October 30, 2006 (by Anonymous) - According to Janes news, Six additional countries consider joining the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program. Lockheed Martin Executive Vice President and JSF General Manager Tom Burbage said the six nations were "NATO countries or US allies" but would not disclose which countries they were.

Spain, which would be looking at the F-35B short take-off vertical-landing (STOVL) variant to replace the Boeing AV-8B Harrier II Plus aircraft that it is currently operating off the aircraft carrier SPS Principe de Asturias, is certain to be one country.

The other five to join the nine partner nations of Australia, Canada, Denmark, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Turkey, the UK and the US, could include Finland, Greece, Switzerland and potentially Israel.

http://www.f-16.net/news_article2033.html

I remember that Singapore is the only Asian partner in this program so far, but our level of participation is at a lower level as compared to the others.

My question is how will we joining this F-35 program benefit us and whats the difference between our benefits and the 6 newly joined member countries?

I’m curious…why are we still interested if we are gonna be getting watered down versions of the jet?

Unless we are interested in the VTOL version (which AFAIK we are not), I honestly don't see why we are even considering the F-35 especially when its a watered down version.

Surely the Rafale, Eurofighter or heck even the Sukhoi would be a better bet. At least we're getting the real mccoy & not some watered down thing. So what if its cheaper? Is it worth it paying less for 2nd grade jets? I doubt it.

I mean even the full F-35 may or may not be a match for Rafale/Eurofighter/Sukhoi, let alone a watered down version. IMHO it would be a sad day if the RSAF one day comprises of just F-15SG and watered down F-35s.

Singapore’s Involved… Check out the Lockheed martin web…States singapore is also helping in the JSF targeting systems program….

Why jump on a sinking ship?

the 1st flight of F-35 coming soon….is now wait and see situation for most of the countries….

Originally posted by duotiga83:

the 1st flight of F-35 coming soon....is now wait and see situation for most of the countries....

coming soon? i thot a few more years to go... esp those that contribute least will wait longest....?

Originally posted by hmsg:

coming soon? i thot a few more years to go... esp those that contribute least will wait longest....?

the ground test for the F-35A engine have already started...is just a matter of time before the actual 1st flight started....

Originally posted by sgf:

Unless we are interested in the VTOL version (which AFAIK we are not), I honestly don't see why we are even considering the F-35 especially when its a watered down version.

Surely the Rafale, Eurofighter or heck even the Sukhoi would be a better bet. At least we're getting the real mccoy & not some watered down thing. So what if its cheaper? Is it worth it paying less for 2nd grade jets? I doubt it.

I mean even the full F-35 may or may not be a match for Rafale/Eurofighter/Sukhoi, let alone a watered down version. IMHO it would be a sad day if the RSAF one day comprises of just F-15SG and watered down F-35s.

All of US strike n fighter n CAS aircraft wings will be quite sad sight too....Only F-22 n F-35 n their variants n Unmanned Combat Air Vehicles....Not much other manned strike n fighter n CAS ones

Originally posted by papabear20046:

All of US strike n fighter n CAS aircraft wings will be quite sad sight too....Only F-22 n F-35 n their variants n Unmanned Combat Air Vehicles....Not much other manned strike n fighter n CAS ones

you forget they just upgraded their Warthogs to A-10C with JDAM /WCMD capability

Originally posted by duotiga83:

you forget they just upgraded their Warthogs to A-10C with JDAM /WCMD capability

True but their plans r to phase out the rest n leave only 2 types n variants n future UACVs

We seem to be following the USAF model somewhat, and increasing research on UAVs.

In the medium term, I'd prefer to see a mix of F-35s, F-15SGs and perhaps an improved Eurofighter.

Originally posted by LazerLordz:

We seem to be following the USAF model somewhat, and increasing research on UAVs.

In the medium term, I'd prefer to see a mix of F-35s, F-15SGs and perhaps an improved Eurofighter.

Tranche 3 Typhoon will be probably got the same capability of Strike Eagle as is meant for interdiction and strike replacement of Panavia Tornado and SPECAT Jaguar

The Tornado IDS GR.4s didn't even come close to matching the F-15E's capability. It could handle mud moving as well... but lacked the ability to hold its own in the air.

I have my doubts with the JSF as well. It may have the latest in state of the art technology, stealth etc. But its friggin payload capacity is too low! =/

As for Sukhois and MiGs... thats out of the question. They've got magnificent airframes, really big, really manueverable. But they've got really maintenance exhausting engines too. I suspect the Malaysians tak boleh tahan the maintenance cost of the MiG-29s and decided to cold storage citing shortage of pilots.

Whatever we learn or contribute can have a trickle down effect to ST's UAV.

IMHO, we will most probably be operating the F-15 for quite sometime. Probably until they reverse the water down decision. Remember F-16/79?

Originally posted by touchstone_2000:

Whatever we learn or contribute can have a trickle down effect to ST's UAV.

IMHO, we will most probably be operating the F-15 for quite sometime. Probably until they reverse the water down decision. Remember F-16/79?

It's unlikely we will get anything less than the Australian or UK spec. After all, the F-15SG's equipment list shows a precedent that we are in the same export customer league as the RAAF at the very least, if not higher. Put it this way, the APG-63V3 AESA radar is more capable than the RoKAF's APG63V1.

Standoff weaponry aside, the F-15SG may be considered by the Pentagon as a defense related sale, but in our regional environment, with the requisite modifications by our friends with the olive trees (which is quite likely), we have a very capable plane here; something adequate to perform missions that require regional surveillance and patrol.

I am of the opinion that the SEA region will benefit from our extended capability to patrol further.

Originally posted by Seth35:

Singapore's Involved... Check out the Lockheed martin web...States singapore is also helping in the JSF targeting systems program....

could be that we are in the learning stage and join them to learn more on how to make top of the line fighter jets

could it be RSAF is looking for a mix of V/STOL birds + CTOL planes? Going by Singapore's small size, getting a V/STOL (or at least STOL) fighter has its advantage. No point buying Harrier II right?

By joining the project, Singapore has a better bargain power than those who didn't join, if and when Singapore decides to buy the planes. Other than that, could be just to project a cooperative image?

"It's unlikely we will get anything less than the Australian or UK spec. After all, the F-15SG's equipment list shows a precedent that we are in the same export customer league as the RAAF at the very least, if not higher."

Singapore will never have the same access that is shared between U.S,U.K and Australia.

Originally posted by digger:
"It's unlikely we will get anything less than the Australian or UK spec. After all, the F-15SG's equipment list shows a precedent that we are in the same export customer league as the RAAF at the very least, if not higher."

Singapore will never have the same access that is shared between U.S,U.K and Australia.

I agree that Singapore will not have the same access as compared to US and UK at least not in the near future. However, its more likely that we have the roughly the same access to the JSF technology as obtained by Australia.

Judging from the advance versions of F-16 and F-15 which RSAF have gotten or going to get from the US and the money which we are prepared to spend, I believe its just a matter of time, that we will get top of the line F-35 jets. The question is just how long do we have to wait.

"agree that Singapore will not have the same access as compared to US and UK at least not in the near future. However, its more likely that we have the roughly the same access to the JSF technology as obtained by Australia."

Australia will have the same access as U.K.

"Judging from the advance versions of F-16 and F-15 which RSAF have gotten or going to get from the US and the money which we are prepared to spend, I believe its just a matter of time, that we will get top of the line F-35 jets. The question is just how long do we have to wait."

The U.S has been willing to sell them to just about anyone and there has been other Tech that the U.S has denied Singapore in the past.

To say that Singapore shares the same or greater access to U.S tech(intelligence, military etc.) that Australia does is pure folly. (see below) :

The Australian

Greg Sheridan
September 01, 2005

US President George W. Bush has issued a decree upgrading Australia to the highest rank of intelligence partner that the US has in the world.

Australia's new status is equalled only by Britain and vastly expands the quantity and quality of US intelligence our agencies receive.

In order to bring this about, Mr Bush has changed US national disclosure policy.

In the 50 years of the US-Australia alliance, Australia has never before enjoyed this level of access to American intelligence. The agreement ranges from tactical and operational military information through to comprehensive national assessments.

Increasingly, Australian agencies will have direct access to US intelligence systems. Australian military personnel in the Middle East, for example, can already directly access US intelligence databases and real-time battle space imagery.

John Howard has discussed the new intelligence arrangements with Mr Bush at several meetings in recent years.

The Prime Minister raised it again with US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld at their Washington meeting on July 19.

Defence Minister Robert Hill would not comment on anything related to US presidential decrees or US national disclosure policy, but he confirmed Canberra had a higher intelligence-sharing status with the US than ever before.

"In recent years we have obtained unprecedented access to US intelligence and tactical planning," Senator Hill told The Australian.

"That has been of great value to Australia in terms of enhancing our national security. This is access to the greatest repository of information that exists. It's another sign of the close relationship between the US and Australia."

Mr Howard raised US national disclosure policy at his meeting with Mr Rumsfeld because of resistance to Australia's new status within the US bureaucracy.

While Mr Bush and Mr Rumsfeld and US service chiefs have strongly backed the new arrangements, the natural inertia and caution of the vast US intelligence and military bureaucracies has meant a lot of operational resistance to their implementation.

Put simply, US spooks are not used to sharing the crown jewels. However, repeated instructions from the top have moved the process steadily forward.

Mr Bush's decree is believed to have followed the annual AUSMIN meeting of Australian and US foreign and defence ministers in Washington last year, where they signed the "US-Australian joint statement of principles on Inter-Operability". Since the turn of the century, there has been a steady deepening of compatibility in equipment and training between US and Australian military forces. All aspects of this "inter-operability" have been canvassed in a secret paper jointly compiled by the US and Australian defence departments.

The AUSMIN statement said Australia and the US had "agreed to enhance inter-operability between our defence forces such as communications, information exchange, operational planning and training".

It has not previously been revealed that these seemingly anodyne words had brought about the most intimate intelligence relationship in Australian history.

The new relationship occurs at many levels.

Canberra now has a permanent senior officer stationed at the US Strategic Command in Nebraska.

US Strategic Command is responsible for integrated intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, space and global strike operations, information operations, integrated missile defence and command and control.

It is the most sensitive intelligence hub in the US military network and to have Australians stationed there at high levels of seniority is a sign of the depth of the intelligence relationship.

Australia gains access at all levels - to US raw intelligence, to US assessments of the intelligence and to real-time operational information and planning.

This has meant Australia further upgrading its own security because the US is extremely sensitive about who shares such information.

Australia's new status is a sign of the growing trust the US has in the Australian military and intelligence community. Co-operation between Canberra and Washington in these fields has grown exponentially as a result of both the war on terror and the joint operations in Iraq.

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/

The USAF has B52’s for CAS also.But that’s only if the F22’s and F35’s have swept the enemies planes and SAMS away hah.

the F22s and F35s huh

i think when they are done the b-52s will have nothing to aim at lol

http://www.f-16.net/news_article2053.html

Netherlands first to sign on for next phase of F-35 program

November 16, 2006 (by Lieven Dewitte) - The Netherlands yesterday became the first of the F-35 partner nations to extend its participation into the production and support phase of the Joint Strike Fighter program.

Netherlands Deputy Secretary for Defence Cees van der Knaap and U.S. Deputy Secretary of Defense Gordon England signed the Production, Sustainment and Follow-On Development Memorandum of Understanding (PSFD MOU), which extends cooperation in the program beyond the current System Development and Demonstration (SDD) phase.

"Because of the extremely hard work of a very dedicated team over a couple of years, the Netherlands and the United States were able to take this very historic step toward building a powerful international coalition," said Brig. Gen. C.R. Davis, F-35 Lightning II program executive officer.

"This is the culmination of years of hard work on the part of many people, and is an outstanding example of teamwork and partnership between two strong allies," said Tom Burbage, Lockheed Martin executive vice president and general manager of F-35 Program Integration. "That partnership exists on several levels, certainly between the military operators who will employ this phenomenal system, and between the government leaders and industry teammates who will ensure its enduring success over time. This is a great day for the F-35 program."

"We are making sure that the F-35 Lightning II brings profound improvements in capability to the Netherlands and the other F-35 operators around the world, while at the same time energizing the manufacturing and technology sectors of those countries' economies," said Dan Crowley, Lockheed Martin executive vice president and F-35 program general manager. "This is an international project, with international design input, international components and systems, and new levels of interoperability that will ensure mission success, time after time."

Once the PSFD MOU signing process is complete, the partners will cooperatively develop, produce, test, train and operate the F-35 Lightning II. The Netherlands joined as an SDD partner in June 2002 and has been involved in the JSF program since 1997. The other F-35 partner nations -- the United Kingdom, Italy, Turkey, Canada, Australia, Denmark and Norway -- are expected to sign the PSFD MOU by the end of December.