The Launch Ceremony of Inimitable – Singapore Navy's Fourth Invincible – class Submarine

23 April 2024

The launch ceremony of the Republic of Singapore Navy’s fourth Invincible-class submarine Inimitable (photos: RSN)

Senior Minister and Coordinating Minister for National Security Teo Chee Hean Officiates the Launch Ceremony of Inimitable – Singapore Navy's Fourth Invincible – class Submarine

Senior Minister (SM) and Coordinating Minister for National Security Teo Chee Hean officiated the launch ceremony of the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN)'s fourth Invincible-class submarine, Inimitable, at thyssenkrupp Marine Systems (tkMS) shipyard in Kiel, Germany on 22 April 2024. The submarine was launched by SM Teo's sister Ms Teo Swee Lian, who was the Lady Sponsor. The ceremony was also witnessed by Federal Minister for Defence Boris Pistorius, Senior Minister of State for Defence Heng Chee How, Chief of German Navy Vice-Admiral Jan Christian Kaack, RSN Chief of Navy Rear-Admiral Sean Wat, CEO tkMS Oliver Burkhard, and senior defence officials from both countries.

Speaking at the ceremony, SM Teo highlighted the importance of Singapore's submarine capability. He said, "Singapore sits astride a focal point of international shipping routes. Close to 90,000 ships pass through the Straits of Malacca and Singapore each year, accounting for a third of global trade. The port of Singapore handled 39 million containers in 2023. The RSN plays an important role in ensuring the safe and secure passage of ships through the waters around Singapore… Our new submarines will enhance the RSN's ability to fulfil her mission of protecting the sea lines of communication in our region. All countries stand to benefit when our seas are safe and secure." He added, "Our submarine journey began in the late 1980s. The RSN recognised then that developing its own submarine capability was critical for it to achieve the strategic mission of protecting vital sea routes and securing Singapore's access to the seas… I have watched with tremendous satisfaction the great strides our submarine community has made."

Conceptualised and engineered jointly by the RSN, Defence Science and Technology Agency (DSTA) and industry partner tkMS, the Invincible-class submarines are customised for operations in Singapore's shallow and busy tropical waters, and they possess longer endurance and higher payloads. The launch of the RSN's final Invincible-class submarine marks a key milestone in the RSN's submarine modernisation journey and underpins the SAF's long-term and sustained commitment to building up its capabilities in order to meet future challenges. Following the launch, Inimitable will undergo a series of sea trials before delivery to Singapore. Impeccable, which was launched in 2022, returned to Singapore last year and is currently undergoing a series of local sea trials and working up towards full operationalisation and its commissioning later this year.

RSS Inimitable fourth Type 218 SG (photo: Ng Eng Hen)

Ahead of the launch ceremony today, SM Teo and Mr Heng also met Mr Pistorius, where they conveyed Singapore's appreciation for Germany's support for the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF)'s training in Germany since 2009, and for the bilateral collaboration on the RSN's Invincible-class submarine programme and training. Both sides reaffirmed the strong and substantive defence relations between Singapore and Germany, which continues to grow significantly across multiple domains. Singapore and Germany's defence relationship is underpinned by the signing of the 2018 enhanced Defence Cooperation Agreement, and both countries co-operate and interact widely through high-level visits and dialogues, military exchanges and training, cross-attendance of professional courses, and collaborate in areas of mutual interest, such as in defence technology and cyber.

(Sing Mindef)