The homecoming ceremony for the Republic of Singapore Navy’s (RSN) Invincible class submarine, Invincible, took place on 13 September at RSS Singapura – Changi Naval Base. Fleet Commander Rear Admiral Kwan Hon Chuong, senior RSN officers and submariners were present to witness the homecoming ceremony.
Ordered in 2013 and built by Thyssen Krupp Marine, Invincible was launched in Kiel on 18 February 2019. Invincible is one of the four Invincible-class submarines (Invincible, Impeccable, Illustrious and the Inimitable)that are optimised for operations in Singapore’s shallow and busy tropical waters. The 2,200 tonne and 70 metre long boats are derived from the Type 214 design. The Invincible class has an X-shaped rudder configuration for better maneuverability in littoral waters, a fuel-cell powered air independent propulsion (AIP) module for the submarine’s lithium-ion batteries and a horizontal multi-purpose airlock to launch torpedoes, deploy special operations forces or missiles.
Singapore’s Ministry of Defence said in a media release “these submarines possess state-of-the-art capabilities, including high levels of automation, significant payload capacity, enhanced underwater endurance, and ergonomics optimised for the Asian physique. Their induction into the RSN will further enhance its capability to safeguard Singapore and protect its vital sea lines of communication.”
Invincible is expected to be commissioned in the coming weeks with Impeccable already in service. Invinciblewas retained in Germany for initial personnel class training. The two other submarines, Illustrious and Inimitable are expected to arrive in Singaporean waters by 2028.
Sources: Included from Singapore’s MINDEF
