"The Republic of Singapore Air Force's [RSAF] F-16s that were in service since 1998 will have to retire soon after 2030, even after their mid-life upgrades… Happy to report that DSTA Defence Science and Technology Agency and RSAF have completed their technical evaluation for the replacement … They have decided that the F-35 would be the most suitable replacement fighter," the minister wrote on Facebook.
READ MORE: South Korea's First F-35s to Arrive in March Amid Easing Tensions With North
The minister went on saying that the country wanted "to procure a few planes first, to fully evaluate the capabilities of the F-35 before deciding on the acquisition of a full fleet."
Lockheed Martin’s F-35 is a fifth-generation stealth multirole fighter. It is considered by experts as the most expensive aircraft program in history with a projected lifetime cycle total cost of $1.5 trillion.
