Republic of Singapore Navy

The Republic of Singapore Navy traces its origins to the Royal Navy in the 1930s with only two patrol craft. The Straits Settlements Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve was established on 20 April 1934 and in 1941 became the Singaporean division of the Malayan Volunteer Reserve during World War II.[13]

In 1948, the Malayan Force was raised by the Singapore government and was later granted the title of the Royal Malayan Navy in 1952 in recognition of its services in action during the Malayan Emergency.

On 16 September 1963, Singapore was admitted as a state of Malaysia under the terms of confederation and the Royal Malayan Navy was renamed the Royal Malaysian Navy. The Singapore division of the Malayan Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve was formally transferred from the command of the Royal Navy to the Malaysian Navy on 22 September 1963, becoming the Singapore Volunteer Force.[13]

Telok Ayer Basin no longer exists today; the area is near the reclaimed section of Marina View road

RSS Panglima underway in 1988 alongside a U.S Navy ship

On 9 August 1965, Singapore seceded from Malaysia to form an independent republic. The Singapore Volunteer Force ceased to be a part of the Malaysian Navy and became the de facto naval force of Singapore. Three ships remained part of this fledgling force after separation: KD Panglima, a former Royal Navy inshore patrol boat built in 1956; KD Bedok, a patrol boat from Malaysia; and KD Singapura, a captured Japanese minelayer. The first two were officially transferred to Singapore on 1 January 1966, with their prefixes changed to RSS.[14] Upon KD Singapura's transfer on 1 February 1968, the following message was sent:[14]

It is our earnest hope that the separation of KD Singapura from the Royal Malaysian Naval Command on 1st February will in no way disturb the close and fruitful association between the RMN, RMNVR and Singapore division. The RMN will always be available to assist and advise the Singapore Naval Volunteers in all their endeavours. Good luck.

— Chief of the Naval Staff of the RMN

A year before, on 5 May 1967, the new Singapore naval ensign was hoisted at the Telok Ayer Basin for the first time. The RSN claims the date as the day of their official establishment and commemorates Navy Day on 5 May every year.[15] Within the span of a decade between 1966 and 1975, it was renamed the Singapore Naval Volunteer Force (1966–1968), Sea Defence Command (1968) and the Maritime Command (1968–1975). These name changes reflected the internal restructuring within the Singapore Armed Forces and the growing realization that maritime security would be a crucial element to national security.[16][17] In order to develop and build up local expertise in seamanship and naval engineering, 160 naval recruits underwent training by Royal New Zealand Navy instructors in 1969.[18]

Under the Maritime Command, the navy set out on an expansion program that would enable it to combat sea robberies and smuggling while projecting its seaward defense more effectively. In June 1968, six Independence class patrol vessels were purchased and commissioned between 1970 and 1972, marking the first purpose built ships the navy possessed. The growing constraints and strategic need for a base located nearer to the Singapore Strait necessitated a new base, and the Brani Naval Base on Pulau Brani was formally opened in December 1974.[18] The foresight was proven correct only a few weeks later, when terrorists from the Japanese Red Army attacked an oil complex on Pulau Bukom and later hijacked the Laju ferry, leading to the Laju incident. Four patrol vessels, RSS Sea Hawk, RSS Independence, RSS Sovereignty and RSS Daring together with the Marine Police, were able to surround the fleeing ferry and prevent it from escaping.[18]

Colonel James Aeria would be the final commander of the Maritime Command.[19][20] On 1 April 1975, with the reorganisation of the SAF into three distinct services, the Maritime Command was officially renamed the Republic of Singapore Navy, and has kept the name ever since.[21][22]

RSS Steadfast and RSS Vigilance sailing line abreast

The RSN was the first navy in the region to successfully conduct a live missile firing when RSS Sea Wolf fired two Gabriel missiles in March 1974.[23] From 1975–1976, six Sea Wolf class missile gunboats were commissioned, which proved vital during Operation Thunderstorm when they were deployed to patrol and apprehend the influx of boat people fleeing the fall of South Vietnam. In order to support sealift operations, six County class ships were purchased from the United States; these were popularly referred to as dollars ships due to the price ($1) paid for each vessel. Two Bluebird class minesweepers were also transferred from the United States to combat the threat of mine warfare within the narrow and shallow channels of the Singapore Strait.[8][24] Prior to this, the SAF Diving Center had already been established in 1971 to train the first batch of frogman recruits in conducting underwater mine disposal operations.[25] In 1975, the service was reformed as the Naval Diving Unit and based at Sembawang Camp, where it remains.[18]

By the 1980s, however, the Ministry of Defence decided to prioritize more funds to the air force for the acquisition of a squadron of F-16s, resulting in the stagnation of the growth of the navy. Several government officials derided its existence and claimed its function was best relegated to coastal defense, even suggesting towed barges as a replacement to guard the nation's maritime borders.[8] It was not until 1984 that naval officials convinced the government of the necessity of a seagoing fleet to secure the nation's sea lines of communication in the Malacca Strait and South China Sea, both of which lead to the Port of Singapore; a major contributor to the economy.[8] Between 1990 and 2001, the resurgent navy acquired six Victory class missile corvettes, twelve Fearless class patrol vessels and commissioned four second-hand Challenger class submarines from Sweden to hone its underwater domain skills.[8] During the Pedra Branca dispute, the RSN was heavily involved in patrols around the waters of Pedra Branca, an offshore island of Singapore.[26]

The RSN has also participated in operations other than war within Southeast Asia and abroad. It served as part of the Australian-led International Force East Timor to address the humanitarian and security crisis that was taking place in East Timor during 1999; deployed three Endurance class landing ship tanks to provide humanitarian assistance and emergency aid to the Indonesian town of Meulaboh in the aftermath of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake;[27][28] and was part of the Multi-National Force – Iraq coalition force maintaining maritime security around key Iraqi installations in the Persian Gulf.[23][29] It also participated in both the search for MH Flight 370 in the Gulf of Thailand and QZ Flight 8501 in the Karimata Strait in 2014.[30][31][32] In an analysis of the SAF humanitarian response to Typhoon Haiyan in 2013, Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen noted that the disruption of communications on the ground underscored the need for a Joint Multi Mission Ship platform which could provide "centralised ability for command and control" in the air.[33]

Tuas maritime dispute

Mindful of the need to upgrade its capabilities to counter ever evolving security threats, the RSN has introduced new Archer class submarines, Formidable class frigates and Independence class littoral mission vessels to its fleet, further enhancing its deterrence at a time of rising disputes in the South China Sea. In response to a surge in piracy during the decade, it engaged in multilateral anti piracy operations in the Malacca Strait with neighbouring nations;[34] and in the Gulf of Aden and Horn of Africa under the multinational naval Combined Task Force 151, taking command of the task force thrice.[35][36][37]

In October 2018, Malaysia extended its Johor port limits past its 1979 maritime claims into waters off the reclaimed Tuas sector which Singapore claims as its own, leading to a tit-for-tat response as the latter extended its Singapore port limits to overlap with Malaysia's. As Malaysia deployed elements of the Malaysia Coast Guard and government ships to enforce their claims, the RSN's littoral mission vessels were stationed on location 24/7 with the Police Coast Guard, leading to the 2018 Tuas standoff.[38] Both nations eventually suspended the overlapping port limits and withdrew from the area following successful negotiations, though the area remains undemarcated.[39][40]

The RSN celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2017 and hosted an international fleet review.[15]

RSS Conqueror in 2015

In 1995, the RSN acquired a Sjöormen class submarine from the Swedish Navy and rechristened it the Challenger class. Another three were transferred in 1997, making them Singapore's first underwater platforms.[48] As the submarines were designed for operations in the Baltic Sea, various modifications were required to suit them to tropical waters. A comprehensive tropicalisation refitting programme was implemented for all four submarines, which involved the installation of air conditioning, marine growth protection systems and corrosion-resistant piping.[49]

It was believed that the Challenger class were purchased to develop the required submarine operations expertise before selecting a modern class of submarines to replace them, since all the boats were then over 40 years old.[50] RSS Challenger and RSS Centurion were retired from service in 2015.[51]

The Archer class submarines were also former Swedish Navy combatants and known as the Västergötland class. In November 2005, a agreement was signed with Kockums for the same tropicalisation modifications for two submarines.[52] Amidst the refitting process, an air independent propulsion system was installed, which necessitated the cutting apart of the submarine's hull to fit new components. RSS Archer was relaunched on 16 June 2009[53] and recommissioned on 2 December 2011, with her sister boat RSS Swordsman being commissioned on 30 April 2013.[54][55] The AIP modification enables the submarines to have longer submerged endurance and lower noise signature, enhancing its stealth capability. The advanced sonar system is capable of detecting contacts at a further distance, while the torpedo system has a better target acquisition capability, which allows the submarines to engage contacts at a further range.

An upgrade program was conducted between 2016 and early 2019, which involved the installation of CM010 optronic periscopes and new combat management, sonar and countermeasure systems.

Rendering of an Invincible class submarine

The Invincible class, also known as Type 218SG, is a submarine class ordered from Germany's ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems. Two Invincible class submarines were procured in November 2013 and another two in May 2017.[56][57] Several German industry experts commented then that the project would cost about one billion Euros and take six years to complete, with the first submarine expected to be delivered in 2020.[58]

The diesel electric submarines will have 50 per cent longer endurance, more firepower, more capable sensors and advanced automation than the existing fleet of RSN submarines. Armed with eight torpedo tubes and manned by a crew of 28, they can travel at a surface speed of more than 10 knots and a submerged speed of more than 15 knots. These submarines are particularly customized for Singapore's shallow and busy waters.[59]

The first of four, RSS Invincible, was launched on 18 February 2019. She will undergo sea trials in Germany before delivery in 2021. The second boat is due in 2022, with the remaining two scheduled to follow by 2024. The Invincible and Archer class submarines are projected to replace the Challenger class afterwards.[60]

All submarines, regardless of class, form the 171 squadron of the RSN. The RSN also operates the submarine support and rescue vessel MV Swift Rescue[61].

RSS Intrepid at Changi Naval Base during the Navy Open House 2007

RSS Steadfast with a USN SH-60B Seahawk helicopter during flight deck qualifications

The Formidable class multi-role stealth frigates entered service with the RSN in 2007 and are derivatives of the French Navy's La Fayette class frigate.[62] The frigates are key information nodes and fighting units, and are "by far the most advanced surface combatants in Southeast Asia"[63] with a special surface-to-air missile configuration which combines the Thales Herakles radar with the Sylver A50 launcher and a mix of MBDA Aster 15 and 30 missiles.[64] Other armaments include Boeing Harpoon missiles and a OTO Melara 76 mm gun for surface defence.

Equipped with Sikorsky S-70B naval helicopters, an international derivative of the Sikorsky SH-60B Seahawk. These naval helicopters feature anti-surface and anti-submarine combat systems, extending the ship's own surveillance and over-the-horizon targeting and anti-submarine warfare capabilities. The naval helicopters are part of the 123 squadron of the RSAF and piloted by air force pilots.[65] Two more S-70B helicopters were ordered in February 2013.[66]

The lead ship of the class, RSS Formidable was built overseas in Lorient, France and commissioned locally on 5 May 2007, marking the 40th anniversary of the RSN. The final two ships, RSS Stalwart and RSS Supreme were commissioned on 16 January 2009. The six frigates form the 185 Squadron of the RSN.

Missile corvette RSS Victory firing her guns during CARAT 2009 with the USN

In 1983, the RSN ordered six Victory class corvettes from Friedrich Lürssen Werft of Germany.[67] The first corvette was built in Germany while the remaining five were built locally by ST Marine. The corvettes were also the first class of ships in the RSN to have an anti-submarine capability.[68] The corvettes are noted for being the fastest ships in the fleet, and for their tall mast, making them top-heavy compared to ships of similar class. However, this is suitable within the fairly calm Singapore waters. The six corvettes form the 188 Squadron of the RSN.

Patrol vessel RSS Resilience on patrol duties

The Fearless class patrol vessels were built locally by ST Marine to replace the older coastal patrol crafts, which were transferred to the Police Coast Guard. The first six vessels of the class are armed for anti-submarine warfare missions, and were placed under the command of the Fleet as 189 Squadron upon commission. In January 2003, RSS Courageous was badly damaged in a collision with a container ship in the Singapore Strait.[69] In January 2005, 189 Squadron was transferred to the then-Coastal Command from the Fleet, and the twelve ships now form the 182/189 Squadron.[70] In May 2016, with the completion of RSS Independence's sea trials, 182 and 189 Squadron were merged to form the new 182 Squadron.[71] The Fearless-class ships are currently being replaced by the Independence-class littoral mission vessels.

Littoral mission vessel RSS Fortitude on patrol duties

The Independence class littoral mission vessel are a class of eight surface platforms. On 30 January 2013, MINDEF awarded ST Engineering a contract for the design and build 8 vessels to replace the Fearless class patrol vessels. ST Engineering announced that the group's marine arm, ST Marine, will build the ships at its Singapore Benoi Yard, with the core combat systems and combat system integration solutions being supplied by the group's electronics arm, ST Electronics. ST Marine will then carry out the platform system integration as the lead system integrator. The first vessel was delivered in 2016 and all eight ships are fully operational as of 2020.[72][73] The eight littoral mission vessels form the 182 Squadron of the RSN. [74]

Landing ship tank RSS Persistence underway in the Singapore Strait

The Endurance class amphibious transport docks are the biggest class of ships in the RSN. They were designed and built locally by ST Marine to replace the old County class tank landing ships (LST). Each ship is fitted with a well dock that can accommodate four landing craft and a flight deck that can accommodate two medium lift helicopters.[75] While the RSN describes the Endurance class as LSTs, they lack the beaching capability traditionally associated with LSTs, and their well docks and flight decks qualify the Endurance class more as amphibious transport docks.

The ships provide sea transportation for personnel and equipment for SAF's overseas training, as well as a training platform for RSN's midshipmen. RSS Endurance became the first RSN ship to circumnavigate the globe when it participated in the 2000 International Naval Review in New York City.[76] The ships are also actively involved in humanitarian and disaster relief operations, notably in East Timor, the Persian Gulf, the tsunami-hit Indonesian province of Aceh and most recently, disappearance of Indonesia AirAsia Flight 8501.[32] The four ships form the 191 Squadron of the RSN.

Bedok class MCMVs berthed at Changi Naval Base during the Navy Open House 2007

The RSN acquired mine countermeasure capabilities as early as 1975, when the USN's USS Thrasher and USS Whippoorwill were reactivated by the RSN's engineers and technicians in California. The Redwing class coastal minesweepers were commissioned as RSS Jupiter and RSS Mercury.[77]

These two ships were eventually replaced by the Bedok class mine countermeasures vessels. The first ship, RSS Bedok, was built by Karlskronavarvet in Sweden based on the Landsort class design. The remaining three ships were prefabricated in Sweden and transferred to Singapore for final assembly by ST Marine. The ships are constructed of glass reinforced plastic to maintain low magnetic and acoustic signatures, and are fitted with Voith Schneider Propellers, giving it the highest manoeuvrability in the navy. The ships form the 194 Squadron of the RSN.

The RSN operates the Protector unmanned surface vehicles. They were deployed together with the Endurance class landing platform dock ships to the North Persian Gulf for peacekeeping operations in 2005, where they performed surveillance and reconnaissance, as well as force protection duties for more than eight hours at a go.[78]

The Sea Wolf class missile gunboats were acquired in 1968, based on the TNC 45 design from Fredrich Lürssen Werft.[79] The first two gunboats were constructed in Germany, while the remaining four were constructed locally by ST Marine (then known as Singapore Shipbuilding and Engineering).

As new technology became available, these gunboats underwent a number of upgrading programmes in the 1980s and 1990s to increase their strike capability and sophistication. These gunboats became the first missile-armed naval vessels in Southeast Asia when they were upgraded to launch Boeing Harpoon (SSM) surface-to-surface missiles.[80] On 13 May 2008, all six gunboats were retired at a sunset decommissioning ceremony held at Changi Naval Base following 33 years of service.[81]

Ships	RSS Sea Wolf (P76)—commissioned 1975 RSS Sea Lion (P77)—commissioned 1975 RSS Sea Dragon (P78)—commissioned 1975 RSS Sea Tiger (P79)—commissioned 1976 RSS Sea Hawk (P80)—commissioned 1976 RSS Sea Scorpion (P81)—commissioned 1976	RSS Sea Dragon docked at Changi Naval Base during the Navy Open House 2007
Length	45 metres
Beam	6.5 metres
Displacement	270 tonnes
Crew	40
Speed	30 knots (56 km/h)
Weapons	RGM-84 Harpoon anti-ship missiles Gabriel Mk.2 anti-ship missiles Mistral surface-to-air missiles (replaced the Bofors 40 mm gun after refit) Bofors 57mm/L70 Mk.1 (A-Gun position) Bofors 40mm/L70 (Y-Gun position before refit) CIS 50 12.7 mm machine guns

Entrance to Tuas Naval Base

Tuas Naval Base (TNB) is located at the western tip of Singapore and occupies 0.28 km² (0.11 mi²) of land. It was officially opened on 2 September 1994 by the second prime minister Goh Chok Tong. For about two decades, Brani Naval Base was the RSN's only base. An expansion of the fleet in the early 1980s meant that more space was needed for the fleet and its shore infrastructure. However, this was not possible as the land around Brani was reserved for use by the port authority to develop container facilities.[82] As a result, Tuas was selected as the site for a new naval base.

Better utilisation of space at TNB resulted in two and a half times more berthing space than Brani, even though TNB only has a shoreline of 850 m (0.5 mi). Provision was also made for recreational facilities. Automation was incorporated into the design of TNB to reduce manpower requirements, such as mechanical ramps for the loading and unloading of vehicles and an automatic storage and retrieval system. It also has a floating dock which can lift 600 tonnes and transfer a ship from sea to land to facilitate repairs and maintenance.[83]

The base has since been enclosed to the west by land reclamation in Tuas South. Currently, the missile corvettes, patrol vessels and mine counter-measures vessels are based at TNB.

Entrance to Changi Naval Base

Changi Naval Base (CNB) is the latest naval facility of the RSN and was built to replace Brani Naval Base. Located on 1.28 km² (0.50 mi²) of reclaimed land at the eastern tip of Singapore, it was officially opened on 21 May 2004 by Goh Chok Tong. Its 6.2 km (3.9 mi) berthing space can accommodate an aircraft carrier and is often used by visiting ships of the USN.[84]

Automation was incorporated into the design of CNB to reduce manpower requirements. It has an automated underground ammunition depot that allows ammunition to be loaded onto the ships and an automated warehouse system to store items. The base has a fibre optic broadband network for information management. The base was also designed to be environment-friendly, with small-scale wind turbines powering the lights along the breakwaters at night. Conventional roof construction materials were substituted by thin film solar panels and the solar energy generated lights the base. In addition, seawater is used in the air-conditioning system.[85]

Currently, the submarines, frigates and amphibious transport docks are based at CNB. Co-located in CNB is the Naval Military Experts Institute, also known as RSS Panglima—named in honour of the first ship of the navy.[86][87]