December 17, 2005: As South Korea takes delivery of the first F-15K 'Slam Eagle', Singapore's Ministry of Defense (MINDEF) has released details of its F-15 purchase.

In early September, Singapore selected the Boeing F-15T as the winner of it's long-running Next Fighter Replacement Programme, beating out the Dassault Rafale at the final hurdle. MINDEF has now issued a press release that states that Singapore will purchase 12 F-15SG Eagles - worth about $1billion, with an option for 8 more, and will take delivery of these aircraft by 2009.

The F-15SG Eagle variant will have a configuration that is unique to Singapore, and will be the most advanced variant of the F-15. During the initial evaluation phase, Boeing had offered as part of it's bid the Raytheon AN/APG-63 (V) 3 Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar system, with superior target tracking, scanning and response than conventional mechanically scanned radar array systems. Singapore will also buy a weapons and logistics package, worth a further $741 million dollars if all options are exercised.

Weapons in this package include:

200 AIM-120C Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAM)
6 AMRAAM Captive Air Training (CAT) Missiles
50 MK-82 GBU-38 Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAM) with BLU-111 warhead
44 AN/AVS-9(V) Night Vision Goggles
24 Link 16 Multifunctional Information Distribution System/Low Volume Terminals (Fighter Data Link Terminals)
30 AGM-154A-1 (JSOW) Joint Standoff Weapons with BLU-11 warheads
30 AGM-154C (JSOW) Joint Standoff Weapons
200 AIM-9X SIDEWINDER Missiles
24 AIM-9X SIDEWINDER CAT and Dummy Missiles

With its advanced AESA radar and disclosed weapons fit, the F-15Sg is shaping up to be one of the most potent Eagle variants ever to fly. - Shawn Chung