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
-
British Army's Project Nyx progress reflects MoD investment in autonomous system
The UK MoD said it would narrow down the competitors from four to two later in the year, with those selected going on to develop the prototype drone that will operate as loyal wingman to the British Army’s Apache AH-64E helicopters.
-
UH-60M Black Hawk: export demand underpins $13 billion market opportunity
The UH-60M is the latest variant of the UH-60, a workhorse multirole helicopter that continues to attract further orders from across the globe. With further modernisation upgrades underway, the platform is expected to remain in operation until 2050.
-
SOF Week 2026: DroneShield moves to double its production capacity in the US
The DroneShield US subsidiary is rapidly expanding its manufacturing footprint in the country and has expedited the process to double its domestic production capacity in at least four months.
-
Next-generation tactical UAS: Advancing European defence capabilities
As Europe confronts its most unstable security environment since the Cold War, defence planners recognise that advanced, dependable and flexible Uncrewed Aerial Systems (UAS) are central to a force that competes and prevails on today’s battlefield.