Lockheed wins $8.7 million contract for Singapore F-16 upgrades

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.

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F-16C/D Block 50/52/52+