Bedok class mine countermeasures vessel
Encyclopedia
The Bedok class are mine countermeasures vessel
Mine countermeasures vessel
A mine countermeasures vessel or MCMV is a type of naval ship designed for the location of and destruction of naval mines which combines the role of a minesweeper and minehunter in one hull. The term MCMV is also applied collectively to minehunters and minesweepers....
s (MCMVs) of the Republic of Singapore Navy
Republic of Singapore Navy
The Republic of Singapore Navy is the naval component of the Singapore Armed Forces , responsible for the defence of Singapore against sea-borne threats and protection of its sea lines of communications. Operating within the crowded littoral waters of the Singapore Strait, the RSN is regarded as...
(RSN). They play an important role in the maritime security of Singapore, ensuring that the Singapore Strait
Singapore Strait
The Singapore Strait is a 105-kilometer long, 16-kilometer wide strait between the Strait of Malacca in the west and the South China Sea in the east. Singapore is on the north of the channel and the Riau Islands are on the south...
and the sea lanes surrounding Singapore remain mine-free and open to international shipping. It is estimated that closure of Singapore’s ports would result in direct trade losses amounting to more than US$1.2 billion daily, posing a serious threat to Singapore's economy. The four ships form the 194 Squadron of the RSN.
Planning and acquisition
The RSN acquired mine countermeasure capabilities as early as 1975, when the United States NavyUnited States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
's USS Whippoorwill
USS Whippoorwill (AMS-207)
USS Whippoorwill was a of the United States Navy. Laid down on 7 January 1954 as AMS-207 by the Bellingham Shipyards Co., Bellingham, Washington and launched on 13 August 1954...
and USS Thrasher
USS Thrasher
USS Thrasher has been the name of three ships of the United States Navy, for the thrasher, a thrush-like bird known as a singer and mimic.*The first Thrasher , which served before World War I, was renamed G-4 before she was launched....
were re-activated by the RSN's engineers and technicians in California. These Redwing class coastal minesweepers
Minesweeper (ship)
A minesweeper is a small naval warship designed to counter the threat posed by naval mines. Minesweepers generally detect then neutralize mines in advance of other naval operations.-History:...
were commissioned as RSS Jupiter and RSS Mercury respectively. RSS Jupiter was scrapped on 15 August 1986 and RSS Mercury was decommissioned on 31 March 1993. The need for modern minehunting vessels saw Singapore entering into an agreement with Sweden in 1991 to purchase four Landsort
Landsort class mine countermeasures vessel
The Landsort class mine countermeasures vessel is built by Swedish shipbuilding company, Kockums for the Swedish Navy and the Republic of Singapore Navy .-Design:...
class MCMVs.
| Name | Pennant Number | Launched | Commissioned |
|---|---|---|---|
| RSS Bedok | M105 | June 1993 | 7 October 1995 |
| RSS Kallang | M106 | January 1994 | 7 October 1995 |
| RSS Katong | M107 | April 1994 | 7 October 1995 |
| RSS Punggol | M108 | July 1994 | 7 October 1995 |
Design and construction
The ship's design incorporates a number of features important for mine countermeasures – low acoustic and magnetic signatures, as well as shock resistance to underwater explosionUnderwater explosion
An underwater explosion, also known as an UNDEX, is an explosion beneath the surface of water. The type of explosion may be chemical or nuclear...
s.
The Bedok class is made of glass-reinforced plastic
Glass-reinforced plastic
Fiberglass , is a fiber reinforced polymer made of a plastic matrix reinforced by fine fibers of glass. It is also known as GFK ....
, designed by the Swedish Navy
Swedish Navy
The Royal Swedish Navy is the naval branch of the Swedish Armed Forces. It is composed of surface and submarine naval units – the Fleet – as well as marine units, the so-called Amphibious Corps .In Swedish, vessels of the Swedish Navy are given the prefix "HMS," short for Hans/Hennes...
and Kockums
Kockums
Kockums AB is a shipyard in Malmö, Sweden owned by the German shipyard Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft in Kiel. HDW itself is a subsidiary of the German ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems....
(then known as Karlskronavarvet). Its low magnetic and acoustic signatures reduces the possibility of setting off mines. It is highly durable, fire- and shock-resistant, easy to repair and is maintained only by painting. The ship's bridge, major combat equipment and engines are also shock-mounted to cushion against underwater explosions.
Each of the Bedok class MCMV is powered by two independent vertical Voith Schneider Propellers, designed specifically to ensure excellent manoeuvrability and low noise signature.
The first ship, RSS Bedok, was built by Kockums in Sweden based on the Landsort class design. The hulls of the remaining three ships were prefabricated in Sweden and transferred to Singapore for final assembly by Singapore Technologies (ST) Marine.
Mine countermeasures
Each ship carries two ECA PAP Mk 5 remotely operated mine disposal vehicles from France, for the identification and destruction of mines. The MCMVs also work closely with the explosive ordnance disposal divers from the Naval Diving UnitNaval Diving Unit (Singapore)
The Naval Diving Unit is a Special Forces unit of the Republic of Singapore Navy, and is regularly tasked in salvage operations, underwater mine demolition and commando-type warfare.-Recruitment:...
for mine disposal.
The Bedok class is equipped to control the Kockums remote-controlled catamaran minesweepers, and are also capable of laying a defensive minefield.
It has also been reported that the Bedok class operate two REMUS unmanned underwater vehicles
Autonomous Underwater Vehicle
An autonomous underwater vehicle is a robot which travels underwater without requiring input from an operator. AUVs constitute part of a larger group of undersea systems known as unmanned underwater vehicles, a classification that includes non-autonomous remotely operated underwater vehicles...
as part of their mine countermeasures suite.
Sensors
The Bedok class is equipped with a Thales Underwater SystemsThales Underwater Systems
Thales Underwater Systems , formerly known as Thomson Marconi Sonar, is an international defence manufacturer specialising in sonar systems for submarines, surface warships, and aircraft as well as communications masts and systems for submarines. TUS is a subsidiary of Thales Naval, part of the...
(formerly Thomson Marconi Sonar
Thomson Marconi Sonar
Thomson Marconi Sonar was formed as Ferranti Thomson Sonar Systems in 1990 by the merger of the sonar systems businesses of Thomson-CSF and Ferranti...
) TSM 2022 hull-mounted minehunting sonar
Sonar
Sonar is a technique that uses sound propagation to navigate, communicate with or detect other vessels...
. The sonar has a detection range of 2 km (6,561.7 ft) for submarines and 500 m (1,640.4 ft) for mines. The classification range for a mine is typically 200 m (656.2 ft) to 300 m (984.3 ft).
The ship's navigation radar
Radar
Radar is an object-detection system which uses radio waves to determine the range, altitude, direction, or speed of objects. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, weather formations, and terrain. The radar dish or antenna transmits pulses of radio...
is the Norcontrol DB2000 operating at I band
I band
The I band is the range of radio frequencies from 8 GHz to 10 GHz in the electromagnetic spectrum. This is equal to wave lengths between 3.75 cm and 3 cm. The I band is in the SHF range of the radio spectrum....
.
Upgrade
In November 2007, it was reported that three companies were shortlisted to compete for the supply of a new one-shot mine disposal system to equip the Bedok class. Atlas ElektronikAtlas Elektronik
Atlas Elektronik GmbH is a naval/marine electronics and systems business based in Bremen, Germany. It is involved in the development of integrated sonar systems for submarines and heavyweight torpedoes....
, ECA and Gaymarine were selected for detailed technical and commercial evaluation following an initial assessment of five candidate systems. Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace
Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace
Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace , one of two operating companies of Kongsberg Gruppen of Norway, is a supplier of defence and space related systems and products, mainly anti-ship missiles, military communications, and command and weapons control systems for naval vessels and air-defence applications...
and L-3 Ocean Systems, offering their Minesniper system and Mk 8x Expendable Mine Destructor respectively, were eliminated from consideration. BAE Systems
BAE Systems
BAE Systems plc is a British multinational defence, security and aerospace company headquartered in London, United Kingdom, that has global interests, particularly in North America through its subsidiary BAE Systems Inc. BAE is among the world's largest military contractors; in 2009 it was the...
was unable to provide its Archerfish system for evaluation within the required timescale.
In November 2008, the Bedok class upgrade programme was revealed. Of the four vessels, two are planned to be fully refitted with modifications to the hulls and mine-hunting systems, while the other two will receive partial refits. A decision between two competing European bids was expected to be made by April 2009, with completion of the first platform expected 18 months later.
On 12 May 2009, Thales announced that the Defence Science and Technology Agency of Singapore awarded it as the prime contractor for the Bedok class Life Extension Programme. Thales will provide an integrated mine countermeasure combat system, including the mine information system, a hull-mounted sonar, a towed synthetic aperture sonar
Synthetic aperture sonar
Synthetic aperture sonar is a form of sonar in which sophisticated post-processing of sonar data are used in ways closely analogous to synthetic aperture radar. Synthetic aperture sonars combine a number of acoustic pings to form an image with much higher resolution than conventional sonars,...
and expendable mine disposal systems. The towed synthetic sonar array is the DUBM 44, an unmanned underwater vehicle that uses onboard processing of digital signals to provide high-resolution imagery. The DUBM 44 is not autonomous and is connected by cable to the surface ship. Thales will also be in charge of making any structural alterations to the vessels in relation to the integration of new systems and equipment.
Operational History
After the crash of SilkAir Flight MI 185 on 19 December 1997 in the Musi River near Palembang, RSS Bedok, RSS Kallang and RSS Punggol were deployed as part of a Singapore Armed ForcesSingapore Armed Forces
The Singapore Armed Forces is the military arm of the Total Defence of the Republic of Singapore; as well as the military component of the Ministry of Defence. The SAF comprises three branches: the Singapore Army, the Republic of Singapore Air Force and the Republic of Singapore Navy...
contingent to assist Indonesian authorities in their search and recovery operations near the crash site.
The RSN was the first navy invited by the Indonesian Navy to conduct mine countermeasure operations to clear World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
mines off Tanjung Awar Awar, 70 km (37.8 nmi) north-east of Surabaya in February 1997. RSS Bedok and RSS Kallang, together with two Indonesian Navy vessels, successfully neutralised eight buried mines.
The ships were also involved in search and rescue operations after a Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
Westland Lynx
Westland Lynx
The Westland Lynx is a British multi-purpose military helicopter designed and built by Westland Helicopters at its factory in Yeovil. Originally intended as a utility craft for both civil and naval usage, military interest led to the development of both battlefield and naval variants...
helicopter crashed into the South China Sea
South China Sea
The South China Sea is a marginal sea that is part of the Pacific Ocean, encompassing an area from the Singapore and Malacca Straits to the Strait of Taiwan of around...
together with its two personnel onboard during a training exercise on 23 September 1998.
Major exercises
The ships frequently participate in exercisesMilitary exercise
A military exercise is the employment of military resources in training for military operations, either exploring the effects of warfare or testing strategies without actual combat...
with various countries. These include:
- Western Pacific Naval Symposium MCMEX/DIVEX, a multinational exercise involving 21 countries
- Exercise Bersama Padu, a Five Power Defence Arrangement exercise
- Exercise Mercury, an annual exercise with the United States Navy
- Exercise Lejon Singa, an annual exercise with the Swedish Navy
- Joint MINEX, an annual exercise with the Indonesian NavyIndonesian NavyThe role of the Indonesian Navy is to patrol of Indonesia's immense coastline, to ensure safeguard the territorial waters and Exclusive Economic Zone , to protect Indonesia's maritime strategic interests, to protect the islands surrounded Indonesia and to defend against seaborne threats. The TNI...
- Exercise Milan, a multilateral exercise hosted by the Indian NavyIndian NavyThe Indian Navy is the naval branch of the armed forces of India. The President of India serves as the Commander-in-Chief of the Navy. The Chief of Naval Staff , usually a four-star officer in the rank of Admiral, commands the Navy...