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| Replaces Victory Class Corvettes, Singapore Develops Largest Multirole Warship in Southeast Asia |
Singapore - The Singapore Defense Science and Technology Agency (DSTA) has started preparations to develop and build a new 10,000 ton Multirole Warship (MRCV). The ship will replace the aging Victory class corvettes from 2028.
DSTA has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Saab Sweden, as part of the Singapore Defense Technology Summit on 22 March 2023. Subsequently DSTA and Saab will jointly develop and design the MRCV for the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN).
The cooperation also includes the development of technologies including artificial intelligence (AI) and data analytics to meet the high digitization requirements of the new ships. Saab will also provide technical assistance by providing work engagements and internships to Singaporeans in relation to surface ship design, marine and digital technology, composite structure repair, radar repair and other technical competences.
In a separate announcement, Singapore Technologies Engineering Ltd (ST Engineering) confirmed that its subsidiary ST Marine Engineering Ltd has been awarded a contract from the Singapore Ministry of Defense (MINDEF) for the detailed design and construction of six MRCVs for the RSN.
The Naval News website reports that Saab will serve as prime contractor for the project, and that the project will use the Iver Huitfeldt/Absalon class design from Denmark's Odense Maritime Technology (OMT).
The MRCV has a displacement of approximately 10,000 tonnes fully loaded, and will be equipped with an advanced electric propulsion system, and can be equipped with Thales Sea Fire, MBDA ASTER and VL Mica radars. and will be designed to use containerized mission modules. The MRCV is also designed to act as motherships for smaller surface, subsurface, manned and unmanned air systems, with a broad spectrum of missions to maximize combat effectiveness.
Once deployed with the RSN, the new MRCV could become the largest surface combatant of any navy in Southeast Asia.