During IMDEX Asia 2017, the international maritime defence exhibition held last month in Singapore, Navy Recognition had the chance to get aboard the latest addition to the Republic of Singapore Navy’s (RSN) fleet: RSS Independence, the first of the next generation Littoral Mission Vessel (LMV), designed and built by local shipyard ST Marine.
In January 2013, Singapore’s Ministry of Defence signed a contract with Singapore Technologies Engineering Ltd for the construction of eight LMVs for the RSN. The eight LMVs are currently being built locally by ST Engineering’s subsidiary ST Marine (ST Marine), based on a design jointly developed by ST Marine and Saab Kockums AB. The Defence Science and Technology Agency (DSTA) is the overall programme manager and systems integrator for the LMV programme. The eight new LMVs will replace the RSN’s Fearless-class patrol vessels (PVs), which have been in service for about 20 years.
