By Dr Abdul Rahman Yaacob*
Singapore’s defence minister last week announced that two new submarines would be acquired from Germany in addition to the four it currently operates. The acquisition of the two additional Type-218 Invincible-class submarines demonstrates Singapore’s efforts to modernise and enhance its naval capabilities based on automation and relying on smaller crews. Yet this approach has its share of challenges. (The Lowy Institute. The Interpreter.)
Maritime security is essential for Singapore’s survival. It is the world’s busiest trans-shipment hub, and seaborne trade is critical for Singapore’s economy – it contributes about seven per cent of the island state’s Gross Domestic Product. Any threat to the maritime environment in Southeast Asia or across the Indo-Pacific can damage Singapore’s economic prospects.
A case in point was the crisis from October to December 1965, when Malaysia, angered at a newly independent Singapore’s attempt to restart barter trade with Indonesia, threatened a naval blockade.
In the years since, Singapore has maintained a consistent pace in its naval modernisation program. In the late 1980s, the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) first acquired anti-submarine warfare capabilities through the Victory-class missile corvettes. By the turn of the century, six Formidable-class frigates, armed with vertical launching systems, were included in the fleet, along with four used Archer and Challenger-class submarines.
Several factors drive the recent naval modernisation program. These include the worsening strategic environment in Southeast Asia as well as the declining numbers of personnel available for military service. New assets and platforms must be able to operate with fewer personnel but further and for longer at sea while remaining well equipped to deal with a broader range of missions.
The human instinct and flexibility to deal with various threats during combat remain critical.
The Type-218 Invincible-class submarine fits both objectives, having longer endurance and higher payloads than its predecessors but requiring only 28 crew instead of the typical 50-60.
The surface fleet has seen a slew of new platforms. In 2017, the first Littoral Mission Vessel (LMV) was launched to replace the Fearless-class patrol ships. It requires fewer crew than its predecessor and is equipped with lethal and non-lethal weapon systems to deal with different maritime threats.
Ten new surface warships are also under construction, including four new and larger offshore patrol vessels. Six Multi-Role Combat Vessels (MRCVs) are set to replace the smaller Victory-class ones, each comparable to the displacement and size of the US Navy’s Arleigh Burke-class destroyers at 8,000 tonnes, making them the largest and heaviest combat vessels in Southeast Asia. But more importantly, each will also serve as a platform for uncrewed and autonomous systems, and with a high level of automation, only require 80 sailors.
Limited human resources constitute a significant challenge. While Singapore’s low birth rate is one factor limiting the pool of personnel available to be deployed on warships, this challenge was further compounded when the navy excluded ethnic Malay Singaporeans. It was only in 2015 that Singapore’s defence minister announced the armed forces had “started to deploy Malay servicemen onboard ships as sailors who will go out to sea”. In 2022, the first female Malay naval officer graduated from the Singapore Armed Forces’ Officer Cadet School.
The reliance on automation and smaller crews presents challenges. It is seen as critical to have sufficient redundancy in each warship. During combat, having more personnel can help deal with any system failure or damage to the automation system, which may require manual intervention. Therefore, a smaller crew limits the warship or submarine’s ability to quickly respond to multiple simultaneous threats or missions without compromising the outcome of these engagements.
Contingency planning helps, but human instinct and the flexibility to deal with various threats during combat remain critical. As the 19th-century Prussian military commander Helmuth von Moltke said, “No battle plan survives contact with the enemy.”
*Dr Abdul Rahman Yaacob is a Research Fellow in the Southeast Asia Program at the Lowy Institute. His research interests include Southeast Asia’s defence and security issues and the region’s relations with major powers.
