SINGAPORE — Singapore is slated join the F-35 operator club once the first of its Lockheed Martin F-35B fighters enter service later this year, becoming the fourth Asia-Pacific nation to fly the fifth-generation fighter.
Steve Sheehy, Lockheed Martin’s Vice President of Aeronautics International Business Development, predicted in a briefing at Singapore Airshow 2026 that more than 300 F-35s will be present in the region by 2030. This figure includes American F-35s based in Japan and Alaska.
Australia has 72 F-35A fighters, the last of which arrived in December 2024. In fact, Australia is currently the largest F-35 operator outside the United States.
However, that moniker will eventually transfer to Japan once the Japan Air Self-Defense Force gains its full complement of 105 F-35A and 42 F-35B jets. Japan received its first four F-35Bs last year.
Elsewhere in the region, South Korea took delivery of 40 F-35As and has another 20 on order.
Singapore is set to receive four F-35Bs before year’s end, based on a 2019 order. They will initially operate from Ebbing Air National Guard Base, before F-35s are introduced at Tengah Air Base in Singapore in around 2029, according to Lockheed Martin.
The Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) has a further eight F-35Bs on order, these due for handover in 2028. Then, in February 2024, eight F-35As were added to Singapore’s order book and these should be delivered by 2030. This will give the RSAF a total of 20 F-35s in two variants.
Major Gen. Kelvin Fan, Singapore’s Chief of Air Force, commented: “The F-35As, with greater endurance and higher payload capacity, will provide sustained reach and persistence, while the F-35Bs with short take-off and vertical-landing capability will offer greater operational agility.”
Along with 40 F-15SG fighters and around 60 F-16C/Ds brought up to F-16V configuration, the RSAF eclipses every other Southeast Asian nation in terms of air combat power.
Of four F-35 heavy maintenance, repair and overhaul facilities around the world, two are in Asia-Pacific – in Australia and Japan. The others are in Italy and the United States.
Sheehy said his company delivered a record 191 F-35s last year. However, that number was swollen by delays in rolling out Technology Refresh 3 updates. He said the TR-3 backlog has been cleared, and he expected 156 F-35s to be delivered this year.
Further F-35 customers in Asia-Pacific may be difficult to find, however. Both Taiwan and Thailand have been rebuffed in recent years, although U.S. President Donald Trump invited Indian interest last year.
Author: Gordon Arthur
Source: DefenseNews
Reviewed By: Editorial Team
