12/13/2013

Why we should not buy the F35s

‘Singapore’s Chief of Defence Lt Gen Ng Chee Meng has confirmed purchase of F35B fighter plane: US General.’ This is the title of a report in The Diplomat on 18 Oct 13. It quoted Gen Herbert J Carlisle saying that he had spoken to Lt Gen Ng and Singapore has decided to buy the B model VSTOL F35 for a start. In the latest media report Ng Eng Hen was quoted to say that no decision has been made yet but Singapore is seriously considering the aircraft. Eng Hen also said Singapore is in no hurry to decide on the purchase. What is the truth the public would not know as this must be Top Secret in military terms. Let’s take Eng Hen’s word at face value as he is the Minister and would not lie in public.
 

There are many reasons why Singapore should not buy this crazily priced fighter aircraft. Why do we need such an advanced and expensive aircraft for? Who are we going to fight with and what kind of aircraft do our enemies have to contend with? There is no sense if Singapore is buying this aircraft to defend against a superpower.
The only reality is to be better than our neighbours. So we are going to spend billions of our public money to be like the Joneses? And this one upmanship can only last for a few years if our Joneses have the same mentality and go one up after we paid for these toys. Then we would have to go one up on them again, spending more billions. The only people who are going to be very happy and laughing themselves silly at us would be the arms merchants. They make silly govts trying to outdo each other by buying their expensive toys.
 

Why can’t a deal be made with our neighbours to cap our military expenditure and not be exploited by the arms merchants and make a fool of everyone of us while they make themselves very rich with our money?
 

The other simple reason why this aircraft should not be bought is being practical and sensible about how we spend our money. Each aircraft is costing a few hundred million dollars. Every aircraft that falls off the sky is going to burn a big hole in our pocket. And the aircraft can be shot down by cheap missiles in the air or cheap mortars on the ground. Worst, any pilot error or mechanical trouble in the air would mean the ditching of a few hundred millions at one go. It is just too expensive a toy to maintain and to lose.
 

With the same money we could have many more F15s and F16s to do an equally good job. We are not going to fight the Martians with the latest technology in the world. Think money so easy to come by meh? The planes are just too expensive to operate. We are not Third World leaders with Third World mentality and craving for the biggest gun to show off. We are First World leaders and should be able to think more wisely not to go blindly into an arms race when there is no need to do so.
 

There are alternative ways, just like there are alternative ways to grow the economy without flooding the island with more people.

28 comments:

Anonymous said...

Yes F15, F16 and apache makes more sense, but no bragging rights like F35, though in whisper many will say Singapore is stupid

Anonymous said...

Singaporeans cannot afford this PAP government anymore.
This PAP government is very expensive.
Where is the money going to come from?
ANSWER:
From our CPF that's where.

Anonymous said...

RB, for bragging right just buy one plane lar and spent the rest on F15 or 16

Anonymous said...

Then how to spend the CPF money...too much monies in the bank..and our GLC companies cannot have good profit .....and our Senang Diri writer cannot go for his " military shows.'

Virgo49 said...

Now LHL visited S.Korea and later Jepuen as a running skunk for the USA.

Trying to be smart, know the territorial disputes among these nations with the PRC.

Talk in whispers as messengers for the USA.

Later, Sing Ching Ping gets angry and put you in the bad books then you know.

Stop all trade with Sinkie Land and you chiak sai.

Spend so much on the SAF and neglect the poorer cousins the Home Team.

Must beef up the SPF and SOC. Getting fat and lethargic to face mobsters.

No second chance next time. May face greater adversaries.

May lose your pants kust like the aneh who lost his pants in the bus.

Spend First, Talk Later. said...

Buy lah. X'mas round the corner.

Just increase ERP, COE, GST, $8 heart bypass to $8000.

No worries lah. Not enough, borrow from World Bank.

Still not enough, reclaim more land by linking Sentosa, Pulau Brani, Sisters' Island and lelong to rich Chinamen or Indians lah.

RB, relac lah, kopi kau for you today to soothe your feathers.

Ho ho.

Anonymous said...

"There are alternative ways, just like there are alternative ways to grow the economy without flooding the island with more people."
RB

Too bad lah, RB, you are not even a politician, let alone a leader of a political party able to contest 100% seats at the next election.

Or else 60% voters may have given you a good chance to be PM to fulfil your above ideals.

Anonymous said...

actuali hor ...

any discounts anot?

read many other cuntries buy aeroplain or military hardwares, americunt INC love to give discounts

knnccb .... i luv aeroplane too, i play play aeroplain in the toilet and fire AA missiles too

Anonymous said...

"Too bad lah, RB, you are not even a politician, let alone a leader of a political party able to contest 100% seats at the next election."
Anon 10:18 am

Not yet lah. Who knows, maybe by 2016 GE, this will happen. Maybe not RB lah, but some other Sinkies with similar ideals also can lah. Hahahahaha.

Anonymous said...

The world cheapest workers:
December 13, 2013 at 8:54 am (Quote)

Singapore have one millions foreigners workers usually in the constructions and manufacturing, probably Singapore pays it workers the world lowest pays, take into consideration of if the foreign workers earn 18 dollars per day divided into 12 hours equal to $1.5 per hour?

Employers has not much choice due to low margin government projects, increasing levies and indirect taxes and costs, they got to stretch the foreigners and employ less of them? Taking into consideration Singapore has one of the highest imported inflations?

Veritas said...

We need to see things further. Right now buying F-35 may be a good thing in the sense that people are starting to see USA vacuuming her ally's coffer to support her defense industry.

Recently I have research on the topic on Vietnam going to China sphere. One of the main reason is that Vietnamese leaders realized they gain nothing by supporting USA against China. On the contrary, by cozying up with China, she get a lot of goodies.

Sooner or later, the elites of SG will realize this and many probably know it by now.

The people anger is going to swell once we see PAP buying useless toys and our ah mah jump out of windows. Let see how much more wrath of the people PAP is willing to take.

First of all, thank to all bloggers. We need to inform our people.

Anonymous said...

whampoa canal near serangoon anot?

if yes .... better buy more to protect the cuntry

safer too ... for the aeroplain, up in the sky vcuntnot overturn and douse with toddy and make bonfire

knnccb .... no toddy I starting to suffer withdrawal symptons oredi

Veritas said...

I think our KPKB is shaping PAP somehow. Recently LHL says he is starting to look into old people welfare. These happen because we kpkb. Over the years, so many old folks jump and PAP would not budge.

If PAP buy F35, for the next 10 years, there will be blogger kpkb about F35 whenever a Ah Mah jump down.

Anonymous said...

How our possibly lowest pay workers compare to the highest pay ministers?

The world cheapest workers:
December 13, 2013 at 8:54 am (Quote)

Singapore have one millions foreigners workers usually in the constructions and manufacturing, probably Singapore pays it workers the world lowest pays, take into consideration of if the foreign workers earn 18 dollars per day divided into 12 hours equal to $1.5 per hour?

Employers has not much choice due to low margin government projects, increasing levies and indirect taxes and costs, they got to stretch the foreigners and employ less of them? Taking into consideration Singapore has one of the highest imported inflations?

Anonymous said...


England, Russia,France,Spain and Portugal were originally small countries each of which had a territory of only about over hundred to three hundred thousand square kilimetres. But each of these countries began to build up their military might which served their savage aggressive conquering and expansive moods. As a result England conquered North America,Australia,India and large parts of Africa, Russia conquered two thirds of continental ASIA , Spain and Portugal conquered South America while France conquered large parts of Africa. Thus through their aggression these European countries expanded their countries' territories to millions of square kilometres especially Russia which expanded at China's expanse and is now still holding about three million square miles of Chinese land.
Now Singapore wants to buy F35 as part of its policy to build up its military might. Does Singapore wants to follow the aggressive expansive policy of the aforementioned European countries as well as later the Evil Empire - The United States of America. If so by all means go ahead. If not don't swagger with empty boast and waste the people's money for it serves no useful purpose but only build up distrust and hatred among our Asian neighbours including nuclear armed China.
Southernglory1


Veritas said...

The F35 is the "lousy" plane to complement the "better" F-22. The USAF doctrine is pairing up "lousy" plane for example F-16 with the better "F-15".

The F-22 is not for sale, unlike F-15. So many countries grumble why must they buy a complimentary aircraft.

patriot said...

Me thinks Singapore must buy not only F35 from the US, it should buy anything from US. If the US gets so much Financial Supports continuously in the Form of Business Transactions, it will naturally protect its' benefactor.
Singapore will then be the fabled fox with the tiger. Maybe not a tiger, it could be a Hyena, but still the Fox gets company and some forms of defence.

patriot

Anonymous said...

@Southernglory1

400 ah neh having a mayhem... already kanang kabok

u think call tahan hundreds thousand religiously motivated mud ???

knnccb .... toddy, toddy gimme toddy pleaz

Anonymous said...

The Guinness World Record?

The highest salaries ministers is $1500 per hour and the lowest salaries workers is $1.5 per hour consider Singapore inflation rate?

Anonymous said...

What the use in increasing the interest, even 8 percent is useless if you can't take back your money?

doodi dum
• an hour ago



"Singaporeans will continue to enjoy an interest rate of 4 per cent..."
What is there to "enjoy" when the money cannot be withdrawn for oue own use?!

The fact is that our CPF monies have been invested to earn much higher returns than 4%. Whatever excess returns that is made above the 4% (or 2.5% foir OA), the controlling authorities have been taking them out to use for their own purpose at anytime they desire. Whereas the 4% & 2.5% that is being returned to the contributors' accounts cannot be withdrawn by the contributor.

If a bank offers you the same kind of interest on the condition that your deposits cannot be withdrawn until death or only be withdrawn in small installments starting from retirement age, would you still want to deposit your money with them?

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Anonymous said...

Pay the gangster chief
to be protected was a
normal practice.
And
it was proven effective.

Anonymous said...

What's wrong with throwing another billion or more, we do have the dough, seriously ppl, instead of throwing on some wild goose idea like buliding some god forsaken forest to keep donkeys, or what have you, i rather have them spent on weapons, sinkies are driving them at least...not some tambi or prc shit, beside having more weapons would let us have a front to show. They are the gahmen for god sake, looking at the billions we have and toys out there would you not wanna buy, the last thing is, its not their money anyway, why save it for the schools, hospitals, housing or the old farts, or even the sick and needy children.

Anonymous said...

Veritas, Veritas, Veritas

Pls dun mention that LHL is looking at the old farts after our KPKB, we really cannot AFFORD anymore help from them to help us.

Anonymous said...

singapore must buy made in china planes

b said...

The gov where got say. It is either you buy or I withdrew the investment and unemployment will soar. Just like they closed down the GM-Holden factory in Oz when Oz blocked the deal of Graincorp takeover. American Cow boy style used again and again. Nothing new.

Abao said...

F35 B is good. Mayhe singapore can afford to buy the spanking new Prince of Wales when the UK finish building it. makes a good force projection. Then we can cut down on NS into a real profesional navy and air force

Ⓜatilah $ingapura⚠️ said...

What a fucked up 'plane. Trillion dollar piece of shit.

Can't fly properly.
Dunno whether it can fight or not.

However, it sure does look sexy, bro.

All Show. No Go.

Anonymous said...

If you want good look and sexy and cheap, google what the Chinese and Russians are coming up with. The F35 is ugly. Can get near to the F14s, F22s or SU 27.