Singapore buys 12 choppers from U.S.<\/p>\n
SINGAPORE (AP): Singapore has signed an agreement to buy 12
\nApache attack helicopters from the United States, officials in
\nthe wealthy Southeast Asian city-state said on Friday.<\/p>\n
Pilots and crew from the Singapore Armed Forces will use the
\nhelicopters for training in the United States, the Defense
\nMinistry said in a statement.<\/p>\n
Singapore and the United States signed an agreement for the
\ndeal on Monday, the statement said.<\/p>\n
Singapore's initial request for the helicopters and
\naccompanying missiles, spare engines and other accessories was
\nworth about US$617 million, according to an earlier news release
\nfrom the U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency or DSCA.<\/p>\n
Officials at the Singapore Defense Ministry and U.S. Embassy
\nin Singapore said they could not immediately confirm the final
\nvalue of the deal.<\/p>\n
Singapore already has eight Apaches. The new order of 12 will
\nbe delivered starting from 2005, the Defense Ministry said.
\nApaches are designed for attacking tanks and other targets on the
\nground.<\/p>\n
The two-seater craft, used heavily by the U.S. Army, is a
\nveteran of the 1989 invasion of Panama, the 1991 Gulf War and
\npeacekeeping missions in Bosnia.<\/p>\n
The apache can carry missiles, rockets and a rapid-fire
\ncannon.<\/p>\n
The U.S. sale to Singapore \"will contribute to the foreign
\npolicy and national security of the United States by helping to
\nimprove the security of a friendly country,\" the DSCA news
\nrelease said.<\/p>\n
Singapore is \"an important force for stability and economic
\nprogress in Southeast Asia,\" the news release said.<\/p>\n
In a report published earlier this year, London-based military
\njournal Jane's Defense Weekly said some observers believe
\nSingapore's military is \"the best force in the (Asian) region.\"<\/p>\n
Singapore, an island nation with 4 million people, has no
\napparent enemies. But the government feels its strong military
\nhelps ensure its position as an oasis of peace and prosperity in
\nan often turbulent region.<\/p>",
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