Singapore’s fourth Invincible-class submarine launched

On April 22, 2024, Singapore’s fourth submarine in the Type 218SG construction program (Invincible-class) was launched at the thyssenkrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) shipyard in Kiel. 

As informed, the shipbuilder also held a naming ceremony for the submarine. The design of the Type 218SG submarines is based on a low signature.

The air-independent propulsion system gives the boats a long underwater endurance. With a length of about 70 meters and a displacement of around 2,000 tonnes, they are currently the largest submarines ever built at TKMS.

Following the Invincible in 2019 and the double launching of the Impeccable and Illustrious in December 2022, the fourth boat has now been launched.

The Inimitable will be handed over from 2025 after intensive testing.

“The submarines built in this project are the most modern conventional submarines the world has ever seen. They belong to a new, state-ofthe-art generation and are also the largest submarines built in Germany to date. It is the result of hard work, commitment and the collaboration of many talented people that has led us to this success,” Oliver Burkhard, CEO of thyssenkrupp Marine Systems, said.

Following the naming ceremony, thyssenkrupp Marine Systems and ST Engineering signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to jointly enhance the capabilities of Singapore’s Type 218SG submarines over their operational lifetimes.

It expands on the earlier Teaming Agreement signed in December 2022 to cover collaboration on selected technologies and applications in the areas of additive manufacturing (3D printing), maintenance training, data analytics and obsolescence management.