Singapore to buy two new German submarines
Singapore will for the first time buy two new submarines after signing a deal with a German manufacturer, reports said Tuesday.
The Ministry of Defence said in a statement that it has signed a contract with Thyssenkrupp Marine System to buy the two Type 218SG submarines.
They are due for delivery from 2020, it said.
"The contract includes a logistics package and a crew training arrangement in Germany," the statement said.
"These submarines, together with the Archer-class submarines, will replace the ageing Challenger-class submarines. The Challenger-class submarines were built in the 1960s and will be progressively retired from service."
Singapore's current submarine fleet consists of vessels bought secondhand from Sweden. The Singapore navy bought four Challenger-class submarines in the late 1990s, and a pair of Archer-class vessels in 2005, Today newspaper said Tuesday.//DPA