Singapore's new Boeing P-8A maritime patrol aircraft could enter service in early 2030s: Chan Chun Sing

IDAHO, United States: The four Boeing P-8A maritime patrol aircraft that Singapore is set to acquire could enter service in the early 2030s, said Defence Minister Chan Chun Sing on Saturday (Sep 13).

Speaking to reporters at Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho state during his first visit to the United States as defence minister, Mr Chan added that other platforms may be acquired to complement the P-8A's capabilities.

The P-8A will replace Singapore's existing Fokker-50s, which have been in use for over three decades. This is part of the first phase of the Singapore Armed Forces' (SAF) refresh of its maritime security capabilities, the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) said earlier this week.

Equipped with anti-submarine warfare capabilities, the P-8A also has a suite of sensors and radar systems that can be deployed in a range of maritime missions. 

"We want to make sure that we have different platforms with different capabilities to augment our overall situation awareness," said Mr Chan on Saturday. 

The minister also spoke about the 20 F-35 fighter jets that Singapore has acquired, with the first delivery on track for end-2026.

A new squadron will be set up in Ebbing Air National Guard Base in Fort Smith city in Arkansas state, where the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) will train alongside counterparts from partner countries operating similar platforms.

"That will allow us to share lessons and also to learn from one another. So, that is the reason why we've chosen Ebbing to base our F-35s," Mr Chan said, adding that in time to come, Singapore will also consider including other platforms necessary to integrate operational capability. 

"GRAB-A-BOMB" SERVICE

As part of his introductory trip to the US, Mr Chan visited SAF officers participating in Exercise Forging Sabre - a biennial military drill running from Sep 6 to Sep 21.

He was briefed on their roles and operations; and interacted with the families of service personnel staying at Mountain Home Air Force Base.

Commenting on this year's Exercise Forging Sabre - its 10th iteration - Mr Chan noted that the focus was on the ability to integrate different capabilities and adapt to complex scenarios.

More drones, including commercial, off-the-shelf ones, are involved this time, with the SAF taking in lessons learnt from recent conflicts around the globe.

Operating these unmanned platforms together with manned ones such as fighter jets and attack helicopters was a key part of the SAF's latest exercise.

Mr Chan shared an analogy he was told, likening manned-unmanned integration to a platform delivery service such as Grab. Instead of riders and customers, here there are sensors, shooters and targets.

The challenge lies in making sure sensors and shooters are assigned to targets in the shortest time possible, before the targets move. While this may sound like a simple issue, the process involves low-cost drones with more limited ranges and different communication protocols; working with high-end platforms with their own set of ranges.

"How do you combine all these and make sure that your 'Grab' service, in fact, some of them call it a 'Grab-a-bomb' service; how do you bring it to target at the precise time for the precise effect?” said Mr Chan.

This will require practice with different operational scenarios for the SAF to execute well, he added.

At Exercise Forging Sabre, SAF engineers and operators are also constantly evolving current processes; and without having to wait a few months or for the next exercise cycle, are able to bring new capabilities online.

Such adaptability is key to victory in many operations seen around the world, said Mr Chan.

"It's never about how good your weapon systems are at the beginning," he added. "The agility of the processes is actually our winning edge, beyond the capabilities."

UNDERSTANDING THE US

Reflecting on his trip, which ended on Saturday, Mr Chan emphasised that the US was a big country and should not be thought of as "monolithic" in its views.

Over the past few days of his visit, he said he was able to appreciate the diversity of perspectives within the US establishment, which helps Singapore understand where they are coming from and what they are trying to do. 

"It helps us to understand their priorities, their focus area and their future capabilities build-up," Mr Chan added.

"So long as we can understand their needs and their plans better, it will allow us to better provide a value proposition in our interactions with them."