Singapore’s RSAF Decides to Fly Like An Eagle
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“Splash Two in Singapore!”
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At the dawn of the 21st Century, Singapore decided that it needed a new aircraft to replace its often-upgraded A-4SU Super Skyhawks. This was hardly surprising; John McCain had been flying an older model A-4 Skyhawk when he was shot down during the Vietnam War. The decision to require a twin-engine aircraft eliminated the JAS-39 Gripen and F-16 E/F Block 60 from the competition, and the F/A-18 E/F Super Hornet and Sukhoi Su-30 family were also scratched. That left just 3 finalists: Boeing’s F-15 Strike Eagle, France’s Rafale, and the Eurofighter Typhoon. Limited air-ground capabilities and a slow upgrade schedule splashed the Eurofighter, leaving just 2 contenders still flying. September 2005 releases tapped Boeing as the winner, and the deal was done in December 2005. The 12-plane, $1+ billion order (est. $1.4-1.8 billion) was good news for Boeing: Singapore’s F-15SGs, and South Korea’s 40-60 plane F-15K order, are keeping the assembly line open for this 2-seat, multi-role fighter.
The F-15SG will be an advanced version of the U.S. Air Force’s F-15E Strike Eagle, with minor customization to Singapore’s specifications and the most up-to-date avionics available. The higher-thrust GE F110 engine will be used in place of the Pratt & Whitney F100 engines that power some F-16s and most F-15s. AN/APG-63v3 AESA radars will be included, and there are rumors that a number of Israeli electronics and self-defense systems will be part of the F-15SG as well. Sniper XR surveillance & ground targeting pods, and IRST systems built in for air-air engagements, will also be added to Singapore’s standard equipment list.
With all of these features built into its fighters, Singapore has legitimate grounds to argue that it will be flying the world’s most advanced version of the F-15 Strike Eagle. A follow-on order increased the numbers bought, and now the first planes have been delivered…
- Contracts and Key Events
- Appendix A: The F-15SG and the Global Fighter Market
- Appendix B: Additional Readings & Sources – Equipment
- Appendix C: Additional Readings & Sources – Other News & Developments
- Appendix D: Additional Readings & Sources – Market Analysis and Background
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