SINGAPORE launched the Republic of Singapore Navy’s (RSN) second Victory-class Multi-Role Combat Vessel (MRCV)–Valour at ST Engineering’s Benoi Shipyard on July 23. The future Valour’s launch ceremony was officiated by Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs K Shanmugam and launched by the minister’s spouse as the Lady Sponsor.
Also attending the ceremony was defence minister Chan Chun Sing, Senior Minister of State for Defence Zaqy Mohamad, Chief of Defence Force (CDF) Vice Admiral Aaron Beng, Chief Defence Scientist Tan Peng Yam, Chief of Navy (CNV) Rear Admiral Sean Wat, and senior defence officials from the Ministry of Defence, the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF), and the Defence Science and Technology Agency (DSTA).
Speaking at the ceremony, Shanmugam highlighted that a strong and capable Navy was integral to safeguarding Singapore’s sea lines of communication and sovereignty, “It is a fundamental national priority for us to keep our maritime approaches secure, open and free. In fact, it’s a matter of survival. The MRCV strengthens our Navy’s ability to help us fulfil this mission.” He added, “The future security environment continues to evolve. We will not be able to predict every challenge that we will face. But we can build platforms that can adapt and respond to a wide range of scenarios, and evolve alongside those challenges.”
The MRCV is designed to be a mothership for unmanned aerial, surface and sub-surface systems, with six MRCVs aimed to supplant the existing Victory-class missile corvettes (MCVs) progressively from 2028 onwards as the RSN’s largest surface vessels. The third vessel and so on will be named Vigilance, Valiant, Vigour and Vengeance, retaining the names of the older Victory-class corvettes as well as their pennant numbers.
Equipped with advanced sensors, weapon systems and network capabilities, this class of vessel is capable of handling a wide range of threats, and function as a Command ship with advanced automation. Furthermore, an MRCV will be able to operate safely and effectively with a smaller crew compared to other warships of similar size and capability.
While it is a mothership, the MRCV carries an array of armaments, including MBDA’s MICA and ASTER surface-to-air missiles (SAM) and surface-to-surface missiles (SSM) in addition to Leonardo’s STRALES 76mm gun along with Rafael’s 30mm Typhoon Mk30-C remote weapons station (RWS).
Its operational range exceeds 7,000 nautical miles, twice that of the Formidable-class frigates which are RSN’s principal combatants. Meanwhile, it has an endurance of over 21 days without refuelling or resupplying.
The Valour will be undergoing outfitting, platform and combat systems integration, and acceptance trials. In parallel, pioneer MRCV crew will also begin training to prepare them to operationalise the ship in the coming years. The MRCVs will be delivered progressively from 2028 onwards.
The first MRCV, Victory was launched last October and is undergoing outfitting, platform and combat systems integration, and subsequently acceptance trials. In parallel, pioneer MRCV crew have also begun training to operationalise the ship in the coming years. Additionally, steel for the third and fourth MRCVs were cut at ST Engineering Marine Limited earlier this year before the end of April.
Built by the republic’s ST Engineering, the MRCV is the result of a joint development spearheaded by the DSTA, DSO National Laboratories and ST Engineering, together with international partners including Swedish firm Saab Kockums who is responsible for providing the vessels’ composite superstructures, while Denmark’s Odense Maritime Technology (OMT) contributed to the design.–-shp/adj/dl (Pix:RSN)
