Singapore Poised to Join the Ranks of F-35 Operators in Asia-Pacific
SINGAPORE — As Singapore prepares to receive its first Lockheed Martin F-35B fighters later this year, the city-state is set to become the fourth nation in the Asia-Pacific region to operate these advanced aircraft. This development marks a significant milestone in regional defense capabilities.
At the Singapore Airshow 2026, Steve Sheehy, Vice President of Aeronautics International Business Development at Lockheed Martin, forecasted the presence of over 300 F-35s in the Asia-Pacific by 2030. This projection includes American F-35s stationed in Japan and Alaska.
Australia, currently the largest operator of F-35s outside the United States, has completed the acquisition of 72 F-35A fighters, with the final aircraft arriving in December 2024. However, Japan is on track to surpass Australia, as its Air Self-Defense Force works towards a full fleet of 105 F-35A and 42 F-35B jets, having already received the first four F-35Bs last year.
South Korea has also been expanding its F-35 fleet, having already taken delivery of 40 F-35As, with an additional 20 units on order.
Singapore’s initial batch of four F-35Bs is scheduled for delivery by the end of the year, following an order placed in 2019. These jets will first operate from Ebbing Air National Guard Base before being integrated into Tengah Air Base in Singapore by approximately 2029, as stated by Lockheed Martin.
The Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) has also ordered eight more F-35Bs for delivery in 2028. Additionally, in February 2024, Singapore expanded its order to include eight F-35As, expected to be delivered by 2030. This will bring Singapore’s total F-35 fleet to 20 aircraft across two variants.
Major Gen. Kelvin Fan, Chief of Air Force for Singapore, highlighted the strategic advantages of the F-35 variants: “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.”
With a robust fleet that includes 40 F-15SG fighters and about 60 upgraded F-16C/Ds, the RSAF boasts the most formidable air combat power in Southeast Asia.
Asia-Pacific is home to two of the world’s four F-35 heavy maintenance, repair, and overhaul facilities, located in Australia and Japan. The other facilities are situated in Italy and the United States.
Lockheed Martin reported a record delivery of 191 F-35s last year, although this figure was inflated due to delays in the deployment of Technology Refresh 3 (TR-3) updates. The backlog has since been addressed, with plans to deliver 156 F-35s this year.
The prospect of expanding the F-35 customer base in Asia-Pacific appears challenging. Recent attempts by Taiwan and Thailand to acquire the aircraft have been unsuccessful, though U.S. President Donald Trump extended an invitation to India to express interest last year.
