Dominion of Singapore Navy

Dominion of Singapore Navy

On June 6th 1956 after more than 100 years of British colonial rule, Singapore became the Dominion of Singapore and whit it virtually independent from Great Britain, only retaining the British monarch as head of state.

On January 1st 1957, just months after Singapore became the Dominion of Singapore; the Royal Singapore Naval Volunteer Force (SNVF) was formed. This naval force, although a volunteer one consisted by 1958 of some 89 mobilized personnel and 278 volunteer officers and men. Some were women from the Singapore Women's Auxiliary Naval Service (or SWANS), which had been formed in 1957.

On May 5th 1967, the Singapore Naval White Ensign was hoisted with pride, signaling that Singapore finally had a navy to call its own. In August 1968, the SNVF was renamed the Dominion of Singapore Navy.

To meet the urgent requirements of manpower, the School of Maritime Training was set up and in 1969; the navy received her first batch of 160 trainees. That same year, the patrol craft, Her Majesty's Singapore Ship (HMSS) Independence was launched. It was the young navy's first brand new ship. Following that, more petrol crafts were launched and commissioned including HMSS Justice, HMSS Freedom and HMSS Daring. To cater to the navy's rapid growth in manpower and resources, the 122 hectare Pulau Brani was selected to house the new naval base and was developed as a naval base in 1971, also that year the navy set up a Midshipman Training School to train her own officers.

Frigates

Type 12-class frigates

The Dominion of Singapore Navy bought the two Type 12-class frigates in 1979 when HMSS Steadfast (former HMS Tenby) and HMSS Stalwart (former HMS Whitby) joined the already Type 41 Leopard-class frigates in service with the Dominion of Singapore Navy.

HMSS Steadfast HMSS Stalwart

Type 41 Leopard-class frigates

The Dominion of Singapore Navy bought in 1977 two Type 41 Leopard-class frigates which became the largest warships to enter into service with the Dominion of Singapore Navy which lasted until the arrival of the two Type 12-class frigates in 1979.

HMSS Leopard HMSS Jaguar

Missile gunboats

Sea Wolf-class missile gunboats

The Sea Wolf class missile gunboats were acquired in 1968, based on the TNC 45 design from Fredrich Lürssen Werft. The first two gunboats were constructed in Germany, while the remaining four were constructed locally by Singapore Shipbuilding and Engineering.

HMSS Sea Wolf HMSS Sea Lion HMSS Sea Dragon HMSS Sea Tiger HMSS Sea Hawk HMSS Sea Scorpion

Fast patrol craft

Independence-class fast patrol craft

The Independence-class fast patrol crafts where commissioned between 1969 and 1973 and are armed with a 40mm main gun and a 20mm gun.

HMSS Independence HMSS Freedom HMSS Justice HMSS Sovereignty HMSS Daring HMSS Dauntless

Landing ship

County-class landing ship tank

Acquired from the United States Navy, HMSS Endurance and HMSS Excellence were commissioned in 1978.

HMSS Endurance HMSS Excellence

Minesweeper

Ton-class minesweeper

The two Ton-class minesweepers where commissioned in the Dominion of Singapore Navy in 1965 (HMSS Jupiter) and 1966 (HMSS Mercury) after previous having served with the British Royal Navy.

HMSS Jupiter HMSS Mercury