Posted on 08/11/2016 2:54:23 AM PDT by djsunzi
Singapore is reportedly holding off a decision to buy the Lockheed Martin F-35 jet, a multi-role stealthy warplane that is touted as the world's most advanced fighter.
A Bloomberg article published on Tuesday said the Republic's Permanent Secretary of Defence Development - who was not named in the story - informed the United States in mid-June that Singapore would be delaying the final steps of the purchasing process.
The report added that Singapore had intended to acquire four F-35s by around 2022, with the option to purchase another eight more, citing information from the Pentagon's programme office.
(Excerpt) Read more at straitstimes.com ...
But noting that the F-35’s evolution has been vexed by problems, Mr Boey added: “This is perhaps why Singapore, which has earned a reputation as a reference customer who is an astute buyer of war machines, is in no hurry to seal a deal.”
It could be noted that Singapore is the Muslim Country that is closest to holding Western societal values of any Muslim Country. Its implementation of sharia often received praise from Conservatives pre-911.
Singapore is mostly Buddhist/Christian and 15% Muslim.
Hardly a “Muslim country”.
Singapore is probably wondering why they should waste all that money on US hardware when it’s clear in the post-Obama world that their future safety depends on building as strong a relationship with China as possible. Let the PLA navy build a port there, and they can have all the anti-Muslim-neighbor hardware they want - for free.
Singapore is not a Muslim country - it has a secular constitution promoting equal rights to all parts of society. However it is surrounded by Muslim countries like Malaysia and Indonesia.
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