SINGAPORE, Aug 24 (AFP) – 04:50 GMT – Singapore on Saturday commissioned its second submarine, a day after announcing its air force has gained full capability to refuel fighter jets in mid-air.
The RSS Chieftain was officially pressed into service at Changi Naval Base in ceremonies presided over by Defence Minister Tony Tan, the defence ministry said.
It joins the RSS Conqueror, another Swedish-made submarine to help guard the tiny Southeast Asian republic.
Two other submarines, which are expected to complete the Singapore navy’s submarine fleet, are due to arrive from Sweden by 2004.
The RSS Chieftain will participate in military exercises next month with Singapore’s defence allies under the Five Power Defence Arrangements which also includes Australia, Britain, Malaysia and New Zealand.
On Friday, Singapore said its squadron of new generation air-to-air refuelling jet tankers have now “attained full operational capability”.
The flying tankers, called KC-135Rs, are equipped with a multi-point refuelling system in addition to the refuelling boom. This allows air-to-air refuelling of a wide variety of combat aircraft in a fleet which includes F-16s, F-5s and A-4s.
Singapore, one of Asia’s most prosperous economies, also has among the region’s best equipped military forces.
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August 24, 2002 at 3:51 pm