SINGAPORE \u2013 The Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) has launched the first of its new fleet of patrol vessels, which are nearly twice the length of their predecessors and can be configured for a wide range of maritime security missions.<\/p>\n
The Sentinel-class offshore patrol vessel (OPV) developed by German shipbuilder Fassmer was launched on Oct 1 at a ceremony in Berne, a municipality in Germany.<\/p>\n
The new vessel, named Sentinel, is the first of four OPVs that will replace four Sentinel-class maritime security and response vessels (MSRVs) used for maritime security operations and protecting Singapore\u2019s territorial waters.<\/p>\n
The OPVs, which have the capacity to combat unmanned threats, will operate under RSN\u2019s Maritime Security and Response Flotilla.<\/p>\n
At the launch ceremony held at Fassmer\u2019s shipyard, Defence Minister Chan Chun Sing said the new OPV reflects the Singapore Armed Forces\u2019 commitment to keep striving for excellence by preparing not just for today\u2019s challenges, but for future ones as well, given the ship\u2019s ability to add capabilities that can meet new and emerging threats.<\/p>\n
He said the project showcases the deep relationship between Singapore and Germany and between its two navies, and added that the Republic sees the European nation as a trusted partner amid turbulent times.<\/p>\n
The design of the OPV is not a static one, \u201cwhere we are just satisfied with what we have designed and have built together\u201d, said Chan.<\/p>\n
\u201cI would rather see this as a living design \u2013 a design whereby, yes, it is the best of its class for today, but with a determination for us to want it to be the best of its class for many more years to come,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd with that, we constantly share the data, share the operational experience, and keep improving the design throughout the entire life cycle of this ship.\u201d<\/p>\n
The ceremony was also attended by the German Federal Minister of Defence Boris Pistorius, the chief of the German Navy Wilhelm Tobias Abry and Singapore\u2019s Chief of Navy Sean Wat.<\/p>\n
The OPV Sentinel will undergo a series of platform acceptance and sea trials to validate the ship\u2019s systems and performance before arriving in Singapore.<\/p>\n
It will be delivered and operationalised in 2028. The remaining three OPVs are still under construction, said the Defence Ministry.<\/p>\n
The OPVs measure 94.85m in length, far longer than the MSRVs at 55m. They also have a beam of 15.2m \u2013 their width at the widest point \u2013 and a displacement of 2,700 tonnes, compared with the MSRV\u2019s 8.6m and 525 tonnes.<\/p>\n
The added heft brings greater endurance at sea and more options to implement cutting-edge technologies, \u201cmarking a significant leap forward in overall capability\u201d, said Senior Lieutenant-Colonel Jackson Hong, the deputy director at the OPV project office at the RSN\u2019s shipbuilding group.<\/p>\n
Despite the vessels\u2019 size, Hong said they are designed specifically for Singapore\u2019s congested and highly active maritime environment, with the high manoeuvrability and operational flexibility required to operate safely and effectively.<\/p>\n
In the conceptualisation and construction of the OPV, the Defence Science and Technology Agency, RSN and Fassmer worked together to include in the vessel\u2019s design specific features to fulfil Singapore\u2019s needs.<\/p>\n
The OPVs are also equipped with a suite of lethal and less-lethal capabilities to provide calibrated responses against a wide spectrum of maritime threats.<\/p>\n
\u201cLearning from conflicts around the world in recent years, we have also designed the ship to be ready for threats posed by drones,\u201d said Hong.<\/p>\n
The OPVs are equipped with advanced sensors and layered weapons, including the STRALES guided gun, which can combat unmanned threats in the maritime domain.<\/p>\n The new vessel, named Sentinel, is the first of four OPVs that will replace four Sentinel-class maritime security and response vessels (MSRVs) used for maritime security operations and protecting Singapore\u2019s territorial waters.<\/p>\n PHOTO: MINDEF<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n Ham Wan Ling, programme director of naval systems at DSTA, who was involved in translating RSN\u2019s operational requirements into technical specifications for the OPV, said the vessel was designed to handle unpredictable threats.<\/p>\n By integrating both lethal and less-lethal capabilities, the vessels offer the versatility and endurance needed to address a broad range of maritime security issues.<\/p>\n \u201cIt is about having the right tool for the right situation without needing a different ship for every mission,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n Military Expert 2 Vijayan Manimaran, the weapon control system supervisor (designate) on board the OPV Sentinel, said the new vessel\u2019s improved capabilities allow commanders to calibrate their responses through a combination of conventional weapons, a less-lethal grenade launcher, water and foam cannon, and advanced surveillance systems.<\/p>\n \u201cThis allows the ship to respond proportionately to different situations by applying the appropriate level of force while avoiding unnecessary escalation,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Hong said the ship\u2019s design ensures it can remain relevant in the future, as it has been engineered with extra space for power, cooling and network infrastructure that future capabilities may need, allowing upgrades without major structural redesigns or costly retrofits.<\/p>\n Despite being significantly larger than its predecessor, the OPV operates with a crew of just 40, compared with the MSRV\u2019s crew of 30.<\/p>\n This is made possible by smart automation, said Lieutenant-Colonel Lin Dianxue, the OPV Sentinel\u2019s commanding officer (designate).<\/p>\n For example, the ship\u2019s integrated bridge platform management system allows the crew to monitor and control the various systems remotely, rather than having to walk through the entire vessel.<\/p>\n Automated systems reduce the need for manual checks and upkeep, shortening maintenance time.<\/p>\n \u201cWith a fall in population numbers, it is necessary to find ways to more efficiently manage the requirements of the OPV,\u201d said Lin.<\/p>\n ME4 Angela Chan, a coxswain (designate) on the OPV Sentinel, said some of the crew had attended a six-week familiarisation course in Germany, where they were introduced to the various platform systems, deck machinery and firefighting systems.<\/p>\n Looking ahead, she said the crew \u2013 many of whom are familiar with the MSRVs \u2013 will continue with advanced training and specialised courses to ensure they are ready for operationalisation.<\/p>\n \u201cThese programmes are designed to ensure that the crew can confidently manage the OPV\u2019s new capabilities from day one,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n SINGAPORE \u2013 The Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) has launched the first of its new fleet of patrol vessels, which are nearly twice the length…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":89755,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[2611],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-89754","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-buzz-headlines","wpcat-2611-id"],"brizy_media":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/89754","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=89754"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/89754\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/89755"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=89754"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=89754"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=89754"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}<\/picture><\/div>
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