Singapore’s new ‘Invincible’ sub points to US-China war worries

Singapore has launched its fourth Type 218SG Invincible-class submarine, christened the RSS Inimitable and designed specifically for operations in Singapore’s trade-congested waters, according to multiple media sources.

Launched at the <a href=«https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/TKA.DE?.tsrc=» https:>Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems (TKMS)

shipyard in Kiel, Germany, the submarine was designed with a low signature and air-independent propulsion system (AIP) for long underwater endurance. With a length of about 70 meters and a displacement of around 2,000 tons, the Invincible-class is currently the largest submarine built in Germany.

The RSS Inimitable will be handed over in 2025 after intensive testing. The submarine’s launch follows the launch of the RSS Invincible in 2019 and the double launching of the RSS Impeccable and RSS Illustrious in December 2022.

TKMS and Singapore’s <a href=«https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/S63.SI?.tsrc=» https:>ST Engineering

signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to jointly enhance the capabilities of Singapore’s Type 218SG submarines over their operational lifetimes.

Singapore’s submariners have undergone rigorous training to prepare for all scenarios while aboard the RSS Inimitable. The objective is to train and drill the crew until competent handling of the submarine’s subsystems becomes muscle memory.

To train the RSS Inimitable’s crew, a virtual procedural trainer (VPT) replicated about 12 million parts of an Invincible-class submarine in software, linking with other simulators such as a combat trainer, steering and diving trainer system, and a new maintenance trainer.

The Invincible-class boats are the most advanced submarines in Southeast Asia, representing a significant qualitative and