SINGAPORE – The Singapore government is “seriously evaluating” a futurepurchase of F-35 jets, the head of Lockheed Martin Corp’s internationalbusiness said on Thursday.
“They, I think, are seriously evaluating the F-35, as well as otherplatforms I’m sure,” Lockheed International Executive Vice President RickEdwards told Reuters at the Singapore Airshow. “When they are ready we willrespond.”
He said initial discussions with the government centered on the F-35Bversion short take-off and landing variant, which he described as “a nicefit for a smaller land-constrained environment”.
A U.S. Marine Corps F-35B is on display at the island nation’s airshow.
Singapore Chief of Air Force Mervyn Tan said the country was studying theF-35 as part of its long-term planning, the Straits Times reported onMonday.
Other F-35 customers in Asia include Australia, Japan and South Korea. -Agencies