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PM Lee To Commission First Littoral Warship As Singapore Navy Celebrates 50th Anniversary
The Littoral Mission Vessel 'Independence', during the RSN50 media preview on April 28, 2017. Photo: Jason Quah/TODAY
May 1st, 2017 | 09:51 AM | 1242 views
SINGAPORE
The Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) had just two wooden ships when it came into force on May 5, 1967.
Fifty years on, the RSN will be celebrating its Golden Jubilee this week with the commissioning of a state-of-the-art Littoral warship by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, and a raft of activities to mark its growth as a maritime force.
Mr Lee will commission the Littoral Mission Vessel (LMV) Independence on Friday morning (May 5), marking the first of eight Independence-class LMVs to enter into active service.
“As the third RSN ship to bear the name of Independence, it reflects the RSN’s coming of age and the passing of the torch from one generation to another in the RSN,” said Rear-Admiral (RADM) Timothy Lo, chairman of the RSN50 committee at a media briefing last week (April 28).
A ceremonial hoisting of the RSN ensign will be held at the Changi Naval Base later the same day at 5.55pm - the exact moment 50 years ago that a similar ceremony was held at the Telok Ayer Basin to mark the birth of the Singapore navy.
A time capsule, which will be reopened 25 years later in 2042, will also be sealed by PM Lee during his visit to Changi Naval Base.
It will contain items revolving around five themes, such as the RSN’s missions, its partners, and its people, said Colonel Douglas Goh, chairman for May 5 Navy Day celebrations. Former Chief of Navies will also be contributing items to the time capsule.
For instance, Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean, who was the Chief of Navy in 1991, will be contributing his copy of the book marking the RSN’s 25th anniversary, added Col Goh.
The RSN50 celebrations will include Singapore’s first international maritime review. Nearly 30 warships from more than 20 countries, such the United States, South Korea, and Japan, will sail from the Malacca Strait and the South China Sea for Singapore in three fleets, led by RSN frigates.
On May 15, President Tony Tan Keng Yam will review the participating warships anchored off Singapore onboard the newly-commissioned RSS Independence.
Noting the large number of warships participating in the review, Colonel Saw Shi Tat, deputy chairman for the RSN50 organising committee, said: “This (international maritime review) is a testament of the friendships that (the RSN) has forged with our friends and partners from all over the world.”
During President Tan’s visit to Changi Naval Base on May 15, he will rename it “RSS Singapura - Changi Naval Base”.
RSS Singapura was one of RSN’s three pioneer ships. The other two are RSS Panglima - now a training base within Changi Naval Base - and RSS Bedok, which was then a patrol craft.
Activities have also been planned to allow the public to celebrate the navy’s 50th anniversary. The RSN will publish a four-book compendium targeted at children, while art murals in the form of a “doodle wall” will be displayed at Safra Punggol and Safra Toa Payoh.
Noting that the navy’s development mirrors Singapore’s transformation to a first-world nation, RADM Lo, who is also Head Naval Operations, said: “Our pioneers built a navy from scratch with what limited resources they could muster.
“The RSN grew from just two wooden ships into a ready, strong committed force. This year’s navy day pays tribute to the men and women who have served the RSN with honour, dedication, and distinction.”
Source:
courtesy of TODAY
by VICTOR LOH
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