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| Independence class Littoral Mission Vessel (LMV) |
By Prashanth Parameswaran
The littoral mission vessel is smarter, faster and sharper than its predecessor.
Last Friday, the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) launched the first of eight new, locally made littoral warships called Independence.
The launching ceremony of the first Littoral Mission Vessel (LMV) was held at the Singapore Technologies Marine (ST Marine)’s Benoi shipyard. The new LMVs will replace the existing Fearless-class Patrol vessels which have been in service for 20 years.
According to information in a statement released by the Ministry of Defense (MINDEF), the LMVs – which it calls “smarter, faster and sharper” – are a marked improvement from its predecessor in several ways. The first is their versatility and flexibility to deal with a wide spectrum of challenges. LMVs have various customizable mission modules that can be reconfigured to perform a range of roles ranging from counter-piracy to humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations. They are also equipped with an array of lethal and non-lethal options to deliver calibrated responses to a diverse set of threats, including advanced radars and sensors and a 360-degree bridge.
Read the full story at The Diplomat