraded to F16vs, are at the end of their lifespan. And no; many countries buying more f35s 2 like israel and australia. As far as i know, Sg has no mutual defence treaty with anyone!. FPDA is consultative. Not going to bother abt ur other fantasy on trade.

Oh bummer! Now I remember you! Too many crazies here.

Btw, your math fail. By the time the RSAF F16s are retired, many will be reaching 30 years of operation. They bought F16s in batches and delivered* from 1994 to 2004.

Who are the heck are - everyone else are busy with their 6th gen planes. Apart from the US, the rest are struggling to even fund 5th gen planes.

This post has been edited by Mai189: Dec 14 2021, 06:20 PM

Singapore's defence budget expected to hit $18.57 billion (between USD $13.7 to 14 billion) in 2026

A new report has said that Singapore is expected to spend $18.57 billion on defence by 2026, up from $15.23 billion in 2021.

The spending will be driven by factors as diverse as terrorism threats to sustaining its large overseas military training presence such as those in Australia. 

This represents an expected Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 4.6 per cent, up from its current figure of 2.58 per cent, according to the report published by London-based data analytics and consulting firm GlobalData.

The report also “offers detailed analysis of Singapore defense market with market size forecasts covering the next five years”, and analyzes factors that influence demand for the industry, key market trends, and challenges faced by industry participants.

Located at the southern tip of the Malay peninsula, Singapore is strategically located at a vital maritime chokepoint that is traversed by a significant amount of the world’s seaborne trade.

The prosperous island nation, with a population just short of 6 million people, is highly dependent on the maritime trade which uses its port as a transhipment point, however it has almost no strategic depth to speak of, measuring just under 300 square kilometres in size with its widest point being less than 50 kilometres from one end to the other.  

Key acquisition programs currently being undertaken by the southeast Asian island nation include the Lockheed-Martin F35B Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter, indigenous ST Engineering Land Systems Hunter Next-Generation AFV, and the Invincible-class Submarine (Type 218SG) diesel-electric attack submarines being built by Germany’s ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS).

Singapore is also introducing the European MBDA Aster 30 ground-based air defence system into service, integrated into its bespoke integrated Island Air Defence System (IADS). It is also introducing the Boeing CH-47F Chinook and Airbus H225M transport helicopters into service, replacing earlier versions of both types (CH-47D/SD Chinook and AS332M/M-1 Super Pumas) in the Republic of Singapore Air Force.

In addition, Singapore also has other acquisition projects in the pipeline. It will seek new Joint Multi-Mission Ships (JMMS) to complement and/or replace its four Endurance class Landing Platform Docks. This is likely to be a through deck ship, with Singapore having previously said it will require the JMMS to operate more helicopters and possess improved air traffic control capabilities compared to the Endurance-class.

Singapore’s navy is also seeking a new Multi-Role Combat Vessel (MRCV) to replace its six 62m Victory-class missile corvettes. These will be larger vessels than their predecessors, and in addition to being armed with anti-ship and anti-aircraft missiles, are envisaged to act as motherships to a host of unmanned surface, underwater, and aerial vehicles and able to fulfill a variety of mission sets.

The JMMS and MRCVs are almost certainly to be built in Singapore by local defence contractor ST Engineering Marine Systems although substantial input from foreign contractors to assist in the design of vital subsystems is likely to be required. A recent example are eight Littoral Mission Vessels (LMV) currently being commissioned into the Republic of Singapore Navy, with Saab having a hand in the design of the integrated bridge and mast.

Singapore’s army is also seeking a wheeled 155mm self-propelled howitzer to replace the last towed howitzers in its inventory, and will complement the Primus tracked howitzers, rapid firing self-propelled 120mm mortars and HIMARS guided artillery rockets. Like the two former systems, the new wheeled howitzer will also likely be a homegrown design by ST Engineering’s Land Systems division. 

Other likely acquisitions will be replacements for the Republic of Singapore Air Force’s fleet of ten Lockheed-Martin C-130B/H Hercules transports and nine Fokker 50 light transports and Enforcer 2 Maritime Patrol Aircraft. The oldest of the C-130 fleet has gone past six decades in service with the older B models limited to local training missions, although Singapore has not publicised an intention to replace these.

An increasingly complex regional defence picture is also driving many of Singapore’s defence acquisitions, with conventional arms and defence Research and Development (R&D) featuring prominently in its defence budget.

It’s Defence Science and Technology Agency is investing in research in bespoke areas that suit Singapore’s unique environment. This includes emphasis on unmanned systems and reduced crewing requirements, with Singapore being the first customer and assisting in the testing and certification for Automatic Air-to-Air Refuelling in the Airbus A330 Multi-Role Tanker Transport (MRTT), which among other things, reduces the aerial refuelling officers’ cognitive workload. 

It has also worked with Airbus to develop a unique boom control law for the MRTT unique for the Boeing F-15 Eagle, and has developed a command and control information system that uses Artificial Intelligence to assist in determining priority for time-sensitive targets in cluttered urban environment and can determine how best to engage a target to ensure a better success rate with lower risk of civilian casualties.

https://www.australiandefence.com.au/defenc...e-market-growth

Mai's note: Nothing new here. Covid may have slowed the budget growth a bit. But it is clear Sg's defence budget will reach $ USD15 billion by end 2020s. Also, we need to note that Sg doesnt borrow 2 spend. And yet make surpluses or have balanced budgets most of the time so they can sustain the military budget indefinitely.

This post has been edited by Mai189: Dec 14 2021, 07:04 PM

Actually, I have never wrote that the F16Vs (tail serial numbers indicate that they have bought about 90-100 F16s - see my previous post which corresponds with how many
F35s they want i.e. up to 100. Also see tail numbers for F15SGs...now at 70-80 aircrafts) are going to be retired as soon as they are upgraded. I said that they will be withdrawn in the early 2030s (Sg's Menhan actually said 2030). This will be the time when the last of the purchased F35s reach IOC.

It is 2021-22 now. 2030 is some 9 to 10 years down the road. That is why I said that there is something wrong with you.


As for Sg's growth rate, a developed economy should not grow so much - 2% to 3% is fine. But fyi, SG will grow >7% this year and about >5% next year:

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/business/si...ast-mti-2334551

But what is more important than basic comparison of GDP or GDP per cap is basically money and surpluses. SG simply has the money to sustain and increase its defence budget because it is making money and has tons of it.

SG's 2021 defence budget:

https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news-det...et%20of%20SGD13.

This post has been edited by Mai189: Dec 18 2021, 05:22 PM

Hmm..not sure this was posted...cant follow much on defence matters everytime i need to focus on my projects but ive got some lul period since it is Dec.



Estonia buys Singapore-Israel Blue Spear 5th gen anti-ship/land attack missile.

Oct 11, 2021,08:00am EDT|27,163 views
Estonia Is About To Aim Missiles At A Key Russian Weakness

The Estonian military is buying a 200-mile-range anti-ship cruise missile.

For almost any other country, the Oct. 6 deal between the Estonian Center for Defense Investment and Proteus Advanced Systems—a joint venture of Israel Aerospace Industries and ST Engineering Land Systems—might not be a big deal.

But the Blue Spear missile that Estonia is buying from Proteus is Estonia’s first anti-ship missile. And anti-ship missile in Estonian hands has unique potential to cause very, very big problems from Russia.

“The chosen weapon system will form the cornerstone of Estonian naval defense for decades to come,” said Jüri Saska, commander of the tiny Estonian navy, which has just 300 sailors and six small, very lightly armed vessels. “Estonian navy will be able to contribute significantly both to national, regional and collective defense effort.”

He’s not kidding.

Blue Spear is the latest version of Israel’s Gabriel missile. The roughly 20-foot-long, truck-launched missile has different flight modes. It can fly low. Or it can fly really low. It packs a warhead weighing several hundred pounds and an active radar seeker for maximum accuracy. Navigation is inertial, meaning it’s impossible to jam.

Some of the farther-flying Gabriels can travel more than 300 miles, presumably while cruising at higher altitude. As a sea-skimmer, Blue Spear is less fuel-efficient. So its range is less than 200 miles (321 km).

But in the crowded waters of the Baltic Sea, 200 miles is a long way. That’s especially true for Estonia. A Blue Spear missile launching from Estonia can range across the entire Gulf of Finland, that branch of the Baltic that connects the Russian port of St. Petersburg to Kaliningrad, Russia’s coastal exclave lying between Poland and Lithuania.

Kaliningrad is a weird holdover from World War II. Once German, it became Russian—and today it’s Moscow’s main Baltic outpost. The 86-square-mile territory, population 400,000, bristles with weaponry.

Kaliningrad gives Russia a toehold in the Baltic from where air, sea and land forces can threaten NATO’s weakest members Lativa, Lithuania and ... Estonia.

But Kaliningrad’s position is a strength and a weakness. Yes, the exclave is a Russian base inside NATO’s borders. But that means that, in times of tension, NATO governments easily could stop trucks, trains and planes from resupplying Kaliningrad.

Indeed, that already happened—a decade ago. In response, Moscow opened a new sea trade route between St. Petersburg and Kaliningrad. It’s a safe bet that, in wartime, the exclave would depend on frequent supply convoys.

NATO already has significant naval forces in the Baltic. But none of them belong to Estonia or, for that matter, any of the alliance’s other Baltic states. Estonia’s single minelayer and three minehunters, none displacing more than 500 tons, are defensive vessels. It’s their job to keep Estonia’s own ports open for trade.

Truck-fired anti-ship missiles certainly possess a defensive capability. Especially if the threat is, say, a Russian amphibious force. But the same missiles are offensive, too. Estonia’s new missiles, ranging across one of the most important maritime chokepoints in Europe, could help to sever the flow of food, fuel and reinforcements from mainland Russia to Kaliningrad.

Now consider this: Blue Spear isn’t just an anti-ship missile. It like many ASMs also has a latent land-attack capability. And St. Petersburg lies just 90 miles from the Estonian border.

It’s unclear how many Blue Spears Estonia is buying. Each missile apparently costs around $5 million.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidaxe/2021/...sh=588a67b43dbe

-------------------------------------------



https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gabriel_(missile)



Specifications from the Finnish Ministry of Defence:

https://www.edrmagazine.eu/finnish-navy-unv...ti-ship-missile

Mai's note: This is likely the biggest/heaviest ant-ship missile employed by Western oriented navies right now and it screams...carrier killer. God help smaller sized ships that becomes its prey.

I note that Blue Spear will also fit into RSN's Invincible class submarine torp tubes. An air launched variant of the missile should be able to reach distances of up to 700-800km (depending on altitude).

This post has been edited by Mai189: Dec 19 2021, 09:17 PM

Bilateral exercises have restarted it seems. And yet another Malay CO from SAF:

This post has been edited by Mai189: Dec 18 2021, 07:15 PM

Up-Close Look at Singapore Kelly Aerospace’s Arrow, a Stealthy Supersonic Combat Drone

BY BILL SMITH OCTOBER 18, 2021





Singapore-based Kelley Aerospace is taking the combat drone industry to the next level with their supersonic Arrow. Featuring a carbon fiber monocoque it’s capable of flying over 2,982-miles with a maximum payload of 37,038-pounds. It’s estimated to cost less than $16 million, and as production ramps, as low as $9-million per unit.

The company reports that they have already received 100 pre-orders for the drone and two prototypes are currently being tested in Sweden as well as the United States. These are not autonomous drones, so the company is recruiting at least 500 pilots to eventually control them after completing training at a general aviation pilot academy.



https://theflighter.com/kelley-aerospace-ar...c-combat-drone/

Good company for RSAF's F35. Competition will come from Kratos Defense and Security’s XQ-58 Valkyrie and Beoing's Loyal Wingman UCAV drones.

Google around...the executives are/were from ST Engineering and Israel defence companies. Possibly another 50/50 joint venture firm like Proteus Advanced Systems—a joint venture of Israel Aerospace Industries and ST Engineering Land Systems.

This post has been edited by Mai189: Dec 19 2021, 09:21 PM