Milestones of The Republic of Singapore Navy
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Introduction
The Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) has come a long way since its humble beginnings 50 years ago. Today, the RSN is a vital force in the defence of Singapore, protecting its sea lines of communication (SLOC) and contributing to regional peace and security.
Early Years of The Singapore Navy
The RSN, then called the Singapore Naval Volunteer Force, was established on 5 May 1967 when the Singapore Navy Ensign was raised for the very first time. At its birth, the RSN had just two wooden ships - RSS Panglima and RSS Bedok. Its mission was largely constabulary and focused on patrolling Singapore’s waters.
| Date | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 1970s | |
| 1969 and 1972 | To augment the two wooden boats, more ships were needed to better safeguard Singapore's seaward defence. The Independence-class patrol craft and Sea Wolf-class missile gunboats were acquired in 1969 and 1972 respectively. |
| 27 Jan 1974 | With more ships, the Navy needed a proper base. Brani Naval Base was opened by founding Prime Minister Mr Lee Kuan Yew. |
| Mar 1974 | The Singapore Navy achieved a first in the region when it successfully fired an anti-ship missile, the Gabriel missile, from RSS Sea Wolf. |
| 1975 | RSN ships rendered assistance to Vietnamese "boat people" during Operation Thunderstorm, by providing them with food, fuel and water, as well as the setting-up of quarantine areas and manning an SAF Field Hospital at Bedok Jetty to provide medical aid. |
Building The 2nd Generation RSN
By the 1980s, it became clear that Singapore's continued survival, security and success was highly dependent on the freedom of access to the SLOC. Singapore had by 1982 become the world’s busiest port in terms of shipping tonnage. As a result, the RSN started investments in ships capable of SLOC operations.
| Date | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 1980s | |
| 1981 | 12 Swift-class coastal patrol craft were commissioned, relieving the missile gunboats, which were previously used for coastal patrols, to hone their warfighting skills. |
| 1986 to 1988 | The missile gunboats were upgraded with Harpoon missiles. |
| 1990s | |
| 1900 to 1991 | The Navy started to acquire and develop more capabilities. The Victory-class missile corvettes were commissioned. |
| 22 Aug 1991 | The RSN embarked on farther deployments. Two Victory-class missile corvettes set sail for the RSN’s longest and furthest sea-deployment then, for Exercise Southern Friendship. It was a 10-week deployment that covered 22,000 kilometres. |
| 2 Sep 1994 | The RSN's second naval base, Tuas Naval Base, was opened by Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong. |
| 1995 | Four Bedok-class mine countermeasure vessels were commissioned. |
| 1996 | The first batch of RSN submariners were sent to Sweden for training. |
| 1996 to 1998 | The locally designed and built Fearless-class patrol vessels were commissioned. |
| 19 Feb 1997 | The Fokker-50 Maritime Patrol Aircraft attained full operational capability. |
Realising the 3rd Generation RSN
As the RSN entered the new millennium, all the key components of its 3rd Generation force structure started to come together. Amongst them, three new platforms transformed the RSN’s profile and operational capability - the Endurance-class landing ships tank (LSTs), the Formidable-class frigates and the submarines.
The new LSTs and frigates enabled the RSN to deploy further. Before the RSN acquired these ships, operations were confined largely within Southeast Asia with occasional forays beyond the region. With the new LSTs and frigates, the RSN was in a stronger position to safeguard the SLOC and operate beyond the region to engage partners in ways which were previously not possible.
The submarine force conferred the RSN with a strategic capability. Beyond its utility as a deterrent force, the RSN's submarine force is also a useful engagement tool, and has been deployed for exercises with other navies in bilateral and multilateral settings. The submarines have raised the RSN's professional standing and stature, and are a sought-after partner during exercises with established navies.
| Date | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 2000s | |
| 5 May 2000 | RSS Endurance set sail for the RSN’s first round-the-world voyage in Sail Navy 2000. The ship visited nine ports over a four-month deployment, and sailed through the Panama and Suez canals. |
| 22 Jul 2000 | RSS Conqueror, the first of four Challenger-class submarines, was commissioned. |
| 2003 to 2008 | The LSTs deployed five times to the Northern Arabian Gulf to join multinational reconstruction efforts in Iraq for operation Blue Orchid. The RSN protected the Al Basra Oil Terminal, trained Iraqi personnel and provided medical assistance to locals. |
| 21 May 2004 | Changi Naval Base was opened by Prime Minister Mr Goh Chok Tong. |
| 31 Dec 2004 | For approximately 2 months, the RSN deployed three LSTs to Aceh and Meulaboh in Indonesia, and Phuket in Thailand, to assist in the Boxing Day Tsunami, codenamed Operation Flying Eagle. |
| 3 Apr 2008 | RSS Intrepid conducted the inaugural firing of the Aster missile system in Toulon, France. |
| 2009 | The RSN deployed to the Gulf of Aden to join international counter-piracy operations under the ambit of multinational Combined Task Force (CTF) 151 for the first time. [The RSN has to date deployed five Task Groups, including a maritime patrol aircraft detachment, to the Gulf of Aden, and taken command of CTF 151 four times.] |
| 2010s | |
| 2 Dec 2011 | RSS Archer, the first Archer-class submarine, was commissioned. |
| 15 May 2012 | The Sikorsky S-70B Seahawk naval helicopter squadron attained full operational capability. |
| 14 Jul 2012 | RSS Formidable successfully conducted a simultaneous time-on-target Harpoon missile firing at the Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) Exercise, the largest maritime exercise in the world. In a display of precision and coordination, the RSN successfully landed two missiles on the same target within seconds of each other. |
| Jul 2016 | RSS Steadfast was the first non-US Navy ship to command a multinational group sail to Hawaii for RIMPAC. |
The RSN at 50
The RSN at 50 is a force that punches above its weight in terms of its capabilities, reach and influence. At home, together with our partner agencies, the RSN protects Singapore’s waters against seaborne threats. Abroad, RSN ships and personnel have made valuable contributions, including humanitarian assistance and disaster relief in Aceh, and in multinational counter-piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden. In addition, the RSN has developed strong relationships with navies in and beyond the region through exercises and professional interactions. The RSN has also helped to advance regional and international collaboration in areas of shared interest, such as in maritime security, information sharing and submarine operational safety.
As with its founding, Singapore's future will continue to be a maritime story. And at 50, the RSN is proud to be the maritime force for maritime Singapore.
