Victory-class corvette

RSS Vengeance during CARAT 2006
Class overview
Name: Victory
Builders: Friedrich Lürssen Werft / ST Engineering (Marine)
Operators:  Republic of Singapore Navy
Completed: 6
Active: 6
General characteristics
Type: Corvette
Displacement: 595 t (586 long tons; 656 short tons)
Length: 62 m (203 ft 5 in)
Beam: 8.5 m (27 ft 11 in)
Draught: 2.6 m (8 ft 6 in)
Propulsion:
  • Maybach MTU 16 V 538 TB93 high speed diesels coupled to 4× shafts
  • Total output: 16,900 hp (12,600 kW)
Speed:
  • Maximum: 37 knots (69 km/h; 43 mph)
  • Cruising: 18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph)
Range: 4,000 nmi (7,400 km) at 18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph)
Complement: 49 with 8 officers
Sensors and
processing systems:
Electronic warfare
& decoys:
  • ESM: Elisra SEWS
  • ECM: RAFAEL RAN 1101 Jammer
  • Decoys: 2× Plessey Shield 9-barrelled chaff launchers, 2× twin RAFAEL long range chaff launchers fitted below the bridge wings
Armament:
Aircraft carried:Boeing ScanEagle unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)
Notes:
  • Ships in class include:
  • RSS Victory (88)
  • RSS Valour (89)
  • RSS Vigilance (90)
  • RSS Valiant (91)
  • RSS Vigour (92)
  • RSS Vengeance (93)

The Victory class missile corvettes are multi-purpose ships based on the MGB 62 design by Germany's Lürssen shipyard for the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN). The six ships were commissioned between 1990 and 1991 and form the 188 Squadron of the RSN.

History

In the 1960s and 1970s, the RSN was primarily concerned with coast guard duties. From the late 1970s, however, pressure from senior naval officers led to planning for expanded naval responsibilities and capabilities.[1] Singapore’s growing regional trade led to a top-level review of the RSN’s mission, when the navy was assigned the role of defending Singapore's sea lines of communication (SLOCs). As part of a subsequent expansion programme, the RSN ordered a squadron of missile corvettes from Lürssen Werft in 1983.[2] The first, RSS Victory, was built and launched in Germany while the remaining five were built locally by Singapore Shipbuilding & Engineering (now Singapore Technologies (ST) Marine). The corvettes, equipped with sonar and torpedoes, were the first class of ship in the RSN to have anti-submarine capabilities.[3]

In 1996, the corvettes were fitted with two sets of 8-cell Barak I launchers, a second fire control radar on the platform aft of the mast and an optronic director on the bridge roof. Rudder roll stabilisation was also retrofitted to improve sea-keeping qualities.[4]

In 2009, it was announced that the corvettes would undergo a Life Extension Programme.[5] On 23 August 2011, the upgraded RSS Valiant conducted a live-firing exercise of its Barak missile, while on Exercise CARAT with the United States Navy.[6]

In 2012, the class is to be upgraded with a single ScanEagle UAV, RSS Valiant was the first to be so outfitted.[7] This upgrade however, saw the removal of their anti-submarine capabilities.[8]

Vessels

The OTO Melara 76mm Super Rapid gun mounted on the Victory class corvette - RSS Valour (89)
Name Pennant
number
Launched Commissioned
RSS Victory88 8 June 1988 18 August 1990
RSS Valour89 10 December 1988 18 August 1990
RSS Vigilance90 27 April 1989 18 August 1990
RSS Valiant91 22 July 1989 25 May 1991
RSS Vigour92 1 December 1989 25 May 1991
RSS Vengeance93 23 December 1990 25 May 1991

References

Notes
  1. Huxley, Tim (2001). Defending the Lion City. Allen & Unwin. ISBN 1-86508-118-3.
  2. "Victory Class Corvettes". Lürssen.
  3. "1988 - RSN's Missile Corvettes". Singaporean Ministry of Defence (MINDEF). 7 June 2000, last updated on 4 May 2010. Retrieved 24 August 2011. Check date values in: |date= (help)
  4. Saunders, Stephen (2007). Jane's Fighting Ships, 2007-2008. Jane's Information Group. ISBN 978-0-7106-2799-5.
  5. "Speech by Minister for Defence Teo Chee Hean, at Committee of Supply Debate 2009" (Press release). MINDEF. 12 February 2009, last updated on 19 February 2009. Retrieved 2 January 2014. Check date values in: |date= (help)
  6. "RSN Conducts Successful Missile Firing" (Press release). MINDEF. 23 August 2011. Retrieved 24 August 2011.
  7. http://www.mindef.gov.sg/imindef/news_and_events/nr/2012/may/15may12_nr.html
  8. http://navaltoday.com/2013/12/30/singapore-revamps-its-victory-class-corvettes/

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