Lockheed wins $8.7 million contract for Singapore F-16 upgrades
Singapore first took delivery of the 62 F-16 C/D Block 50/52 between 1997 and 2005. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons / Tech. Sgt. Michael Holzworth)
Lockheed Martin has been awarded an additional $8.7 million for spares to support the upgrade of Singapore’s F-16 fighter jets and ensure it meets modern warfare requirements. This contract modification has now boosted the overall contract to around US$1.1 billion.
Work will be carried out in Fort Worth, Texas, and will be expected to complete by 31 September 2027.
The Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) currently operates around 62 F-16 C/D Block 50/52 aircraft. Deliveries of the upgraded aircraft were confirmed at the Singapore Air Show in 2022, with the first aircraft reportedly arriving six months before in June 2021. The contract for the F-16 upgrade was initially awarded in 2015.
In a statement published by Singapore’s Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) in September 2023, it was announced that its F-16 aircraft have been upgraded. The upgrades, MINDEF said, would “ensure the RSAF's operational readiness and capability to defend Singapore's skies until the mid-2030s”.
New and advanced capabilities on the aircraft include a new Active Electronically Scanned Array Radar (AESA), the ability to deploy air-to-air and air-to-ground munitions, an upgraded electronic warfare suite and improved datalink capabilities.
Related Equipment in Defence Insight
More from Air Warfare
-
Poland confirms US$3.8 billion F-16V upgrade
The Mid-Life Upgrade agreement comes as Poland makes significant increases in its defence spend as its plans to increase it to 5% of GDP by 2026.
-
How unconventional warfare demands are changing the CUAS and drone development landscape
The use of drones in unconventional ways is accelerating technological advances and countermeasures as military planners try to stay ahead of the drone revolution in military affairs.
-
Applied Intuition takes aim at major air combat programmes with UK expansion
The autonomous software company’s new UK subsidiary is the latest in a line of businesses poised to expand and offer its services to the UK Ministry of Defence and industry, as the country invests more in AI and autonomous technology to deliver the next generation of uncrewed systems.