초계함/고속함 싱가포르, 독일에 OPV 4척 발주

[위종민]

싱가포르가 독일 파스머사에 OPV 4척을 발주했네요. 2028년부터 인도될 예정이고, 센티넬급 4척을 교체할 예정입니다. 

이 OPV는 독일 연방경찰이 운용중인 포츠담급 OPV에 사용중인 파스머사의 OPV 80이 기반 설계안이라고 합니다. 포츠담급은 포츠담, 밤베르크, 바트 뒤벤, 노이슈타트 등 4척이며 2023년 6월 노이슈타트함이 취역했다고 하네요. 전장 86.02m, 폭은 13.42m, 출력 4,080kW(5,471HP)의 디젤엔진 2기, 600kW(804HP)의 전기모터 2기로 추진되며, 무장은 보포스 57 Mk.3 57mm 함포 1문, 50구경 2정이고 H215 슈퍼 퓨마 헬기를 수용 가능하고 미션 컨테이너 5개를 장착할 수 있다고 합니다. 

대체 예정인 센티넬급은 길이 55m로 76mm 1문, 25mm 기관포 1문/7.62mm 기관총 (개조 후)을 무장하고 있습니다. 운용중인 4척 외에 개조되지 않은 함선 2척이 브루나이에 공여됐네요. 

https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2023/11/singapore-orders-four-fassmer-offshore-patrol-vessels/

German Federal Police offshore patrol vessels Bad Düben (foreground) and Bamberg (background) during Maritime Exercise on the High Seas – ATLAS SEAL 2021 (German Federal Police)

Singapore Orders Four Fassmer Offshore Patrol Vessels

The four Offshore Patrol Vessels will begin deliveries in 2028, replacing the Republic of Singapore Navy’s four Sentinel-class Maritime Security Response Vessels

Albert Lee  20 Nov 2023

Singapore’s Ministry of Defense announced on 20 November that it had signed a contract with Germany’s Fr. Fassmer GmbH & Co. KG to acquire four new Offshore Patrol Vessels.

The four Offshore Patrol Vessels are being purchased to replace the Republic of Singapore Navy’s four Sentinel-class Maritime Security Response Vessels. Deliveries of the new vessels are to be made from 2028 onwards, with the Maritime Security Response Vessels to remain in operational service until the new vessels are delivered and fully operational.

According to the ministry, the Offshore Patrol Vessels will be based on Fassmer’s OPV 80 design as used by the German Bundespolizei (Federal Police) for its Potsdam class of offshore patrol vessels. They will be designed with “high manoeuvrability to operate in Singapore’s congested waters, and equipped with a suite of lethal and less-lethal capabilities to provide flexibility and calibrated response against a wide spectrum of maritime threats.”

Naval News learned during IMDEX Asia 2023 that three firms were competing: Fassmer, Luerssen and ST Engineering with a domestic OPV design. Contacted by Naval News, Fassmer declined to comment this contract award.

The Potsdam Class Offshore Patrol Vessel

German Federal Police offshore patrol vessels Bamberg (foreground) and Bad Düben (background) during Maritime Exercise on the High Seas – ATLAS SEAL 2021 (German Federal Police)

The Potsdam class of offshore patrol vessels is currently composed of four ships, Potsdam, Bamberg, Bad Düben and Neustadt. Neustadt is the last ship to have entered service, being commissioned in June 2023.

The vessels are 86.02 meters long and 13.42 meters wide. They are all powered by two Wartsila diesel engines that each generate 4,080 kilowatts, augmented by two 600 kW electric motors, driving controllable pitch propellers that propel them to a top speed of 21 knots.

All vessels are equipped with a single BAE Systems Bofors 57 Mk3 57mm gun as their main armament, with two .50 caliber machine guns as additional armament.

Vessels of the Potsdam class are equipped with a helicopter landing deck that can accommodate the Federal Police’s Airbus Helicopters H215 Super Puma, and have internal room for five mission containers.

The Sentinel Class Maritime Security and Response Vessel

MSRV Protector (57) and MSRV Bastion (58) during their commissioning in January 2022 (Republic of Singapore Navy)

The Sentinel class is composed of MSRV Sentinel, MSRV Guardian, MSRV Protector and MSRV Bastion. All four vessels are refurbished and renamed Fearless-class patrol vessels that were previously in service with the Republic of Singapore Navy, serving with its Maritime Security and Response Flotilla after their refurbishing.

The 55 meter-long vessels retain the Fearless-class’ main armament of a single OTO Melara 76mm naval gun. As part of their refurbishment, the Sentinel class received a Typhoon 25mm naval gun system at the stern and 7.62mm machine gun positions near the bridge wings.

The Sentinel class are equipped with long-range acoustic device (LRAD) and laser dazzler systems for non-lethal options. The superstructures of the vessels have been upgraded with a modular ballistic protection system, while their hulls have been strengthened with fenders so they can come alongside vessels of interest.

Two of the Sentinel-class’ non-refurbished siblings, the former RSS Brave and RSS Gallant, were transferred as a gift to the Royal Brunei Navy in March this year. In Bruneian service, the RSS Brave is now the KDB As-Siddiq, with the RSS Gallant becoming the KDB Al-Faruq.

TAGS Fassmer Offshore Patrol Vessel Republic of Singapore Navy

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Posted by : Albert Lee

Albert is a Malaysia-based journalist focusing on regional