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Fact Sheet: The Republic of Singapore Navy's Formidable-class Frigates
and Sikorsky S-70B Seahawk Naval Helicopters
21 Jul 2018
Background
The frigate programme first started in the mid-1990s, to replace the RSN's fleet of ageing
Sea Wolf-class Missile Gun Boats that were nearing the end of their operational lifespan.
The Formidable-class frigates are the principal combatants of the Republic of Singapore
Navy (RSN), and form the sharp edge of its fighting force. The commissioning of the first
frigate in 2007 marked a significant milestone in the RSN's 3rd generation transformation
into a highly sophisticated and networked maritime force.
High-end Warfighting Capabilities
Effective Operations Across Dimensions of Naval Warfare. Equipped with a wide-range of
sensor and weapon systems, the frigates are capable of conducting operations across all three
dimensions of naval warfare – air, surface and underwater. Sophisticated sensors such as the
Multi-Function Radar enable the frigates to maintain air surveillance, while advanced
weaponry like the Aster surface-to-air missiles allow the ships to provide effective air
defence over a large area. The indigenously developed Combat Management System,
developed by the Defence Science and Technology Agency and DSO National Laboratories,
provides command and control of the various sensor and weapon systems onboard the
