SAF to join anti-piracy mission in the Gulf of Aden

Atobe SG

SINGAPORE to join anti-piracy efforts in the Gulf of Aden

SINGAPORE: Singapore will be joining the international community with its anti-piracy efforts in the Gulf of Aden.

Defence Minister Teo Chee Hean told Parliament on Thursday that Singapore will be deploying a Landing Ship Tank, with two Super Puma helicopters for a period of three months this year.

The ship will work with the newly-formed multi-national Combined Task Force 151 to protect shipping in the Gulf of Aden.

The LST will be deployed once the operational arrangements have been made.

Minister Teo explained that Singapore's involvement is because as a maritime nation, the country shares the concerns of the international community regarding piracy.

It is also committed to supporting international efforts to keep the sea lanes safe and secure.

He stressed that it is not possible for any country, including Singapore, to protect its own shipping in all the key sea lanes of the world.

Hence all countries have to depend on international cooperation to secure the sea lanes for everyone's use and that means littoral states, user states, and the international community have a role to play.

Minister Teo said there was an upsurge of piracy attacks recently in the Gulf of Aden.

In the past year, over 100 ships have been attacked by pirates, who have raked in an estimated ransom of US$120 million.

And in recent months, NATO, the European Union, the US, as well as countries such as China, India, Malaysia and Russia, have contributed to anti-piracy efforts in the Gulf of Aden.

Other countries, including Japan and Turkey, have announced their intention to send naval vessels.

- CNA/ir

Channel NewsAsia – 12 February 2009 13.22 hrs

Will our Commandos or the Special Boat Unit see some actions ?

Arapahoe SG

Why only 1 LST? and not a frigate and a LST?

but i did expect Ministry of Defence to participate in this task force.

Atobe SG

The frigates and their crews are still running in, and probably have not reached the desire level of operational readiness.

At the same time, the Sikorsky helicopters that have been ordered for the frigates are still in the assembly lines, while the air crew are still being trained in the US.

If the frigate is to be deployed, the Singapore Navy will need to consider having some logistic supply ships to support our vessels sent out on long distance service, and provide replenishments without letting our assets to be exposed to any onshore threats.

The LST remains the best option and will be able to carry sufficient fuel and supplies in the huge 'warehouse' space inside its hull that do not carry any other troops or equipment while in transit or on patrol.

spencer99 SG

Hello,

I already proposed some time back...

"Send Naval Task Force to Somalia"

http://www.sgforums.com/forums/1164/topics/337982

Arapahoe SG

Any idea if Ministry of defence still intended to participate in Task force 154 and 151 or they are going to drop Task force 154?

Arapahoe SG

Hello,

I already proposed some time back...

"Send Naval Task Force to Somalia"

http://www.sgforums.com/forums/1164/topics/337982

Alamak! claim credit leh.....For the record I thought it was Idwar who posted the first topics on MY navy dispatch to somalia coast :)

LazerLordz SG

Any idea if Ministry of defence still intended to participate in Task force 154 and 151 or they are going to drop Task force 154?

You mean CTF 150, in support of OIF and OEF? OIF's mandate has expired.

Arapahoe SG

hmmm interesting....this would be a mission to see action with real Pirates arm with RPG.

Atobe SG

With the anti-piracy patrols being conducted in a high risk area, the RSN having experience in deploying the earlier types of Protector USV, may probably get to deploy the more versatile Spartan Scout USV - which was designed for such a mission.

Protector USV - Small Pic

Protector USV

Even as the Spartan Scout USV program was announced in 2005, it remains under wraps unlike the Protector USV that was deployed with the LST in the waters off Iraq.

Singapore Navy Unveils Remote-Controlled Vessels

Singapore (AFP) May 17, 2005

Singapore unveiled on Tuesday a fleet of remote-controlled vessels, which Defence Minister Teo Chee Hean said would give the city-state a high-tech boost in the battle against maritime piracy and terrorism.

The two-tonne Spartan Scout Unmanned Surface Vessels (USV), which can be operated from a main warship, can be individually configured to carry out a range of missions including surveillance and anti-submarine warfare.

Teo, who witnessed a "live" demonstration of the Spartan's capabilities, said the remote-controlled vessels would strengthen Singapore's anti-piracy measures.

"The USVs allows ships to deploy such a vessel without getting the men into too close contact with a suspicious boat, which may have undesirable intentions," Teo told reporters after the demonstration.

RSN - Spartan Scout USV

A two-tonne Spartan Scout Unmanned Surface Vessels (USV), is seen during a demontration at the Singapore Naval Base during the International Maritime Defence Exhibition 17 may 2005. Singapore unveiled 17 May 2005, a fleet of remote-controlled vessels, which Defence Minister Teo Chee Hean said would give the city-state a high-tech boost in the battle against maritime piracy and terrorism. The two-tonne Spartan Scout Unmanned Surface Vessels (USV), which can be operated from the main warship, can be individually configured to carry out a range of missions including surveillance and anti-submarine warfare. AFP Photo by Mindef/Ho

Singapore is developing the Spartan in conjunction with the US Navy and expects to begin testing the vessels in local waters this year, the defence ministry said.

A less-equipped USV fleet that Singapore bought, the Protector series, is already in operation and was recently deployed by the Singapore navy during a deployment near Iraq to help US-led forces, according to the defence ministry.

Both fleets were presented to the media on the first day of Imdex Asia 2005, a regional maritime conference showcasing the latest maritime defence technologies and products of 23 countries.

Speaking earlier at the conference's opening ceremony, Teo, referring to the USVs as an example, said regional navies should engage in technological collaboration to combat pirates and potential terrorists lurking in the region's waters.

"We need to develop new technological applications for more effective ways of carrying out our maritime securitymissions," he said.

"In particular, unmanned surface vehicles can offer safer and more effective responses to maritime threats."

Teo did not say how much the USVs cost nor exactly how many Protectors the Singapore navy had, describing the fleet only as "small". No details were given on how far the USVs can operate from the main warship.

Enlarged View of a Spartan Scout USV undergoing tests by the US Navy

Spartan Scout USV - USN Test in progress

031125-N-7408M-003 At sea with USS Gettysburg (CG 64) Nov. 25, 2003 -- Personnelman 3rd Class Christopher L. Marino from Memphis, Tenn., uses a remote control to steer a modified Rigid Hull Inflatable Boat (RHIB) called the Spartan Scout. The Spartan Scout was created by the Naval Undersea Warfare Center in Newport, R.I., and will make future unmanned missions for a number of applications. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer's Mate Airman Justin McGarry. (RELEASED)

Development & Mission of the Spartan Scout USV.

lionnoisy SG

It will be much better if

''2 Barak octuple launchers will be installed in due course.''

as reported in Janes Fighting Ship below.

I think alreday installed to fight off any aerial threats!!

lionnoisy SG

Do u think MINDEF would send LST to war zone without AA?

I dunt think so.The Gulf has not been a safe place.

So,i think AA stuff alreday on board LST.

http://informationdissemination.blogspot.com/2008/08/5th-fleet-focus-singapore-deploys-again.html

Men on board LST is controlling the USV in Gulf.

''To review the history here, RSS Endurance (L 207) operated in the Persian Gulf from October 2003 until December 2003. RSS Resolution (L 208) operated in the Persian Gulf from November 2004 until January 2005. RSS Endeavour (L 210) operated in the Persian Gulf from February 2006 until April 2006. RSS Persistence (L 209) deployed last September to contribute to Task Force 58.

Once again, we see an amphibious ship used in a role other than for amphibious assault, more evidence of the flexibility of the platform. In this case, Singapore uses their LSTs as motherships in protection of fixed resources at sea.

As the picture above highlights, in the past Singapore has deployed Protector USVs from their LSTs for patrols. In other words, big motherships, not small, is the trend everywhere but the US Navy.''

Atobe SG

Hello 'noisy-pussy' - did you misread the name of this thread ?

Are you sure you got your compass bearing right ?

This is not the Persian Gulf, where the threats of aerial attack will most likely come from Iranian air assets trying to make a "monkey" out of our tiny RSN asset - as they had done with the Royal Navy - for supporting the US Government policy in Iraq.

This is a new mission for the RSN in deploying the LST to the Gulf of Aden, where the rogue Somalis are committing piracy on international shipping.

Whether the Somalis are armed with any kind of aerial light craft - in the same fashion as the Tamil Tigers in Sri Lanka - the Mistral man-handled AA equipment is a standard piece on the LST.

Did anyone suggest that the AA pieces will be taken out ?

Is there any urgency for the Endurance Class LST to install the Barak Anti-Aircraft Missile when these were not installed during the mission in the Persian Gulf ?

The biggest threat to all the naval assets - that have been deployed on anti-piracy patrols - will be the Somalis doing a repeat of the Al Qaeda attack on USS Coles.

In the attack on the USS Coles, it was reported that a typical small size native type speed boat was used, and loaded full of C-4 explosives to get alongside the larger USN vessel that was unaware of the suicide plot that was about to hatch.

The result of the attack from that small native craft against the USS Coles can be seen in the following photos:

MV Blue Marlin carrying USS Coles

USS Coles ferried on M.V. Blue Marlin

Extent of damage on USS Coles out of water

Damage to the Port Side of USS Coles - alongside the engine room

We certainly do not wish to see our RSN LST to be ferried back in similar condition.

The Spartan Scout has been designed to carry up to 7 tons of equipment - which will include "explosive sniffing" equipment to scan every innocuous looking vessels that attempt to come near the LST.

Our LST should remain in good fighting condition as the USS Coles was intended to be - prior to the dastardly attack that cost 17 lives and 39 injured on that fateful day, when the USS Coles refuelled at the Port of Aden on 12 October 2000.

USS Coles after repairs

USS Coles after the repairs

Pitot SG

VBSS shld be done by the NDU, not commandos and we dont have a special boat team

Atobe SG

VBSS shld be done by the NDU, not commandos and we dont have a special boat team

The NDU maybe known as the Naval Diving Unit but for all intent and purpose its roles and missions are not restricted as a "Diving Unit" per se.

The NDU would be similar to the Naval Special Forces of other more establised Armed Forces that we try to emulate - such as the US Delta Force and SEALS, and the UK SAS and Special Boat Unit - which our NDU regularly trained with. See reference piece below:

NDU divers are also regularly sent overseas for training, in particular, with the US Army Special Forces (Green Berets), US Navy SEALs and the British Special Air Service. In 2001, naval officer Captain Wong Foo Chan became the first foreigner to top his class in the Green Berets course, and received a commendation medal for this achievement. He had also completed the Navy SEAL course in 1999..

In a special military blog that featured - Special Forces Channel. - it had interestingly mentioned Singapore as having the following Special Forces:

Army:

Singapore Commandos

Singapore Special Operations Force (SOF)

Navy :

Naval Diving Unit (NDU)

Law Enforcement:

Special Opeations Command - Special Tactics and Rescue (STAR)

Police Coast Guard - Special Task Squadron (STS)

Singapore Prison Service - Singapore Prison Emergency Reaction Response (SPEAR) Force

In anticipation of terrorists attacks on civilian shipping in our Singapore waters, NDU had trained in 2005 to board ships from various means: see below:

Singapore RSN Naval Diving Unit

Naval Diving Unit

NDU - Clearing a hostile vessel

NDU clearing hostile vessel

Ex Deep Sabre 2005 - NDU climbing up the side of hostile vessel

Ex Deep Sabre 2005 - NDU rappelling onto hostile vessel from RSAF Puma helicopter

NDU members at photo opportunity

touchstone_2000 SG

The Somalis are a bunch of very savvy businessmen. I seriously doubt there will be any suicide attacks with speedboats laden with explosives crashing into ships.

There will be be some shooting, may be with RPG, but as a bunch of Rangers and Delta found out the hard way, they are not stupid.

lionnoisy SG

This is how LST launch landing crafts

http://www.militaryphotos.net/forums/showthread.php?t=105325&page=3

wonderamazement SG

to be more specific it'll be the special task section, i can't recall the exact name but NDU also divides itself into salvaging and rescue etc.

Pitot SG

yes sub units.

Shotgun SG

to be more specific it'll be the special task section, i can't recall the exact name but NDU also divides itself into salvaging and rescue etc.

Its called SWG. We've talked about it before without much protest from Mindef.

http://www.mindef.gov.sg/imindef/news_and_events/nr/2007/nov/07nov07_nr/07nov07_fs.html

gaoxingdcf07 SG

oops,lionnoisy have self pawn again !!!

but isay,then USN sailor looks like playing a remote toy in the pic,but much bigger and nastier !!