DefenceTalkThe upgrade of the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF)’s F-16 fighter aircraft seeks to equip the RSAF’s ageing fleet of F-16s – which first entered service in 1998 – with new and advanced capabilities to keep them operationally relevant. The new Active Electronically Scanned Array Radar represents a significant capability upgrade, extending the F-16’s […]https://www.defencetalk.com/republic-of-singapore-air-forces-f-16-upgrade-program-64766/

DefenceTalkCommanders of the Task Groups for the exercise, the RSN’s Colonel Ken Cheong (right) and the PLA(N)’s Senior Captain Zhang Ming Qiang (left), exchanging plaques during the Closing Ceremony onboard RSS Intrepid. The Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) and the People’s Liberation Army (Navy) (PLA[N]) concluded the inaugural Exercise Maritime Cooperation, a new bilateral naval […]https://www.defencetalk.com/singapore-and-chinese-navies-conclude-inaugural-bilateral-naval-exercise-64317/

DefenceTalkThe State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to Singapore for the F-16 Block 52 Upgrade Program and associated equipment, parts and logistical support for an estimated cost of $130 million. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale on May 5, 2015. […]https://www.defencetalk.com/singapore-to-upgrade-its-f-16-block-52-fighter-jets-64164/

DefenceTalkSingapore Telecom (Singtel) said Wednesday it will buy almost all of US cybersecurity firm Trustwave for $810 million, saying it was looking to become “a global player” in the sector. Southeast Asia’s biggest telecom firm by revenue said it will acquire a 98 percent equity interest in Trustwave under an agreement it signed with the […]https://www.defencetalk.com/singapore-telecom-to-buy-us-cybersecurity-firm-for-810-mn-63779/

DefenceTalkFour US warships designed to fight in coastal areas similar to Southeast Asian waters will operate out of Singapore by 2018, a senior US Navy official said Tuesday, further underscoring Washington’s military tilt to Asia. The “rotational deployment” of the vessels, called littoral combat ships (LCS), comes as China continues to flex its muscles in […]https://www.defencetalk.com/four-us-littoral-combat-ships-lcs-operate-singapore-63148/

DefenceTalkA former top US Navy officer was arrested Tuesday over a bribery scandal centered on a Singapore-based contracting firm, in which seven people have already pleaded guilty, officials said. Paul Simpkins, 60, was arrested in Virginia and charged with conspiracy to commit bribery for his alleged role in a scheme to steer contracts to defense […]https://www.defencetalk.com/new-arrest-in-us-navy-bribery-scandal-62626/

DefenceTalkSingapore will deploy a huge tethered surveillance balloon to boost its maritime and air security, the defence ministry has announced. The helium-filled “aerostat” will be equipped with radar equipment that can spot threats from as far as 200 kilometers (125 miles) away, the ministry said in a post on its website late Tuesday. “It will […]https://www.defencetalk.com/singapore-to-deploy-massive-surveillance-balloon-60914/

DefenceTalkOver 80 fighter jets from two opposing camps lit up the dark skies above the Northern Territory of Australia with trails of orange flames from their jet engines. Among them were F-15SG and F-16C/D fighter jets from the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF). These aircraft were taking part in Exercise Pitch Black – the […]https://www.defencetalk.com/singapore-f-15sgs-at-exercise-pitch-black-60395/

DefenceTalkThe State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to Singapore for Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) kits and associated equipment, parts, training and logistical support for an estimated cost of $63 million. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale on July 3, […]https://www.defencetalk.com/singapore-to-buy-joint-direct-attack-munition-jdam-kits-60065/

DefenceTalkSingapore said Thursday it would replace its aging KC-135R air refueling tankers made by US firm Boeing with Airbus’s A330 Multi-Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) aircraft. Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen told parliament of the decision to acquire the MRTT, which is based on the civilian A330 plane. Ng did not say how many Singapore will […]https://www.defencetalk.com/singapore-to-buy-airbus-refueling-tankers-for-air-force-58959/