Credit: Roundels of the worldRoundel Low visibility roundel from 1986
Procurement
Consideration to replace the Hawker Hunter in service as fighters was given in 1975; the choice was to be between th McDonnell F-4, the Northrop F-5E and the IAI Kfir.
By late 1976 a Letter of Offer for the supply of 18 Northrop F-5E and 3 F-5F, plus 200 AIM-9J Sidewinder aif-to-air missiles at a total price of USD 109.7m, later increased to USD 113.0m, was taken up by the Government of Singapore.
Northrop F-5E serial 800 on a
test flight.
Photo: Northrop
A team of 32 technicians was sent to Williams AFB for training in 1978. Instructor pilots converted to the new aircraft at Luke AFB (USA) with the 425th Squadron, including live-firing exercises.
The first batch of 2 Northrop F-5E and 3 F-5F arrived at Tengah AB on 19-02-79 on board an Lockheed C-5A Galaxy, two other batches followed the same way, delivery was completed by October 1979.
The sale of additional 6 Northrop F-5E was notified to the US Congress in July 1980, contract valued at approximately USD 33.8m including spares. These aircrafts figured some improvements, like an extended dorsal fin, wing leading edge and the "sharkmouth" nose; they were delivered mid-1981.
Purchase of three more Northrop F-5F followed in 1982, costing USD 16.3m. These were air-delivered in February 1983 via the Atlantic Sea and the Middle East, a journey through 16 countries and 14'800 km long; Singaporean pilots took-over the aircrafts at RAF Leuchars (UK) and flew them home.
Four Lockheed C-130B to KC-130B air-refuellers were bought in 1977 in order to enable in-flight transfers, mainly to attend exercises in Australia, of the Northrop fighters; one additional Lockheed KC-130H was delivered in 1992. The elderly Lockheed C-130B were replaced from 1999 by 4 Boeing KC-135R.
Additional 6 Northrop F-5E were delivered in 1985. These participated in mid-November of this year to a Red Flag exercise at Nellis AFB before being flown home via the same route, five immediately after the exercise, one at the beginning of December.
Photo: unknownNorthrop F-5E serials 838 and 841 transiting Prestwick (UK) on 19-11-85.
April 1987 saw the commission of of the Flight Simulation Center with an F-5 air combat simulator at Paya Lebar, one of the best in South East Asia, extensively used by the Air Forces of Malaysia and Indonesia.
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.
converted in 1985/1986
Northrop F-5E serial 870 partially painted at Mojave photographed in November 1988.
Photo: Charles R. Stewart
Northrop F-5F serial 861 seen at Prestwick (UK) on delivery on 06-12-87
Photo: Photo: Archive The Northrop F-5 Enthusiast
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-5E, bought in 1994. These were probably directly modified as STAe/Northrop F-5S
CamouflageCamouflage of both the Northrop F-5E/RF-5E/F-5F (see above) and the upgraded STAe/Northrop F-5E/RF-5E/F-5F (see below) has been very standardised, but there have been a few exeptions.
An SEA camouflage was experimented in the early 80's; later, in the early 90's, there have been trials with some other colours. Here under an overview of these experimental colours.
Northrop 801, 144 Squadron, in SEA camouflage at Williamtown AB in November 1983.
Photo: Archive The Northrop F-5 Enthusiast
Photo: Peter
Steinemann
Experimental blue/blue/grey camouflage in February 1982 on Northrop F-5E serial 802
Photo: Peter
Steinemann
All silver camouflage on Northrop
F-5E 804 in February 1982
Upgrading
Limited
avionics and radar performance led to studies to upgrade
the whole Tiger fleet. These resulted in a new
Grifo F/X radar, a Litton LN-93 Instrument Navigation
System, a modified cockpit with HOTAS/Multi Function/Head Up Display,
Elisra SPS-2000 Radar Warning Radar, an ECM system with flares/chaff
charges and compatibility
with the new AIM-120 AMRAAM air-to-air missiles at a cost of
approximately USD 6m per
aircraft. Elbit Computers of Israel was responsible for the integration
of the new avionics and the radar (which ran into early technical
difficulties resulting in delays). A fixed in-flight refuelling probe
was also added.
The new version
obtained the designation F-5S for the single-, F-5T for the
double-seater and RF-5S for reconnaissance aircrafts; useful life was extended by 10 to 15 years.
The upgrade was approved in December 1989 and a contract was awarded to
Singapore Technologies Aerospace (STAe) in July 1991. Elbit Computers
of Israel was charged with the integration of all changes; work
began in 1992, flight testing in 1994 using a modified Northrop F-5E
and one F-5F, but production go-ahead was given only in March 1996, following the
resolution of major avionics/radar integration problems. Remedials
included pushing back the forward bulkhead, fitting a nose plug and
removing one of its M-39 20mm cannons.
The programm was completed by 1999. The exact number of
modified aircrafts is not officially confirmed, but it is most probably 49
including all versions: 32 STAe/Northrop F-5S fighters, 8 RF-5S
reconnaissance aircrafts, 9 F-5T trainers.
An Air Mission Trainer (simulator) was commissioned by the Air Force on
21-08-06. This allows up to 12 F-5/F-16 pilots to fly the same mission
simultaneously.
Upgraded
single seaters fighters of all Squadrons in flight, serial 801
(149 Squadron), 819
(144 Squadron), 817 (141 Squadron) and STAe/Northrop RF-5S serial 838 (141 Squadron)
photographed
during 2000.
Photo: Peter
Steinemann
Jammimg possibility was added, see photo of an F-5T below, probably underwing ELTA EL/L-8212 pods.
Photo: gilcrest
Only known aircraft painted in special colours (not camouflage), with tiger stipes to celebrate the 30th anniversary of F-5 operation, is STAe/Northrop F-5T serial 855 shown hereunder at Paya Lebar AB in September 2009.
Photo: Kelvin Loh
New main air-defence fighter and replacement fighter
Replacement
of the STAe/Northrop F-5S as the main Singaporean fighter came with the
progressive establishment, between January 1990 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.
An enourmous step forward was the selection of the Boeing F-15SG as replacement aircraft; a development and production contract was awarded to Boeing in December 2005 which included 12 firm aircraft with an option for eight additional, option later increased to 12 and taken-up. The initial aircrafts were based in USA for crew training, transferred to Singapore in April 2010.