Singapore to massively upgrade its actual modest fleet.

Singapore's fleet will soon undergo a huge upgrade, including the design and building of a Joint Multi Mission Ship (JMMS) whose flight deck is capable of accomodating several helicopters. Such project could help Singapore becoming one of the most powerful navies of the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations).

(Picture source : Singapore's Defense Ministry)

Singapore's Navy isn't initially an expeditionary one. Yet, Singapore maintains some Endurance-class landing platform docks (LPDs) vessels, able to move troops and vehicles (mainly amphibious ones) over regional waters. With the construction of such a JMMS, Singapore appears to be more and more willing to extend and enhance its maritime power and mainly its amphibious capabilities.

Since it has a flight deck, the FMMS looks like it’s meant to support both heavy-lift and medium-lift rotorcraft. The same infographic shared by Defense Minister Ng includes small images of the H225M Super Pumas and CH-47F Chinooks assigned to the army. There are silhouettes for both seen in the blacked out JMMS illustration.

Judging by an infographic shared by Defense Minister Ng on Twitter, the armed forces’ plans in the coming decade are meant to prepare for the security environment in the 2030s. But the startling figure of the JMMS raises questions about how Singapore views the maritime domain in the context of its own naval acquisitions. It isn’t far-fetched to imagine how Singapore’s foreign policy and participation in regional alliances may change once the first JMMS is commissioned for service.