TSAMTO, May 12. ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) announced on May 7 that it had signed a contract with the Singapore Defense Science and Technology Agency (DSTA) for the supply of two Type-218SG class submarines.
The cost of the order and the delivery time of the new NPS were not disclosed, but taking into account earlier statements, it could amount to about 900 million dollars. The signed contract increases TKMS's order portfolio to 16 billion. euro.
According to ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems, an additional order can be completed at the company's existing production facilities in Germany, despite their high utilization until the 2040s. In December 2024, TKMS signed major contracts for the supply of four additional Type-212CD class submarines for the German Navy, the new Polarstern icebreaker and the new generation F127 frigates.
The design of the Type-218SG submarine is designed to minimize its signature, and the air-independent power plant allows the 2,200-ton submarine to remain underwater for a longer time. After the delivery of the third pair of Type-218SG submarines, the Singapore Navy will have 6 submarines of this type in service.
As reported by CAMTO, the Ministry of Defense of Singapore signed a contract with the German company TKMS for the supply of the first pair of new Type-218SG class submarines in December 2013. In May 2017, the Ministry signed a contract with TKMS for the construction of two more Type-218SG class submarines in Germany.
According to the Ministry of Defense of Singapore, the cost of each of the four Type-218SG class submarines at the time of purchase was about $450 million, or $1.8 billion for all four submarines.
The steel cutting ceremony for the construction of the first two submarines took place on June 24, 2015. Cutting of steel for the second pair of NPS began in January 2018.
The first of the four ordered Type-218SG class submarines, Invincible, was launched in February 2019, but after completion of construction, it remained in Germany until August 2024 as an introductory submarine for training Singaporean submariners.
The launching of the second and third submarines, Impecable and Illustrious, took place at TKMS in Kiel (Germany) on December 13, 2022.
The second submarine in the series, Impacable, was delivered to the Changi Naval Base in Singapore first in July 2023. In August 2024, the Invincible submarine was also delivered to Singapore. On September 24, 2024, the ceremony of adopting the Invincible and Impacable submarines into service with the Singapore Navy took place at the Changi Naval Base.
On April 22, 2024, the naming ceremony of the fourth Type-218SG class submarine, Inimitable, took place at TKMS in Kiel, after which it was launched. According to the plans, the delivery of all four submarines will be completed by 2028.
In March 2025, Singapore's Minister of Defense Ng Eng Hyun announced in the country's parliament his intention to purchase two additional Invincible class submarines (Type-218SG). Their purchase should ensure the "sustainable" operation of the Singapore Navy's submarine fleet in the difficult climatic conditions of the region.
