IDAHO, United States: The four Boeing P-8A maritime patrol aircraft that Singapore is set to acquire could enter service in the early 2030s, said Defence Minister Chan Chun Sing on Saturday (Sep 13).
Speaking to reporters at Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho state during his first visit to the United States as defence minister, Mr Chan added that other platforms may be acquired to complement the P-8A’s capabilities.
The P-8A will replace Singapore’s existing Fokker-50s, which have been in use for over three decades. This is part of the first phase of the Singapore Armed Forces’ (SAF) refresh of its maritime security capabilities, the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) said earlier this week.
Equipped with anti-submarine warfare capabilities, the P-8A also has a suite of sensors and radar systems that can be deployed in a range of maritime missions.
“We want to make sure that we have different platforms with different capabilities to augment our overall situation awareness,” said Mr Chan on Saturday.
The minister also spoke about the 20 F-35 fighter jets that Singapore has acquired, with the first delivery on track for end-2026.
A new squadron will be set up in Ebbing Air National Guard Base in Fort Smith city in Arkansas state, where the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) will train alongside counterparts from partner countries operating similar platforms.
“That will allow us to share lessons and also to learn from one another. So, that is the reason why we’ve chosen Ebbing to base our F-35s,” Mr Chan said, adding that in time to come, Singapore will also consider including other platforms necessary to integrate operational capability.
“GRAB-A-BOMB” SERVICE
As part of his introductory trip to the US, Mr Chan visited SAF officers participating in Exercise Forging Sabre – a biennial military drill running from Sep 6 to Sep 21.
He was briefed on their roles and operations; and interacted with the families of service personnel staying at Mountain Home Air Force Base.
