Re:
The latest updates from various sources indicate that the total number of F-16s in RSAF active service is 62, not including the 2 that were lost in various crashes and the F-16A/Bs that were transferred to the Royal Thai Air Force. The actual number remained uncertain. The F-15SG strength will be fixed at 24 aircraft as the Mindef are more interested in accquiring the F-35 Lightning II. The Eagles are accquired to provide air-to-ground strike capability while the F-16C/D provide air defence coverage. The F-16D+ are tasked with ground attack and maritime strike duties. With regard to the air defence systems, what I heard of was that Mindef is interested to accquire the patriot PAC-3 missile systems.
The RSAF may pharse out the F-16s if considerable number of the F-35s could be puchased and delivered by 2020. As we can predict, the mainstay of the fighter force would be the F-35 and the F-15SG. I believe that the RSAF would follow the F-16 procument procedures. Purchase a small squadron of the aircraft for overseas training. After a couple of years, when newer variant of the F-35 appears in the market, the RSAF would then accquire the aircraft in numbers, to replace the F-16s.
F-16s are not the only fighters. RSAF also operates about 50+ F-5Es which were upgraded with LGBs, mavericks and a BVR-capable radar which comes up to the 130+ fighters number (in 6 sqns). As mentioned by red, it does not include the far more numerous A-4s (1XX procured) in reserve and which have also been upgraded for both engines, avionics and LGB capability.
The F-5s are actually the target of the impending F-35 replacements rather than the F-16s. A comp for more F-15s is possible.
As the F-16s were only inducted at the end of the 1990s and continued til recently, the anticipated 30 year lifespan will be ~2030-40 before it is due for replacement.
Ops... a little confused. If Singapore's enemy were to use artillery pieces to bombard RSAF installations, than it has to be either from Malaysia coastline or from Bintan and Bataam ? Will the enemy land their troops and artillery pieces on an outlaying island and carry out artillery bombardment? Very unlikely. SAF has weapons locating radars that could be deployed 24-hours to monitor the costal activities to the north, so any build-up of military personnel in the area would be monitored.
Agreed. And its not just weapons locating radars but UAVs capable of long range visual identification of launchers/arty so even before its fired, the RSAF already knows where it is.
Apart from the Japanese successful artillery bombardment of Singapore during their attack on the island, I think that the real, real threat has to be long-range, high altitute bombers that the land-based radars could not detect, and our AA guns and missile systems could not lock on. Other threats include mass attacks by unmanned aerial vehicles and long-range ballastic missile / rocket attacks.
That's the purpose of fighters. To intercept bombers, UAVs. The 2nd line of defence are the SAMs. I-hawks in Singapore service can reach 60,000 feet, enough even to shoot down global hawk UAVs. The I-hawk was actually used by USMC in the ATBM role.
Instead of relying on other peple's technology, should Mindef establish a defence organisation that is delicated to development of weapons technology to counter these threats?
Its called DSO. See
www.dso.org.sg
With regard to the Lim Chu Kang road cum runway exercise, does it come to one's mind that in times of war, when airbases are attacked and runways rendered unusable, it is true that aircraft can land and take off from the converted road while the runways are being repaired. But what about parking spaces for landed aircraft and where to carry out re-arming and refuelling of the aircraft? Can the runway support all the 100+ aircraft in RSAF inventory? Where would all the logistic support components required to support the operations located? Should Mindef consider building underground installations and other support faclities near the area that could be used when the road is being converted for military uses. And, when converted for military uses, what is the alternative roads for road users?
Will Mindef consider an underground aircraft storage and support deport for the runway? Aircraft lands and take-off from the road, and when requires re-arming or refuelling, the aircraft will be directed to the underground re-arming deport. Aircraft that is to be parked will be directed to parking deport. This is my idea and it is a very good alternative to protect the aircraft from massed attacks.
There are 2 primary facilities ie fuel and ammo that are housed underground. This will allow a/c to operate from temporary runways which are not very far anyway since Singapore is only a little red dot. All airbases have been hardened. There's no need for further underground storage.
Singapore's airfields are sufficient to operate far more than 100 aircraft. Not surprising since the British operated more than 100 aircraft in the old days from Singapore airfields. Today, it adds Paya Lebar airport which used to service a lot of commercial traffic including a fairly large SIA until it ran out of space.
Read about IFR/VFR runway planning which will give some indication of the ability of runways to sustain sortie rates. Tankers (including KC-135s and KC-130s) allow fighters to maintain air cover for far longer as well. IFR allows 1 a/c to take off from a runway every 2 minutes or less. In 40+ minutes, 1 full sqn can take off and that's not counting utilisation of slipways/alternative runways at Sudong,Changi etc. Most SG airbases can operate at least 2 sqns.
For temporary runway operations, one doesn't need to bring the aircraft to a depot, the depot comes to the aircraft. Otherwise, a/c is vulnerable taxiing to holding areas. Ground tankers carry fuel to the aircraft (Singapore has 500+ in business operations which can requisitioned during wartime). Ammo are palletised which allow heavy trucks called prime movers (18 wheelers in layman terms of which there are over 4000 in commercial use) to carry these to where a/c land and rearm. The RSAF also trains in hot-pit refuelling which means the aircraft doesn't even switch off the engine when refuelling to save time.
