Article Posted on : - Oct 22, 2010

RSS Swordsman at the Kockums Shipyard in Karlskrona, Sweden. Photo: Singapore MoD.

SWEDEN (BNS): Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) has launched the second Archer-class submarine RSS Swordsman at the Kockums Shipyard in Karlskrona, Sweden.

RSS Swordsman was the second of the Archer-class submarines that the RSN acquired from the Royal Swedish Navy (RSwN).

The submarine was launched by Mrs Ivy Ng, wife of Minister for Education and Second Minister for Defence Ng Eng Hen on Wednesday.

"The RSN’s submarines are part of an integrated war-fighting system which includes our stealth frigates, naval helicopters, missile corvettes and mine-countermeasure vessels", Minister for Education and Second Minister for Defence, Dr Ng Eng Hen, said in the ceremony.

"Together with the Challenger-class submarines, RSS Archer and RSS Swordsman will enable the RSN to better fulfill its mission of protecting Singapore’s sea lines of communication and territorial integrity," he added.

The launch of RSS Swordsman for Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) has boosted its submarine capability.

It also reflects the strong defence partnership and longstanding friendship between Singapore and Sweden. Since 1970, both countries share a close defence relationship founded on many shared interests.

Over the years, Singapore's defence relationship with Sweden has matured to encompass wide-ranging interactions and collaborative projects such as the assistance provided by the RSwN to build the RSN's minecountermeasure force and submarine capability.

In June 2009, Singapore Navy had launched the first Archer-class submarine in Sweden.