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SINGAPORE: Deploying heavily armed, grey-hulled warships to tackle every maritime security threat along important sea lanes is akin to taking a hammer to every problem, defence experts said,\u00a0adding that increasingly complex challenges call for more measured responses at sea.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Earlier this month, the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) launched its first Sentinel-class offshore patrol vessel, christened Sentinel. It is the first of four government vessels built to meet a broader spectrum of maritime security operations.<\/span><\/p>\n Their calibrated capabilities will allow Singapore to respond to incidents in a measured and proportionate manner, giving the government “more options” at sea, the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) said during the vessel\u2019s launch.<\/span><\/p>\n They offer an alternative to conventional warships, said Mr Nicholas Lim, senior fellow and coordinator of defence and military relations at the S Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS) in Nanyang Technological University.<\/span><\/p>\n Unlike the standard grey hull on most combatant and auxiliary surface ships that keeps them camouflaged against the marine backdrop, the offshore patrol vessels sport white hulls.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n “You cannot deploy your grey-hulled warships for everything. It’s like you’re using a hammer for every single problem,” said Mr Lim.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Regional countries have made similar moves. In 2024, Malaysia’s Maritime Enforcement Agency took delivery of a new offshore patrol vessel while the Indonesian navy launched two such ships.<\/span><\/p>\n Unlike the heavily militarised environment in the Middle East, the sea lanes around Singapore face a different breed of risk, experts said.<\/span><\/p>\n From maritime terrorism and trafficking to drones and threats to undersea infrastructure, modern navies in the region must manage risks that sit in the ambiguous grey zone between routine law enforcement and conventional warfare.<\/span><\/p>\n More than just dealing with piracy and sea robbery, navies need to respond to different types of security challenges, said Mr Lim.<\/span><\/p>\n Recent tensions across vital global choke points like the Strait of Hormuz demonstrated the urgent demand for vessels that can deter threats and defuse flashpoints before they disrupt international trade.<\/span><\/p>\n Like the Strait of Hormuz, the Straits of Malacca and Singapore are among the world’s most important shipping routes, carrying nearly a quarter of global seaborne trade and almost a third of global oil and gas supplies.<\/span><\/p>\n But their geopolitical and security environments are worlds apart, experts stressed.<\/span><\/p>\n Maritime security in the Strait of Hormuz is closely intertwined with broader military and geopolitical tensions, said associate research fellow from the RSIS’ maritime security programme Chong De Xian.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n “In contrast, the Straits of Malacca and Singapore operate in a relatively stable security environment, where the littoral states share a strong interest in keeping the waterways open and secure,” he added, referring to Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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