Republic of Singapore Navy Formidable-class stealth frigates display upgraded capabilities at Navy Open House 2013

Three decks of the Singapore navy's Formidable-class stealth frigates (FFS) went on show at this weekend's Navy Open House - every one of them with a different equipment fit.

The Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) Navy Open House marked the first time new design evolutions to the stealth frigates went on public display. It was also the first occasion when three different upgrade evolutions went on show at the same time.

Visitors who made time to tour RSS Intrepid, RSS Steadfast and RSS Tenacious at the two-day event (18-19 May 2013) may have noticed upgrades made to sensors, equipment and armament options aboard these 114-metre long warships.

The changes - some subtle, some pretty obvious even to untrained eyes - underline ongoing projects that are tailored to keep the six stealth frigates with the RSN's 185 Squadron at the top of their game.

Here are the pictures.

Same but different
FFS Missile Deck (Portside)

RSS Steadfast: Anchor points for mounting three quad launchers were seen on each side of the SSM deck. Boxes for attaching missile umbilical wiring that connect missile to CIC were also evident. Maximum warload: 24 Harpoon anti-ship missiles.

RSS Intrepid: Central missile cluster has been replaced by a crane, dubbed the Launch and Recovery System or LARS, which was used to handle the warship's RHIBs during the counter piracy mission in the Gulf of Aden. Codenamed Ops Blue Sapphire (Maritime), the mission saw ITR deployed in the vicinity of the Gulf of Aden for three months from September 2012.

RSS Tenacious: Frigate 4 used the design template which configured Intrepid for Operations Other Than War (OOTW). The LARS is where it should be but Fleet RSN doubled the Harpoon warload to eight missiles. The Navy Open House 2013 is believed to be the first time a Formidable-class stealth frigate was displayed with quad packs of Harpoons.

FSS Missile Deck (Starboard side)

RSS Steadfast: The stb'd missile configuration is a mirror image of what is found on the opposite side of the deck. Note the large footprint of the SSM deck which allowed Singaporean defence engineers and naval architects to find deck space to fit the RHIBs used during counter piracy sweeps.

RSS Intrepid: RHIBs used during Operation Blue Sapphire (Maritime) display the Harpoon racks and associated boxes for attaching umbilical cables that connect missiles to the warship's nerve centre.

RSS Tenacious: The second FFS configured for OOTW, Tenacious shows the storage area for RHIBs. Note that the RHIBs carried aboard TNC have less powerful engines that the ones used by ITR during OBS(M).

Takeways from NOH 2013 from the SSM deck observations:
1. The pictures plainly show that the stealth frigates can be from the same class of ship, yet very different.

2. As bulwarks either side of the SSM deck shield the deck cargo from outside observation (the bulwarks were added as a stealth design feature), it is impossible for observers to tell what lies within just by looking at a FFS from the outside. Every opportunity should therefore be taken to view Formidable-class stealth frigates at close range.

3. An understanding of the equipment (LARS and RHIBs), sensor (EO and FCR) and armament (25mm Typhoon guns) is not complete unless one makes an attempt to understand the reasons behind such evolutions. This would reward the observer with a clearer understanding of how the FFS may be employed.

4. The RSN's experience operating the frigates that carry the most number of SSMs in the world has apparently inspired local shipyard Singapore Technologies Marine to do the same with its Fearless-class multirole frigates. Compare the SSM deck of the FSS that you just read about with the one shown on the model of the proposed Fearless frigate (below) at the IMDEX 2013 naval show.

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RSS Tenacious displays latest evolution to OOTW upgrade. Click here