[Basic_Strategy]

SG's defence against Indonesia is with the Navy.

SG's defence against Malaysia is with the Army and Air Force.

Because of this, it is pointless to ask why is the RSAF buying F35Bs that cannot reach Jakarta. Because they're not meant to be used against Indonesia. And going by the very limited quantities the RSAF is buying, it is likely that the F35B is not going to be a full replacement for the F16 Block 52s that Singapore operates, but inherit a hybridised role of being an armed airborne "tactical command post" for conventional F15/16 squadrons they are paired off together with. This is due to the F35's Link 16 datalink capability with F15/16s, and it has a more powerful Multifunction Advanced DataLink (MADL) for existing 5th generation fighter jets (which theoretically SG can either buy in future or just upgrade their Link 16s to MADLs). 

This is also why I believe that the decision to retire the F16 Block 52s in RSAF service might very well be delayed even further than the current estimation of the 2030s. I personally suspect the talks about F16 obsolescence come the 2030s is FOMO talk made by the US to try and push for F35 sales to replace the perfectly fine F16s. They're meant to be small multirole fighters that are cheap, plentiful, and useful for point air defence/interdiction/ground support, whereas the F15SGs are the bigger air superiority "overwatch" assets that can function as "missile trucks" due to how many missiles they can carry. 

https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/m...ger-193119




https://www.airandspaceforces.com/articl...t-of-usaf/