In 1979, the government of Singapore ordered 18 F-5Es and three F-5Fs, along with a batch of AIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air missiles. The arrival of these planes enabled Singapore's aging Hawker Hunters to be transferred to the ground attack role. Between 1981 and 1983, six more F-5Es and three more F-5Fs were delivered, and a batch of AGM-65A Maverick missiles were ordered. A second squadron was formed in June 1986 and six more F-5Es were acquired to equip it. In December 1987, three more F-5Fs were delivered. The final Singapore Tiger II order was for a batch of five F-5Es which were delivered between January and August 1989. Although the Northrop F-5 production line has already closed down by that time, these last aircraft were assembled from its spares stock. In fact, Singapore was the recipient of the last F-5E built, which bore the USAF serial number 86-0409 and the SAF serial 874.
These aircraft currently equip No 141 "Falcon" and No 144 "Black Kite" Squadrons based at Paya Lebar and No 149 "Lynx" Squadron based at Tengah.
Singapore Aerospace has converted eight F-5Es to RF-5E standards to replace its Hunter FR.Mk 74s. This program began in 1990 with the assistance of Northrop. The converted aircraft can carry the standard RF-5 camera pallets. The RF-5Es serve alongside the F-5Es of No 141 Squadron.
Beginning in 1989, the Singapore F-5s were supplemented by the delivery of F-16s.
In 1994, Singapore acquired seven F-5Es from Jordan in 1994.
In 1991, Singapore Tiger IIs were scheduled for a major upgrade. This upgrade included the installation of such things as a new avionics fit of HUD/WAC, Elisra SPS-2000 radar warning receiver, Litton LN-93 laser INS, GEC-Marconi HUD, two head-down color, MFDs, HOTAS controls and a new air data controller, all supported by a MID STD 155B databus. Perhaps the most significant change is the replacement of the original equipment Emerson radar fire control system with the FIAR Grifo F/X Plus multimode pulse-Doppler fire control radar (as fitted to the AMX). This radar has 10 air-to-air and 14 air-to-surface modes and is compatible with the AMRAAM and SARH missiles. In order to accommodate the new radar, a nose plug has to be fitted which pushes back the forward bulkhead, and one of the two 20-mm cannon needed to be removed to fit in the larger antenna. In March of 1996, Singapore Technologies Aerospace announced that it had been given a contract to carry out the upgrade, with Elbit of Israel being an important associate. These aircraft were redesignated F-5S/T respectively after refurbishment. Two upgraded prototypes had been test flying since 1994 but have had problems with integration by Elbit of Israel of the FIAR Grifo F fire control radar
By end of 2009, the type had accumulated more than 170,000 hours of flight time in Singapore service with only two F-5Es being lost in separate accidents (in 1984 and 1991, respectively). As of June 2011, only 141 and 144 Squadron are left operating the RF-5S and F-5S/T, as 149 Squadron formally transitioned to the McDonnell Douglas F-15SG Strike Eagle on 5 April 2010. .
Sources:
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Air International, Airscene, April 1996, p. 198.
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Northrop F-5/F-20, Jerry Scutts, Ian Allan Ltd, 1986.
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F-5: Warplane for the World, Robbie Shaw, Motorbooks, 1990
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Northrop F-5, Jon Lake and Robert Hewson, World Airpower Journal, Vol
25, 1996.
- Northrop F-5, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northrop_F-5
