Singapore's 1st Aircraft Carrier

Tigerkid19 SG

Time and time again, this forum has debated about having an aircraft carrier in Singapore. And finally Singapore wants to build a light carrier.

http://www.defensenews.com/article/20140301/DEFREG03/303010020/Is-Light-Carrier-Singapore-s-Future-

In the news article, it has stated that Singapore will not confirm to building a light carrier and neither will the country deny building it. So in my opinion i believe Singapore has a plan to building the carrier.

Let's look at the need for such a carrier. Our surrounding nations, Malaysia and Indonesia do not have aircraft carriers. The only South East Asian nation that has an aircraft carrier is Thailand. And that too is considered to be a white elephant. Why? The Thai aircraft carrier HTMS Chakri Naruebet, is seen to be the royal flagship of the Royal Thai Navy. So what? The operational use of the carrier is only once a month for training purposes. The rest of the time, it is docked in Sattaship naval base. Most of the time the carrier is used for relief operations, and the cost of maintaining such a mammoth carrier is very high and the cost of building such a carrier cost Thailand US$336 million.

Why does a tiny island nation need an aircraft carrier? Looking at Asia, India has 2 aircraft carriers in service the INS Viraat and the INS Vikramaditya and INS Vikrant under construction, China has 1 aircraft carrier the Liaoning, Japan has 2 Anti Submarine Warfare Carriers the Hyuga and Izumo and South Korea had 1 helicopter carrier the Dokdo. These nations need such carriers for the protection of their large waters.

So what is the use of our carrier, fighting pirates? Or is our carrier going to be like the HTMS Chakri Naruebet?

Its a total waste of money in my opinion, what are your views?

JurongWestresident SG

In my opinion, personally, I feel that if Singapore wants to create its own products of the products that are currently at the moment being imported and purchased from other countries, it should start small, from the basics, such as the food we eat everyday.

Supply our own vegetables. Supply our own water.

Once our basics are supplied on our own, then we come and talk about supplying more complicated things such as aeroplane.

renegade-man SG

Too expensive and no practical use

Jackson007 SG

Not enough manpower to sustain also...

Nugnug392 SG

thank for pot very good

storywolf SG

Singapore will never operate an aircraft carrier !!! But in the next few years it will build what they call a landing helicopter deck - LHD. This is for mainly helicopter - with deck space for 6 helicopter - and more load.

This is because indonesia tsunami - althought our endurance class did well it also show the limitation of it in big operations like that - it is only able to handle 2 puma or chinook - the maximum. Also singapore navy was impress with San Giorgio-class LPDs ... since then ST have been planning the design .

Defence minister have already say that we are looking into building one.

Bio-Hawk SG

Indians especially need Aircraft carriers looking at their long coast lines. China needs it for projecting power. Thailand I don't know,but it's a force multiplier. Anyways nuke tipped aircraft carrier killer missiles can easily take off an air craft carrier,so it's getting obselete at a close range.

It's good to have one for Singapore,but the costs are damn too high to justify the current use. Option is to buy from abraod.

weasel1962 SG

It's good to have one for Singapore,but the costs are damn too high to justify the current use.

To an individual even $100 can be too high. To a country, $3+ billion may not be too high e.g. that's the cost of a sqn of F-15s.

As high and low are subjective, it would be relevant to put a dollar value, even if estimated to the cost.

Xi JinPing, Anthony SG

Aircraft Carrier is deemed as a Military Offensive Craft - judging from most angle.

Singapore island can't withstand any bits of offense from any country.

Singapore Arm Forces is a mere defensive mechanism alike to a Shell on a turtle.

Anybody can just smash the shell and the meaty turtle is ready to be cook.

Let Singapore live like a turtle... swimming and crawling around with pride and dignity.

Cheers & Peace to Singapore.