Tiny Singapore, with a population of 5.2 million and a land area half the size of Greater London, is likely to spend $23 billion on purchases of patrol aircraft, helicopters and other military equipment by 2015, according to a new report by IHS Jane's, Reuters reported. The Southeast Asian city-state, flanked by Indonesia and Malaysia, sits on one of the busiest sea lanes in the world and lists piracy as one of the main security threats in the region. Singapore allocated S$12.08 billion ($9.39 billion) for defence in its budget for the fiscal year beginning April 2011, a rise of 5.4 percent from 2010/11. IHS Jane's said Singapore was an attractive choice for Western defence firms because of its relative transparency and its commitment to open-market acquisitions. "It is notable that Singapore remains the only country in Southeast Asia that has not purchased military equipment from Russia or China," the research firm added. -- SPA
