The Singaporean government will exercise a contractual option to purchase eight additional F-35B Lightning II stealth fighters. When signed, the contract will increase from four to 12 aircraft acquired by the country, which already has one of the most modern air forces in the region. 

The information was revealed last Friday (24) by Secretary of Defense Ng Eng Hen. He said the decision follows a "thorough evaluation" of the F-35, which followed increased access to the aircraft program thanks to the country's initial order.

In this assessment, pilots and technicians from the Royal Singapore Air Force (RSAF) flew real and simulated flights in aircraft from Australia and US Marines, tested aircraft systems and visited other operating countries to study various aspects of F-35 lift. 

In 2020 the US Government approved the sale of four F-35Bs, which the RSAF expects to receive in 2026. The first purchase paved the way for this latest acquisition, the country's response to the growing Chinese threat.

Beijing claims the South China Sea for its own, and has been bolstering its presence by building artificial islands and producing more combat ships, including aircraft carriers. Small Singapore, with a total area much smaller than the city of Rio de Janeiro, is seeking diplomatic measures and partnerships with the region.

The country, however, is aligned with the United States and its powerful air force is a clear representation of this. The RSAF has a fleet of 60 F-16C/D Block 52+ fighters and 40 F-15SG, an improved version of the F-15E Strike Eagle, supported by six A330 MRTT tankers and four early warning G550s. A good part of the fighter fleet is headquartered in the USA, precisely because of the small geographic area of ​​the country.

The purchase of the F-35B, which can take off and land vertically, is also unique. The countries that acquired the VTOL model use this version on aircraft carriers or amphibious assault ships, while Singapore intends to operate the aircraft in austere locations, with little infrastructure, since air bases are priority targets. 

The Air Force wants to replace the F-16 with the F-35B, according to Eng Hen. Thus, it is expected that the RSAF will acquire more F-35B in the future, or even the conventional F-35A, which are cheaper and have better performance than the VTOL model. 

With information CNA