German shipbuilder Fassmer has named Sentinel, the first of four offshore patrol vessels (OPVs) being built for the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN), at its shipyard in Berne, Germany.
The naming ceremony was held on October 1 and attended by Singapore’s Minister for Defense Chan Chun Sing and German Federal Minister of Defense Boris Pistorius.
“The project provides work for highly skilled engineers, shipbuilders and many other specialists. It preserves expertise we need in Germany. And it demonstrates what our maritime industry is capable of: quality, reliability and innovation. It also sends a broader message: security cooperation with trusted partners also strengthens not only our security, but also our industrial base,” said Pistorius.
“Developing and building the first vessel of a new class is always a special challenge. Sentinel reflects the considerable design and engineering effort of our teams and the excellent cooperation with the Republic of Singapore Navy and DSTA. We are very proud to see her reach this important milestone today,” said Harald Fassmer.
Sentinel is based on Fassmer’s OPV 80 platform and has been adapted to meet Singapore’s operational requirements.
With a suite of scalable response capabilities, the OPVs are equipped to manage a wide range of maritime incidents in a measured, effective, and proportionate manner, according to Fassmer. Building upon the operational roles of the Sentinel-class maritime security and response vessels (MSRVs), the new OPVs provide greater operational flexibility and endurance, strengthening Singapore’s ability to safeguard its territorial waters and maritime interests.
The new OPVs are designed to operate alongside Singapore’s existing naval fleet and assets operated by other government agencies, including the Police Coast Guard and the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore.
According to Fassmer, the vessels will provide scalable response capabilities for a range of maritime security missions and build on the operational roles currently performed by Singapore’s Sentinel-class Maritime Security and Response Vessels (MSRVs).
As the lead vessel, Sentinel will now undergo platform integration and acceptance testing before beginning sea trials. The testing will be used to validate the vessel’s systems and performance ahead of its delivery and departure for Singapore.
Construction of the remaining three OPVs is already underway.