Singapore's Next Fighter Replacement Evaluation Well Underway

The world's combat aircraft salesmen are spending more and more time in the Asia-Pacific region, and Singapore may yet offer the largest market of them all. Against a background of the Korean and Australian future fighter requirements, the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) has launched its own Next Fighter Replacement (NFR) program. In November 2001 Singapore issued an RFI (request for information) for the NFR, and all the potential candidates submitted their responses this month, just prior to Asian Aerospace 2002.

Singapore's initial aim is to replace its upgraded A-4SU and F-5S/F force, and to augment its F-16C/D fleet. The RSAF is looking for approximately 20 swing-role/multirole combat aircraft to be delivered in 2007-2009. Beyond this initial batch, some observers have spoken of a total requirement for at least 80 aircraft.

While Singapore holds an interest in the JSF program, and may yet look to that airplane as an F-16 replacement, it is significant that the NFR candidates are all twin-engined heavyweight strike fighters, in a very different class to the lightweight JSF. The five respondents to the RFI are understood to be Boeing, with a derivative of the F-15K proposal and the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, Dassault with the Rafale, Eurofighter with the Typhoon, Lockheed Martin with the Block 60 F-16 and Sukhoi with a version of the Su-30MK, dubbed 'Su-30 Plus'. Each of the competitors is likely to be offering a range of capability enhancements such as conformal fuel tanks, active radar systems, complex EW suites and expanded weapons options.

One program official described the NFR RFI as "a very detailed document, much more detailed than any equivalent request I have ever seen." Singapore is also understood to be looking at a future force mix in which the F-16 fleet will be tasked with the strike/attack role and the chosen NFR aircraft would take on a dedicated air-to-air role.

One source familiar with the program told Show News, "Singapore already has air superiority, but now it's looking for air supremacy." However, all of the types submitted for the RFI have a substantial long-range strike capability, especially when paired with precision stand-off weapons. Each of the competing teams will now review their RFI submissions with the RSAF, and Singapore is expected to issue its formal request for proposals (RFP) by the end of this year. A downselect is expected in 2003 with a final contract award anticipated in 2004.

By Robert Hewson