On Tuesday, Singapore launched two new advanced submarines, vessels its navy claims are meant for protecting sea lines of communication, and which experts pointed out would range beyond the waters of the tiny city-state to keep a watch on the region.
Two of the country’s fifth and sixth submarines Invincible and Impeccable were placed on order to ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems in 2013 at the cost of 1-billion Euro, thus, comes older Archer- and Challenger-class boats.
These are said by the experts to herald a new level of technology for the navy of Singapore as it enables that rich south east Asian nations fight slung far away in the sea using less soldiers, and also making their vessels the most noiseless in the region.
“They are an excellent force multiplier,” said Colonel Fong Chi Onn, commander of Singapore’s submarine flotilla. “And for a country as small as ours, we need all the force multipliers we can get.”
The two new invincible-class submarines were moored at adjoining piers in colourful naval flags’ Deck, with the X-shaped rudders protruding about the water, bay of Changi’s naval base and the event on Tuesday took place there.
Lawrence Wong handed over the vessels to the crew on board in a function attended by decorated Military officers in white uniforms with their families.
While an Invincible-class sub could operate with a minimum complement of just 28. This is for 70-metre (230 ft), 2,200-ton submarine, and crew said on Tuesday that automation of while most of the work was laborious made easier operations. They are also Singapore’s first submarines with women’s facilities and with females aboard.
“It’s warranted. They’re at least comparable to some of the latest, state-of-the-art conventional submarines now in service in so many countries in South East Asia and the even wider Indo Pacific,” Koh Collin, a naval specialist at Singapore’s S. Rajaratnam school of International Studies opines.
He however added that having a more sophisticated sub does not automatically mean that it will compete with other regional navies as it should further advancing.
For example the Invincible has class only carried heavyweight torpedoes, while the Kilo submarines of Vietnam’s Russian origin come equipped with land attack cruise missile capabilities.
The Illustrious and Inimitable another two invincible-class boats for Singapore have been launched, though since then the vessels have not been taken up to commission.
The class also features “air independent propulsion” which uses fuel cells to generate electricity as opposed to ordinary diesel engines. Most of the systems have no moving parts so they are very quiet and this is an obvious asset for a weapon that will be used underwater. They can continue in a submersed status and/or supine position for weeks or even months traveling thousands of megameters.
This explains why the countries including China, Russia and the United States, operate nuclear-powered submarines quietly and in some of them, the cost ran into several billion dollars each but they have much higher top speeds as well as longer range.
Recent developments have demonstrated the importance of undersea cables and overseas operations have therefore necessitated navies to be equipped in the undersea domain. John W. reports this month that America pressed Vietnam to desist from a Chinese undersea cable company sinced there are many concerns.
Also, Chinese Navy has been active on modernizing the fleet of its submarines and is in the completion stage of work on Type 096M ballistic missile project.
Such missile carrying submarines also provide countries with a significant strategic advantage as a section of their nuclear weapons will be retained in secrecy.
Indonesia, Singapore’s neighbour, has also been acquiring submarines, with the order of two state-of-the-art Scorpene-class vessels from the French state company Naval Group. Of these, two screw propulsion older aircraft have been operated by Malaysia of the Scorpene class.
This enables Singapore that works closely with the US as well as its Asian partners, to acquire advanced submarines which will enable a more active flipping of the military’s role in the naval exercises which experts say are on the rise and are significant in the Indo Pacific Waters.
“I would also expect Singapore to provide a number of target vessel for the practice of regional anti-submarine operations,:,” said Trevor Hollingsbee, a naval analyst formerly employed at Britain’s defense ministry.
“The inflatables are sought after all however bringing them now would help them to do collection activities parallel to the earlier mission.”
