The U.S. government on Thursday formally approved Singapore to become the next customer of the F-35 joint strike fighter.
Singaporean Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen announced that the country would submit a letter of request to the U.S. government to purchase four F-35B, with the intention of a total of 12 B models with at an estimated cost of $2.75 billion, according to the Defence Security Cooperation Agency.
Singapore typically buys its fighter aircraft in small batches.
211216-N-QI061-1222 NAVAL STATION MAYPORT, Fla. (December 16, 2021) An MQ-4C Triton Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS), assigned to Unmanned Patrol Squadron 19 (VUP-19), sits on the flight line at Naval Station Mayport, Florida, Dec. 16, 2021. VUP-19, the Navy’s first Triton squadron, will continue to maintain and operate the aircraft off the East Coast to further develop the concept of operations and refine tactics, techniques, and procedures. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Nathan T. Beard/ Released)