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<p class=”text-body text-muted small”>Singapore’s fourth Type 218SG submarine, seen here before its launch ceremony on 22 April 2024. (Singapore Ministry of Defence)</p>
<p>German shipbuilder ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) has launched the last of four Invincible-class (Type 218SG) air-independent propulsion (AIP)-equipped diesel-electric submarines (SSKs) on order for the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN).</p>
<p>
The vessel, which will be known in service as RSS
<em>Inimitable</em>
once commissioned, was launched on 22 April at TKMS’ facilities in Kiel, Germany, the Singapore Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) announced in a statement on the same day.
</p>
<p>“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,” read the statement.</p>
<p>
“Following the launch,
<em>Inimitable</em>
will undergo a series of sea trials before delivery to Singapore,” the ministry added, further disclosing that the second-of-class SSK that was launched in 2022,
<em>Impeccable</em>
, is still undergoing a series of local sea trials with plans to fully operationalise and commission it in 2024.
</p>
<p>Singapore first announced that it has signed a contract for the first two submarines of the class with TKMS in December 2013 and subsequently disclosed an order for two more vessels in May 2017. The contracts include a logistics and training package for RSN crew to train in Germany.</p>
<p>
The first-of-class,
<em>Invincible</em>
, was launched in February 2019. The second- and third-of-class, which have been named
<em>Impeccable</em>
and
<em>Illustrious</em>
respectively, were both launched in December 2022.
<em>Impeccable</em>
arrived in Singapore in July 2023 but its sister vessels are still in Germany for training and familiarisation operations.
</p>