Aircraft
Singapore Looking Forward to F-35
The initial batch of Singaporean aircraft is slated to be handed over by the end of this year
Lockheed Martin F-35A at Singapore Airshow 2026
The Lockheed Martin F-35A aerial demonstration at this year’s Singapore Airshow was being provided by the Royal Australian Air Force, which also has an aircraft in the static display, parked alongside two F-35As from the U.S. Air Force’s 388th Fighter Wing. © David McIntosh/AIN

By 2035, Lockheed Martin projects that more than 300 of its F-35 stealthy multirole fighters will be based in the Asia-Pacific region, with U.S.-operated aircraft flying from bases there, further swelling the numbers. Singapore is set to be the next nation to join the ranks of regional operators later this year as part of this significant force build-up.

The first four aircraft for the Republic of Singapore Air Force are due to be handed over by the end of 2026, according to a Mindef statement associated with a visit to see Singapore’s first aircraft on the F-35 production line by Minister for Defence Chan Chun Sing and Chief of Air Force Major-General Kelvin Fan.