Sg MRCV^ (probably most detailed look thus far) Source: RSN

NavalNews has an excellent scoop on SG RSN's incoming Multi Role Combat Vessel (MRCV) heavy frigate/destroyer. RSN is building a squadron of 6 of such ships.

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DSTA Reveals Origins of Singapore’s MRCV

At the Warships 2024 conference held in June in Adelaide, Singapore's DSTA (* Singapore's Defence Science and Technology Agency) officials shared some new details on the Republic of Singapore Navy's future Multi Role Combat Vessels (MRCV).

The Republic of Singapore Navy’s future MRCV, which is set to become the first surface combatant ship designed as a drone mothership, is based on a fusion of designs from Sweden and Denmark.

Designs from Saab Kockums and Denmark’s Odense Maritime Technology (OMT) were initially two separate entrants into the MRCV program.

However, as the process developed, the two companies decided to merge their respective proposals according to officials from Singapore’s Defence Science and Technology Agency (DSTA) speaking at the Royal Institute of Naval Architects (RINA) Warships 2024 conference in Adelaide, South Australia.

The final design, which incorporates elements from both companies’ reference designs, was eventually successful in fulfilling the MRCV requirement – beating out offerings from an unknown number of other companies.

OMT’s initial design was based on an enlarged version of the Royal Danish Navy’s Absalon-class and Iver Huitfeldt-class frigates, modified to meet Singaporean payload requirements and to allow for future payload growth. Saab Kockums, meanwhile, proposed a smaller, corvette-sized, vessel building on the heritage of the Royal Swedish Navy’s Visby-class.

When the designs were merged, design elements, systems and approaches from both reference designs were incorporated into the new design. The companies also agreed to cooperate as if both were equal, despite OMT being formally only a subcontractor to Saab Kockums.



On the OMT side, the MRCV design incorporates the enlarged Absalon/Iver Huitfeldt’s hull lines and structural steel design, as well as its proposed payload management system. Where it differs is on the combat system and propulsion side, where the design takes heavily from the Saab concept, most notably in its use of carbon fibre-reinforced plastic in the superstructure and masts as well as its approach to integrating weapons and sensors.

During the 2023 edition of IMDEX Asia, Naval News learned that the MRCV would have a displacement of around 8,000 tons and a crew complement of about 80 sailors, indicating a high level of automation in the platform. The following sensors and weapons are set to be fitted on the ships:

Leonardo’s 76mm naval gun in the STRALES variant;
MBDA’s VL MICA NG and Aster B1 NT air defence missiles;
ST Engineering / IAI Blue Spear anti-ship missiles;
Thales’ SeaFire multifunction radar
Safran’s PASEO XLR EO/IR system;
Safran’s NGDS decoy launching system.

The MRCV’s organic weapons and sensors, however, won’t be its primary weapons as it is intended as a mothership for autonomous and uncrewed systems. This focus on the platform’s embarked systems is reflected in the design choices made around the MRCV’s power and propulsion systems.

To enable flexibility and growth, the DSTA decided to mandate an Integrated Full Electric Propulsion (IFEP) for the MRCV. IFEP is an arrangement where diesel engines and or gas turbines generate electricity which can be used for both ship services – such as the combat system – and propulsion via electric motors.

The key advantage of this arrangement according to the DSTA is that it is flexible as electricity can be directly moved from propulsion to powering combat systems, or vice versa, as needed. Typically, in other warship designs that incorporate IFEP power arrangements, the electrical system is powered by both gas turbines and diesel engines with the turbines only turning on when power demand spikes.

However, for the Republic of Singapore Navy, this wasn’t an option as it would require them to set up a whole other maintenance, sustainment and training pipeline to support marine gas turbines given that no other Republic of Singapore Navy vessel uses gas turbine engines.

Instead, the DSTA opted for a fully-diesel powered IFEP arrangement which limits the ship’s ability to generate massive amounts of power to enable high-speed operations or faster acceleration. This, the DSTA judged, was acceptable for the MRCV because of its role as an uncrewed and autonomous systems mothership. This means that it isn’t required to be small and light with a high power-to-weight ratio, as missions that would require those capabilities can be performed by its embarked systems.

https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2024/0...cv/#prettyPhoto

US Army HIMARS fires 6 times but misses target in South China Sea

https://www.stripes.com/branches/army/2023-...se-9923537.html

no excuse .HIMARS  is overrated.

Patriot Radar Station and Five Missile Batteries Destroyed in Russian Hypersonic Strike on Kiev

https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/p...oyed-hypersonic

Patriot missile system proves to be useless against hypersonic missiles.

E.g. of a JMMS vessel below (partially or fully eplacing RSNs 4 Endurance class LPDs). I suspect RSNs 3rd flotilla will maintain 2 LHDs plus 2 to 3 LPDs cum multi mission logistic/supply ships plus 1 Ro-Ro ship in addition to other vessels like landing crafts, etc.




Note: RSNs MRCV heavy frigates/destroyers are likely built at the same yard.

The new facility is twice the size of the Tuas Yard and will meet Singapore’s navy requirements.

One of the Gul Yard’s unique features is its 5G-enabled digital infrastructure, which positions it as a next-generation “smart yard.” The yard uses AI-powered technology, many of which were developed in-house, to speed up operations.

The recent pager explosions (likely hacks) in Lebanon underline the importance of cyber warfare and defence.

https://m.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-820536

Sgs foresight on this new front led to the creation of a 4th SAF service namely the Digital and Information Service (D.I.S) alongside the army, air force and navy.



Sgs Asia Pacific Cyber warfare/defence capability ranking:

https://power.lowyinstitute.org/data/milita...r-capabilities/

Over half of RSAF assets are stationed outside sg.

Singapore deployed 6200 troops and about 500 vehicles/platforms thousands of km away from the home islands. Few countries can do this logistically. From a military pov, their logistics is top notch.

Per the agreement with Australia, the numbers can go up as high as 14000 troops with equipment.

This current exercise Wallaby is a 2 brigade level exercise (3 brigades form a division). Include Leopard 2SG MBTs, Apaches, transport helos, Hunter/Terrex IFVs, UAV, air defence systems.

8th Armour Brigade & 2nd Infantry brigade. Probably ~7% of SAF brigade strength. Its a step up from 2023 when it was only a reinforced brigade. They'd probably scale up.

What's missing is the artillery. Sinkies can hold brigade level exercises in sinkieland. However anything larger, they need to do it outside of sinkieland.

RSS Invincible arrives in Singapore.

https://gbp.com.sg/stories/singapore-navy-w...rss-invincible/

There are now 2 Invincible clsss, 2 Archer class and 2 Challenger class submarines in Sg. 6 in total.

There are 2 more Invincible clsss submarines already launched in Germany awaiting the journey back to Sg.

Peak Sg submarine strength currently: 8 submarines.

PM Wong said the SAF will continue to incorporate new capabilities in the years ahead to ensure it is ready to meet the challenges of tomorrow. These include F-35 stealth planes which are expected to arrive from 2026, as well as next-generation howitzers that will sharpen the SAF’s artillery capabilities.

As modern warfare evolves to include the realms of cyberspace and technology, so will the SAF, PM Wong added at the ceremony, which was also attended by Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean, Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen, Chief of Navy Sean Wat and other senior defence officials.

“We, too, are preparing for these new frontiers, including by developing autonomous capabilities, and equipping our soldiers to handle threats in the digital domain,” said PM Wong.

Meanwhile, RSN's ongoing mid-life upgrade of the Formidable class frigate (sometimes referred to as a pocket destroyer because the class is armed to the teeth) is proceeding smoothly.





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Dr Ng Eng Hen, Singapore's defence minister
https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/poli...r-combat-system



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Naval Group to Support Singapore’s Formidable-class Frigates Upgrade Program

On December 14 2023, ST Engineering announced that its subsidiary ST Engineering Marine Ltd has secured a contract with the Singapore Ministry of Defence for the mid-life upgrade of the Formidable-class frigates for the Republic of Singapore Navy. Naval Group, as ST Engineering sub-contractor, will be continuing the partnership the two companies have started in 2000 with the Formidable-class frigates construction programme
Naval Group press release

Through this contract signed with ST Engineering Marine Ltd, Naval Group is proud to continue its cooperation with our partner, to serve the Singapore Navy.

Naval Group has a deep understanding of the Formidable frigates, as the Group has built the first vessel in the Formidable-class series on the Lorient shipyard in France. The other five were built locally by the ST Engineering shipyard, in accordance with the major transfer of technology agreement, a testimony of the strong partnership between the two companies. To achieve this project, Naval Group will work closely with Naval Group Far East, its subsidiary in Singapore who is already supporting the Singaporean Navy and ST Engineering in project management, maintenance and supply chain.

-End-

Naval News comments:

ST Engineering announced on 14 December 2023 that its subsidiary ST Engineering Marine Ltd. has secured a contract with the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) for the mid-life upgrade of its Formidable-class Frigates for the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN).

ST Engineering will undertake the design and engineering of the Frigate’s marine and electrical systems’ upgrades, including the Ship Management System and Power Generation System. The Frigates will be upgraded progressively, with the first Frigate expected to complete its upgrades from 2028.

Details about the scope of the modernization are confidential. However, Naval News understands that once upgraded, the Formidable-class frigates could see some level of commonality with the future MRCV in terms of sensor and weapon systems, such as the Blue Spear anti-ship missiles.

Talking to Naval News during a tour aboard a French LaFayette (FLF) frigate being upgraded (as part of an MLU program) by Naval News, a company representative said: “it may be interesting to note some links between this [Formidable class] MLU program and the FLF modernization program: a meeting and visit to the FLF supervised by its Commander accompanied by his senior officers and the Defense Mission in Singapore (Armament Attaché ) was the occasion for an exchange between Singaporean stakeholders regarding the FLF modernization program in Toulon in March 2023”.

https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2024/0...pgrade-program/

Credit: Senangdiri

Comments: Ostensibly 2 Fornidables undergoing mid life upgrades. A 3rd is parked perpendicular to the 2 - maybe minor servicing.

sinkieland has 4 Sentinel MSRV (which they are aalso replacing in 2028) and 8 LMV. Enough for patrol duties.

NS100 radar on LMV has a 4D instrumented 280km range (sinkieland to KL distance). That's 246,000 km2 radar coverage for a 700 km2 island. not enough?