CNA reported that two F35s have landed at Changi Air Base, and American ground crews were present to receive and take care of them. Very likely these aircraft would be kept apart from the rest and under heavy guards. Singaporeans dying to have a glimpse of how the F35s look like may pay a visit to Changi and armed with binoculars and if they can find a clear view of the aircraft. Very likely, after spending billions on the dozen of F35s, probably 99% of Singaporeans have yet to see what Singapore had bought, and very likely would not be able to see them in their lifetime. This is a very special and exclusive deal between Singapore and the USA, buying weapons that would not be delivered to Singapore, the supposedly owner of the aircraft. Anyway, this is many times better than Taiwan, that paid billions for American weapons but with no delivery date and may not be delivered at all. This is not paying rent, but pure protection money to the Americans, for the right to bomb out all the semiconductor factories in Taiwan in a war with China.
The Indonesians have been reported to be very keen in acquiring the F35s. Not so simple, they are not fit to buy F35s, maybe F15s. Not a single Arab country is qualified to buy the F35s. They could only make do with F15s or F16s. Incidentally, should for whatever reasons, the Americans decided to sell the F35s to Indonesia, would the Indonesians be comfortable with the same conditions, that the F35s would be parked in the USA? There is a saying, money not in your pocket is not yours. Money in other people's pockets would not be yours. Oh, there is a better example, all the gold of foreign countries deposited in Fort Knox no longer belong to the respective countries. Just like Russia, Iranian or Afghanistan funds in American banks. Well, stupidity has no cure.
And several Arab and Muslim countries are very happy to be given the privilege to buy second rate American aircraft and weapons. When the orders were approved, they must all have an orgasm. Egypt eventually found out that the air to air missiles sold to them have a 70 km effective range. On the other hand, the same aircraft in Israeli were armed with American missiles with 170 km range. And Egypt bought the aircraft in anticipation of a war with Israel. What this means is that the Israeli pilots would be firing off their missiles more than a 100 km away to knock off the Egyptian aircraft while the Egyptian pilots were still waiting for the Israeli aircraft to come within range. They would be shot down before they know what has happened. This is how stupid the Arab and Muslim states that paid dearly with a lot of hard cash, to buy American and western weapons. They were all short changed, and they still happily craved for them, year after year, decades after decades, to buy weapons that were in a way like duds in a war against Israel.
Finally, Egypt has wised up and scrapping all the American and European aircraft and buying Chinese J10CE, armed with air to air missiles with a 200 km kill range, 30 km longer than the American missiles sold to the Israelis. Sudan is also negotiating to buy the J10CE. China and Russia have given the Arab and Muslim world a fighting chance against the Israelis, with weapons to match or better than the Israelis. The Egyptians have taken up the offer and J10CE have arrived in Egypt, not to mention Iran making their own weapons that are as good or better than the Israelis. But still, many Arab and Muslim states die, die would want to buy American weapons even if what were sold to them were toys or duds but glorified in Hollywood movies.
Calling them stupid, they would be angry. But can't say they are smart or clever for buying American downgraded weapons and aircraft and to want to go to war with the Israelis and thinking they can win. Sighed.
