A $2.3 billion weapons deal, which includes P-8A Poseidon reconnaissance aircraft, lightweight torpedoes, and air defense equipment, has been approved by the US.
According to a statement posted on the website of the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA), the State Department made the sale public on Wednesday.
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The proposed sale will give Singapore the ability to “meet current and future threats” by providing a trustworthy maritime force that can deter allies and US allies, according to the DSCA.
By enhancing the security of a strategic partner, which is a crucial factor for political stability and economic growth in Asia, the statement continued.
The patrol aircraft are used to protect Singapore’s “extended sea lanes of communication and its very busy waterways,” according to political scientist Ian Chong.
According to Singapore’s Ministry of Defense, the country’s long-term plan to replace its aging fleet of Fokker 50 Maritime Patrol Aircraft includes the purchase of four Boeing P-8A aircraft.
Following a meeting with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth at the Pentagon, Singapore’s Defense Minister Chan Chun Sing made the announcement that the US aircraft would be purchased in September.
According to the State Department, the US currently sells a total of $8.38 billion to Singapore in active government-to-government sales, which range from munitions to F-35 fighter jets.
The Singaporean Defense Ministry anticipates receiving the first aircraft from its 20 F-35 order later this year.
Singapore and the US cooperate on a variety of security issues, and their militaries regularly hold joint training exercises.
Source: Aljazeera
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