Singapore will purchase eight additional F-35B fighter jets, manufactured by Lockheed Martin, to bring its incoming fleet to 12 multirole combat aircraft, DefenseNews reported Monday.
The country’s Defense Minister Ng Eng Hen told lawmakers that the acquisition followed a complete evaluation of the F-35 program, including the aircraft’s electronic systems and operational performance.
The State Department approved Singapore’s request to purchase up to a dozen units of the F-35 short-takeoff-and-vertical-landing variant under a potential $2.75B foreign military sales agreement.
The deal includes an initial order for four F-35B aircraft and an option for eight more jets.
Lockheed is set to complete the fleet delivery to Singapore by the end of the decade.
