RSAF search for new fighter to replace the F-5s
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The announcemnet is finally here, the search is now on for the F-5s replacement- follow-on batch of F-15SG or F-35.
http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2007/10/01/217242/singapore-air-chief-eyes-new-fighter-contest.html
See article where it also discuss about the RSAF's interest in the C-17.
p/s hopefully the Typhoon & Rafale will be in contention unless the primary requirement is Stealth. [/url] -
Go for a good interceptor...typhoon please!
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DATE:01/10/07
SOURCE:Flight International
Singapore air chief eyes new fighter contest
By Stephen Trimble
New fleets of tactical fighters, advanced trainers and maritime patrol aircraft top the near-term modernisation priorities for the Republic of Singapore Air Force, the service's top official has told Flight International. Modernisation will continue at a consistent pace, with a major new batch of strike aircraft to be purchased in roughly three-year increments, with an overall goal of increasing the "strategic depth" of the island state.
Singapore's recent acquisition of Northrop Grumman E-2C Hawkeyes extended the air force's potential reaction times to incoming threats by 20-30min, says Maj Gen Ng Chee Khern. Deciding to buy a first batch of 24 Boeing F-15SG fighters allows the air force to exploit the E-2C's expanded arc of surveillance with long-range missiles and fire control radars.
The first batch of F-15s are replacing a fleet of Douglas A-4 Skyhawks, and the next round of purchasing decisions starting next year will focus on replacing Singapore's ageing Northrop F-5s with a new tactical fighter. The choice is between a second batch of F-15s, Ng says, or signing the country's first order for the Lockheed Martin F-35A Joint Strike Fighter. In 2002, Singapore aligned with the JSF programme at the "security co-operation participant" level, the lowest rung of the four-tier international team.
Lockheed's development delays have kept Singapore waiting for nearly two years for data regarding the country's unique final configuration, Ng says, but that data is expected to be delivered in early 2008. The step will launch a review phase allowing the air force to choose either the F-35 or the F-15 for its next fighter purchase, he says. Ng adds that a major consideration will be the extent that Singapore is allowed to operate and maintain the low-observable F-35 with national sovereignty.
Another two manufacturers, meanwhile, will be shortlisted in 2008 for a requirement to supply advanced jet trainers, and a final choice will be made in 2009, he says. Singapore has already evaluated the Alenia Aermacchi M-346 and the Korea Aerospace Industries/Lockheed T-50, with an evaluation team to be sent to the UK during October to review BAE Systems' Hawk 128.
Singapore is starting to consider whether it should invest in a replacement or a mid-life update for its fleet of Fokker 50 maritime patrol aircraft, which otherwise must be retired starting in 2015. In 2006, Singapore received a briefing on the Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk, which is also a candidate for the US Navy's Broad Area Maritime Surveillance programme, while Ng says Boeing's optionally manned concept using the Gulfstream G550 "might" cover his air force's requirements.
However, despite Boeing having labelled Singapore as a candidate to buy its C-17 airlifter, the air force has "not a whole lot" of interest in the aircraft, Ng reveals. The service plans to operate its Lockheed C-130s for the next 10 to 15 years, and is comfortable with replacement options that would include the Airbus Military A400M and the US Army/Air Force-operated Joint Cargo Aircraft, he says. -
Just take the F35s, stealth is good, relieves the pilot pressure from being targetted while putting all concentration on attacking.
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IMO the gripen would be a perfect contender to replace our F5s in the air defense role. While its combat radius is rather mediocre, our F5s are not exactly known for their range either....
Relatively cheap, high operational availability, swing/multi-role... why not? =D -
there goes our tax money and national reserve .....
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i don't get it. i thought the SAF is buying some of those gulfstreams. why was the writer talking about 'new' E2Cs?
24 F15s? this is new. i swore i read some 'official release' before this which mentioned 12 F15s. -
That puzzles me as well.Originally posted by ferryman2393:i don't get it. i thought the SAF is buying some of those gulfstreams. why was the writer talking about 'new' E2Cs?
24 F15s? this is new. i swore i read some 'official release' before this which mentioned 12 F15s.
BTW I wrote a story about Singapore G550 AEW aircraft acquisition in the October 1st issue of Aviation Week and Space Technology. Below is part of my article.Silent Partner
Cheers,
Singapore Introduces G550 CAEWs, With Israel As Role Model
Sunho Beck/Seoul
SingaporeÂ’s new Gulfstream G550 Conformal Airborne Early Warning aircraft, together with F-15SG strike fighters, will underpin a new offensive strategy that the country has adopted as it increasingly copies the order of battle of its long-time defense mentor, Israel.
By now, Singapore should have received its first of four G550 CAEWs, fitted with advanced Israeli electronics that are capable of monitoring air activity as far as north Malaysia as well as deep into Indonesia, which also flanks the city-state. No delivery has been announced, but, according to one supplier, the first aircraft was due to arrive during the northern summer.
Sunho -
i don't think the airforce is looking for a one-for-one type of replacement. i.e. airdefence fighter for another one.Originally posted by IsuckAtCS:IMO the gripen would be a perfect contender to replace our F5s in the air defense role. While its combat radius is rather mediocre, our F5s are not exactly known for their range either....
Relatively cheap, high operational availability, swing/multi-role... why not? =D
planes are getting more expensive. thus we'd prob go for the most cost effective. having less platforms but more capable ones that can do almost any mission.
i.e you can be holding airborne CAP but be armed with some limited air-to-ground ordnance as well in case there is a need to target some time critical target, in addition to the range of the fighter. we may not be holding cap over our own skies but over our area of operations as well to give the guys below us some air protection.
if the worry is about dogfights, i think the BVR capability of the F15 can take care of that and if the need arises, bombs can be jettisoned for the merge.
that is what the western airforces are moving into for the future
as such the F15SG is more than capable of doing that role. coupled with the fact the rsaf is into the pilot/wso concept of operations. its just the ideal platform. no major logistical issues as well if you buy more of the same platform. -
Bloody excuse to increase govt spending & increase GST summore........
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I'm not disputing that plane-per-plane the F15SG offers us a bigger bang for our buck...but rather, assuming the rsaf decides to continue operating three aircraft types, i feel that the Gripen would be a suitable replacement of the F5. I believe that introducing the Gripen would give the rsaf a nice balance of HI-LO mix of fighters. Seeing as how the rsaf seems to be handling the operation of 3 aircraft types currently... i don't think that introducing the gripen would incur any major logistical issues. IMO of course
i don't think the airforce is looking for a one-for-one type of replacement. i.e. airdefence fighter for another one.
planes are getting more expensive. thus we'd prob go for the most cost effective. having less platforms but more capable ones that can do almost any mission.
i.e you can be holding airborne CAP but be armed with some limited air-to-ground ordnance as well in case there is a need to target some time critical target, in addition to the range of the fighter. we may not be holding cap over our own skies but over our area of operations as well to give the guys below us some air protection.
if the worry is about dogfights, i think the BVR capability of the F15 can take care of that and if the need arises, bombs can be jettisoned for the merge.
that is what the western airforces are moving into for the future
as such the F15SG is more than capable of doing that role. coupled with the fact the rsaf is into the pilot/wso concept of operations. its just the ideal platform. no major logistical issues as well if you buy more of the same platform. -
SG will unlikely choose e Gripen cos Thailand just chose e Gripens as their new gen fighter
, & unless e Rafale comes with AESA radar SG will not choose them.
I hope we get Tyhpoon
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Don't be surprised if the RSAF of the future just flies F-15SG and F-35A. They have often repeated their interest in flying only 2 types of jets.
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that is a fast 1......
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I dont think we will get a third type of aircraft
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hypothetically. if the gripen was running on the same engines as the f15 or f16..Originally posted by IsuckAtCS:I'm not disputing that plane-per-plane the F15SG offers us a bigger bang for our buck...but rather, assuming the rsaf decides to continue operating three aircraft types, i feel that the Gripen would be a suitable replacement of the F5. I believe that introducing the Gripen would give the rsaf a nice balance of HI-LO mix of fighters. Seeing as how the rsaf seems to be handling the operation of 3 aircraft types currently... i don't think that introducing the gripen would incur any major logistical issues. IMO of course
then it might have been considered as same logistal parts would be required as that of the legacy fighters.
but running a 3rd type of engine.. prob not so ideal. -
aint we using 3 types of diff engines all along?Originally posted by cheeze:hypothetically. if the gripen was running on the same engines as the f15 or f16..
then it might have been considered as same logistal parts would be required as that of the legacy fighters.
but running a 3rd type of engine.. prob not so ideal.
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i also like the idea of gripen as an interceptor craft, short turnaround, stol ability and multirole seems like a nice bang for buck, and suitable for singapore
but it seems singapore planes are more geared towards american suppliers, f-15, f-16's, A4's,f-5's, c130's KC135's, hawkeyes etc etc.
logistically and politically they propably would go for an american plane : but still makes me happy as i can see some nice new machinery when i go back for reservist. (if these planes will take over F-5's at PLAB)
wonder if RSAF is considering replacement of its superpumas and/or upgrading its fleet of c-130's to J version? in the forseeable future?
and the phasing out of F-16's will make me sad : | my fave planes -
Don't worry, we won't phase out our vipers so soon. If Israel haven't phase our theirs, we won't phase out ours.Originally posted by Nuad:i also like the idea of gripen as an interceptor craft, short turnaround, stol ability and multirole seems like a nice bang for buck, and suitable for singapore
but it seems singapore planes are more geared towards american suppliers, f-15, f-16's, A4's,f-5's, c130's KC135's, hawkeyes etc etc.
logistically and politically they propably would go for an american plane : but still makes me happy as i can see some nice new machinery when i go back for reservist. (if these planes will take over F-5's at PLAB)
wonder if RSAF is considering replacement of its superpumas and/or upgrading its fleet of c-130's to J version? in the forseeable future?
and the phasing out of F-16's will make me sad : | my fave planes
As for the Gripen, I disagree. Between the Typhoon and the Gripen, I'd think the Typhoon has better prospects. Between the Typhoon and the F-15SG, I'd stick to the F-15SG since we already have training arrangements with the Americans at Mountain Home.
As for the F-35s, it really depends if we get the full LO package. If we do, we ought to buy some to form our first-day of war vanguard.
Honestly, I do not see anything that the Gripens can do that the Mudhens can't. -
yeah, true we've been using 3 different types, but maybe they're thinkin long run it'd be more cost effective..Originally posted by duotiga83:aint we using 3 types of diff engines all along?
you know us, want the best at the lowest price so if we can operate at the lowest cost by just having 2 platforms and yet do everything that we need to.
i don't think they really care about it.. they're more result oriented..
imo..~...hehe -
Just wait and see, the 15 will be selected again.
notice that F16 stop at a number of 60+ and i guest that the F15 will stop a number of 40 - 50. Although the airframe is old but not to forget the electronic and enhancements they are packing into the bird.
That is alot of air domination power for once and also consider the strike and bombing capabilities that this number of planes will give us.
I believe the Gulf war I and II had influence alot of the higher command thinking in SAF; moving the armed forces towards greater mobility, fire power and interconnectivity. -
We should own some fighter-bombers with stealth capability to win any decisive war today...
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Stealth technology is too costly, sometime the question is it is really workable in long term. At the moment, there is no total stealth, just reduce signature only, what happen if tomorrow radar operators learn new way of identifying or new technology, infra red ....etc . that render Stealth useless.Originally posted by FG42:We should own some fighter-bombers with stealth capability to win any decisive war today...
I think F-15sg & f-16 60+ is still my choice - they can do it the old fashion way, long distance, go in low, terrain following, hit and gone. Or invest in some EW planes fried their radar and jam everything till they cannot even see or communicate. Think that is more cost effective than Stealth and a more practical path. -
A coincidence perhaps.....but this announcement comes at a time when the Isrealis have recently concluded an undetected swoop onto syrian territory to bomb a certain target w/o being detected until it's over.Originally posted by justcooler:Just wait and see, the 15 will be selected again.
notice that F16 stop at a number of 60+ and i guest that the F15 will stop a number of 40 - 50. Although the airframe is old but not to forget the electronic and enhancements they are packing into the bird.
That is alot of air domination power for once and also consider the strike and bombing capabilities that this number of planes will give us.
I believe the Gulf war I and II had influence alot of the higher command thinking in SAF; moving the armed forces towards greater mobility, fire power and interconnectivity.
Perhaps it has proven the true capability of the F16s and F15s that an "old" workhorse with the right pilots and enhancements to the plane can still go into enemy territory with impunity. That's what RSAF may be looking for and it has proven itself !!
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ofcourse..also add that the syrian air defence were craaap...so why are we suprise they can get in and out without detected?Originally posted by FireAndHell:A coincidence perhaps.....but this announcement comes at a time when the Isrealis have recently concluded an undetected swoop onto syrian territory to bomb a certain target w/o being detected until it's over.
Perhaps it has proven the true capability of the F16s and F15s that an "old" workhorse with the right pilots and enhancements to the plane can still go into enemy territory with impunity. That's what RSAF may be looking for and it has proven itself !!