On April 6-7, Eckhard Uhrbrock, a contributor to Shipspotting, posted updates on the construction progress of Singapore’s fourth submarine at the shipyard in Kiel, northern Germany, owned by ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS). The submarine’s hull construction appeared to be nearing completion. The Singaporean government has ordered four diesel submarines from TKMS shipyard in Germany in two batches, with the first two ordered in 2013 followed by the remaining two in 2017. These Type 218SG submarines have a weight of 2,000 tons, a length of 70 meters, and a maximum submerged weight of 2,200 tons. Named RSS Inimitable, the fourth submarine follows the first submarine, RSS Invincible, the second, RSS Impeccable, and the third, RSS Illustrious.
The Invincible-class submarines, formally classified as the Type 218SG submarines, is a class of conventionally-powered attack submarines, ordered by the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) from German-based naval conglomerate ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS). The Type 218SG is an extensively-customised derivative of the export-oriented Type 214 submarine, with specific design characteristics drawn from Type 212 submarines. They feature several capabilities, including a substantial level of automation, a significant payload capacity, enhanced underwater endurance and superlative ergonomics. Singapore’s Ministry of Defense (MINDEF) ordered a total of four Type 218SG submarines, as a replacement to the RSN’s existing Challenger-class and Archer-class submarines.
Of the four submarines that were officially ordered, three have been launched, while the fourth remains under construction. A fifth submarine ordered was disclosed by Der Spiegel and was approved by Angela Merkel without any comment from Singapore on the order for this fifth submarine. As of July 2023, the first submarine of the class, the Invincible, is being used for the training of the RSN’s submariners, while the second, the Impeccable, is scheduled to undergo local sea trials aimed at achieving operationalization. The RSN plans to have all four submarines in active service by 2024, not counting the fifth submarine that was disclosed by Der Spiegel. On 13 December 2022, two more submarines were launched in Kiel.
Current details about the Type 218SG’s armament are scant; however, it is understood that the submarine features eight 533-millimetre (21.0 in) and two 650-millimetre (26 in) forward-firing torpedo tubes— which may be used for firing heavyweight torpedoes, anti-ship missiles and for laying naval mines, as well as a dedicated horizontal air-lock, to disembark naval special forces teams. The Type 218SG is reported to have a greater ordnance payload than the RSN’s previous submarines, owing to its much larger size. Not much about the Type 218SG’s sensors and automation have ever been reported by Singapore; however, it is understood the submarines are equipped with a “Combat Management System” jointly developed by German-based Atlas Elektronik and Singapore-based ST Electronics.
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