I believe there are a couple of misunderstanding of RSN in this current thread. And here is my 2 cents worth:
RSN decision to purchase the Sjoormens:
1. The Sjoormen SSKs are not junk. They are good return on investment.
The ex- Royal swedish SSKs were relatively afforable compared to the new SSK. The Swedes were ready to send the SSK to the junkyard and melt them as scrap metals. They are still relatively modern SSKs considering that the Swedes upgraded them all in the late 80s/early 90s with a cut-down version of the A17 combat system. Kockum modernised them further with the tropicalisation program as well as upgrading some other systems including the combat system (I read something about the SSK upgrade program in either the Kockum website or a defence technology web site).
2. Not justifiable to purchase SSk yet.
With the cost of a current new SSK at around 300 million USD or more, it is very expensive to acquire new subs these days. 300 million will almost buy you a squadron of F-16C/Ds (a F-16C Block 52 cost about 25mil each). Buying 4 new SSKs will cost more than 1.2 billion USD . That is a very hefty price to pay using the tax-payers money. Given RSN did not much sub-surface warfare skills and experience, the immediate steps is to build these experience and skills up first. Buying new SSKs and using them for training purposes half their life is not wise to use up some much money. RSN also does not have a very big purse. The money saved is perhaps evidence in the acquiring of the very advanced stealth Delta frigates. This, to me is money better spent. RSN already posses significant experience and skills in surface warfare.
3. Not ready to specify SSK requirements.
RSN does not have to experience to set the requirements for a SSK fleet purchase. As the local environment differs significantly from that of the Baltics or the Mediterranean, simply buying either the Swedish A19, German U212 or even the French Scorpene SSKs are silly and unwise. RSN, and in fact all branches of the Singapore Armed Forces, have very good practice of specifying exactly what requirements they want when they purchase new equipments. They have to meet the specific needs of the armed forces. Similarly, purchasing a fleet of new SSKs would require RSN to have significant knowledge about the theatre of operation for their subs. Not having operated any submarines since the inception of the RSN, it is wiser to acquire such skills and experience from old subs, then they are in the position of being able to know what they need and how they will use the subs.
4. Politcial reasons.
As we have all witness, getting 4 old subs already generated silly comments from the then Indo president Gus Dus. Had RSN purchased 4 new SSKs, I think other neighours might join in the chorus. RSN and in fact Singapore, does not want to be seen obtaining significant capabilities especially when those capabilities can be viewed as offensive by others. Singapore would rather wait out for Malaysia to acquire new SSKs before embarking to purchase new SSKs ourselves. The policies also filter through to the delayed deployment of the F16s, Apaches, etc. RSN also did not purchase any frigates until RMN has their Leikus. This is a wise decision as by the time, RMN has their SSKs delievered, RSN would have significant sub warfare capabilities. I would dare to say that the RSN SSKs would be more potent that RMN SSKs. This can only be proven during war-games. Don't forget that Royal Australian Navy have, on a few occassions, penetrated USN carrier battle group and "sunk" US carriers with their SSKs. Australian SSKs (even the Collin class) is by no means more advanced than the USN SSNs like the Improved Los Angeles class. The RAN sub crews skills plus the smart way of operating, the yet fully capable Collin class subs, enabled them to defeat more modern subs. Training is very very important. When RSN submariners have acquired significant skills, then RSN is ready to acquire modern SSKs.
With these reasons, I cannot agree more with the Sjoormen purchases. I think it is a very wise and carefully thought of decision.
Now, on the issue on Delta frigates replacing the MGBs, it is only an official statement but by no mean reflect what is really going on in RSN. The MGBs is nearly 40 years old. Even after the early 90 upgrades, they have shown significant ageing and is time for retirement. At the same time, RSN needs to upgrade their capabilities especially in anti-air and anti-surface warfares. It is both a natural maturing of RSN plus the significant increased threat in the reason that prompted the pruchasing of the Deltas. As discussed before, the money RSN would have saved purchasing the Sjoormens instead of 4 new SSKs would mean that the limited budget could be spent on getting 6 proven Stealth frigates. The plan to acquire up to 8 NGPVs where shelf because of some unexplained issues, which I personally believe is because of the sales of Kockum, plus the fact that Visby is still not operational yet whereas LaFayette is. I also suspected that the French are more willingly to share their Stealth technologies with Singapore.
The Deltas were not built as a direct replacement of the MGBs. Rather, the retirement of the MGBs and the introduction of the Deltas were designed to conincide because of limited manpower in RSN. RSN cannot afford to add extra Navy personels to man the new frigates without retiring the MGBs crews.
The operation doctrine of the MGBs and the Deltas will be so different. The armed escort role and the more fast attack guerrilla tactics employed by the MGBs will be taken over by the MCVs whereas the Deltas will replace the MCVs as the core/central of the main strike Flotilla. It will be tasked primary for anti-air, anti-surface and anti-subsurface roles with other strikes vessels supporting the Deltas.
I still believe that RSN should acquire another 6 stealth corvettes to supplement the Victory class. My ideal would be a 6 vessels from ST Marine 81m Stealth OPVs, Israeli Saar 5 or a German Meko 100 variant.
As for the (A)PVs, they were never built as Fast Attack crafts. Heck, their top speed is not even 30kts. They are built as a glorified patrol crafts as a replacement of the old patrol vessels in RSN. They also have significant war-fighting capabilities (a very capable Elta /M-2228(X) radar and combat system onboard. The Fearless class are fitted for but not with the Grabriel SSMs. During war-time, the 4 Gabriel launchers would be quickly fitted to each Fearless ship to add significant war-fighting capabilities. Furthermore, RSN built the Fearless as a offshore Patrol vessel first, and war-fighting ship second and not the other way round.
Ok, I have written so much about RSN. Any comment welcome
