Singapore is one of the United States’ strongest bilateral partners in Southeast Asia and plays an indispensable role in supporting the region’s security and economic framework. The United States cooperates with Singapore on the full range of security issues, to include border security, maritime security, military preparedness, counter proliferation, cybersecurity, and counterterrorism.
The access, basing, and overflight privileges granted by Singapore advance U.S. government and partner efforts to bolster a Free and Open Indo-Pacific. Singapore was the first Southeast Asian country to join the Global Coalition , and the Singapore Armed Forces have deployed imagery analysis teams, KC-135 aircraft refueling tankers, and medical teams to the D-ISIS campaign. Singapore has also played a critical role in our counterpiracy efforts, including serving as the Commander of the Gulf of Aden counterpiracy Combined Task Force-151 in 2018.
The United States has $8.38 billion in active government-to-government sales cases with Singapore under the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) system. FMS sales notified to Congress are listed here , and recently proposed and significant prior sales include: F-15SG Munitions, Follow-On Training and Sustainment for Peace Carvin V (F-15 Training Detachment); F-35B Short Take-Off and Vertical Landing (STOVL) aircraft, BU-10 Paveway II Laser Guided Bomb (LGB) units, GBU-12 Paveway II LGB units, FMU-152 or FMU-139D/B fuzes, F-16 Block 52 upgrades, F-16 pilot training and logistics support, F-15SG pilot training, AH64-D Apache Helicopters, Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS), AN/TPQ-53 Counter fire Acquisition Radar Systems, XM395 Accelerated Precision Mortar Initiative (APMI) Rounds, Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) Kits, and HARPOON, AMRAAM and Sidewinder missiles.
From 2017 through 2021, the United States authorized the permanent export of over $27.4 billion in defense articles to Singapore via Direct Commercial Sales (DCS). The top categories of DCS to Singapore are aircraft parts and components, gas turbine engines, and military electronics.
More than 1,000 Singaporean military personnel participate in training, exercises, and Professional Military Education in the United States in places like Luke Air Force Base (AFB), Arizona, Arizona National Guard Silverbell Heliport, and Mountain Home AFB, Idaho, where Singaporean F-16, AH64-D, and F-15SG pilots train alongside their U.S. counterparts. Singapore has operated advanced fighter jet detachments in the continental United States for the past 27 years.
The U.S. Navy maintains a logistical command unit, Logistics Group Western Pacific, in Singapore and conducts ongoing rotational deployments of Littoral Combat Ships and P-8 Poseidon aircraft. These deployments have facilitated patrols in the South China Sea, participation in multilateral naval exercises, and responses to natural disasters.
The United States and Singapore have the following agreements: Agreement relating to the establishment of a United States Air Force management training assistance team in Singapore (1977), Agreement Regarding the Exchange of Military Personnel of 2009, and the Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreements (ACSA) of 2011.
Singapore reinforced and deepened its defense ties with the United States, signing two substantial agreements – the 2019 renewal of the 1990 Memorandum of Understanding Regarding United States Use of Facilities in Singapore (1990 MOU) and the Memorandum of Understanding Concerning the Republic of Singapore Air Force Training Detachment at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam (Guam MOU).
Since 1988, Singapore Police Force (SPF) United Nations Peacekeeping Force (UNPKF) has been dedicated and committed to the call of service in contributing to world peace. In 1997, Singapore became the 7th country to sign the Memorandum of Understanding on UN Standby Arrangements, ensuring their commitments to the UN Peacekeeping Capability Readiness System by placing planning officers, military observers, medical personnel, and police officers on standby to support UN peacekeeping missions.
Singapore and the United States participate in 12 military forums focused on science and technology cooperation. Department of Defense research agencies with a permanent presence at the U.S. Embassy in Singapore include the Defense Threat Reduction Agency, the Office of Naval Research Global, the Navy Medical Research Center-Asia, and the Army International Technology Center-Pacific. All offices work with Singaporean counterparts on issues of shared military relevance.
Singapore participates in the Exercise Pacific Griffin, a biannual, bilateral naval operation designed to enhance capabilities in a broad spectrum of naval operations, including maritime security skills. The yearly Tiger Balm exercise between the Singapore Army and the U.S. Army is our oldest bilateral training opportunity, dating back to 1980. 2019 marked the 28th anniversary of the first Valiant Mark exercise between the U.S. Marine Corps and the Singapore Army. In addition, the Republic of Singapore and U.S. Pacific Air Forces have been conducting Exercise Commando Sling since 1990. Singapore is the only Pacific country to hold biannual unilateral training exercises in the United States (Exercise Forging Sabre). The United States also supports Singapore hosted multilateral fusion centers (Counter-Terrorism Information Facility, Information Fusion Center, and the Regional Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief Coordination Center) to collaborate in areas of shared interest.
For further information, please contact the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs, Office of Congressional and Public Affairs at PM-CPA@state.gov, and follow the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs on Twitter, @StateDeptPM.
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