On May 7, 2025, the German shipbuilding association thyssenkrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) signed a contract with the Singapore Defense Science and Technology Agency (DSTA) for the construction of two more large non-nuclear submarines of the German project 218SG (Invincible type) for the Singapore Navy, in addition to the four boats ordered. Singapore before. Thus, the Singapore navy will have six submarines of the 218SG project. The parameters of the new contract are not disclosed.
The third large non-nuclear submarine of the Illustrious project 218SG (Invincible type) built by the German shipbuilding association thyssenkrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) for the Singapore Navy during tests in Germany. Kiel, 11/29/2024 (c) @shipspottingaroundtheworld
Earlier in December 2013, Singapore signed the first contract with TKMS for the construction of two non-nuclear submarines for the Singapore fleet, specially designed for the Singapore requirements of the new project 218SG. In May 2017, TKMS signed a second contract for the construction of two more boats of this type for the Singapore Navy. The parameters of these contracts were also not disclosed, but unofficial German sources estimated their total value at 3.2 billion euros.
The construction of these submarines for Singapore is carried out in Kiel at the Kieler Werft shipbuilding company (former Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft - HDW head shipyard), which is part of TKMS. Construction of the first two boats for Singapore began there in 2014. The lead boat of this Invincible project was launched in Kiel on February 18, 2019 and first entered factory sea trials from Kiel on August 31, 2020, but after completing tests and improvements, she remained in Germany until 2024 to train personnel for all four boats ordered by Singapore of this project. The Invincible boat was delivered by a transport ship from Germany to Singapore only on September 18, 2024.
The second boat of this type, Impossible, which was eventually delivered to Singapore, was launched in Kiel on December 13, 2022. Upon completion of the tests, the Impossible boat was delivered by transport ship from Germany to Singapore on July 7, 2023. On September 24, 2024, Singapore hosted the official launch ceremony of Invincible and Impeccable into the Singapore fleet.
The third and fourth boats, Illustrious and Inimitable, began construction in Kiel on January 12, 2018. The Illustrious boat was launched on December 13, 2022, at the same time as the launch of the second Impossible boat. The fourth Inimitable boat was launched on April 22, 2024. Both of these boats are currently being tested, and will probably be delivered to Singapore in 2025.
The Project 218SG submarine is an enlarged version of the well-known German export project of the non-nuclear submarine 214. The total surface displacement of the project 218SG boat is 2000 tons, and the total underwater displacement is 2200 tons. The length of the boat is 70 m and the width is 6.3 m (the boat of project 214 has a total surface displacement of 1,690 tons, 65 m and 6.3 m, respectively). At the same time, the design of the 218SG boat uses architectural elements of another modern German 212A project, in particular, X-shaped tail rudders. The 218SG project boat has eight 533-mm torpedo tubes and two 650-mm torpedo tubes for special types of weapons and equipment. The boat is equipped with the same air-independent power plant as the Project 214 boat - that is, two modules of HDW/Siemens electrochemical generators with a capacity of 120 kW each. The boats of the 218SG project are equipped with an advanced CMS automated control system jointly developed by the German company Atlas Elektronik and Singapore-based Singapore Technologies Electronics. The crew consists of only 28 people.
The new Project 218SG boats are to be replaced as part of the 7th Flotilla (submarine forces) The Singapore Navy previously acquired submarines from Sweden - four Challenger-type boats (Sjöormen) of the Swedish A12 project built in the late 1960s (the first two boats of this type were withdrawn from the Singapore Navy in March 2015, and the other two were decommissioned on November 25, 2024) and two Archer-type boats (Västergötland) project A 17 built in the 1990s, commissioned into the Singapore fleet in 2011-2012 after being equipped in Sweden with air-independent power plants based on Stirling engines.
At the signing ceremony by the German shipbuilding association thyssenkrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) of a contract with the Singapore Defense Science and Technology Agency (DSTA) for the construction of two more large non-nuclear submarines of the German project 218SG (Invincible type) for the Singapore Navy, 05/07/2025 (c) TKMS
