Invincible : Singapore's Type 218SG Submarine

 

 

Launching of the RSN's first Type 218SG submarine in Kiel, Germany. Photo : TKMS

 

  

Singapore's Type 218SG submarines have now been named. The first-of-class has been christened RSS Invincible at the launching ceremony in Kiel, Germany on 18th Feb 2019. The names of the sister submarines has also been revealed as RSS Impeccable, RSS Illustrious and RSS Inimitable. Invincible and Illustrious are rather common names for warships especially those of the Royal Navy. In the past three centuries or so at least 12 ships share these two names alone. Impeccable though is a name I like better. There has only been one other warship named Impeccable in history - a WWII minesweeper of the US Navy. The last name Inimitable really stumbled me. I had absolutely no idea what it meant until I did a quick search. It meant not capable of being imitated or matchless - a perfect name for the most advanced submarine of the Republic of Singapore Navy. So far I do not believe there is another warship with a similar name.

 

The Invincible-class Submarine

The TKMS / HDW Type 218SG is a new class of diesel-electric attack submarine custom designed for the RSN. Its design combines the best features from TKMS's Type 212A and the much larger Type 216 with special emphasis on operations in tropical climates and littoral environments typical of the seas around Singapore.

The Type 218SG has a surface displacement of 2000 tonnes and a submerged displacement of 2200 tonnes. It measures 70 meters in length and has a beam of 6.3 meters. It is equipped with TKMS's proprietary fuel cell air-independent propulsion system which means it has a much longer underwater endurance compared with non-AIP capable boats. Its combat system is jointly designed by Atlas Electronik and ST Electronics. The latest MINDEF news release indicated that it will have 8 torpedo tubes. It will have a compliment of 28 officers and ratings. Beyond this, there is little else revealed in the public domain regarding the other features of the Type 218SG.

The cost of the first two boats ordered in 2013 was said to be €1.6 billion, inclusive of logistics and training. A follow-on order of 2 additional submarines was announced in 2017. These 4 new submarines will eventually replace the existing four ageing submarines operated by the RSN one for one. More on the Type 218SG could be read in my previous blogs here and here.


 

The Type 218SG Submarine screen-grabbed from the RSN
promotional video.



Cut-away diagram of the Type 218SG SSK. Source MINDEF Singapore

RSN's Shopping Spree

In a departure from its usual ultra-cautious, perhaps conservative and value-seeking approach to weapons and platform acquisition, the RSN has seemingly disinhibited itself this time and had ordered a total of four brand new submarines in a matter of four years!

Bearing in mind that all of its previous submarine purchases were much older boats already decommissioned by the Swedish Navy, the initial buy involved just one Challenger-class ( Ex-Sjoormen ) submarine in 1995 followed by three more of the same class in 1997. In 2005, a rare opportunity for the RSN to expand its submarine fleet presented itself when the Swedish Navy decided to retire two of its Vastergotland-class submarines. They were eventually acquired by the RSN and were retro-fitted with AIP engines to become the Archer-class.

The act of buying brand new submarines from Germany in 2013 therefore represented a paradigm shift as the RSN's submarine force matured over the years. It is no longer learning and exploring about submarine operations in old boats but instead would be entering a new phase of capability enhancement with the latest and the best technology that the market could offer. Not only that, it will also have the submarines customized to its exact operational requirements, with special emphasis on safety and a high degree of automation.


 Is this latest submarine procurement by the RSN surprising? Well, yes and no ...

Invincible-class is highly customized for the RSN. Source : MINDEF

 

Untested New Platform

What was surprising to me was the speed of procurement, especially the placement of the second order before the first one was completed. This is potentially a concern when dealing with a new design that has yet to prove its worth. Nobody would dispute that TKMS has a wealth of experience when building conventional diesel-electric submarines. In fact, it could be considered the leader and is probably the top exporter of submarines with its Type 209 / 212 /214 series of SSKs.

However, the Type-218SG although based on reference designs of the Type-212A and the Type-216, is at the end of the day, still a new and unproven custom design. Many things could look good on paper but still go terribly wrong after being constructed. Remember the Royal Australian Navy's ill-fated Collins-class fleet submarines? Kockums AB was an experienced designer and builder too ... . I know, I know, Singapore did not insist on building them locally which is a smart decision that significantly lowered the risks of failure. Lowered but not removed.

I would have thought that the RSN would take delivery of the first two Type-218SG boats and would have made a thorough validation operationally before deciding on a follow-on order for more. It now seems that the top brass is in a hurry to get things done, perhaps for reasons that are yet unknown to us.





Singapore's Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen in front of the
Type-218SG Model at IMDEX 2017. Source : MINDEF



Model of the Type-218SG at IMDEX 2017. Source : MINDEF

Arms Race In The Western Pacific

On the other hand, this rapid renewal of the RSN's submarine force is not at all surprising given the geopolitical situation in the Western Pacific. Partly triggered by China with its aggressive island grabbing and area denial antics in the South China Sea and East China Sea, the countries around the Western Pacific Rim are all ramping up their military capabilities. After all, it had been estimated that about 800 vessels would be added to the fleets of the regional navies between now and the year 2030. China alone would account for the lion's share of these new warships. The PLAN seemed to have an endless supply of advanced frigates, destroyers, submarines, amphibious landing ships and now even aircraft carriers are being commissioned into service. Although Singapore is not a claimant in any of the disputed South China Sea territories, its survival as a maritime trading nation is entirely dependent on open and assessable sea lines of communication such that the constant flow of goods and materiel is not interrupted. Maintaining a strong submarine fleet is probably the most cost effective way to deter any foreign power from unilaterally imposing sea denial antics against legitimate international marine traffic.

 Transformation To An All-AIP Force

The Royal Swedish Navy was the first to have an all-AIP submarine fleet when they upgraded two of  their ageing A-17 Vastergotland-class submarines to be AIP-capable, re-commissioning them as the Sodermanland-subclass between 2003 and 2004. Together with three newer A-19 Gotland-class SSKs which were designed with organic AIP-capabilities, the RSwN had achieved a world's first.

The German Navy later achieved the same distinction by 2011 as it retired its older Type-205 and Type-206A boats retaining only its fleet of six AIP-capable Type-212A submarines.

Similarly, the RSN will be on track to operating an all-AIP submarine force in the near future with the delivery of the first two Type-218SG submarines and the foreseeable decommissioning of the last two non-AIP Challenger-class boats that are currently still in active service.


 

RSS Swordsman ( Archer-class ) at Changi Naval Base during IMDEX 2017.
The ship in the background is JMSDF's helicopter destroyer DDH-183 JS Izumo
which was there for the International Maritime Review. Photo : RSN 

 Pre-Commissioning Unit Invincible

I know this is USN lingo for a ship under construction prior to official commissioning but it is a convenient term to use. Now that the RSS or should we say PCU Invincible has been launched, what next?

The launching of a ship or boat is a great milestone in its construction but there will still be lots of work to be done. There will be sensor suites and weapon suites integration by the various vendors and then there will be sea trials and acceptance trials before delivery and final commissioning into active service.

If all goes according to plan, RSS Invincible would be delivered sometime in 2021 while the second submarine would be delivered in 2022 and the rest from 2024 onwards. In the mean time, the four existing submarines of the RSN, RSS Archer, RSS Swordsman, RSS Conqueror and RSS Chieftain will have to soldier on for a few more years, silently safeguarding the sea lines from beneath.

You can watch the official MINDEF video on the launching ceremony of the RSS Invincible below.

 

Here's a link to an interesting blog about the possible capabilities and missions of the Invincible-class SSK.

Minister for Defense Dr Ng Eng Hen at the launching ceremony
of RSS Invincible. Source : TKMS



The champagne for christening the boat. Source : TKMS 

 

 

 

 

Minister for Defense Dr Ng Eng Hen and wife Prof Ivy Ng. TKMS 

 

 

 

Minister for Defense Dr Ng Eng Hen with wife Prof Ivy Ng
and Chief of Navy Rear Admiral Lew Chuen Hong. TKMS

 



Minister for defense Dr Ng Eng Hen. TKMS

 

 

Vice Admiral Andreas Kruse ( Chief of Navy ) of the
Federal German Navy at the launching ceremony. TKMS

 

 

MOU on collaboration in new technologies like additive manufacturing
and data analytics for naval application between DSTA and TKMS. Source TKMS

 

 

 

 

DSTA and TKMS MOU signing. Source TKMS

 

 

MOU Signing Kiel 18 Feb 2019 Dr Luis Alejandro Orellano and
Dr Rolf Wirtz ( CEO TKMS ) and Tan Peng Yam ( CEO DSTA ). TKMS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kure's Submarine Alley

From Alley Karasukojima : Two Soryu-class submarines belonging to
Submarine Squadron 5, 1st Submarine Flotilla at Kure Naval Base.

Alley Karasukojima

There is a unique place in Japan where anyone could visit and view the submarines and ships of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force ( JMSDF ) at close range and for free. It is known as Alley Karasukojima Park ( アレイからすこじま公園 Arei Karasukojima Koen ) and it is located in Kure City, Hiroshima Prefecture.

Often listed as a seaside park, Alley Karasukojima is nothing more than a narrow strip of wharf-side walkway with a few trees and flower beds and with a car park that is rather far away and uphill. Unremarkable as it sounds, it is the view from here that will blow the mind of any naval enthusiast away. Standing by the water's edge, the visitor will be directly facing the piers where the warships and the submarines of the JMSDF are docked. The coming and going of the naval vessels and all dockside activities can be observed without restrictions anytime of the day or night.

Panoramic view of Alley Karasukojima

 

Historical Background

Kure has always been an important part of Japanese naval history being designated as the second of four naval districts ( 鎮守府 Chinjufu ) as far back as 1889. Its location along the shores of the Seto Inland Sea conferred strategic importance in the sea control of western Japan. The establishment of the Kure Naval Arsenal in the following year would eventually make Kure one of Japan's most important shipbuilding sites for capital warships including the Yamato. In modern times Kure continues to be a major JMSDF base and also hosts the headquarters of the Kure Naval District whose area of jurisdiction stretches from the western half of Kyushu to the Kii Peninsula of Kansai.

What we know today as the Alley Karasukojima Park was once the sea fronting the headquarters and arms manufacturing plant of the Kure Naval Arsenal. A seawall made of rocks was constructed there in the year 1895.

There was a small island there known as Karasukojima ( 烏小島 ) or Bird Island with a perimeter measuring just 40 meters and it was used as a training ground for torpedo launching during the Taisho Period ( 1912 - 1926 ). Karasukojima eventually disappeared due to land filling.

Following World War II, the area was used by the British Commonwealth Occupation Force up to 1956. In 1985 the city of Kure developed the site as a park and combining with the English word alley, named it after the little island that was once there.

Located in the immediate vicinity of HQ 1st Submarine Flotilla JMSDF, this park is the best venue to observe Japanese submarines up close. There are also old brick houses built in 1897 during the Meiji Period on the opposite side of the street along the sea front with historical significance. They once housed the electrical department of the Kure Naval Arsenal but are now used as warehouses by private logistics firms. Together with the old embankments, these brick houses and related structures at the Alley had been awarded heritage status by the Japan Society of Civil Engineers ( JSCE ) in 2009. An old crane which was once used to load torpedoes currently still stands and is one of the most recognizable features of the park.

Civil Engineering Heritage Award : Granite embankment and torpedo loading crane.
Photo : JSCE

Visiting Alley Karasukojima

I visited Alley Karasukojima Park on the afternoon of 6th Dec 2018 which happened to be a very cold and rainy day, not the best time for a good view but that was all the time I could afford. It is probably best to drive yourself to this location as there are no train stations nearby. The park is served by public buses though and taxis are always an option.

A public car park is available for visitors but it is located some 300m from the park up a small hill. It is impossible to miss as there is a prominent sign featuring a submarine fixed to the gate grills. The car parks immediately across the road next to the park are owned by the convenient store and wharf side café and are reserved for their customers.

The Café, Convenient Store and Meiji Era brick buildings in the background. 

Parking is free for visitors to Alley Karasukojima.

Once at the sea front, I could see many submarines and surface vessels berthed at the piers and the naval personnel walking along the docks. Some can be identified by their pennant numbers like the training support ship Tenryu ( ATS-4203 ) which carries the BQM-34AJ and BQM-74E target drones. Not being able to read the pennant numbers through the rain and sometimes by obstruction from line of sight, the submarines I could still identify by their class based on the shape of stern planes. The X-shaped ones being the newer Soryu-class SSK while the vertical ones denotes an older Oyashio-class SSK. Other ships seen at the piers included the submarine rescue ship ASR-403 Chihaya, Destroyers DD-105 Inazuma and DD-158 Umigiri, and Japan's future aircraft carrier DDH-184 Kaga. Here are some of the photographs taken on that day.

The Alley is just a narrow strip of real estate between the road and the sea.
The ships and submarines can already be spotted from across the road.

The visitor can walk right to the water's edge next to the pier.

Close-up view of Training Support Ship ATS-4203 Tenryu
from Alley Karasukojima.

Naval personnel on the pier with destroyers DD-105 Inazuma
and DD-158 Umigiri in the background.
The capital ship furthest away is probably DDH-184 Kaga.

A couple of Oyashio-class submarines with the
submarine rescue ship ASR-403 Chihaya on the left.

 

 

A closer view of ASR-403 Chihaya with the Oyashios.

ATS-4203, ASR-403 and Oyashios.

Two Soryu-class with X-form stern planes.

The two Soryu-class submarines with DD-105 and DD-158

 

The torpedo hoist that miraculously survived the WWII bombing raids on Kure.
Photo : Wikipedia
 

The Alley is accessible 24/7. Night scene with
ASR-403 Chihaya and Oyashios circa 2008. Wikipedia

So, two Soryu-class SSK, two Oyashio-class SSK, ASR-403 Chihaya submarine rescue tender, DD-105 Inazuma, DD-158 Umigiri and DDH-184 Kaga, all spotted in one location. I almost wished I had a longer zoom lens. 300mm it seems may still be somewhat lacking. It might have been better if the weather was clear and sunny.

I also learnt that on most Sundays, the JMSDF conducts ship open house events for the public. Different ships will be made available for public viewing on different weekends. For example ATS-4203 Tenryu open house is scheduled for 13th Jan 2019. Check the JMSDF Kure Regional Forces website for more details ( Japanese only ).

Kure Kaiji Curry based on the recipe
from SS-596 Kuroshio

And while you are there, you might as well check out the café across the road from the Alley for some authentic Kure Kaiji curry ( 海自カレー ). Kaiji is the abbreviation for JMSDF in Japanese. These are curry dishes based on recipes taken from the galley of the various naval ships and submarines home ported in Kure. The Minatocho Kohiten Café ( 港町珈琲店 Wharf District Coffeeshop ) serves Hiroshima-styled soft beef curry from the recipe of the submarine Kuroshio for only JPY1058 ( about US$10 ), inclusive of salad and drink. There is even an official website for Kure Kaiji Curry, no kidding .... but it is in Japanese though.

If you happen to visit Hiroshima, why not make a detour to Kure?