Victory-class corvette
 RSS Vengeance during CARAT 2006, launching missile
| |
| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Name | Victory class |
| Builders | Friedrich Lürssen Werft / ST Engineering (Marine) |
| Operators |  Republic of Singapore Navy |
| Completed | 6 |
| Active | 6 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Corvette |
| Displacement | 595 t (586 long tons; 656 short tons) |
| Length | 62 m (203 ft 5 in) |
| Beam | 8.5 m (27 ft 11 in) |
| Draught | 2.6 m (8 ft 6 in) |
| Propulsion | |
| Speed |
|
| Range | 4,000 nmi (7,400 km) at 18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph) |
| Complement | 49 with 8 officers |
| Sensors and processing systems |
|
| Electronic warfare & decoys | |
| Armament |
|
| Aircraft carried | 1× Boeing ScanEagle unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) |
| Notes |
|
The Victory-class corvettes are multi-purpose corvettes based on the MGB 62 design by Germany's Lürssen shipyard for the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN). The six ships were commissioned between 1990 and 1991 and form the Eighth Flotilla of the RSN.
History
In the 1960s and 1970s, the RSN was primarily concerned with coast guard duties. From the late 1970s, however, pressure from senior naval officers led to planning for expanded naval responsibilities and capabilities.[1] Singapore's growing regional trade led to a top-level review of the RSN's mission, when the navy was assigned the role of defending Singapore's sea lines of communication (SLOCs). As part of a subsequent expansion programme, the RSN ordered a squadron of missile corvettes from Lürssen Werft in 1983.[2] The first, RSS Victory, was built and launched in Germany while the remaining five were built locally by Singapore Shipbuilding & Engineering (now Singapore Technologies (ST) Marine). The corvettes, equipped with sonar and torpedoes, were the first class of ship in the RSN to have anti-submarine capabilities.[3]
In 1996, the corvettes were fitted with two sets of 8-cell Barak I launchers, a second fire control radar on the platform aft of the mast and an optronic director on the bridge roof. Rudder roll stabilisation was also retrofitted to improve sea-keeping qualities.[4]
In 2009, it was announced that the corvettes would undergo a Life Extension Programme.[5] On 23 August 2011, the upgraded RSS Valiant conducted a live-firing exercise of its Barak missile, while on Exercise CARAT with the United States Navy.[6]
In 2012, the class is to be upgraded with a single ScanEagle UAV, RSS Valiant was the first to be so outfitted.[7] This upgrade however, saw the removal of their anti-submarine capabilities.[8]
In 2018 the Ministry of Defence announced that all six corvettes will be replaced by new combat ships from 2025 onwards.[9]
Vessels
| Name | Pennant number |
Launched | Commissioned |
|---|---|---|---|
| RSS Victory | 88 | 8 June 1988 | 18 August 1990 |
| RSS Valour | 89 | 10 December 1988 | 18 August 1990 |
| RSS Vigilance | 90 | 27 April 1989 | 18 August 1990 |
| RSS Valiant | 91 | 22 July 1989 | 25 May 1991 |
| RSS Vigour | 92 | 1 December 1989 | 25 May 1991 |
| RSS Vengeance | 93 | 23 December 1990 | 25 May 1991 |
References
- ^ Huxley, Tim (2001). Defending the Lion City. Allen & Unwin. ISBN 1-86508-118-3.
- ^ "Victory Class Corvettes". Lürssen. Archived from the original on 11 January 2014. Retrieved 11 January 2014.
- ^ "1988 - RSN's Missile Corvettes". Singaporean Ministry of Defence (MINDEF). 4 May 2010 [7 June 2000]. Archived from the original on 7 October 2007. Retrieved 24 August 2011.
- ^ Saunders, Stephen (2007). Jane's Fighting Ships, 2007-2008. Jane's Information Group. ISBN 978-0-7106-2799-5.
- ^ "Speech by Minister for Defence Teo Chee Hean, at Committee of Supply Debate 2009" (Press release). MINDEF. 19 February 2009 [12 February 2009]. Archived from the original on 3 January 2014. Retrieved 2 January 2014.
- ^ "RSN Conducts Successful Missile Firing" (Press release). MINDEF. 23 August 2011. Archived from the original on 13 October 2017. Retrieved 24 August 2011.
- ^ "File Not Found". Archived from the original on 4 August 2012. Retrieved 16 May 2012.
- ^ "Singapore Revamps Its Victory-Class Corvettes". 30 December 2013. Archived from the original on 9 August 2014. Retrieved 20 September 2020.
- ^ "Janes | Latest defence and security news". Archived from the original on 3 November 2018. Retrieved 20 September 2020.
External links
