Singapore’s Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) has signed a contract with German company Fassmer to acquire four new offshore patrol vessels (OPVs).
The ships are based on an OPV design operated by the German Bundespolizei (Federal Police). Furthermore, they are designed with high maneuverability to operate in Singapore’s congested waters.
The OPVs will come equipped with a suite of lethal and less-lethal capabilities to provide flexibility and calibrated response against a wide spectrum of maritime threats.
The four OPVs will be delivered progressively from 2028 onwards. They will replace the existing Sentinel-class maritime security and response vessels (MSRVs).
The MSRVs will remain in operational service until the OPVs are delivered and operationalized.
As part of its efforts to boost the defense sector, Singapore earlier announced that it will purchase four new Invincible-class submarines. Each submarine costs around $450 million (S$600 million) at the time of purchase, or $1.8 billion (S$2.4 billion) for a fleet of four submarines ordered.
These new four Invincible-class submarines will increase considerably the SAF’s ability to maintain maritime security in our region, one of the world’s busiest SLOCs.