Singapore has geared up for its first-ever international maritime review on May 15. About 30 warships from 20 countries will dock at the Changi Naval Base. The event is one of the several programmes that will be organised to mark 50 years of the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) or RSN50.
Singapore will exhibit its naval prowess as ships from several countries including US and Japan are expected to participate in the event. More than 4,000 guests and participants, including about 30 chiefs of navy and directors-general of coast guard, are expected to attend the event, in what observers see as a show of maritime diplomacy.
Colonel Saw Shi Tat, deputy chairman of RSN50 organising committee said the event was “testament of the friendship we have forged with friends and partners from all over the world.”
A new chapter in the annals of Republic of Singapore Navy will be written as Littoral Mission Vessel (LMV) Independence, a ship built from scratch in Singapore, will be commissioned on the Navy Day (May 5).
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong will commission the LMV Independence on Navy Day. President Tony Tan Keng Yam will be conducting a portion of the review on board the LMV on May 15.
The LMV Independence has several advanced features. It is equipped with a smart system that allows officers to track equipment, man guns and navigate the seas from one single command centre. It has been designed for various functions including maritime security operations and search-and-rescue missions. Its launch and recovery system allows shipmen to deploy boats in less than one minute.
This warship is faster and smarter than its predecessor-Fearless class RSS Independence, which retired in March.
The illustrious journey of the RSN for the past 50 years will be preserved through a time capsule featuring approximately 70 items, including a framed poster commemorating navy’s first round-the-clock voyage in 2000. The RSN50 events will culminate in a public exhibition at VivoCity in November.