Singapore Air Force

[elias_b]

Does anyone know when the Singapore Air Force will decide wich new fighter aircraft to purchase?

They decide about the  purchase of 8-12 new fighters with optional follow-on order up to 24.
The contenders are Eurofighter Typhoon, Dassault Rafale and Boeing F-15T(a F-15E derivate).

I thought that the decision should be made in december 2004, but that wasn't the case.

[Webmaster]

Indeed, I also thought that a decision should have been made by now, but it seems it is postponed. I don't hope they cut the program like Brazil did. They will be replacing the F-5s I guess? Since the A-4s were primarily used for training?

I just saw on Alert5 that the goodbye fly-by for the (last 12) TA-4SU took place on 31 March this year, and it says still A-4SU single seaters in France for the training program. Any one got an idea how many are left?

[elias_b]

The Skyhawks were shipped to France in 1998 and the Singapore Air Force will stay in Cazaux untill 2018.

According to AFM, 10 TA-4SU arrived in 1998 and 8 A-4AU in 1999. But it says that 2 single-seaters have already been mothballed. So the total number of Skyhawks is 16, wich will never return to Singapore. When they reach the end of their  days they will probably be scrapped in France.

But I don't know how long they will be kept in service, since the original  airframes were delivered in the 70s.

 

[Webmaster]

I read that BAE made a second attempt to offer the Eurofighter. Singapore dismissed the Eurofighter primarily for its delivery schedule, and not the quality/price. Of course Eurofighter can shift production batches here and there...the partner nations wouldn't mind to exchange their Tranche 1 for Tranche 2/3 aircraft, UK already declared earlier that some of its Tranche 1 aircraft could be offered for sale. The aircraft are already on the production line and can be modified to the RSAF specs, so the schedule can be met.

I think it is very lame to dismiss an aircraft on the basis of schedule or price, without negotiations. But well that's the common practise with these government selection processes, based on free market and fair trading, it comes down to who has submitted the best proposal. Somehow politics seem to be able to interfere most of the time, and there goes your fair competition...

[QT402]

Anybody knows when RSAF plans to replace F-5S/T?

[Webmaster]

The Skyhawks were shipped to France in 1998 and the Singapore Air Force will stay in Cazaux untill 2018.

According to AFM, 10 TA-4SU arrived in 1998 and 8 A-4AU in 1999. But it says that 2 single-seaters have already been mothballed. So the total number of Skyhawks is 16, wich will never return to Singapore. When they reach the end of their  days they will probably be scrapped in France.

But I don't know how long they will be kept in service, since the original  airframes were delivered in the 70s.

Little 2007 update, another AFM (#232 July 2007) feature on this topic. Currently the number is still 16, 10 TA-4SU and six A-4SU. All maintenance is carried out at Cazaux, thanks to co-located Singapore Technologies Aerospace branche (30 engineers on-site to service the type every 300 hours). It says there are spare airframes in Singapore (so they weren't scrapped after retirement) but Sqn CO says they're not needed to keep the current fleet in service. The Skyhawk is said to be able to support the training need for several more years to come. ST Aero was awarded a new support contract in March 2007, for full support (maintenance, flightline ops, engineering, logistics) of the detachment for a period of four years. So they'll stay in service for at least four years from then. Replacement plans are still at a "very preliminary stage".

94 pilots graduated, 19,200 hours flowns since its inception in June 1998 to December 2006.

By the way, those two high houred 'mothballed' examples you mentioned have made their way to two museums. (it says donated in 1996, but I guess that's incorrect, or just donated on paper)

Anybody knows when RSAF plans to replace F-5S/T?

I presume when the F-15SG starts to get on strength with the RSAF. So I estimate in 2009 or 2010... depending on speed of deliveries and conversion training. Anybody else with details?