Singapore’s RSAF Orders American Missiles
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July 11/08: The US Defense Security Cooperation Agency announced [PDF] Singapore’s official request for a series of American air-air missiles and precision strike weapons.
The $962 million request also includes items and services like missile containers, common munitions built-in test reprogramming equipment, testing, integration, devices, aircrew safety equipment, repair and return, weapons trainers, electronic warfare systems and support, software support and test equipment, life support and survival equipment, spares and repair parts, publications and technical documentation, personnel training and training equipment, U.S. Government and contractor technical and logistics personnel services, and other related support.
Singapore is currently in the process of buying 20 F-15SG Strike Eagles, whose features and equipment will make them the most advanced F-15s in service anywhere in the world. Past weapons requests associated with the F-15SGs have been announced as such, but this order was simply listed as a general weapons order. Other aircraft in the RSAF’s inventory that could use some or all of the weapons listed below include their squadrons of F-16C/D Block 52+ aircraft, and F-5T Tiger II lightweight fighters that were modernized in the 1990s.
The equipment requested includes:
- 128 AIM-120-C7 Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missiles. The C7 variant is the most advanced AMRAAM in current production, but the AIM-120D is gearing up for future production.
- 6 AMRAAM Captive Air Training Missiles (CATMs). Missiles with seeker heads but no rocket motors, used for training.
- 72 AIM-120-C5 AMRAAM missiles.
- 200 AIM-9X Sidewinder Missiles. The short-range air-air missiles are the most advanced Sidewinder version, with more maneuverability, a wider “sighting cone”, and other improvements.
- 4 AIM-9X Special Air Training Missiles (NATMs)
- 32 AIM-9X Captive Air Training Missiles (CATMs)
- 8 Tactical-9X WGU-51/B Guidance Units
- 12 CATM-9X WGU-51/B Guidance Units
- 50 MK-82 (GBU-38) Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAM) with BLU-111 Warhead. These GPS/INS guided 2,000 pound bombs include a warhead designed to penetrate lightly buried or reinforced targets.
- 100 KMU-556/B JDAM Bomb Tail Kit Assemblies, which can be added to existing bombs to turn them into JDAMs.
- 72 MK-82 500lb Empty Bombs (Flight Test Only)
- 4 GBU-12 Bombs w/o Fuse (Flight Test Only)
- 4 Computer Control Group (Flight Test Only)
- 4 MK-82/MK-84 Bomb Practice trainers
- 30 AGM-154A-1 Joint Standoff Weapons (JSOW) with BLU-111 Warhead. The BLU-111 is a hardened penetration warhead.
- 30 AGM-154C JSOW.
- 300,000 20mm Practice Round Cartridges.
- 71 AN/AVS-9 (V) Night Vision Goggles. Worn by aviators.
- 50 Link 16 Multifunctional Information Distribution System-Low Volume Terminals (Fighter Data Link (FDL) Terminals), which provide a shared view of the battlefield.
The DSCA announcement did not discuss contractors, but Raytheon is the clear winner (AIM-120 AMRAAM, AIM-9X, JSOW). Boeing is the JDAM’s manufacturer.
