Rear Admiral Sean Wat, Chief of Navy, Republic of Singapore Navy
AHEAD of the 17th Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition 2025 (LIMA 2025) and hot off the heels of International Maritime Defence Exhibition Asia 2025 (IMDEX Asia 2025), Rear Admiral Sean Wat answers Asian Defence Journal’s questions in an interview on developments in the field of naval technology, strategy and naval diplomacy. He also gave insights on the various aspects of the maritime domain, lessons learnt in current conflicts and force modernisation milestones.-rsn/adj/dl (Pix:SG MINDEF)
ADJ: Admiral, in these challenging times, can you elaborate more on obstacles in the RSN’s path and how the RSN stays ahead of the curve?
CNV: The maritime domain is experiencing an increasingly complex set of challenges. The traditional challenges of maritime crime – sea robberies and piracy, trafficking, and illegal unreported and unregulated fishing – are still present in our region, though under control by the littoral states. We are also monitoring the risk of maritime terror attacks. Geopolitical rivalries and unresolved territorial disputes are playing out in the form of increasingly aggressive and assertive postures and actions at sea.
Attacks on Critical Underwater Infrastructure (CUI) have also come into sharp focus in recent months. Particularly in the Baltic Sea, underwater cables and pipelines were damaged, causing significant disruption. Countries in that region are watching closely and have moved quickly to respond, with national governments working closely with regional partners, private industries and other stakeholders to secure CUI. This includes NATO launching Operation Baltic Sentry, bringing together navies and other agencies to protect CUI in the Baltic Sea.
Our Minister for Defence also raised CUI as an area of concern at the ADMM Retreat in February this year, with the ASEAN Defence Ministers agreeing to task officials to look into the issue. We are studying how the RSN can work with regional partners and Whole-of-Government (WoG) agencies to foster and strengthen cooperation in this domain to safeguard CUI vulnerabilities.
ADJ: Is there more you can share on the RSN’s present requirements based on lessons learned from the latest in modern naval warfare?
CNV: Further afield, the Houthis had made effective use of a variety of low-end and high-end weapons in past attacks in the Red Sea. Shipping through the Red Sea fell significantly, costing hundreds of billions of dollars of damage to the global economy. We have also seen the employment of novel maritime unmanned capabilities from the Russia-Ukraine conflict to deliver operational effects.
Counter UAS is another important aspect that we are studying. With the proliferation of technologies and unmanned systems, there is also a need for us to develop innovative and practical solutions to counter threats arising from these systems. For example, to deal with threats posed by drones, both in the air and surface domains, the RSN will be progressively upgrading our ships with the Strales 76mm Guided Gun which have been proven to be effective against fast moving air and surface targets. This also offers a cost-effective solution as compared to other conventional weapons such as higher-end missiles. We are also exploring other solutions.
ADJ: As an integral partner to the international community, how does the RSN aim to strengthen cooperation with regional and global partner forces?
CNV: The RSN firmly believes that we cannot navigate these complex maritime security challenges alone. Partnerships are key for the region and beyond, to navigate these challenges together. With international partners, we are committed to promote and support dialogue and cooperation through the various mechanisms such as the International Maritime Security Conference (IMSC) held on May 7, and the ASEAN Navy Chiefs’ Meeting (ANCM) hosted by the Royal Malaysian Navy later this year, ASEAN Multilateral Naval Exercise (AMNEX) and ASEAN Fleet Review in August 2025. For example, this year’s IMSC has brought together over 400 international participants from navies, coast guards, maritime industries, academia, and think-tanks from more than 50 countries for open conversations and to chart practical pathways forward. The Information Fusion Centre (IFC) continues to be a cornerstone of our efforts to enhance regional maritime security. With the partnership of our 25 International Liaison Officers from 20 countries, and 100 linkages to maritime security agencies and information centres in 43 countries around the globe, IFC continues to grow and leverage these strong linkages to share information to cue responses for effective maritime security. There are also enhanced information-sharing efforts through the use of the IFC’s Real-time Information-Sharing System (IRIS) to improve situational awareness.
Within our immediate region, we continue to work closely with our partners through the Malacca Straits Patrol (MSP) and CORPAT INDOSIN initiatives to enhance the maritime security of Singapore Strait. Following a hiatus during the Covid-19 pandemic, the MSP Joint Coordinating Committee Meeting resumed in 2024 to enable high-level discussions focused on timely and effective coordination and enforcement measures. We have also regularised the conduct of CORPAT INDOSIN, the coordinated patrols between Indonesia and Singapore, to strengthen cooperation on maritime security. Under the agreement, both Navies conduct regular patrols within their respective territorial waters, and coordinate operational responses in pursuit of transnational sea robbers.
With our WoG partners, we continue to work closely with other maritime agencies such as Police Coast Guard (PCG) and Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) to ensure that there are zero piracy or sea robbery incidents within Singapore Territorial Waters. WoG linkages are also exercised through the annual Exercise Highcrest, where agencies strengthen processes and linkages against a range of maritime security threats.
Changi Naval Base (CNB) remains a key pillar of our naval diplomacy, that is open and promotes cooperation with regional and extra-regional like-minded partners. Throughout the year, CNB supports the deployments of like-minded partners and hosts several key exercises. Annually, the RSN hosts more than 90 port calls by foreign warships in the CNB. These are important avenues for the RSN to engage our partners in dialogues, build trust at the people-to-people level, as well as strengthen practical cooperation and professional developments.
ADJ: Can you tell us more about the coming bilateral, multilateral engagements involving the RSN to maintain its potency in the face of diminishing manpower?
CNV: The RSN continues to strengthen defence relations through the regular engagement of regional and extra-regional navies during key bilateral and multilateral exercises. On average, the RSN conducts more than thirty bilateral/multilateral exercises with our partners annually. In our immediate region, the RSN shares longstanding partnerships through the conduct of exercises such as the upcoming Exercise Eagle Indopura with Indonesia and Exercise Malapura with Malaysia. We have recently concluded Exercise Bersama Shield, an exercise that brought together assets and personnel from all five FPDA nations – Australia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore and the United Kingdom. After the International Maritime Defence Exhibition (IMDEX) Asia 2025, we will conduct the Exercise Maritime Cooperation with the People’s Liberation Army (Navy). Mid-year, the RSN will conduct Exercise Pacific Griffin, a bilateral exercise with the US Navy off Guam. On the multilateral front, we are set to host the upcoming iteration of Exercise Pacific Reach, a submarine rescue exercise aimed at enhancing interoperability and readiness among participating nations in conducting submarine rescue operations.
RSN will continue to explore both unilateral and multilateral training in complex scenarios to continue sharpening our conventional warfighting edge. We will also explore different modalities like high-fidelity simulators to fulfil our training needs.
ADJ: Would you be able to share more on the RSN’s recent strides towards modernisation?
CNV: In 2023, we announced the Mid-Life Upgrade to the Formidable-class frigates. The upgrades ensure that our ships are able to deal with a range of threat scenarios, and are progressing well. We will share more details in due course.
With the MRCVs coming online progressively from 2028, the RSN will be focusing our efforts on designing our operating concepts to enable the effective deployment of the unmanned systems from the mothership to maximise their capabilities. We are confident that the designs of the MRCV or even the MARSEC USV are advanced and capable and will bring value to any of our partner nations, and we welcome interests in procurement.
In April, we witnessed the Keel-Laying Ceremony for Singapore’s first two Offshore Patrol Vessels at Western Baltic Shipyard in Klaipeda. I am glad to share that we are making good progress for the construction of the OPVs. The ships are based on a proven OPV design by the German Bundespolizei (Federal Police) and are designed with high manoeuvrability to operate in Singapore’s congested waters. The ships will be equipped with a suite of lethal and less-lethal capabilities to provide flexibility and calibrated responses against a wide spectrum of maritime threats. The OPVs are expected to be introduced from 2028 onwards and will progressively replace the Maritime Security Response Flotilla’s existing Sentinel-class vessels. We will share more on the technical details and capabilities of the OPVs in time to come.
Specifically, our Maritime Security Unmanned Surface Vessels (MARSEC USVs) are progressively being operationalised to conduct operations from January 2025. They operate alongside manned ships such as the RSN’s Littoral Mission Vessels (LMVs) to enhance the security of Singapore’s waters. With a team of two, our MARSEC USVs are able to take on similar patrol tasks as manned warships. They will add another layer of surveillance and operational response to our maritime security system. They conduct patrols, and when required, will investigate and interdict suspicious vessels. The USVs also allow other warships like the LMVs to be deployed for other, more complex missions, and at further ranges from Singapore. We will continue experimentation to enhance our MARSEC USVs for a wider range of maritime security operations.
ADJ: How are the RSN’s efforts to incorporate further unmanned initiatives in the aerial and naval domain progressing?
CNV: We have signed a contract with ST Engineering to acquire a new suite of Unmanned Mine Counter-Measure capabilities to replace the existing Bedok-class Mine Counter-Measure Vessels. This will include Mine Counter-Measure Unmanned Surface Vessels (MCM USVs), Autonomous Underwater Vehicles and their Command & Control (C2) Infrastructure. The MCM USV employs key payloads such as Towed Synthetic Aperture Sonars (TSAS), Mine Neutraliser Systems and Remote Weapon Systems. These MCM USVs will be developed based on lessons and insights that we have gained from operating the MARSEC USVs, including equipping them with the indigenously developed Collision Detection and Collision Avoidance (CDCA) algorithm that enables the vessel to navigate through the busy traffic in the Singapore Strait and cope with the constantly changing environmental conditions at sea. The acquisition of these unmanned capabilities will further enhance our ability to respond to evolving maritime security threats in a more efficient manner, all whilst reducing the operational risks to our sailors who can now operate these systems remotely. These systems will be delivered progressively from 2027 onwards.
Beyond the higher-end unmanned systems, the RSN is also exploring how we can adapt lower-cost, commercially off-the-shelf (COTS) drones to fulfil our operational needs. This is critical as it would allow us to shorten the capability-development cycle to effectively deal with emerging threats. In the steady state, we envisage that we will operate a mix of higher-end, purpose-built drones, as well as low- cost drones to fulfil the range of our operational needs.
Defence Science Organisation engineers have also developed the V60 Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) which can operate safely and autonomously on board a moving ship. The V60 provides greater range for surveillance for RSN missions, and trials on board our Littoral Mission Vessels are progressing well. Once ready, the V60s will progressively also be introduced on other RSN ships.
ADJ: Though operated by the Air Force, could you shed some light on the planned maritime patrol aircraft programme with Boeing’s P-8 Poseidon and Airbus C295 reported as the primary candidates?
CNV: During the recent Committee of Supply (COS) debate, the Minister of Defence mentioned that our Fokker-50 Maritime Patrol Aircraft are due for replacement. Our Fokkers have served with distinction for three decades since 1993. The SAF is looking intently and evaluating appropriate replacements. Two possibilities are the Boeing P-8A and Airbus C295. The new MPA will take into consideration the SAF’s operational needs. We expect these aircraft to be more capable as compared to the Fokker-50 aircraft, expanding the envelope of maritime air operations, thus enabling us to better secure our Sea Lines of Communications.
ADJ: Admiral, what can you tell us regarding the ministry’s announcement of an additional acquisition of two more submarines and the planned replacement of Endurance-class Landing Ships Tank (LST)?
CNV: The Minister for Defence updated during the COS debate this year that two of the four Invincible-class submarines have returned to Singapore and are operationalising well in our tropical waters. The construction and outfitting of the other two Invincible-class submarines are also progressing well, and are slated to return to Singapore from 2028. Submarines are a strategic capability, and we assess that having four is not optimal for a fleet due to the rigorous maintenance cycles which result in reduced operational time. That is why most navies – like those in Australia, Indonesia, Vietnam, just to name a few of our close neighbours – that operate submarines have more than four.
The RSN ensures that our platforms are ready to meet operational demands through regular maintenance and upgrade programmes. We are still studying options for the LST-replacement.