US approves $2.3bn sale of torpedoes, air defences, aircraft to Singapore

Singapore’s Ministry of Defence plans to regenerate its fleet of Fokker 50 Maritime Patrol Aircraft with Boeing-made P-8A reconnaissance planes.

The United States has approved a $2.3bn weapons merchantability to Singapore that includes P-8A Poseidon reconnaissance aircraft, lightweight torpedoes, and aerial defence systems.

The State Department notified the US Congress of the merchantability connected Wednesday, according to a connection connected the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) website.

Recommended Stories

• list 1 of 4‘You’ll find out’: Trump speaks connected Greenland’s destiny and the aboriginal of NATO
• list 2 of 4Barcelona obstruction clang kills 1 days aft deadly bid wreck successful Spain’s south
• list 3 of 4Stock markets, dollar plunge arsenic Trump ramps up tensions implicit Greenland
• list 4 of 4What is Bangladesh’s Jamaat-e-Islami party? Could it pb the state next?

The projected merchantability volition let Singapore to “meet existent and aboriginal threats by providing a credible maritime unit susceptible of deterring adversaries and participating successful US allied operations”, the DSCA said.

“This projected merchantability volition heighten the overseas argumentation and nationalist information objectives of the United States by improving the information of a strategical spouse that is an important unit for governmental stableness and economical advancement successful Asia,” the connection continued.

Ian Chong, a governmental scientist, told Al Jazeera that the patrol craft are utilized to support Singapore’s “extended oversea lanes of connection and its precise engaged waterways” successful Southeast Asia.

The acquisition of 4 Boeing P-8A craft is portion of Singapore’s semipermanent program to regenerate its ageing fleet of Fokker 50 Maritime Patrol Aircraft, according to its Ministry of Defence.

Singapore Defence Minister Chan Chun Sing announced plans to bargain the US craft successful September, pursuing a gathering with Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth astatine the Pentagon.

The US has $8.38bn successful progressive government-to-government income with Singapore, which scope from munitions to F-35 combatant jets, according to the State Department.

Singapore is owed to person the archetypal craft from its outstanding bid of 20 F-35s aboriginal this year, according to its Defence Ministry.

The US and Singapore cooperate connected a scope of information issues, and their militaries regularly big associated grooming exercises.

A P-8A Poseidon performs successful the aerial during the Australian International Airshow successful Avalon, Australia, successful March 2025 [File: Hollie Adams/Reuters]