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EARLY MILESTONES OF NAVY transporting personnel and equipment
overseas reliably. In 1999, the Country-class
From 1970s LSTs were deployed to East Timor to join a
coalition force headed by the Australian
As Singapore’s maritime trade grew, there
was a greater need to ensure trade can take Defence Force. The multinational force was
place unmolested in our straits, and the Navy there to conduct peace support operations in a
acquired the Independence-class patrol crafts newly- independent East Timor. This
(PCs). The PCs protected our coasts against deployment is an early example of the range
maritime threats such as smuggling and sea of operations undertaken by the RSN over the
robberies. They roved their mettle in the 1974 years.
Laju Incident when terrorists hijacked the
ferry Laju. Working together with other
maritime security agencies, the RSN stopped
the terrorist from escaping.
Country-class landing ship tank (LST)
1975
The RSN acquired minesweeping capabilities
when two Bluebird-class coastal
minesweepers were procured from the US
Independence- class patrol craft (PC)
Navy, RSS Jupiter and RSS Mercury. They
1972 ensured the maritime security of our straits by
keeping our waters mine-free and safe for
This year saw the addition of the Sea Wolf- passage. The pioneer crew undertook a
class missile gunboats (MGBs), which journey of epic proportions from San
marked our young Navy’s foray into maritime Francisco to Singapore, overcoming not only
warfare. The MGBs were equipped with the technical and mechanical problems but also
latest radars, electronics and missiles; and three super typhoons.
remained at the sharp edge of naval warfare
with system upgrades over the next two
decades. RSS Sea Wolf was the first ship in
the region to successfully fire an anti-ship
missile.
Mid – 1970s
In support of the wider SAF, the Navy Bluebird-class coastal minesweeper
purchased Country-class landing ships tank
(LSTs) from the United States at a token cost
of US $1. The LSTs support the Army by
