The Joint Strike Fighter fleet of Singapore will increase to 20 aircraft when the Defense Ministry of Singapore places an order for eight F-35A aircraft.

Lockheed Martin, an American defense company, had previously placed orders for 12 F-35Bs, which would be added to the F-35A purchase.

Defense Minister Ng Eng Hen said his ministry wants to take advantage of the F-35As' competitive price, which he said is now "comparable" to Boeing's F-15 jets, while speaking to Parliament on Wednesday during the budget debates.

According to Ng, the F-35As can carry larger payloads, have consistent endurance, are designed for conventional takeoff and landing, and offer greater operational flexibility.

In 2020, Singapore placed an order for four F-35Bs, with an estimated cost of $2.75 billion; eight additional F-35Bs were added in 2023. It is anticipated that the aircraft will arrive in 2026 or 2028.

Ng stated that the new fighter jets would arrive by 2030, the year Singapore's military intends to retire its F-16 fleet, if Parliament accepts the present F-35A acquisition. The Air Force planned to fly a combined fleet of F-15SG, F-35A, and F-35B fighter jets by the end of the decade.

Additionally, the ministry has suggested raising the defense budget from SG$17.98 billion (U.S. $13.36 billion) to SG$20.2 billion (U.S. $15 billion).

According to the think tank Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, Singapore has been spending about 3% of its GDP on defense for a number of years. Due to this constancy, the nation has been able to modernize its current platforms and enhance its fleet of aircraft.