Singapore Official Stresses Need to Build Up Navy CapabilityA senior Singaporean defense official has stressed the need to build up the country's navy capability in order to support and safeguard its prosperity, according to a press release from the Ministry of Defense Wednesday.Speaking at the launch ceremony of Singapore's fourth submarine at the Kockums Shipyard in Kriskrona, Sweden, Tuesday, David T. E. Lim, Minister of State for Defense, and for Information and the Arts, said that Singapore depends on the sea for a significant part of its prosperity because of the importance of maritime trade to it. "We therefore attach great importance to the task of building a modern and balanced nary to ensure that sea lines of communications are free and safe for navigation," he said. "You only need to look at a map of the Southeast Asian region to realize that a more secure maritime environment benefits not only Singapore but all the countries in the region," he remarked. The newly-launched submarine, RSS CHIEFTAIN, is the last of its four Es-Sjoormen Class submarines, designed and built by the Swedish Company, Kockums and will join her three sister vessels, namely RSS Challenger launched in September 1997, RSS Centurion and Conqueror launched in May 1999 to contribute to strengthen the all-round capabilities. According to the Ministry of Defense of Singapore, RSS CHIEFTAIN will return to Singapore at the end of this year to join the RSS Conqueror which returned in May 2000. Ex-Sjoormen Class submarine is a single hulled, double compartment submarine with good hydro-dynamic properties due to its tear-drop shaped hull. With a length of 51 meters and a breath of 6.1 meters, it can navigate at a speed of 10 knots on surface and 16 knots submerged. |
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