Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong went to the tkMS shipyard in Kiel, Germany to participate in the joint launching ceremony of the submarines Impeccable and Illustrious.

(The picture is taken from the YouTube channel "Prime Minister's Office, Singapore")

[Instant News/Comprehensive Report] Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong participated in the launching ceremony of the 218SG submarine in Germany on the 13th, and commended the cooperative relationship between the two countries and his expectations for the new submarine in his speech.

According to the press release of the Prime Minister's Office of Singapore, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong of Singapore went to the tkMS shipyard in Kiel, Germany to participate in the joint launching ceremony of the "Impeccable" and "Illustrious" submarines. He said in his speech, It is a great honor to have participated in the launching ceremony of the Invincible-class submarine (Invincible-class) of the Singapore Navy. The first submarine of the Invincible-class "Invincible" (Invincible) was launched in 2019, and now there are "Perfect" and "Glorious" , the fourth submarine "Inimitable" (Inimitable) will come out in the future.

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Lee Hsien Loong said that Singapore and Germany are like-minded partners. The two sides have close cooperation in various fields. It is also a great honor for German Chancellor Scholz to participate in this ceremony. The defense relationship between Singapore and Germany is based on the defense cooperation agreement. The agreement was established in 2005, and the cooperative relationship was strengthened in 2018. Germany continued to support the training of the Singapore Armed Forces' German-made Leopard 2 tanks, and Singapore received the German frigate "Bavaria" (FGS Bayern) and fighter jets this year.

Lee Hsien Loong said that the naval cooperation between Germany and Singapore has grown steadily, and the two submarines launched this time reflect the effectiveness of bilateral cooperation.

As for the benefits that submarines will bring to Singapore, Lee Hsien Loong said that Singapore is a maritime country, and its prosperity and survival are highly dependent on the free entry and exit of goods at sea, while submarines ensure smooth sea traffic. The planning of four Invincible-class submarines this time is more important. The Navy brings modernization and advanced capabilities.

Lee Hsien Loong pointed out that Singapore's defense scientists and engineers worked closely with tkMS shipyard to modify the German Type 214 submarine to meet Singapore's needs, and then designed the Singapore version of the 218SG submarine.

For example, only a small number of crew members are required to operate, or the propulsion system can be applied to the shallow waters around Singapore, and advanced equipment can improve the crew's ability to work at sea for a long time.

The 218SG submarine has a surface displacement of 2,000 metric tons, a submerged displacement of 2,200 metric tons, a total length of 70 meters, a width of 6.3 meters, a maximum speed of 10 knots above water and 15 knots submerged, and can accommodate 28 crew members. In terms of propulsion system It is called Absolute Propulsion (AIP).

Lee Hsien Loong said that the naval cooperation between Germany and Singapore has grown steadily.

(The picture is taken from the YouTube channel "Prime Minister's Office, Singapore")