There seems to be an INCONSISTENCY in SAF strategy, they ditched the greater numbers of cheaper jets for fewer but expensive F15s but they adopted the cannon fodder 500,000 strong NSF conscripts instead of a leaner professional specialised armed force!
HUMAN LIVES are probably expendable in the PAP mindset, hence the conscript army for inexperienced scholar generals to throw away lives! Kamikaze pilots are cheap to train; just teach them how to take off and crash; just a one way trip on a cheap fighter jet.
If NOT, Why not just have great numbers of expendable predator drones which can cut out the expensive training spent for a fighter pilot for a sophisticated jet like the F15?
U are right, but in truth, in an emergency and under total recall, you be lucky to find half of these 500,000 NSF. Many are too old, many have disabilities or some form of illness, many are overseas either working or migrated, and others are untouchable or in key positions and cannot be recalled. The conscriot army we have is not like a Viet Cong soldier. On a VC, his most expensive equipment is his AK-47 which can be bought for as little as USD$200 in some parts of the world. A sinkie conscript arguably has 10 times the value of equipment on him, and could be even more equiped than a US soldier. The SAR-21 alone is probably a USD$1500 item. Add helmet, boots, webbing, ammo, grenades, etc. I would say its not case of spending all the money on the air force and giving the conscripts minimal and cheap equipment. hence, they are not expendable as u think. However, with these clowns scholar geneal running the show, they will be thrown away due to mistakes and incompetence.