The Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) commissioned its first two Invincible-class diesel-electric submarines, RSS Invincible and RSS Impeccable, during a ceremony presided by Prime Minister Lawrence Wong at Changi Naval Base on 24 September.
Invincible and Impeccable are two of four Type 218SG submarines ordered under two separate contracts announced in 2013 and 2017.
Unlike the RSN’s current submarine fleet comprising two 1960’s-vintage Challenger-class (ex-Sjoorman-class) SSKs acquired from Sweden in the mid-1990s and two Archer-class (ex-Vastergotland-class) boats brought into service in 2011-2013, the Type 218SG submarines are newbuild platforms customized to Singapore’s specific requirements and address its demographic challenges.
For example, the Type 218SG design is claimed by MINDEF to feature high levels of automation, including artificial intelligence (AI)-driven systems. A major consideration behind these features is the manpower challenges facing the service, given that Singapore is facing a shrinking pool of eligible recruits that can serve in the country’s armed forces because of its low birth rate.
“RSS Invincible and RSS Impeccable are now fully operational,” said Wong, noting that the two other Invincible-class submarines – Illustrious and Inimitable – under development at ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems’ (TKMS) facility in Kiel, Germany, are expected to be delivered to Singapore by 2028.
“Together with the RSN’s existing fleet of submarines, ships and units, they will fulfil a wide spectrum of operations to safeguard Singapore’s waters, protect its sea lines of communication and contribute to regional peace and security,” he added.
The Invincible-class submarines are designed for operations in Singapore’s shallow and busy tropical waters. Custom-built for Singapore’s needs, these submarines possess state-of-the-art capabilities, including customised operator consoles that have been designed to suit the Asian ergonomics, tropicalisation for operations in Singapore’s region, as well as an X-shaped stern rudder for enhanced manoeuvrability in shallow littoral waters.
With these features, the Invincible-class SSKs can be operated with fewer crew when compared with the current Archer and Challenger boats, despite being larger at 70 metres in overall length and displacing 2,200 tonnes when submerged.
by Jr Ng
