S'pore to buy 2 more submarines to increase fleet size to 6 in total

The Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) will buy two more submarines to increase its fleet to six in total, Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen said on Mar. 3, while laying out the Ministry of Defence's (MINDEF) spending plans in parliament.

The building of four German, custom-made, Invincible-class submarines started in 2017.

They were being manufactured in the icy waters in Germany and are deemed to function well in the tropical waters of Singapore.

The first two were fully operationalised as of September 2024, and the remaining two will be operational sometime in 2028.

Ng said: "But four submarines are not optimal for a fleet."

He explained that Singapore's submarines are "subjected to more rigorous and frequent maintenance cycles with stringent checks".

"As you can imagine, they need to operate under intense pressure, literally," he added.

"Operational time is conversely reduced relatively."

Ng said most navies of countries, such as Australia, Indonesia, Vietnam, have more than four submarines each.

He added: "Having proven that the Invincible-class submarines can perform to expectations in tropical waters, the SAF plans to procure two more submarines, to make up a total of six, as the steady state for our submarine fleet."

Singapore to spend more on defence

Ng added that growth in defence spending is expected to "taper down" from financial year 2026 to keep within 3 per cent of GDP range over the next decade "barring any major conflicts or severe economic uncertainty".

However, MINDEF’s expenditure is projected to be around S$23.4 billion for this financial year, or 12.4 per cent higher than 2024.

Ng opened his speech by telling Singaporeans about the need to prepare for a disruptive future.

He said Singapore was not in charge of its own fate before 1965 and could blame other countries, such as Britain.

"But as an independent and sovereign nation, we Singaporeans have agency, and can decide and do all we can to secure our future together," he said.

What new hardware?

Singapore Army

The Singapore Army will acquire a new infantry fighting vehicle, "Titan", equipped with capabilities to counter unmanned aerial systems (UAS).

For the first time, the remote weapon system will be wheeled and with firepower significantly enhanced through a 30mm cannon.

The High Mobility Rocket System (HIMARS) launcher for long-range use will also be upgraded to more capable rockets.

Ng said the HIMARS, in service since 2010, has been effective for Ukraine in its war with Russia.

Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN)

The Singapore navy will roll out its first multi-role combat vessels (MRCVs) later in 2025 to replace a fleet of Victory-class missile corvettes in use since 1989.

The six MRCVs are larger and have three times the range.

Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF)

The Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) is studying replacements for its Fokker-50 maritime patrol aircraft in use for three decades for surveillance and protecting sea lines of communication.

The Boeing P-8A, used by the U.S., UK and Australia, as well as Airbus C295, used by Chile and Span for anti-submarine warfare, are being evaluated.

All photos via MINDEF