Singapore Submarines: The Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) is planning to add two more submarines to its fleet. Right now, Singapore has four submarines, and the new additions will bring the total to six. Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen shared this news on Monday, March 3. He also talked about other upgrades for the army, navy, and air force.
The Singapore Army will get a new infantry fighting vehicle called the “Titan.” This vehicle will have wheels and a powerful 30mm cannon that can be controlled remotely. It will also have special tools to fight against drones. The army’s High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) will also be upgraded with better rockets. HIMARS has been used by Singapore since 2010 and has been very effective for Ukraine in its war with Russia.
Dr. Ng shared these updates while explaining the Ministry of Defence’s (MINDEF) spending plans in parliament. He said Singapore started building four German-made Invincible-class submarines in 2017. All four are expected to be ready by 2028. The first two submarines are already in use since September last year.
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Dr. Ng explained that four submarines are not enough for a fleet. Submarines need a lot of maintenance and checks because they operate under extreme conditions. This means they spend less time in the water. Many countries, like Australia, Indonesia, and Vietnam, have more than four submarines. Dr. Ng said, “Having proven that the Invincible-class submarines can perform to expectations in tropical waters, the SAF plans to procure two more submarines, to make up a total of six, as the steady state for our submarine fleet.”
The navy is also getting new ships called multi-role combat vessels (MRCVs). The first of these ships will launch later this year. Singapore is building six MRCVs to replace its old Victory-class missile corvettes, which have been in use since 1989. The new ships are bigger and can travel three times farther than the old ones.
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Dr. Ng said, “The MRCV is actually not one ship but a mothership with unmanned platforms. Together with its suite of advanced sensors and combat systems, she will strengthen the navy’s ability to safeguard our maritime interests.”
In the air, the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) is looking for new planes to replace its old Fokker-50 maritime patrol aircraft. These planes have been used for 30 years to watch over Singapore’s waters. The RSAF is considering two options- the Boeing P-8A and the Airbus C295. The Boeing P-8A is used by the US Navy, the UK’s Royal Air Force, and the Royal Australian Air Force. The Airbus C295 is used by countries like Chile and Spain for anti-submarine missions.
Dr. Ng also talked about Singapore’s new F-35 and F-16 fighter jet training program in the US. Singapore recently bought F-35A jets from the US and plans to buy eight more. The training will happen at Ebbing Air National Guard Base in Fort Smith, Arkansas. Dr. Ng said, “These moves reflect the strength of our defence relationship with the US, and the continued commitment to a multi-decade partnership. We thank the US for their support.”
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Dr. Ng said the SAF is becoming a modern and advanced military with the best equipment. He said, “With these added capabilities for air, land, and sea, the SAF as a relatively small military would have transformed itself with state-of-the-art platforms comparable to advanced militaries elsewhere and fit for our security purposes.”
According to Channel News Asia, the Ministry of Defence’s budget for 2025 is expected to be around S$23.4 billion (about US$17.3 billion). This is a 12.4% increase from 2024. Dr. Ng said the increase is because of projects that were delayed during the COVID-19 pandemic. He added that 2025 will likely be the last year of big budget increases, unless there are major conflicts or economic problems.
