Till 1990 / From 1990
Credit: Roundels of the world
April
1987 saw the commission of of the Flight Simulation Center with an F-5
air combat simulator at Paya Lebar AB, one of the best in South East
Asia, extensively used by the Air Forces of Malaysia and
Indonesia. By April 2010 there were four simulators at Paya Lebar AB.
A batch of 5 additional Northrop F-5E
were received in 1989. These were built from stock parts, as the
production line had already closed down, again
air-delivered via the Atlantic route. This brought the
grand total
of 35/36 single- and 9 double-seaters.
Northrop F-5E serial 870 partially painted at Mojave photographed in November 1988.
Photo: Charles R. Stewart
Local
maintenance by ST Aerospace allowed the Tiger to be flown beyond the
original service life as actual usage was less severe than original
design and aprogramm to dramatically.
improve performances of the Tigers bought was already launched in
1989, prime contractor being Singapore Technologies Aerospace,
with the planned use of a Northrop F-5E and
1 Northrop F-5F. respectively renamed Northrop F-5S and Northrop
F-5T. It included replacement of the original Emerson APQ-159 radar by a
FIAR Grifo F. Additional changes were
integration of a Litton IN-93 Laser inertial-navigation system and
Elisra SPS-2000 Radar Warning Receiver. All this caused an important
delay.
Only
after menacing to use an alternative radar were the problems were
solved, but with a delay of at least two years. Some modification of
the structure was needed, including
deletion of one 20mm cannon. The programm took place from 1001 to 1994.
Primary role of these aircrafts was air defence, armament including Raytheon AIM-9P Sidewinder (which have supplanted the AIM-9J version), followed by strike.
For this last role
Hughes AGM-65A Maverick were acquired, plus Mk 82
500lbs bombs and LAU-60/A and -68/A rocket launchers.
Final acquisition were seven former Jordanian AF Northrop F-5Es, bought in 1994. These were probably directly modified to STAe/Northrop F-5S standard.
Training abroad
Indonesian Air Combat Instrumentation (ACMI) at Pekan Baru was used (Due to shortage of airspace on Singapore) for the deployment, lasting 3-4 weeks, of fighters (inclusive
Northrop F-5s), transport aircrafts and helicopters for air-to-ground and navigation training.
Photo: MinDef Singapore
R. Singapore AF Northrop F-5 accompanied by an Indonesian AF Douglas
TA-4 over the Pekan Baru range.
By 1990 Singapore had a supporting Northop F-5 unit at Clark AFB (Philippines), with crews also supplied in a rotational system.
New main air-defence fighter
Replacement
of the STAe/Northrop F-5S as the main Singaporean fighter came with the
progressive establishment, between August 1998 and 2004, of three General Dynamics
F-16
equipped Squadrons,
initially armed with the F-16A and F-16B version, later with General
Dynamics F-16C and F-16D Block 52+ versions, though the updated Northrop fighter still
remained a very important
pillar in Combat Air Patrols, sweep and escort missions and
interception of hostile aircrafts.