The US State Department has approved the sale of up to 12 F-35 fighter jets and related equipment to Singapore at an estimated cost of $US2.75 billion ($A18.57 billion), pending approval from Congress, the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency has said.
“The State Department has made a determination approving a possible foreign military sale to Singapore of up to twelve F-35B STOVL aircraft and related equipment for an estimated cost of $2.750 billion,” the DSCA said in a statement, adding it had notified Congress of a possible sale.
Singapore’s defence ministry said formal terms of the purchase would be negotiated after approval from Congress.
Singapore is the 12th country to buy the F-35, following Australia, Belgium, Denmark, Israel, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, South Korea, the United Kingdom and the United States. Canada, a partner of the F-35 program, has not yet committed to buying jets, while Turkey, a NATO member has been booted from the JSF program last year over its decision to procure and activate a Russian-made S-400 air defense system.
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