Diagram and additional specifications of Singapore's AIP equipped Archer Class Submarine (click to enlarge).
Diagram courtesy of Singapore's New Paper, June 17, 2009 via http://www.militaryphotos.net/forums/showthread.php?105325-Pictures-of-Singapore-Armed-Forces/page78
Singapore has been a shrewd buyer of used Kockums built submarines and then had them upgraded. Along with Australia Singapore is one of America's closest allies in the Southeast Asian/Oceania region. Singapore is also on good terms with India while wary of its larger neighbours Indonesia, Malaysia and further afield China.
Singapore's Challenger Class submarines
It is believed that the Challenger class were purchased to develop the required submarine operations expertise before selecting a modern class of submarines to replace them, since all the boats were launched in the late 1960s. The four Challenger class submarines form the 171 Squadron of the RSN. On March 12, 2013 Singapore's Minister for Defence, Dr Ng indicated the RSN's ageing Challenger-class submarines are due for replacement [presumably by the two Archer class] and are coming to the end of their operational lifespan.
Challenger class specifications are:
Singapore's Modern Upgraded Archer Class Submarines
The two Archer class submarines are replacing the four Challenger class submarines. Singapore's Ministry of Defence maintained its relationship with Kockums and in November 2005 signed an agreement with Kockums for the supply of two Archer class (known in Sweden as Västergötland class) submarines to the RSN. Originally launched in the mid 1980s and previously in reserve with the Swedish Navy, the submarines have been transferred to the RSN on completion of the modernisation (including upgrade to Air Independent Propulsion (AIP)) and tropicalisation (including modified air conditioning, marine growth protection systems and corrosion-resistant piping).
RSS Archer (photo above) was relaunched in Sweden on 16 June 2009. The Archer class submarines AIP system enables longer submerged endurance and lower noise signature. This makes them well suited to short-medium range operation in the narrow waters around Singapore including anti-piracy surveillance. The advanced sonar system allows the submarines to detect contacts at a further distance, while the torpedo system has a better target acquisition capability, which allows the submarines to engage contacts at a further range.
RSS Swordsman, the RSNs second Archer class submarine, relaunched in Sweden on 20 October 2010, arrived at Singapore's Changi Naval Base (CNB) from Sweden in late December 2012. An RSN crew had been training in Sweden since 2008 to operate RSS Swordsman. Both Archer class submarines now also serve in 171 Squadron.
Archer class specifications are:
With the AIP and the state-of-the-art sensors, the Archers boats are more capable than Indonesia's two HDW 209s and probably more so than Malaysia's two new but non AIP Scorpene's.
Singapore's submarines probably operate close to home (in and close to the Straits of Malacca) and probably work in close cooperation with America's SSNs possibly Australia's Collins class SSKs and other anti-submarine assets. Little has been written in decades about submarine cooperation.
Singapore's Archers with AIP might be superior overall to Australia's unreliable, non-AIP Collins SSKs (although the Collins have a superior (US SSN grade Modified Raytheon CCS Mk2 (AN/BYG-1)) combat system).
The blog Defense Studies has much detail on the Archers - as does the RSN website http://www.mindef.gov.sg/imindef/mindef_websites/atozlistings/navy/about_us/org_structure.html and http://www.mindef.gov.sg/imindef/mindef_websites/atozlistings/navy/assets/submarines.html .
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Pete