The Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) has officially retired its final two Challenger-class submarines, paving the way for the newer Invincible-class submarines. According to a statement from the Ministry of Defence (Mindef), RSS Conqueror and RSS Chieftain were decommissioned on Monday (Nov 25) during a ceremony held at Changi Naval Base. The event, presided over by Chief of Navy Rear-Admiral (RADM) Sean Wat, symbolized the transition of duties from the Challenger-class to the Invincible-class submarines.
Mindef highlighted that the Challenger-class submarines, along with Singapore’s pioneer submariners trained in Sweden, were instrumental in establishing the country’s submarine operational capabilities. Over the years, these submarines contributed significantly to safeguarding Singapore’s maritime interests and territorial integrity, carrying out numerous sea operations. They also played a key role in strengthening Singapore’s defense ties through participation in bilateral and multilateral exercises.
During the ceremony, Fleet Commander RADM Kwon Hon Chung honored the contributions of the two submarines and their crews over the decades. He praised RSS Conqueror and RSS Chieftain as symbols of the dedication and bravery of the RSN’s early submariners, who laid the groundwork for the development of the 7th Flotilla and the RSN into a globally recognized submarine force.
“It was aboard these submarines that we first ventured into the underwater domain 29 years ago, overcoming many challenges with the invaluable support of the Royal Swedish Navy,” said RADM Kwon. He added that the RSN’s pioneering submarines demonstrated exceptional determination and resilience, evolving from modest beginnings into operators of state-of-the-art platforms with confidence today.