www.landforces.com.auAs Singapore’s military take steps to transform itself into a next-generation fighting force, its navy is banking on a combination of advanced surface and subsurface vessels, unmanned systems, and increased regional defence co-operation to tackle new and increasingly complex security challenges.

Speaking to Parliament on 2 March, Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen said the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) remain on track to acquire a number of new assets and capabilities to better defend the country’s land, waters, and skies and achieve the goal of fielding a ‘next-generation’ military by 2040.

To support this endeavour the Southeast Asian city-state announced on 18 February a defence budget of SG $16.36 billion (US $12.14 billion) for financial year 2022/23: a rise of S$1 billion (or 6.5%) compared to the revised expenditure for the previous financial year.

As a trading nation and an economy that is heavily reliant on open sea lines of communication (SLOCs), the safety and security of the maritime commons is of foremost priority for Singapore, which is why the country is investing heavily in its first line of defence: the navy.

While relatively small, the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) is a well-equipped force featuring a variety of assets. These include corvettes, frigates, submarines, landing ships, patrol and civil resource vessels, shore-based sensors, as well as naval helicopters and maritime patrol aircraft – that make it one of the most technologically advanced navies in Southeast Asia.

Mostly focused on anti-piracy and anti-terrorism operations, particularly around the busy waters of the Malacca and Singapore straits, the RSN operates major bases in Tuas and Changi – located in the far west and east of the island – that give it direct access to SLOCs in these strategically important straits as well as to the South China Sea.

Responsible for ensuring the security of these vital waterways, which see maritime traffic of about 1,000 vessels per day, the RSN has been both enhancing and restructuring its capabilities over the past few years as maritime security threats grow in scale and complexity.

This is an excerpt from APDR. To read the full story click here.

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