Victory-class corvette

The Victory class missile corvettes are multi-purpose ships based on the MGB 62 design by Germany's Lürssen shipyard for the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN). The six ships were commissioned between 1990 and 1991 and form the 188 Squadron of the RSN.

RSS Vengeance during CARAT 2006, launching missile
Class overview
Name: Victory
Builders: Friedrich Lürssen Werft / ST Engineering (Marine)
Operators:  Republic of Singapore Navy
Completed: 6
Active: 6
General characteristics
Type: Corvette
Displacement: 595 t (586 long tons; 656 short tons)
Length: 62 m (203 ft 5 in)
Beam: 8.5 m (27 ft 11 in)
Draught: 2.6 m (8 ft 6 in)
Propulsion:
  • 4× Maybach MTU 16 V 538 TB93 high speed diesels coupled to 4× shafts
  • Total output: 16,900 hp (12,600 kW)
Speed:
  • Maximum: 37 knots (69 km/h; 43 mph)
  • Cruising: 18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph)
Range: 4,000 nmi (7,400 km) at 18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph)
Complement: 49 with 8 officers
Sensors and
processing systems:
  • Search radar: Ericsson/Radamec Sea Giraffe 150HC (G/H band) / Saab Sea Giraffe AMB post-2011 SLEP
  • Navigation radar: Kelvin Hughes 1007 (I band)
  • Weapon control: Elbit MSIS optronic director
  • Sonar: Thomson Sintra TSM 2064 VDS
Electronic warfare
& decoys:
  • ESM: Elisra SEWS
  • ECM: RAFAEL RAN 1101 Jammer
  • Decoys: 2× Plessey Shield 9-barrelled chaff launchers, 2× twin RAFAEL long range chaff launchers fitted below the bridge wings
Armament:
Aircraft carried: 1× Boeing ScanEagle unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)
Notes:
  • Ships in class include:
  • RSS Victory (88)
  • RSS Valour (89)
  • RSS Vigilance (90)
  • RSS Valiant (91)
  • RSS Vigour (92)
  • RSS Vengeance (93)

History

In the 1960s and 1970s, the RSN was primarily concerned with coast guard duties. From the late 1970s, however, pressure from senior naval officers led to planning for expanded naval responsibilities and capabilities.[1] Singapore’s growing regional trade led to a top-level review of the RSN’s mission, when the navy was assigned the role of defending Singapore's sea lines of communication (SLOCs). As part of a subsequent expansion programme, the RSN ordered a squadron of missile corvettes from Lürssen Werft in 1983.[2] The first, RSS Victory, was built and launched in Germany while the remaining five were built locally by Singapore Shipbuilding & Engineering (now Singapore Technologies (ST) Marine). The corvettes, equipped with sonar and torpedoes, were the first class of ship in the RSN to have anti-submarine capabilities.[3]

In 1996, the corvettes were fitted with two sets of 8-cell Barak I launchers, a second fire control radar on the platform aft of the mast and an optronic director on the bridge roof. Rudder roll stabilisation was also retrofitted to improve sea-keeping qualities.[4]

In 2009, it was announced that the corvettes would undergo a Life Extension Programme.[5] On 23 August 2011, the upgraded RSS Valiant conducted a live-firing exercise of its Barak missile, while on Exercise CARAT with the United States Navy.[6]

In 2012, the class is to be upgraded with a single ScanEagle UAV, RSS Valiant was the first to be so outfitted.[7] This upgrade however, saw the removal of their anti-submarine capabilities.[8]

In 2018 the Ministry of Defence announced that all six corvettes will be replaced by new combat ships from 2025 onwards. [9]

Vessels
The OTO Melara 76mm Super Rapid gun mounted on the Victory class corvette - RSS Valour (89)
NamePennant
number		LaunchedCommissioned
RSS Victory888 June 198818 August 1990
RSS Valour8910 December 198818 August 1990
RSS Vigilance9027 April 198918 August 1990
RSS Valiant9122 July 198925 May 1991
RSS Vigour921 December 198925 May 1991
RSS Vengeance9323 December 199025 May 1991

References
Notes
  1. Huxley, Tim (2001). Defending the Lion City. Allen & Unwin. ISBN 1-86508-118-3.
  2. "Victory Class Corvettes". Lürssen. Archived from the original on 11 January 2014. Retrieved 11 January 2014.
  3. "1988 - RSN's Missile Corvettes". Singaporean Ministry of Defence (MINDEF). 4 May 2010 [7 June 2000]. Retrieved 24 August 2011.
  4. Saunders, Stephen (2007). Jane's Fighting Ships, 2007-2008. Jane's Information Group. ISBN 978-0-7106-2799-5.
  5. "Speech by Minister for Defence Teo Chee Hean, at Committee of Supply Debate 2009" (Press release). MINDEF. 19 February 2009 [12 February 2009]. Retrieved 2 January 2014.
  6. "RSN Conducts Successful Missile Firing" (Press release). MINDEF. 23 August 2011. Retrieved 24 August 2011.
  7. http://www.mindef.gov.sg/imindef/news_and_events/nr/2012/may/15may12_nr.html
  8. http://navaltoday.com/2013/12/30/singapore-revamps-its-victory-class-corvettes/
  9. https://www.janes.com/article/81474/singapore-to-replace-victory-class-missile-corvettes-with-multi-role-combat-vessels

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