Singapore’s Fearless-class patrol vessels at their decommissioning ceremony in August 2019. It is possible that a number of these retired vessels may be refurbished, and handed over to the revamped Maritime Security Task Force. (Ministry of Defence, Singapore)
The Singapore government is acquiring new, purpose-built vessels as part of efforts to restructure and strengthen the country’s Maritime Security Task Force (MSTF).
The MSTF is a multi-agency organisation that has been tasked to safeguard the sovereignty of Singapore’s territorial waters, and protect the Singapore Strait from maritime security threats.
Its operational arm currently consists of the Republic of Singapore Navy’s (RSN’s) 182 Squadron, which operates the Independence-class littoral mission vessels (LMVs), the 194 Squadron, which operates the Bedok-class mine countermeasures vessels (MCMVs), and the 180 Squadron, which conducts checks on high-risk commercial vessels in conjunction with the Singapore Police Coast Guard.
The MSTF can also call upon assets from the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) and the Singapore Army if required.
In February 2020 Singapore’s defence minister, Ng Eng Hen, announced that the MSTF will be restructured and bolstered with new assets amid a spike in the number of piracy-related incidents in the Singapore Strait.
During his parliamentary speech on 2 March, Ng confirmed that new vessels will be acquired as part of the restructuring.
“For a start, four refurbished patrol vessels will be dedicated, and deployed for greater persistence to protect our territorial waters,” he said. However, no further details on these vessels were provided.
Singapore has also approached the governments of Indonesia and Malaysia to propose that the Malacca Straits Patrol (MSP) initiative be expanded to include other water bodies. Negotiations on these are ongoing, he added.
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