Information supplied and copyrighted
by Joe Baugher
General Dynamics F-16
Fighting Falcon for Singapore
Last revised September 5,
2000
In January of 1985, the government of
Singapore ordered eight F-16/79 fighters and it reserved an option for 12 more. The
F-16/79 was a cost-reduced version of the Fighting Falcon powered by the General Electric
J79 turbojet rather than the F100 turbofan. In mid-1985, it became apparent that the
F100-powered version would be made available, and Singapore changed its order to eight
F-16A/B Block 15 OCU aircraft (four single-seaters and four two-seaters). This purchase
was under the Peace Carvin Foreign Military Sales program, and was intended to
replace the aging Hawker Hunters still serving with the Republic of Singapore Air Force.
Singapore took delivery of its first F-16
(a two seater) on February 20, 1988. They were powered by Pratt & Whitney F100-PW-220
engines and were Block 15 aircraft with strengthened block 30 airframes. Before taking
their planes back home, Singapore pilots spent a couple of years at Luke AFB in Arizona
working up to full operational standards. During this period, the Singapore F-16s wore
USAF markings, and were marked with a red tailband and a small Singapore flag. While based
at Luke AFB, Singapore also leased nine F-16As previously used by the Thunderbirds
flight demonstration team.
The first F-16s did not arrive in
Singapore until January 1990. They currently equip No 140 Squadron at Tengah Air Base.
Singapore had announced plans to buy
eleven F-16C/Ds, then hastily withdrew its order when neighboring Malaysia secured eight
F/A-18 Hornets. After assessing the capability of the Hornet, on July 9, 1994, the
Minister of Defence of the government of Singapore announced that it would stick with the
Fighting Falcon and would increase its order to 18 Block 52 F-16C/Ds (eight F-16Cs and 10
F-16Ds), nine of which were to be retained at Luke AFB for training. The planes were
purchased under Peace Carvin II.
The F-16C/Ds in the Peace Carvin II
Singapore order were of Block 52, and were powered by the Pratt & Whitney F100-PW-229
engine. The planes are provided with the Lockheed Martin Sharphooter, a downrated version
of the LANTIRN pod system. All of the Singapore F-16C/Ds were to be equipped with
wide-angle HUD and APG-68(V)5 radar. The Advanced Identification Friend or Foe (AIFF)
system was provided, which can be distinguished by an antenna array immediately forward of
the cockpit. Interestingly, some of the F-16Ds in this order were equipped with a
"swollen spine" similar to that of the Israeli F-16Ds, this spine fairing
providing additional avionics capacity for air to ground mission. Delivery of these planes
began in the spring of 1998. They are now serving alongside the F-16A/Bs at Tengah.
Part of the Peace Carvin II
contract included a commercial lease-to-buy contract with Lockheed Martin for 12 Block 42
F-16C/Ds. These planes will remain in the USA, and will will replace the nine leased USAF
F-16A/Bs operating at Luke AFB, Arizona.
A new contract was placed in October 1997
for 12 Block 52D F-16C/Ds (6Cs, 6 Ds). These planes were purchased directly from the
manufacturer and not through the US government FMS program (although Lockheed Martin
refers to the deal as Peace Carvin III). The first of these planes were delivered
on November 30, 1999. The six F-16Cs will replace the leased USAF F-16C that were used for
training with the 425th FS at Luke AFB, Arizona. The leased USAF Block 40 F-16Cs will be
transferred to the 162nd FW of the Arizona ANG. The six Block 52D F-16Ds will be operated
by the 27th FW/428th FS at Cannon AFB, New Mexico.
Currently, Singapore is negotiating with
Lockheed for the delivery of another six aircraft, to be powered by F100 engines. The
leased F-16s are to be exchanged for similar Fighting Falcons of the later series. In
addition, it was announced in July 2000 that Singapore intends to purcnase another 20
F-16C/Ds. This will be under Peace Carvin IV. The planes will be powered by the
F-100-PW-229 turbofan, and deliveries will begin in late 2003.
Serials of Singapore F-16s:
87-0397/0398 General Dynamics F-16A Block 15AA OCU Fighting Falcon
built for export to Singapore as 880/881
87-0399/0400 General Dynamics F-16A Block 15AB OCU Fighting Falcon
built for export to Singapore as 882/883
87-0401 General Dynamics F-16B Block 15Z OCU Fighting Falcon
built for export to Singapore as 884
87-0402/0403 General Dynamics F-16B Block 15AA OCU Fighting Falcon
built for export to Singapore as 885/886
87-0404 General Dynamics F-16B Block 15AB OCU Fighting Falcon
built for export to Singapore as 887
94-268/273 Lockheed F-16C Block 52 Fighting Falcon
c/n DA-1/8. To Singapore
94-274/283 Lockheed F-16D Block 52 Fighting Falcon
c/n DB-1/10. To Singapore
96-5025/5029 Lockheed Martin F-16C/D Block 52 Fighting Falcon
to Singapore (lease)
96-5030/5031 Lockheed Martin F-16D Block 52 Fighting Falcon
for Singapore (lease)
96-5032/5036 Lockheed Martin F-16C/D Block 52 Fighting Falcon
to Singapore (lease)
Sources:
- Combat Aircraft F-16, Doug Richardson,
Crescent, 1992.
- General Dynamics Aircraft and their
Predecessors, John Wegg, Naval Institute Press, 1990.
- The American Fighter, Enzo Angelucci and
Peter Bowers, Orion, 1987.
- United States Military Aircraft Since
1909, Gordon Swanborough and Peter M. Bowers, Smithsonian, 1989.
- F-16 Fighting Falcon--A Major Review of
the West's Universal Warplane, Robert F. Dorr, World Airpower Journal, Spring 1991.
- The World's Great Interceptor Aircraft,
Gallery, 1989.
- Modern Military Aircraft--F-16 Viper, Lou
Drendel, Squadron/Signal Publications, 1992.
- Lockheed F-16 Variants, Part 1, World
Airpower Journal, Volume 21, Summer 1995.
- Airscene Headlines, Air International,
- Military Aviation Review, World Airpower
Journal, Volume 22, 1995
- Military Aviation Review, World Airpower
Journal, Volume 33, 1998
- Military Aviation Review, World Airpower
Journal, Volume 34, 1998
- Lockheed Martin F-16 Operators, Part 2,
Peter R. Foster, World Airpower Journal, Vol 24, Spring 1996.
- ASEAN Air Power, Robert Hewson, Air Forces
Monthly, March 2000.
- Air Forces Monthly, May 2000
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