Singapore to procure G550 maritime surveillance aircraft

A computer-generated image of the Gulfstream G550, which will be acquired by Singapore to complement its fleet of new P-8A maritime patrol aircraft. (Singapore MINDEF)

Singapore will strengthen its ability to monitor sea lanes with its planned acquisition of three Gulfstream G550 maritime surveillance aircraft, the country's Defence Minister Chan Chun Sing said in the committee of supply debate in parliament on 27 February.

The G550 procurement forms part of a broader effort to modernise the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) through a “high-low” mix of capabilities, combining advanced military platforms with cost‑effective commercial technologies such as drones and digital systems, he said.

The new G550s are also intended to complement the incoming Boeing P‑8A maritime patrol aircraft ordered for the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) and enhance the service's ability to safeguard Singapore's sea lines of communication (SLOCs).

According to a fact sheet released by Singapore's Ministry of Defence (MINDEF), the three G550 aircraft will be equipped with a maritime surveillance radar, electro‑optical and infrared sensors, integrated communications systems, a maritime automatic identification system (AIS), and a self‑protection suite.

With an endurance of nine hours, a cruising speed of Mach 0.82, and a service ceiling of 40,000 ft, the aircraft can carry two pilots and up to six mission crew. It has a length of 29.8 m and a wingspan of 28.5 m.

The new aircraft build upon Singapore's long‑standing investment in the G550 platform. The RSAF previously procured four G550-based conformal airborne early warning (CAEW) aircraft to replace the E-2C Hawkeye airframe in the AEW role.

Singapore's first CAEW G550 was received at Tengah Air Base in February 2009, and the final platform was delivered in October 2011. The fleet reached full operational capability with 111 Squadron in April 2012.